U.S. crude oil futures edged up on Thursday, supported by improved sentiment reflected in early gains in equities and the dollar's weakness against the euro. "Crude and products futures advanced overnight as the dollar retreated against the euro and world equities found footing in positive territory," Addison Armstrong, analyst at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut, said in a note. Gains were tempered by a report of more U.S. jobless claims. But crude futures have shown resilience despite another batch of bearish inventory and demand data on Wednesday. Refined products had slipped and were slightly lower in morning trading in New York. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's oil inventory report on Wednesday showed a larger-than-expected rise in crude supplies last week despite increased refinery use that in turn helped gasoline and distillate supplies rise. [EIA/S] Total products supplied over the four-week period to April 17 averaged 18.5 million barrels per day, down by 6.5 percent compared to the year-ago period, the EIA said. PRICES * On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 9:53 a.m. EDT (1353 GMT), June crude CLM9 was up 40 cents, or 0.82 percent, at $49.25 a barrel, trading from $48.37 to $49.92. * In London, June Brent crude LCOM9 rose 12 cents, 0.24 percent, to $49.93 a barrel, trading from $49.25 to $50.51. * NYMEX May RBOB RBK9 dipped 0.68 cents, or 0.49 percent, to $1.3838 a gallon, trading from $1.3749 to $1.3984. * NYMEX May heating oil HOK9 slipped 0.20 cent, or 0.15, percent, to $1.3279 a gallon, trading from $1.3211 to $1.3455. * The June/June RBOB crack spread <0#RB-CL=R> was at $9.07 a barrel. It ended at $9.90 on Wednesday. The June/June heating oil crack spread <0#CL-HO=R> was at $7.09. It ended at $7.01 on Wednesday. * The spread between the current front month and the five-year forward crude contract CLc61 was at $23.01, based on the June 2014 contract's Wednesday settlement at $72.26. The spread ended at $23.42 on Wednesday. TECHNICALS NYMEX crude 10-day/20-day moving average: $49.15/$49.97 Technical support/resistance: NYMEX crude: $45.95/$50.38 NYMEX heating oil: $1.27/$1.3910 NYMEX RBOB: $1.3315/1.4470 For a report on technicals click [ID:nLN519945] MARKET NEWS * The euro rose broadly as extreme risk aversion eased on some brighter signs for the economy and banking system, prompting gains in equities. [USD/[ * The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose by slightly more than forecast last week, while continued claims posted another record high. Initial claims increased to a seasonally adjusted 640,000. [ID:nN23310355] * Investors put aside recent worries about the economy and banking woes and sent global stocks higher. [MKTS/GLOB] * The EIA on Wednesday said domestic crude stocks rose 3.9 million barrels last week. [EIA/S] * Against forecasts for a draw, gasoline stocks rose 800,000 barrels and distillates jumped 2.7 million barrels. * Refinery utilization surged 3.0 percentage points to 83.4 percent of capacity, more than forecast. * The EIA's natural gas storage data is due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT). A Reuters analyst survey yielded a forecast for supplies to have risen 43 billion cubic feet.

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