* U.S. crude, gasoline inventories expected to rise
* Dollar extends gains vs basket of currencies
* Coming up: U.S. inventory report from API at 2130 GMT
(Updates prices)
By Alejandro Barbajosa
SINGAPORE, March 2 (Reuters) - Oil was steady below $79 on
Tuesday as the dollar stiffened on European sovereign risk woes
and forecasts for rising U.S. crude and gasoline inventories
capped prices.
The front-month contract for U.S. crude touched $80.62 on
Monday, its highest since Jan. 13, tracking commodity gains led
by copper and after Chilean state energy company ENAP said it
was boosting diesel imports following Saturday's earthquake.
But prices retreated after the dollar gained 0.65 percent
against a basket of currencies. On Tuesday, the dollar gained a
further 0.37 percent as concern swirled about sovereign risk
issues in Europe.
U.S. crude for April delivery <CLc1> slid 9 cents to $78.61
a barrel by 0752 GMT, while London ICE Brent <LCOc1> also shed
9 cents to $76.80.
"The dollar is the big driver, and if it continues to
rally, I do expect crude to go lower," said Clarence Chu, an
energy trader at Hudson Capital Energy in Singapore.
"I am quite sceptical that the problem with the euro is
over. I honestly don't see the dollar weakening against euro."
U.S. crude inventories probably rose 1.3 million barrels
last week amid higher imports, a Reuters survey showed, while
gasoline stockpiles may have gained 400,000 barrels. []
Distillates, a fuel category that includes heating oil and
diesel, probably fell by 600,000 barrels, the poll showed,
because of sustained heating demand in the wake of a third
major snowstorm to hit the U.S. Northeast, the biggest regional
consumer of heating oil.
Industry group the American Petroleum Institute (API) will
publish inventory data later on Tuesday, followed by government
statistics from the Energy Information Administration on
Wednesday.
RESISTANCE LEVEL
Positive macroeconomic data from the United States also
gave oil prices a temporary boost on Monday, but prices failed
to hold above $80 a barrel. Consumer spending increased
slightly faster than expected in January, while February growth
of the manufacturing sector was slower than forecast.
"In the last week we tried a few times to break above
$80.50 and every time we fell," Chu said. "Chart patterns show
there is quite a strong resistance at that level."
Fears about the ability of a handful of European countries
to finance their growing debts have kept a lid on risky assets,
even though the global economic recovery generally appears on
track.
Asian shares rose for a third straight session, led by tech
stocks, while the Australian dollar slid ahead of what is
expected to be a close decision by the central bank on whether
to raise interest rates again. []
Chile's Aconcagua and Bio Bio refineries, with a combined
capacity of 220,000 barrels per day, were damaged in Saturday's
quake. "I would keep an eye on gasoline because of the refinery
shutdowns," Chu said. "If there is structural damage it may
cause trouble for gasoline."
On Sunday a senior military official from Iran, the world's
fourth-largest exporter of crude, said the country could make
European nations suffer by cutting off energy supplies and
could target any adversary with its missiles. []
"So far it is just a shouting match, but that is something
that I would definitely pay attention to," Chu said. "If you
don't let them export oil and they can't get gasoline, that may
push Iran over the edge."
(Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Himani Sarkar)
