* Dollar index strength helps pressure oil * U.S. expected to have debt-limit deal done Tuesday * U.S. crude stocks seen up last week - poll * Coming up: API oil data, 4:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday NEW YORK, Aug 2 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures fell on Tuesday as concerns about economic growth and tepid demand for oil remained in focus even as the United States neared a final agreement on raising its debt ceiling and lowering its debt growth. The Senate and President Barack Obama are expected to approve a deal already passed by the House of Representatives to cut the deficit and lift the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling enough to last beyond the November 2012 elections, avoiding a debt default. [ID:nN1E770248] But oil prices remained under pressure after weak manufacturing data from the United States, Europe and China on Monday reinforced fears that slowing economic growth threatens to dampen oil demand. The dollar index .DXY, measuring the greenback against a basket of currencies, strengthened as the euro weakened on concerns about euro zone sovereign debt problems. Tropical Storm Emily, located about 265 miles (425 km) southeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, has slowed down as it moves west, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. [ID:nL3E7J22OB] "A turn toward the west-northwest and a gradual decrease in forward speed are expected during the next 48 hours," the NHC said. U.S. crude inventories were expected to have increased last week, according to a Reuters survey of analysts on Monday. Distillate stocks were forecast to be up and gasoline stocks unchanged. [EIA/S] FUNDAMENTALS * On the New York Mercantile Exchange, September crude CLU1 fell 54 cents, or 0.6 percent, to $94.35 a barrel by 8:51 a.m. EDT (1251 GMT), trading from $93.75 to $95.45. * Russia produced 10.26 million barrels per day of crude oil in July, matching May's post-Soviet high and retaining the title of top producer. [ID:nLDE7710BO] * China's crude throughput is likely to grow 8.5 percent to 9.2 million barrels per day this year, the industry ministry said, indicating refinery production is expected to accelerate in the second half of the year from the first. [ID:nL3E7J20NG] * Japan's Cosmo Oil Co (5007.T) said it aims to resume partial operations at its quake-hit Chiba refinery as early as autumn, with the restart of a crude distillation unit (CDU) expected by year-end. [ID:nL3E7J20UQ] * Euro zone producer prices were flat on the month in June, with economists having expected a 0.1 percent rise after May's 0.2 percent fall. * U.S. personal income rose less than expected in June and was down from May, while personal spending fell and was down versus May. [ID:nCLA2JE70V] * The death toll in Syria's violent crackdown on opposition to President Bashar al-Assad in the city of Hama and elsewhere climbed on Tuesday, spurring Western efforts to pile diplomatic pressure on Damascus. [ID:nL6E7J200C] MARKETS NEWS * Wall Street equity futures were lower as a last-minute congressional deal to raise the U.S. debt ceiling failed to ease worries about a possible U.S. credit downgrade as questions lingered over the economy's strength. [.N] * World stocks hit a two-week low as markets' focus returned to weak global growth prospects and the euro zone's debt troubles after the U.S. House of Representatives passage of a $2.1 trillion deficit cutting plan that also would raise the nation's debt limit and prevent default. [MKTS/GLOB] * Gold traded near record highs after the last-minute deal to avoid an unprecedented U.S. debt default and the first bullion purchase by Korea in 13 years. [GOL/] UPCOMING DATA/EVENTS * Weekly oil inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute is due at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT) Tuesday. * U.S. Energy Information Administration oil inventory data is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on Wednesday. * U.S. Energy Information Administration natural gas storage data is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) on Thursday. 8:51 LAST NET PCT LOW HIGH CURRENT DAY AGO CHNG CHNG VOL VOL CLc1 94.35 -0.54 -0.6% 93.75 95.45 43,211 284,385 CLc2 94.77 -0.56 -0.6% 94.20 95.85 6,888 52,297 LCOc1 116.38 -0.43 -0.4% 115.53 117.01 51,761 247,669 RBc1 3.0399 -0.0138 -0.5% 3.0265 3.0567 2,186 27,763 RBc2 2.9055 -0.0140 -0.5% 2.8889 2.9163 1,413 47,536 HOc1 3.0835 -0.0139 -0.5% 3.0643 3.1027 3,388 23,335 HOc2 3.0975 -0.0127 -0.4% 3.0774 3.1132 999 65,483 * NYMEX crude oil for September CLc1 fell 54 cents to $94.35 a barrel by 8:51 a.m. in volume of 43,211 lots. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by John Picinich)

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