Oil prices increase

LONDON: Oil prices rose further on Tuesday as the United States and its allies maintained pressure for tougher sanctions to curb crude producer Iran’s nuclear programme, dealers said. Cold weather in the final stages of the northern hemisphere winter and tightening supplies also helped drive prices higher, they added.—AP

German inflation dips

FRANKFURT: German inflation looks set to remain steady or pick up only moderately this month as lower oil prices take the sting out a sharp increase in value-added or sales tax (VAT), regional consumer price data showed on Tuesday. —AFP