By Trend

Oil prices ended mixed on Tuesday as market participants assessed risks on the supply side, Trend reports citing Xinhua.

The West Texas Intermediate for February delivery dropped 3 cents, or 0.04 percent, to settle at 79.53 U.S. dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude for February delivery gained 41 cents, or 0.5 percent, to settle at 84.33 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.

The above market reactions came after reports that some U.S. oil refiners were beginning to come back online Tuesday after a temporarily closure last week by a brutal winter storm.