NYMEX-Crude oil steady below $49 ahead of EIA data

TOKYO, Jan 7 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures steadied to stay below $49 on Wednesday, ahead of the release of U.S. government inventory data later in the day which is expected to show rises across the board, signaling weak demand in the world's largest oil consumer.

* NYMEX crude for February delivery CLc1 was trading down 7 cents, or 0.1 percent, at $48.51 a barrel in Globex electronic trading by 0140 GMT after settling 23 cents, or 0.5 percent lower the previous day, when traders booked profits after prices broke above $50 on Tuesday.

* A Reuters poll of analysts ahead of weekly U.S. government inventory data due out later on Wednesday forecast crude oil inventories rose 900,000 barrels last week, with distillates and gasoline supplies also expected to have increased. [EIA/S]

* The dollar rose against the euro on Wednesday to hover near a one-month high hit the previous day, continuing to draw support from gains in U.S. stocks on hopes for an aggressive stimulus package from the Obama administration. [ID:nT1332]

* Europe faced a deepening energy crunch and more sub-zero temperatures on Wednesday, with Moscow and Kiev showing little sign of a swift resolution of a pricing dispute that has slashed Russian gas supplies to the West. [ID:nL6169908]

To read the previous day's closing report click on [O/R]

To read the previous technical report click on [O/I]

Diary of upcoming energy news and events [O/DIARY] Oil prices as of 0140 GMT Contract Mnth Price Change Day ago pct MA-20* NYMEX Contracts US Crude FEB9 $48.51 -0.07 -$0.23 -0.47% $42.06 Heat Oil FEB9 162.39 -0.24 +5.00 +3.17% 141.16 RBOB FEB9 118.42 -0.50 +0.68 +0.58% 98.33 Natgas FEB9 $6.013 +0.030 -$0.089 -1.47% $5.711 ICE Contracts Brent FEB9 $50.57 +0.04 +$0.91 +1.83% $43.67 Gasoil JAN9 NA +$35.75 +7.47% $442.78 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 Edwina Gibbs)