TOKYO, May 7 : U.S. crude futures rose about $1 in early trade on Thursday, rebounding from the previous day's losses, as investors assessed prospects for a Middle East peace deal. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 80 cents, or 0.8 per cent, to $95.88 a barrel as of 2223 GMT after climbing as high as $96.33 earlier in the session. The benchmark contract slid about 7 per cent on Wednesday on optimism about a possible end to the war in the Middle East, with reports the United