Europe Gas-Prices steady after Monday's selloff

Norwegian gas exports remain heavily curtailed due to maintenance, with bookings dropping to 262.5 million cubic metres (mcm) per day on Tuesday, down from 273.3 mcm/day on Monday, with Wednesday to see further drops still, data from infrastructure operator Gassco showed.

In the European carbon market, the benchmark contract CFI2Zc1 was down €0.39 at €86.20 per metric ton.

OSLO, Sept. 22 (Reuters) - Benchmark Dutch and British wholesale gas prices were largely stable on Tuesday morning after a heavy selloff the previous day, as the market watches for any signs of diplomatic efforts at a UN meeting this week that could help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The benchmark Dutch front-month contract at the TTF hub TFMBMc1 inched up by €0.10 to €73.35 per megawatt hour (MWh) by 0809 GMT, ICE data showed.

The British front-month contract NGLNMc1 lifted by 1.00 pence to 182.60 pence per therm.

Both contracts fell around 8% on Monday to their lowest intraday levels since Sept. 7, with losses likely overdone and correcting on Tuesday, analysts and traders said.

"Focus is on the UN meetings in New York and the possibility of US-Iran negotiations," said Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management, in a note.

However, there is no confirmation of direct US-Iran talks and any agreement would likely require significant concessions from the US that would be difficult to accept, especially with elections looming, he added.

"Weather and Asian demand are the key for the coming month," a trader said, adding the level at which demand destruction sets in will likely set prices.