* Dollar up versus euro on China, U.S. home price drop * China implements credit curbs, pressures equities NEW YORK, Jan 26 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures fell on Tuesday as a credit clampdown in China and weak U.S. home prices data boosted the dollar against the euro and sparked economic recovery concerns. "The overnight trade appeared primarily focused on bearish guidance off of a renewed weakening in the equities and a strengthening in the dollar," Jim Ritterbusch, president at Ritterbusch & Associates in Galena, Illinois, said in a note. "Cold weather and some refinery issues that bolstered nearby product markets yesterday appear to have been discounted," he added. China implemented an announced lending clampdown, hitting investor confidence and sending emerging market stocks in particular down more than 2 percent. [MKTS/GLOB] U.S. home prices slipped in November and were softer than expected, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller indexes on Tuesday. [ID:nNYS007725] The dollar extended gains versus the euro, hitting a session high after the home prices report. [USD/] Concerns about the economic recovery seemed to trump a report from the International Monetary Fund, which sharply raised its 2010 global economic growth forecasts. [ID:nN26232284] PRICES * On the New York Mercantile Exchange, at 9:47 a.m. EST (1447 GMT), March crude CLH0 was down 80 cents, or 1.06 percent, at $74.46 a barrel, trading from $73.82, lowest since $72.72 was struck Dec. 22, to a high of $75.39. * In London, March Brent crude LCOH0 fell 65 cents, or 0.88 percent, to $73.04 a barrel, trading from $72.45 to $73.69. * NYMEX February RBOB RBG0 fell 2.23 cents, or 1.11 percent, to $1.9785 a gallon, trading from $1.9650 to $2.00. * NYMEX February heating oil HOG0 fell 1.77 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $1.9481 a gallon, trading from $1.9336 to $1.9690. * NYMEX February products contracts expire on Friday. * The March/March heating oil crack spread <0#CL-HO=R> was at $7.81, after ending at $7.69 on Monday. The March/March RBOB crack spread <0#RB-CL=R> was at $8.91, versus $9.06 on Monday. * The spread between the current front month and the five-year forward crude contract CLc61 was at $15.10, based on the March 2015 contract Monday settlement at $89.56. The spread ended Monday at $14.30. TECHNICALS NYMEX crude 10-day/20-day moving average: $77.48/$79.28 Technical support/resistance: NYMEX crude: $74.01/$75.32 NYMEX heating oil: $1.94/$1.98 NYMEX RBOB: $1.96/$2.01 For a full report on technicals, click on [ID:nLDE60P17H] MARKET NEWS * Fears of more Chinese tightening spooked markets after Beijing ordered some banks to comply immediately with an increase in reserves and a report suggested earlier attempts at curbing lending failed. [ID:nTOE60P04Y] * South Korea's economy lost momentum by the end of last year due to waning government spending. [ID:nTOE60O00L] * Motiva Enterprises LLC cut production by 100,000 barrels per day at Port Arthur, Texas, refinery after an oil spill shut the Sabine-Neches Waterway. [ID:nN25208698] * A fire at Motiva's Norco, Louisiana refinery, damaged a crude distillation unit regulators said. [ID:nN25200101] * U.S. inventory reports were expected to show crude and gasoline stocks rose last week, with distillates lower. [EIA/S] * Temperatures remained above normal in the U.S. Northeast, with forecasts for rain and snow later this week. The Midwest was frigid, with snow and gusty winds expected. [ID:nN1954] (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

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