MARKETS-OIL/ (UPDATE 3) * Eurozone data shows inflation stable at 2.7 pct * U.S. jobless claims fall less than forecast * IEA signals leave market uncertain * Mixed outlook as OPEC supply up, U.S. stocks down (Adds quote, updates prices) By Jessica Donati LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Oil prices held near $112 a barrel on Thursday as high inflation and uncertainty about the International Energy Agency's emergency stock release plan balanced against a weaker dollar. Comments from European Central Bank chief Jean-Claude Trichet reinforced expectations of an interest rate hike next week, which traders and analysts said could stifle economic activity and energy demand. Concerns lingered that Greece could run into further problems even after Wednesday's initial vote to pass an austerity plan to avert bankruptcy. "It's not finished for Greece yet; there is a last vote," said Thorbjorn Bak Jensen, an oil analyst at Global Risk Management. "If the system tightens up well, Greece doesn't need a rate rise." ICE Brent crude was 40 cents lower at $112 a barrel at 1400 GMT, paring early losses of more than $1, after jumping more than 3 percent on Wednesday. U.S. crude was at $94.84 a barrel, up 7 cents, after gaining 2 percent in the previous session. A weaker dollar was supportive, although the dollar index pared early losses after the European data was released and was little moved after U.S. jobless data showed a slight drop in claims. "The disappointing jobs data helps to invite more easing by the Federal Reserve, which bodes for a weaker dollar and higher commodity prices. Secondarily, yesterday's uptick in Japanese industrial production may signal the bottom for the current slowdown. So the current claims numbers may be the worst we see," said John Kilduff, a partner at Again Capital Llc In New York. Euro zone data showed that inflation was high but stable at 2.7 percent, compared with expectations of a rise to 2.8 percent. The rate is well above the ECB's target of close to but below 2.0 percent. UNCERTAINTY The International Energy Agency has sent conflicting signals to the market this week, saying on Wednesday it was up to operators to decide whether to release crude oil or oil products as part of the emergency release plan. "The market is still assessing the release of emergency stocks by the IEA," said Ben Westmore, commodities economist at the National Australia Bank. The Netherlands joined Germany in clarifying it would hold a tender to release crude oil as part of the IEA programme. The Dutch stockpiling agency said up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil would be offered on Friday. Other countries including Britain, France and Italy said they were not planning on tenders but would reduce minimum strategic stock reserve requirements instead. "There is a huge misunderstanding on this point," the IEA's head of energy markets and security told Reuters. The table provided by the International Energy Agency on Monday, which showed the breakdown of crude and products on its website, was purely indicative, Didier Houssin said. But the agency could decide whether to repeat the release around the third week of July, Richard Jones, IEA deputy executive director, said late on Wednesday. "The impact has been fairly minimal. I don't believe they can continue releasing emergency stocks as that's what they are there for - emergencies," said Roy Jordan, an analyst at Facts Global Energy, adding that in the absence of further disruption, prices would fall anyway because supply was ample. MIXED SUPPLY OUTLOOK In the United States, oil stocks tightened as crude imports dropped and gasoline inventories fell unexpectedly. Crude supplies fell for a fourth straight week, government data showed, dropping 4.4 million barrels, much more than forecast, to 359.5 million barrels. But on the other hand, OPEC oil output is forecast to rise in June mainly due to extra oil from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, a Reuters survey found on Thursday. Supply from all 12 members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries is expected to average 29.45 million barrels per day (bpd) this month, up by 350,000 bpd in May, the survey of oil companies, OPEC officials and analysts found. (Additional reporting by Florence Tan; editing by Jane Baird)

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