By Alex Lawler and Deep Kaushik Vakil
LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices steadied on Tuesday as easing supply concerns and signs of weakening demand countered fears of escalation in the Middle East.
futures fell 36 cents, or 0.4%, to $82.97 a barrel by 11:21 a.m. ET (1521 GMT) U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 28 cents, or 0.4%, to $78.20 a barrel.
The first-month Brent contract’s premium to the six-month contract slipped to $2.81…