20121019 1107 Global Markets & Commodities Related News.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares ease, consolidate recent gains
TOKYO, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Asian shares eased as markets consolidated gains from a three-day rally, while the euro remained underpinned by easing tension over the euro zone's debt crisis.
"The Kospi is likely to take a rest after the recent rises, as the U.S. markets did following Google's disappointing results," said Bae Sung-yung, an analyst at Hyundai Securities, referring to Korean equities.

OIL-Oil slips but pares loss on shut Canada-U.S. pipeline
NEW YORK, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Thursday on the approaching restart of a North Sea oil field and weak U.S. jobless claims data, but with losses pared after news a pipeline carrying Canadian crude oil to the United States had shut.
"The market is in a phase where there is a strong reaction to infrastructure issues, although refinery snags are of greater import given low refined product storage levels," said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

NATURAL GAS-US natgas futures end up for 2nd day, EIAs seen bearish
NEW YORK, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Front-month U.S. natural gas futures, shrugging off a slightly bearish weekly inventory report, ended up sharply on Thursday, underpinned by technical buying after prices tested and held support early in the session.
"The market held support on the initial sell-off after the  (EIA storage) number. It (the build) was bigger than expectations, but the friendly factor is that injections have been considerably smaller than last year and mostly below average," said Tom Saal at INTL FCStone in Miami.

EURO COAL-Prices steady, more trades seen
LONDON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Prompt physical coal prices were little changed again on Thursday but activity picked up significantly, due partly to the return of many coal market players from the major annual industry conference in Istanbul this week.
"Prices haven't really changed but there were many more names in the market, people seem to have come back from Istanbul ready to do some business," one European trader said.