NYMEX-Crude rises to near $78 after tumble on equities

TOKYO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures rose towards $78
a barrel on Friday, making up some of the previous day's fall of
more than 2 percent after a slide in equities and a rise in the
dollar.

FUNDAMENTALS

* NYMEX crude for December delivery CLc1 was up 32 cents at
$77.78 a barrel by 0022 GMT, after settling down $2.12 on
Thursday, when Wall Street declined broadly, raising concern
about the U.S. economy and a potential rebound in energy demand.
[ID:nNSP484907]

The December NYMEX futures contract will expire later on
Friday.

* Mexico's state oil company Pemex will likely tap external
markets to raise funding for projects in 2010 as it seeks to hold
oil output steady at 2.5 million barrels per day, the firm's CEO
said on Thursday. [ID:nN19180046]

* OPEC seaborne oil exports, excluding Angola and Ecuador,
will rise by 50,000 barrels per day in the four weeks to Dec. 5,
UK consultancy Oil Movements, which tracks future shipments, said
on Thursday. [ID:nWLA8679]

MARKETS NEWS

* Japan's Nikkei average fell 1.1 percent on Friday, with
tech shares hit after disappointing U.S. data increased concerns
about the pace of economic recovery. [.T]

* The dollar rose on Thursday amid revived safe-haven demand
for the U.S. currency following a pullback in risk appetite,
hurting demand for dollar-denominated commodities from investors
using other currencies. [FRX/]

* The 19-commodity Reuters-Jefferies CRB index .CRB, which
tracks 19 mostly U.S.-traded futures markets, fell 1.2 percent on
Thursday, as patchy economic data and a stronger dollar dented
prices for most commodities. [COM/WRAP]

DATA/EVENTS

* The following data is expected on Friday:

- U.S. ECRI Weekly Economic Index (1530 GMT)

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PRICES
Oil prices as of 0022 GMT
Contract Mnth Price Change Day ago pct MA-20*
NYMEX Contracts
US Crude DEC9 $77.78 +0.32 -$2.12 -2.66% $78.91
Heat Oil DEC9 200.40 +0.76 -5.22 -2.55% 204.14
RBOB DEC9 197.30 +0.35 -4.19 -2.08% 199.34
Natgas DEC9 $4.350 +0.008 +$0.088 +2.07% $4.642
ICE Contracts
Brent JAN0 NA -$1.83 -2.30% $77.51
Gasoil DEC9 NA -$22.00 -3.42% $629.89
Note: U.S. heating oil and RBOB gasoline contracts listed in
cents per gallon.
* = 20-day moving average for continuation month.
(Reporting by James Topham; Editing by Hugh Lawson)