Strong
US
retail
sales
figures
released
on
Wednesday
were
feeding
into
improved
investor
risk
appetite
on
Thursday,
sending
European
equities
to
a
more
than
four-year
high
and
copper
higher.
Brent
crude
for
April
gained
$0.53
to
$109.05
by
1209
GMT
although
Brent
for
May,
which
becomes
the
front-month
contract
on
Friday,
was
up
$0.14.
Brent
fell
for
the
last
four
sessions.
US
oil
fell
$0.27
to
$92.25.
"It
could
be
related
to
some
buying
ahead
of
the
contract
expiry,"
said
Carsten
Fritch
of
Commerzbank
of
April
Brent's
gain.
"News
that
South
Sudan
plans…
Brent halts slide to return to $109