Oil prices cautiously rose in early trade on Tuesday with major producers sticking to supply cuts, but gains were capped as U.S. coronavirus cases surged, potentially hampering a recovery in fuel demand. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed 13 cents, or 0.3%, to $40.76 a barrel at 0103 GMT, recouping a 2 cent loss from Monday.

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Brent crude futures rose 7 cents, or 0.2%, to $43.17, adding to a 0.7% gain on Monday.

The market is still being supported by a bigger-than-expected drawdown in U.S. crude stockpiles reported last week and by record supply cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies, together known as OPEC+, AxiCorp strategist Stephen Innes said.

However, traders are also closely watching prospects for U.S. fuel demand, with 16 states reporting record increases in new cases of COVID-19 in the first five days of July, according to a Reuters tally. Florida confirmed a record 11,000 cases in a single day, more than any European country reported in one day at the height of the crisis.

"Summer driving demand in the U.S. is low, keeping gasoline demand subdued, and a reintroduction of lockdowns is a major headwind," ANZ said in a note.

Data from the American Petroleum Institute industry group later on Tuesday and the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday are expected to show a 100,000 barrel rise in gasoline stockpiles, six analysts polled by Reuters estimated.

Meanwhile a U.S. court on Monday ordered the shutdown of the Dakota Access pipeline, the biggest artery transporting crude oil from North Dakota`s Bakken shale basin to Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, over environmental concerns.

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Market sources in the Bakken said the closure of the 570,000 barrels per day (bpd) pipeline while a thorough environmental impact statement is completed will likely divert some oil flows to transportation by rail