MARKETS-OIL/(UPDATE 2) * Hurricane Ida threatens Gulf of Mexico oil output * Dollar under pressure, equities rise (Updates throughout, previous PERTH) By Barbara Lewis LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Oil rose more than $1 to above $78 a barrel on Monday after Hurricane Ida forced the shut in of U.S. oil and gas facilities and the outcome of Group of 20 talks sent equities up and the dollar down. U.S crude for December delivery rose $1.31 to $78.74 a barrel by 1012 GMT, just off a session high of. The contract had fallen by 3 percent on Friday. London Brent crude gained $1.28 to $77.15. Hurricane Ida was downgraded to Category 1 on Monday, but only after U.S. oil companies had shut in production and evacuated workers. "I think it's more buy on the rumour, sell on the fact. It does not seem as if it's (Ida is) strong enough to create structural damage," said Olivier Jakob of Petromatrix. "Nothing fundamental has really changed, but you buy because of the dollar and equities." Oil prices have rallied from a low of below $33 a barrel hit in December, in line with a rally sustained for much of the year on equities, which have factored in economic recovery, with implications for fuel demand. At the same time the dollar has weakened, which can act as a spur to dollar-dominated commodities, such as oil and gold. Gold touched a record high above $1,100 an ounce on Monday, while the The MSCI world equity index increased by around 2.5 percent after the Group of 20 pledged to keep stimulus packages in place until economic recovery was assured. For oil prices, the market's failure to sustain the strength that took it to a year-high of $82 a barrel in October was seen as bearish and speculators have begun to sell off long positions. The latest data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission on Friday showed money managers had reduced their net long crude positions on the New York Mercantile Exchange.. Speculative length is still historically high and analysts said further selling was likely. Fuel inventories are brimming and U.S. distillate stocks, which include heating oil and diesel, are at their higest levels for more than a quarter of a century. Some in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries have raised the possibility of an increase in production when the group meets in December, but only if oil prices continued to rise and economic recovery were maintained. United Arab Emirates Oil Minister Mohammed al-Hamli said at the weekend raising oil production was not on the agenda for the producer group. Industry sources said on Monday, Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, planned to keep oil supplies to customers steady in December.

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