* IEA monthly expects global oil demand growth to slow
* U.S. crude inventories fell 2 mln barrels last week -poll
* Coming Up: American Petroleum Institute at 2030 GMT
* For a technical view, click: [
]
(Updates prices, adds details)
By David Sheppard
LONDON, July 13 (Reuters) - Oil reversed early losses on Tuesday to rise above $75 a barrel as optimism about the economic recovery and stronger demand offset a report showing oil demand growth will slow next year.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) increased its estimate for worldwide oil demand growth in 2010 by 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.77 million bpd, but said this growth would slow by around 400,000 bpd next year. [
]"The key element is the gradual scaling back of economic stimulus programmes which we are assuming takes place over the next 12-15 months," David Fyfe, head of the IEA's Oil Industry and Markets Division, told Reuters Insider TV.
"That's taking a little of the post-recessionary froth out of the market." <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Reuters Insider interview with IEA's David Fyfe:
http://link.reuters.com/wev96m ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>
World oil demand is expected to average a record 87.84 million bpd in 2011 but the need for crude from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to rise by just 400,000 bpd next year to 29.2 million bpd, the IEA said, leaving the producer group with plenty of spare capacity.
"In short, markets in 2011 may prove 'not too hot, not too cold'," the IEA said in its first demand projection for next year.
At 1048 GMT, U.S. crude for August delivery <CLc1> was up 44 cents at $75.39 a barrel, having touched an earlier low of $74.25. Prices have fallen from a 19-month peak above $87 a barrel in early May as concerns about the pace of economic recovery have risen.
Brent crude oil for August delivery <LCOc1> was up 62 cents at $74.99 a barrel.
RECOVERY
Rising European equity markets supported prices, with many traders focused on companies' financial results as they try to gauge the strength of the recovery and its eventual impact on oil demand. [
]Alcoa, the largest U.S. producer of aluminium -- one of the most energy intensive industrial metals to make -- lifted its outlook for global consumption of the metal and posted surprisingly strong quarterly results, raising optimism others will follow suit.
The U.S. results season officially started on Monday, with the focus now on quarterly reports from JPMorgan <JPM.N> on Thursday and General Electric <GE.N> on Friday.
Shares in energy company BP <BP.L> were up almost 4 percent at one stage on Tuesday as it prepared to try sealing off its runaway well in the Gulf of Mexico with a new cap. [
] <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For graphics on the U.S. deepwater drilling moratorium: http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/10/US_DRL0610.gif http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/10/US_OFSHRD0610.gif ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>Prices were also supported by signs bulging inventories in the world's largest energy consumer may have fallen last week.
U.S. crude stockpiles are predicted to have dropped by 2 million barrels in the week to July 9, a Reuters survey showed, after tumbling 5 million barrels a week earlier because of shutdowns and shipping disruptions related to Hurricane Alex. [
]U.S. distillate inventories probably rose by 700,000 barrels, the survey showed, while gasoline stocks are expected to have risen by about 300,000 barrels.
The industry group American Petroleum Institute will release its weekly inventory report on Tuesday at 2030 GMT, followed by government statistics from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday at 1430 GMT. (Additional reporting by Alejandro Barbajosa; editing by Sue Thomas)