GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares fall after data, ECB disappoint
SINGAPORE, May 4 (Reuters) - Asian shares fell for a second successive day on Friday as another batch of lacklustre U.S. data stoked concerns that the recovery in the world's biggest economy is faltering.
"Investors were hoping to see stronger hints of further easing from the (European Central Bank) to offset the weak data, but came out empty-handed," said Kwak Jung-bo, an analyst at Samsung Securities in Seoul.
COMMODITIES-Markets down broadly; oil, cocoa take heavy hit
NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - Commodities fell broadly for a second day on Thursday, with U.S. crude oil posting its biggest one-day loss in more than four months, after weak U.S. economic data sparked concern about the outlook for demand.
"Crude prices hit the top of their trading range recently and so people are selling and are also being cautious ahead of the U.S. jobs data on Friday," said Bill O'Grady, chief market strategist at Confluence Investment Management in St. Louis, Missouri.
OIL-Oil drops sharply on US economic data, technicals
NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - Crude oil futures dropped for a second straight day o n T hursday as more signs of slowing U.S. economic growth and swelling U.S. inventories sparked a wave of selling that sent prices crashing through key support levels.
"Crude prices hit the top of their trading range recently and so people are selling and are also being cautious ahead of the U.S. jobs data on Friday," said Bill O'Grady, chief market strategist at Confluence Investment Management in St. Louis, Missouri.
NATURAL GAS-US natgas futures end up 4 pct on storage data
NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - Front-month U.S. natural gas futures ended higher o n T hursday for the fourth time in five sessions, backed by a weekly government report showing inventories climbed less than expected last week.
"Demand increases due to coal to gas switching have been helping injections underperform so far this season. However, the market will need to see some significant production cuts in the near future for the rally to continue," Energy Management Institute's Dominick Chirichella said in a report, noting the weekly inventory report was slightly bullish.
EURO COAL-Prices stabilise after 5 days of falls
LONDON, May 3 (Reuters) - European coal prices stabilised on Thursday as two-year low levels earlier in the week led to some fresh buying by utilities and traders.
"Recently, every time there's been heavy selling and prices drop, it's been the front months which have taken the hammering, which has just deepened the contango and encouraged people to buy prompt and hold it," one European trader said.
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