A worker walks past oil pipes at a refinery in Wuhan, Hubei province March 23, 2012. Oil prices rose in early Asian trading on Thursday, shrugging off a smaller than expected decline in U.S. stockpiles as the market waited with bated breath for the result of Britain’s “Brexit” vote. Trading has been choppy in the run up to Thursday’s vote on whether Britain leaves or stays in the European Union (EU), and is expected to remain so before results start filtering through late on Thursday or early Friday. Brent’s August front-month contract was up 41 cents at $50.29 a barrel at 0038 GMT. It closed down 74 cents, or 1.5 percent, at $49.88 a barrel on Wednesday. Prices for U.S. oil were also higher, rising 43 cents to $49.56 a barrel. “A positive tone in the commodity markets continues to support prices,” ANZ said in a morning note. “However […]