* U.S. oil stocks fall; excess down to lowest in 11 months
* Oil set for biggest annual gains since 1999
* OPEC output hits 2009 high in December-Reuters survey
(Updates prices)
By Edward McAllister
NEW YORK, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Oil rose towards $80 a barrel
in thin holiday trade on Thursday, poised for the biggest
annual climb in a decade, a year after posting huge falls as
the global economic crisis sapped demand.
Crude was supported by data from the U.S. Energy
Information Administration (EIA) that showed declines in crude
oil stockpiles last week, boosting expectations of demand
recovery in the world's largest energy user. []
U.S. crude for February delivery <CLc1> rose 61 cents to
$79.89 a barrel by 12:33 a.m. EST (1733 GMT), its seventh
straight session of gains. Prices have risen 14 percent in just
over two weeks.
London Brent crude <LCOc1> rose 57 cents to $78.60.
"Momentum seems to run out near $80 as market participants
ponder the conundrum of whether or not a sustainable recovery
is actually underway," Mike Fitzpatrick, vice president at MF
Global in New York, said in a note.
U.S. oil futures were on track for the sharpest annual
percentage gain since 1999 but remained almost half the
all-time high of $147.27 hit in July 2008.
After sliding to a five-year low under $33 at the end of
2008, oil prices staged a steady climb to a high of $82 in
October this year. The annual average 2009 price was $62,
broadly in line with analysts' predictions at the end of 2008
of $58.48.
Oil's near 80 percent rise this year was part of a
broad-based rally across commodities and equities as investment
returned to markets drained by the global economic recession.
"While it was nominally a very strong year for commodities,
it was a relative weak year for passive investors," said
Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix.
For a FACTBOX on global market losses and gains for 2009,
click here []
Next year, analysts expected oil prices to consolidate this
year's gains as demand continues its gradual recovery.
"TRANSITION" IN 2010
"We expect 2010 to be a year of transition between the
demand concerns of 2009 and the supply concerns of 2011, with
in addition geopolitical developments having a heightened
importance," Barclays Capital said in a research note.
U.S. crude stockpiles fell by 1.5 million barrels in the
week to Dec. 25, just off an expected 2 million-barrel decline,
while gasoline inventories showed a surprise decline, data from
the EIA showed on Wednesday.
Crude inventories have slid by 19.5 million barrels in the
past four weeks, eroding the excess supply to 50.1 million
barrels, although stocks were still far above normal levels.
There were signs on Thursday that crude oil supplies from
some areas were on the rise as OPEC output hit a 2009 high in
December, led by increases in Nigeria and smaller rises
elsewhere, a Reuters survey showed. []
Commodity markets are on course for their strongest year
since 1973, lifted by oil's biggest annual gains in a decade
and a 140 percent surge in copper prices. []
For a graphic showing how the 19 commodities that make up
the CRB index have performed, double-click:
http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/129/CMD_RCRB1209.gif
(Additional reporting by Joe Brock in London and Ramthan
Hussain in Singapore; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
