20111216 1321 Global Market & Commodities Related News.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares, euro gain after upbeat U.S. data
SINGAPORE, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Asian shares edged up and the euro slunk higher on Friday, as signs of strength in the U.S. economy temporarily broke through gloom over the European debt crisis that had driven a sell-off in riskier assets over the past three days.
"Can the U.S. go it totally alone? No," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Asset Management in Bedford Hills, New York. "But the rest of the world, with the exception of Europe, we are pretty positive about. We don't think it's going to fall apart."

COMMODITIES-Mostly lower as euro zone fears outweigh data
NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Major commodities markets ended flat to lower on Thursday as fears of recession in Europe offset some positive U.S. economic data.
"Continuing worries about the euro zone debt crisis are  keeping gains limited today, despite the positive U.S. data on  jobless claims and New York manufacturing activity," said Chris  Dillman, analyst at Tradition Energy.

Oil falls a second day in volatile expiry trade
New York - Oil fell a second straight day on Thursday in light volume trading, giving up early gains as investors remained cautious about prospects for economic growth in Europe and China.
"Brent is going into the expiry so we've got a bit of cover on that but the rest of the (crude) complex is taking it on the chin with all commodities," said Richard  Ilczyszyn, chief market strategist and founder of iitrader.com in Chicago.

NYMEX-Natural gas ends slightly lower despite EIA draw
NEW YORK, Dec 15 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures ended just slightly lower on Thursday, despite a bigger-than-expected weekly drawdown from winter inventories.
"Simply put the winter weather has not yet arrived and is not expected to arrive for a major portion of the U.S. through pretty much the rest of December," said Energy Management Institute's Dominick Chirichella.

Euro Coal-Prices stable, Plomin awards tender
LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Physical prompt coal prices held steady on Thursday as the market ignored choppy oil trade but prices are likely to come under more pressure in the next few weeks due to poor demand, traders and utilities said.
"Everybody's clearing the decks before the market basically shuts down for the holidays," one European trader said.