Brent crude’s price held steady at $111.66 per barrel while U.S. benchmark crude oil added 46 cents to $105.53 a barrel. Prospects for a deal to cement a three-week ceasefire in the Iran wa r remained clouded as Iran’s supreme leader said it will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities as a national asset. In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.7% to 59,687.65 as the Japanese yen gained against the U.S. dollar.