GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares ease as U.S. data casts doubt on recovery
SINGAPORE, April 20 (Reuters) - Asian shares slipped on Friday as disappointing U.S. economic data stirred doubts about the strength of recovery, while the yen weakened after the Bank of Japan flagged the prospect of further monetary easing to support the struggling economy.
The euro emerged unscathed from a choppy session on Thursday to trade around $1.3140 , almost unchanged on the day.
High-frequency trader Optiver pays $14 mln over oil manipulation
April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators obtained their first major fine from a high-frequency trading firm over oil market manipulation on Thursday after a federal court ordered Optiver Holding BV to pay $14 million over trades dating back five years.
In a ruling that came just two days after U.S. President Barack Obama proposed a renewed crackdown on oil market manipulation, the Amsterdam-based company agreed to pay a $13 million civil penalty and a $1 million disgorgement of profits over allegations it used a rapid-fire tool nicknamed "The Hammer" to influence U.S. oil prices in March 2007.
COMMODITIES-Weak US data hits oil, other markets mixed
NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. oil futures ended lower o n T hursday as investors focused on weaker-than-expected U.S. economic data, while grains rose on talk that China bought U.S. corn.
"It's time for copper to consolidate because it suffered some losses at the start of the month," said VTB Capital analyst Andrey Kryuchenov.
OIL- Crude steady, gasoline down as supply worries ease
NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - Crude oil held steady on T hursday while U.S. gasoline futures tumbled for a fourth straight day as concerns about a supply crunch on the East Coast eased.
"Gasoline futures had risen sharply on fears of a shortfall in East Coast refinery capacity, but news about the Trainer refinery is changing that perception," said Tim Evans, energy analyst at Citi Futures Perspective in New York.
Iraq to export oil from second floating platform-sources
BASRA, April 20 (Reuters) - War-battered Iraq will be ready to begin loading oil from a second new floating Single Point Mooring (SPM) platform on Friday in the latest move to boost exports, three sources at the state-owned South Oil Company said.
The first of the long-awaited platforms began exporting last month at a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day.
Obama oil margin plan could increase price swings
April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama's bid to dampen the influence of oil speculators by having regulators set trading margins could backfire, potentially making prices even more volatile and leaving crude dominated only by those with the deepest pockets.
Under Obama's request to Congress, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) would determine how much speculators need to pay to trade U.S. crude oil futures, in theory increasing the amount when prices move too far, too fast.
France would not support oil release under Hollande
PARIS, April 19 (Reuters) - France would withdraw support from a U.S.-British plan to release strategic oil stocks if Socialist front-runner Francois Hollande beats President Nicolas Sarkozy in the presidential election run-off on May 6, the energy adviser to Hollande said on Thursday.
France joined Britain and the United States last month in talks to tap into strategic stocks, saying a move could happen in a matter of weeks.
Japan cuts April Iran oil purchases 77 pct - trade
TOKYO, April 18 (Reuters) - Japan will slash its crude purchases from Iran by almost 80 percent in April compared to the first two months of the year as buyers comply with Western sanctions, trade sources said.
The cuts, amounting to 250,000 barrels per day, are the steepest yet by the four Asian nations who buy most of Iran's 2.2 million bpd of exports, as tightening sanctions make it tough to pay, ship and insure the oil.
US natgas futures end down, front hits 10-year low
NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures ended lower on Thursday, with the front month sliding to a fresh 10-year low as moderate weather and record-high supplies pressured prices even though the government reported a weekly inventory build in line with expectations.
"Today's inventory report came in as expected and did not add anything new to the equation. Natgas is oversupplied (and) remains bearish as we inch closer to filling available storage capacity,"
Euro Coal-June S.African trades at $99/T, down $1
LONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - European physical coal prices slipped by around 50 cents for the fifth day running on Thursday while prompt South African FOB dropped by $1.00 due to oversupply and tepid demand, despite strong coal consumption in the UK, Germany and Spain.
"The UK is one of the few bright spots of demand, it's weak almost everywhere else," one utility source said.
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