NYMEX-Crude down for 5th day near $79/bbl on economy

                                
 TOKYO, Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures fell for the
fifth day running on Friday as weak U.S. economic data raised
concerns about a recovery in demand in the world's biggest
oil-consuming market.
                                
 FUNDAMENTALS
                                
 * NYMEX crude for February delivery <CLc1> was down 29 cents
at $79.10 a barrel by 0003 GMT, after settling down 26 cents at
$79.39 a day earlier.
                                
 The contract, which touched a 15-month high near $84 on
Monday, has fallen $3.36 over the past four sessions.
                                
 * Thursday's decline came after U.S. data showed retail sales
unexpectedly fell in December and more people sought jobless
benefits last week. [ID:nN14168822]
                                
 * Oil has been under pressure after government data showed on
Wednesday that U.S. inventories of crude, total distillate and
gasoline all rose last week. [EIA/S]
                                
 * The top U.S. futures market regulator unveiled its
long-awaited proposal to curb speculation in oil and gas markets
on Thursday, setting position limits so high they would affect
only a handful of the biggest players, to the relief of edgy
traders. [ID:nN14189109]
                                
 In an effort to prevent excessive concentration in energy
trading, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) issued
proposals to cap the number of contracts a company can hold
across exchanges. The limits were less stringent than expected
and offered some exemptions for swaps dealers who hedge financial
exposure, such as Goldman Sachs <GS.N>.
                                
 MARKETS NEWS
                                
 * Technology shares drove Wall Street higher on Thursday on
bets ahead of Intel's quarterly results that business spending
would bolster profits in the sector.
                                
 * The dollar fell against the yen as a drop in December U.S.
retail sales and other data reinforced the view the U.S. Federal
Reserve will keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged for the
foreseeable future. [USD/]
                                
 DATA/EVENTS
                                
 * The following data is expected on Friday:
                                
 - 0900 GMT--Euro Zone Inflation/Dec
                                
 - 1330 GMT--U.S. CPI (Index)/Dec.
                                
 - 1330 GMT--U.S. Empire State Index/Jan
                                
 - 1330 GMT--U.S. Real Earnings/Dec
                                
 - 1415 GMT--U.S. Industrial Output/Dec.
                                
 - 1455 GMT--Reuters/UMich Consumer Sentiment/Jan-P
                                
 - 1530 GMT--U.S. ECRI Weekly Index
                                
 RELATED NEWS
> UNG, USO will not be hit by CFTC limits-CIO    [nN1418009]
> New CFTC limits won't start soon enough-Sanders[nWNA1929]
                                
 PRICES
 Oil prices as of 0003 GMT          
 Contract Mnth    Price  Change  Day ago     pct     MA-20*
 NYMEX Contracts
 US Crude FEB0   $79.10   -0.29   -$0.26  -0.33%     $78.54
 Heat Oil FEB0   207.50   -0.79    -1.17  -0.56%     208.43
 RBOB     FEB0   206.70   -0.68    +1.36  +0.66%     202.44
 Natgas   FEB0   $5.593  +0.005  -$0.145  -2.53%     $5.720
 ICE Contracts
 Brent    FEB0       --   +0.00   -$0.49  -0.63%     $77.30
 Gasoil   FEB0       --   +0.00   +$0.25  +0.04%    $627.86
 Note: U.S. heating oil and RBOB gasoline contracts listed in
cents per gallon.
 * = 20-day moving average for continuation month.
 (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori; Editing by Hugh Lawson)