GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares, euro steady after IMF funding; China eyed
TOKYO, April 23 (Reuters) - Asian shares and the euro steadied on Monday after the IMF secured new funding to prevent the contagion of the euro zone's debt crisis, with investors turning to Chinese data to gauge the market's resilience to risk.
"We expect China's PMI number on Monday to confirm our view that activity remains well supported," Barclays Capital analysts said in a research note. "We also expect Euro area PMI to come marginally above consensus on Monday, helping markets keep the positive tone inherited from Friday."
COMMODITIES-Euro data, US equities boost markets
NEW YORK, April 20 (Reuters) - Major commodity markets rose on Friday, after a week of choppy trading, lifted by higher U.S. equities that benefited from strong earnings reports and positive European economic data that assuaged investor fears about the euro zone debt.
German business sentiment rose for the sixth month in a row in April, to its highest since July 2011, to support most markets.
OIL- Oil rises on improved German sentiment
NEW YORK, April 20 (Reuters) - Oil prices rose on Friday as improved German business sentiment countered nervousness about the euro zone debt crisis, while a weaker dollar and stronger equities also lent support.
"People are talking about the Ifo being better than expected and may be reducing the fear about the debt crisis, and the weak dollar and higher equities help crude, along with short-covering ahead of the weekend," said Gene McGillian, analyst at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut.
Oil trading faces new disclosure rules -FT
SINGAPORE, April 23 (Reuters) - Oil trading is coming under closer scrutiny as the industry-backed Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) explores ways to increase disclosure in deals between private trading firms and national oil companies, the Financial Times reported on Monday.
The EITI, which is a voluntary scheme aimed at improving transparency, has until recently focused primarily on payments by mining and oil companies to governments including royalties and taxes.
Milestone US oil manipulation case unsettles trade
NEW YORK, April 20 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators' $14 million settlement with high-frequency trading firm Optiver over oil price manipulation in 2007 is a "milestone" victory in their toughening stance on market malfeasance which is being closely watched by traders.
In its first major case against an algorithmic trader and the biggest financial penalty involving manipulation in the oil futures market, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission said late Thursday that a court settlement required the Amsterdam-based company to disgorge $1 million in profits and pay $13 million over allegations it used a rapid-fire tool nicknamed "The Hammer" to influence U.S. oil prices in 2007.
EU may review Iran oil ban in coming mths-official
BRUSSELS, April 20 (Reuters) - European Union member states may review in the next two months an embargo on Iranian oil imports that is scheduled to take effect from July, a senior EU official said on Friday.
For now, the official said there was no economic reason to change plans for the ban, which was agreed in January as part of EU efforts to put pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme.
Iraq unveils oil, gas exploration auction details
LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Baghdad unveiled on Friday a list of signing bonuses and the final contract for a forthcoming energy auction, the latest stage in a bold oil expansion plan that moves on from developing existing oilfields to searching for new reserves.
After targeting production capacity in three post-war licensing rounds, Baghdad is now focusing a fourth tender mostly on finding gas in remote parts of western and central Iraq.
S. Sudan withdraws from oil area
JUBA/KHARTOUM, April 20 (Reuters) - South Sudan said on Friday it would withdraw its troops from the disputed Heglig oil region more than a week after seizing it from Sudan, pulling the countries back from the brink of a full-blown war.
Sudan quickly declared victory, saying its armed forces had "liberated" the area by force as thousands of people poured onto the streets of Khartoum cheering, dancing, honking car horns and waving flags.
US natgas futures end up slightly, still near 10-yr low
NEW YORK, April 20 (Reuters) - U.S. natural gas futures, backed by technical buying ahead of the weekend after three straight losing sessions, ended with modest gains on Friday, but mild weather forecasts and record-high supplies continued to limit the upside.
"I think we saw a little short covering today heading into the weekend. It seems like (bearish) sentiment is changing and we may be getting close to a bottom," Energy Management Institute's Dominick Chirichella told Reuters, adding prices could slide another 25 cents or so from here.
Euro Coal-Prices steady, Carbopego tenders
LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - European physical coal prices steadied on Friday after a day of quiet trading with no fresh deals reported.
"Prices are still stuck in the range of $95-$105 a tonne in ARA and unless there is some major shift change, some shock, I can't see them moving out of the range," said a source at one of Europe's biggest utilities.
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