Oil prices rose for a third day on Thursday on expectations of a surge in fuel demand later this year, particularly in the United States and Europe and China, at the same time major producers are maintaining supply discipline. Brent crude futures were up 40 cents, or 0.6%, at $71.75 a barrel by 0635 GMT, after earlier reaching the highest since September 2019. The international benchmark gained 1.6% on Wednesday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 34 cents, or 0.5%, to $69.17 a barrel. Prices earlier rose to as much as $69.40, the most since October 2018, after gaining 1.5% in the previous session. The consensus among market forecasters, including the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, is that oil demand will exceed supply in the second half of 2021, which has spurred the recent run in prices. OPEC+ data shows that […]