NEW YORK, June 3 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rose on Thursday but were below their early intraday peak as traders awaited a government oil inventory report after late-Wednesday industry data showed crude stocks fell more than expected last week. Oil also drew support from U.S. stocks which opened higher on on weekly jobless claims and same-store sales from retailers. The number of U.S. workers filing new jobless claims fell as expected last week, government data showed, but the number of people receiving continuing benefits unexpectedly rose to its highest level in nearly two months. U.S. private employers added 55,000 jobs in May, compared with an upwardly revised gain of 65,000 in April, a report by payrolls processor ADP Employer Services showed. The April figure was first reported up 32,000. Weekly oil inventory reports were delayed due to Monday's Memorial Day holiday. Late Wednesday, the American Petroleum Institute reported total crude stocks fell more than expected, 1.4 million barrels, but were up at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery point for NYMEX benchmark crude. Gasoline stocks fell more than expected and distillate stocks rose more than forecast, the API said. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's oil inventory report is set to arrive on Thursday at 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), preceded by the EIA natural gas storage report at its regular time a half-hour earlier. An expanded analyst survey on Wednesday ahead of the API report yielded a forecast for crude stocks to be down only 100,000 barrels, with gasoline expected to be down 500,000 barrels and distillates up only 100,000 barrels. Natural gas storage was expected to be up 94 billion cubic feet last week, according to a Reuters survey. PRICES ON THE NEW YORK MERCANTILE EXCHANGE AT 9:55 A.M. EDT (1355 GMT), July crude was up 74 cents, or 1.02 percent, at $73.60 a barrel, trading from $72.92 to $74.40. THE $64.24 INTRADAY LOW ON MAY 20 WAS THE WEAKEST NYMEX front-month crude price since $62.76 was struck on July 30, 2009. The 2010 peak of $87.15 was struck on May 3. IN LONDON ON THE INTERCONTINENTAL EXCHANGE, JULY BRENT crude rose $1.14, or 1.55 percent, to $74.89 a barrel, trading from $73.97 to $75.25. NYMEX JULY RBOB ROSE 2.63 CENTS, OR 1.3 PERCENT, to $2.0524 a gallon, trading from $2.0254 to $2.0680. NYMEX JULY HEATING OIL ROSE 1.48 CENTS, OR 0.74 percent, to $2.0207 a gallon, trading from $2.00 to $2.0382. THE JULY/JULY HEATING OIL CRACK SPREAD WAS AT $11.46 a barrel. The spread ended Wednesday at $11.39. The July/July RBOB crack spread was at $12.75. The spread ended Wednesday at $12.24. THE SPREAD BETWEEN THE CURRENT FRONT MONTH AND THE five-year forward crude contract was at $14.31, based on the July 2015 contract Wednesday settlement at $87.91. The spread ended on Wednesday at $15.05. MARKET NEWS THE YEN FELL BROADLY AS RENEWED APPETITE FOR RISK IN global markets and political uncertainty in Japan weighed on the currency. The dollar index near flat as was the euro versus the dollar. CHINA'S MAJOR REFINERIES WILL KEEP CRUDE OIL PROCESSING in June at the second highest rate on record as oil firms see rising domestic fuel sales. GRINDING POVERTY, HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AND POLICE detentions are fueling tension in Angola's oil-rich province of Cabinda. BRENT CRUDE OIL FUTURES FOR DECEMBER 2011 HAVE TAKEN their widest premium over December 2010 for 16 months this week, reflecting weak prompt demand and expectations future supplies may be tighter, traders said. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; editing by Jim Marshall) Keywords: MARKETS ENERGY NYMEX (robert.gibbons@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6059; Reuters Messaging: robert.gibbons.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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