NYMEX-Crude edges up, hovers near $96 after strong European data
SEOUL, Jan 28 (Reuters) - U.S. crude rose on Monday, hovering near $96 per barrel, after data from Europe signalled signs of economic recovery while supply worries stemming from persisting tensions in the Middle East and Africa also supported prices.
FUNDAMENTALS
* U.S. crude climbed 11 cents to $95.99 a barrel, after settling down 7 cents at $95.88 on Friday.
* Brent climbed 13 cents a barrel at $113.41, after it settled unchanged previously.
* The Munich-based Ifo think tank said on Friday that German business morale improved for a third consecutive month in January to its highest in more than half a year, more evidence that Europe's largest economy is gathering speed again after contracting late last year.
* Banks will repay more than 130 billion euros of crisis loans to the European Central Bank next week, handing more cash back earlier than expected in a sign at least parts of the financial system are returning to health.
* Oil investors were closely watching the Seaway crude oil pipeline after it was forced last week to curtail deliveries to its Gulf Coast terminal, potentially reducing flows out of the delivery point for West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures at Cushing, Oklahoma.
* Seaway operator Enterprise Products Partners said on Friday deliveries to its Katy, Texas, terminal in the Houston area were normal.
* Tensions in the oil-producing Middle East remain. Iran would consider any attack on Syria an attack on itself, a senior government official was quoted as saying on Saturday, in one of Tehran's most assertive defences of its ally yet. Iran is a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad who is fighting a near two-year-long revolt.
* Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi declared a month-long state of emergency in three cities along the Suez Canal where dozens of people have been killed over the past four days in protests his allies say are designed to overthrow him.
* U.N. Security Council envoys flew to Yemen amid tight security on Sunday to show support for a U.S.-backed power transfer deal in danger of faltering and plunging the country back into chaos.
* Unidentified attackers blew up Yemen's main oil pipeline, forcing the country to shut down one of its most lucrative sources of income, government and tribal sources said on Saturday. Yemen's oil and gas pipelines have been repeatedly sabotaged by insurgents and tribesmen since anti-government protests created a power vacuum in 2011.
MARKETS NEWS
* The Standard & Poor's 500 index closed above 1,500 for the first time in more than five years on Friday as strong U.S. earnings reports, including Procter & Gamble's, helped the benchmark extend its rally to eight days.
* Japan's Nikkei share average rose at Monday's open, striking a 32-month high above 11,000 after the yen weakened over the weekend and U.S. stocks advanced strongly, although the benchmark quickly pared its gains as investors awaited domestic earnings results for cues.
DATA/EVENTS
* The following data is expected on Monday (GMT):
0900 Italy Consumer confidence
0900 Euro zone Money M3 growth
1330 U.S Durable goods orders 1330 U.S. Midwest Manufacturing Index 1500 U.S. Pending home sales 1530 U.S. Dallas Fed Manufacturing Index
(Reporting by Meeyoung Cho; Editing by Himani Sarkar)