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SINGAPORE: Oil prices eased on Thursday, reversing gains made earlier in the Asian trading session, as market participants assessed a US decision to move personnel from the Middle East ahead of talks with Iran over the latter’s nuclear-related activity.

Brent crude futures were down 49 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $69.28 a barrel at 9:30 a.m. Saudi time, while US West Texas Intermediate crude was 41 cents, or 0.6 percent, lower at $67.74 a barrel.

A day earlier, both Brent and WTI surged more than 4 percent to their highest since early April.

US President Donald Trump said the US was moving personnel because the Middle East “could be a dangerous place.” He also said the US would not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Iran has said its nuclear activity is peaceful.

Increased tension with Iran has raised the prospect of disruption to oil supplies. The sides are set to meet on Sunday.

“Some of the surge in oil prices that took Brent above $70 per barrel was overdone. There was no specific threat identified by the US on an Iranian attack,” said Vivek Dhar, director of mining and energy commodities research at Commonwealth Bank Australia.

Response from Iran is only contingent on US escalation, Dhar said.

“A pull back (in price) makes sense, but a geopolitical premium that keeps Brent above $65 per barrel will likely persist until further clarity on US-Iran nuclear talks is revealed,” he added.

The US is preparing a partial evacuation of its Iraqi embassy and will allow military dependents to leave locations in the Middle East due to heightened security risk in the region, Reuters reported on Wednesday citing US and Iraqi sources.

Iraq is the second-biggest crude producer after ������Ƶ in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Military dependents can also leave Bahrain, a US official said.

Prices weakened having hit key technical resistance levels during Wednesday’s rally, plus some market participants are betting on Sunday’s US-Iran meeting resulting in reduced tension, said OANDA senior market analyst Kelvin Wong.

Trump has repeatedly said the US would bomb Iran if the two countries cannot reach a deal regarding Iran’s nuclear-related activity including uranium enrichment.

Iran’s Minister of Defense Aziz Nasirzadeh on Wednesday said Iran will strike US bases in the region if talks fail and if the US initiates conflict.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff plans to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman on Sunday to discuss Iran’s response to a US proposal for a deal.

Separately, US crude inventories fell 3.6 million barrels to 432.4 million barrels last week, the Energy Information Administration said. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected a draw of 2 million barrels. 

RIYADH: ������Ƶ’s Tadawul All Share Index gained 0.49 points on Wednesday, closing at 11,005.02.

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR5.60 billion ($1.49 billion), with 149 of the listed stocks advancing and 89 declining.

The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu, however, shed 84.03 points to close at 27,223.71.

The MSCI Tadawul Index also declined by 0.07 percent to 1,405.46. 

Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair Co., also known as Cenomi Retail, was the best-performing stock on the main market, as the company’s share price advanced by 9.93 percent to SR19.70. 

Miahona Co. also saw its share price increase by 6.09 percent to SR24.38.

The stock price of Americana Restaurants International PLC advanced 5.74 percent to SR2.21. 

Conversely, the share price of Elm Co. declined by 6.66 percent to SR959.20. 

The top gainer on Nomu was Meyar Co., whose share price grew 20.74 percent to SR65.20.

In the parallel market, Knowledge Net Co. also saw its stock price rise by 10 percent to SR34.10. 

The share price of Anmat Technology for Trading Co., which debuted on the Kingdom’s parallel market, climbed by 4.74 percent to SR9.95. 

On Tuesday, ������Ƶ’s main market also witnessed three negotiated deals worth SR23.3 million. 

The negotiated deals include ACWA Power’s SR12.59 million, followed by Ades Holding Co.’s SR5.74 million, and Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co.’s SR5 million. 

A negotiated deal indicates the purchase of a stock based on an agreement between buyers and sellers, apart from the market price.

These agreements are executed under the control of Tadawul and in accordance with capital market laws and regulations. 

The share price of ACWA Power declined by 5.34 percent to SR255.40. 

Ades Holding Co. saw its share price drop by 0.74 percent to SR13.48. 

The stock price of Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. edged up by 0.40 percent to SR4.96.