20130116 1144 Global Markets & Energy Related News.

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares inch higher, Nikkei down as yen declines pause
TOKYO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Asian shares inched higher as investors waited for more clues on global growth prospects, while the Japanese stock market took a break from its recent rally as the yen's declines paused.
"There's no real momentum in the market before China's fourth quarter GDP figures on Friday, so shares are likely to coast, with individual stocks aligning with earnings expectations," said Kim Sung-hwan, an analyst at Bookook Securities in Seoul.

Doves push back on Fed's hawks, call for more US easing
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn./PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan 15 (Reuters) - T wo dovish Federal Reserve officials pushed back against some of their more hawkish peers on Tuesday, arguing that the U.S. central bank's accommodative policies are appropriate and may even need to be eased further.
In a speech that stamped him as perhaps the most dovish of the central bank's 19 policymakers, Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Narayana Kocherlakota said the Fed "should provide more monetary accommodation" by targeting a 5.5 percent unemployment level.

FOREX-Euro stung by Juncker's comment, yen holds firm
SYDNEY, Jan 16 (Reuters) - The euro had its winning streak clipped after a top European official complained about its recent run higher, while the yen held firm following a warning about its excessive weakness by a Japanese politician.
"The pullback from the 2013 high looks poised to turn into a larger correction, and we may see the euro-dollar fall back towards the $1.3100 region as heightening growth concerns fuels speculation for additional monetary support," said David Song, analyst at DailyFX.

Oil-Oil slips as German data, US debt ceiling worries weigh
NEW YORK, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Oil prices dipped in heavy trading on Tuesday, weighed down by German economic data and concerns about the brewing fight over the U.S. debt ceiling stoked concerns about fuel demand.
"I think the warnings by the Fed Chairman about the debt ceiling seems to have taken the wind out of yesterday's strong close," said Gene McGillian, analyst for Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut, referring to gains seen in Brent and U.S. crude on Monday.

POLL-US crude stocks seen rising on higher imports
Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil inventories were forecast to have risen last week, marking the second straight week, on expectations imports rose, an extended Reuters poll of analysts showed on Tuesday.
The poll of nine analysts forecast crude stocks to show a rise of 2.3 million barrels for the week ended Jan. 11, with eight analysts predicting a build in stocks.

U.S. gasoline and crude stocks rise-API
NEW YORK, Jan 15 (Reuters) - U.S. gasoline and crude t week even as crude imports fell, data from the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday.
Gasoline stocks rose 4.1 million barrels in the week to Jan 11, accordingAPI data, compared with expectations for a 2.9 ters poll of analysts.  Crude stockpiles rose by 46,000 barrels in the week to Jan. 11, compared with expectations for a 2.3 million barrel rise. Distillate fuels, which include diesel and heating oil, fell 568,000 barrels, compared with expectations for a 1.9 million barrel rise, the API data showed.

EXCLUSIVE-Iran charters oil ship with Indian insurance- sources
NEW DELHI, Jan 15 (Reuters) - A loophole in an Indian insurance scheme has allowed Iran's state-run tanker company NITC to bolster oil exports by chartering a vessel insured by India's state-run firms, industry and shipping sources said on Tuesday.
European Union and U.S. sanctions to force Iran to curb its nuclear programme cut Iran's oil exports by more than half last year. An EU ban on insuring vessels carrying Iranian oil was among measures that disrupted the flow to top Asian buyers, as the maritime insurance industry is mostly based in Europe.

Norway to cut gas transport charges to encourage output
OSLO, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Norway plans to sharply reduce natural gas transport tariffs for new gas contracts, hoping to encourage higher production in mature fields and more exploration in the frontier areas of the Arctic, the oil ministry said on Tuesday.
The government also aims to reduce the charges for bookings from this spring as pipeline firm Gassled has been earning more than the desired return on its investment, while future returns are seen elevated for years to come, the ministry said in a consultation paper. The lower tariffs would then encourage energy firms to explore for more gas in the Arctic Barents Sea, where only a few discoveries have been made so far.