* Euro strengthens on Greece austerity plan * API data showed crude stocks up, distillates down * Coming Up: EIA inventory report 10:30 a.m. EST/1530 GMT NEW YORK, March 3 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures rose on Wednesday on the weak dollar and stronger heating oil futures ahead of a weekly government inventory report. The euro rose against the U.S. dollar after the Greek government endorsed a 4.8 billion euro austerity package, boosting hopes the heavily indebted country would get help from the European Union. [ID:nN03227861] Oil markets on Wednesday awaited the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly oil inventory report due at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT). The American Petroleum Institute on Tuesday reported crude stocks rose 2.7 million barrels last week. [API/S] Distillate stocks fell 4.1 million barrels, with heating oil stocks dropping 3.0 million barrels. Gasoline inventories rose 909,000 barrels, the API report said. In a survey on Tuesday ahead of the API report, crude inventories were forecast to be up 1.4 million barrels. Gasoline stocks were forecast up 600,000 barrels and distillates down 900,000 barrels. [EIA/S] Oil trading sources have noted the inability of recent rallies to sustain moves above $80 a barrel. "We are now at the make-or-break point. Investors, Wall Street specs, are pushing up against good resistance at $80 area," said Stephen Schork, president at the Schork Group in Villanova, Pennsylvania. "If they don't make a significant break, or settle above, recent highs, they will tire and begin pushing in the other direction, where support will be very light, given all the buying currently going on. For the spot month that means $83.95," Schork added. PRICES * On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 9:53 a.m. EST (1453 GMT), April CLJ0 crude was up 57 cents, or 0.72 percent, at $80.25 a barrel, trading from $79.44 to $80.39. * In London, April Brent crude LCOJ0 rose 50 cents, or 0.64 percent, to $78.68 a barrel, trading from $77.88 to $78.80. * NYMEX April RBOB RBJ0 rose 1.86 cents, or 0.85 percent, to $2.2152 a gallon, trading from $2.1914 to $2.2177. * NYMEX April heating oil HOJ0 rose 2.45 cents, or 1.19 percent, to $2.0806 a gallon, trading from $2.0543 to $2.0822. * The April/April heating oil crack spread <0#CL-HO=R> was at $7.06. It ended at $6.68 on Tuesday. The April/April RBOB crack spread <0#RB-CL=R> was at $12.75. It ended Tuesday at $12.58. * The spread between the current front month and the five-year forward crude contract CLc61 was at $7.82, based on the April 2015 contract Tuesday settlement at $88.07. The spread ended Tuesday at $8.39. TECHNICALS NYMEX crude 10-day/20-day moving average: $78.00/$80.50 Technical support/resistance: NYMEX crude: $78.00/$80.50 NYMEX heating oil: $2.0415/$2.0868 NYMEX RBOB: $2.1870/$2.2234 For a full report on technicals, click on [ID:nLDE6221DD] MARKET NEWS * U.S. private employers shed 20,000 jobs in February, fewer than the 60,000 jobs lost in January, a report by ADP Employer Services said on Wednesday. [ID:nWEN1164] * Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) said the Kokori flow station in Nigeria was damaged by an explosion. The damage had no impact on oil output. [ID:nLDE6220JS] * Nigerian militant group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, said it was not behind an attack on the Shell oil flow station. [ID:nLDE6221SI] (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by Walter Bagley)

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