* U.S. employment gains likely slowed in January to 190,000 jobs from 292,000 jobs in December as the boost to hiring from unseasonably mild weather faded. * U.S. equities have been tracking oil prices since the start of the year. * Oil prices, which were up about 1 percent, have been extremely volatile this year, and this week in particular, as a slump in the dollar (.DXY) and potential talks on output cuts clashed with reports of record inventories.