Oil prices rise in Asia

SINGAPORE: Oil prices inched higher in Asian trade Friday ahead of the release of US jobs figures and on concerns about a possible US-led strike on Syria, analysts said.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate for delivery in October, gained one cent to $108.38 in mid-morning trade, while Brent North Sea crude for October added two cents to $115.28.

"The threat of a Syrian war is already priced in to a certain extent," Kelly Teoh, market strategist at IG Markets in Singapore told. "We would need to wait till next week to see if it's going on," she said.

Dealers fear a military strike on Syria -- which is accused of using chemical weapons on its own civilians -- could lead to a wider conflict in the oil-rich Middle East that would put a strain on supplies.

Tensions over increased on Thursday after the US envoy to the United Nations accused Russia of holding the UN Security Council hostage over the crisis.