* U.S. crude stocks down 3.7 million barrels - EIA
* Coming up: China industrial output, retail sales at 0530 GMT
By Florence Tan
SINGAPORE, Aug 9 (Reuters) - Brent crude stayed above $112 a barrel on Thursday on hopes of more stimulus from China to support economic growth and fuel demand at the world's second largest oil consumer.
A fall in U.S. crude inventories last week and supply disruptions caused by a storm in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as lower North Sea oil output and tensions in the Middle East also kept oil prices high.
Brent crude for September delivery edged up 8 cents at $112.22 a barrel by 0244 GMT after rising four straight sessions. U.S. crude was at $93.56, up 21 cents.
Risk appetite among investors has improved on signs that policymakers from the United States, Europe and China could take action to revive global economic growth.
China's central bank has scope to ease monetary policy further and focus on growth after the country's annual consumer inflation fell to a 30-month low in July, analysts said.
"Sentiment has turned around from the end of June on supportive factors such as potential stimulus packages from the Federal Reserve Bank and the European Central Bank," said Tetsu Emori, a Tokyo-based commodities fund manager at Astmax Investment.
"The demand-supply balance is also getting more healthy than several months ago. I don't see any negative factors at the moment."
Investors will scour industrial output and retail sales data from China later on Thursday to determine its outlook for the rest of the year after the world's second largest economy grew in the second quarter at its slowest pace in three years.
The European Central Bank said last week it may again buy government bonds while a top Federal Reserve official said the central bank should launch another bond-buying program of whatever size and duration is necessary to get the U.S. economy back on its feet.
Oil is also supported by a larger than expected decline in U.S. crude stockpiles, supply disruptions in the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, and a fall in Iranian exports due to Western sanctions.
U.S. crude oil stockpiles fell more than expected last week despite rising imports, federal government data showed. Analysts say the shutdown of an Enbridge pipeline reduced supply.
In the North Sea, oil output is set to plunge 17 percent in September due to oilfield maintenance and natural decline while Mexico has closed two of three main oil export ports in the gulf due to high waves caused by Tropical Storm Ernesto.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)
Source: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/brent-stays-above-112-ahead-030044480.html
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