Oil prices rose in early trade as investors responded to news that Iran will not be meeting with US envoys, a further strain on the interim ceasefire agreed between the two in the four-month-long war, Reuters reports.

Brent futures rose 50 cents or 0.69 per cent to $73.45 a barrel at 1208 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude climbed 63 cents, or 0.91pc, to $70.13 a barrel.

US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Doha for what the White House described as “high level” talks, but Iran and host Qatar said they would meet with mediators, rather than the Iranians themselves.