* Gold ends week $30 weaker on money tightening concerns

* Commods weakness led by oil, economic uncertainty weigh

NEW YORK, March 12 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures settled 1.06 percent lower on Friday as weak consumer sentiment weighed on the market and offset earlier reports of stronger February U.S. retail sales and boosted oil demand expectations of the International Energy Agency.

Trading sources also pointed to some selling prompted by technical weakness, with crude slipping under a trend line support in the $81.64 a barrel area.

U.S. CRUDE FUTURES SETTLE AT $81.24/BBL, DOWN 87 CENTS, 1.06 PERCENT

* Investors pare back huge bearish bets on euro, sterling

* U.S. retail sales beat expectations

* U.S. consumer sentiment dips in early March

* Wall Street moves lower on consumer sentiment

* U.S. consumer sentiment dips in early March

* Wall Street moves lower on consumer sentiment

* Surprising U.S. sentiment drop dulls upbeat retail sales * Euro gains vs yen on rise in U.S. retail sales * Oil trims gains from weaker dollar, demand prospects * U.S. stocks falter after drop in U.S. consumer sentiment (Updates with close of European markets)

By Herbert Lash

* FTSEurofirst 300 up 0.3 pct; hits 7-week closing high

* U.S. retail sales, Euro zone industrial output data helps

(Fixes technical error that put the word "corrected" in headline. No changes to text)

* U.S. consumer sentiment dips early March

* U.S. consumer sentiment dips early March

* Wall Street moves lower on consumer sentiment

* IEA slightly raises 2010 world oil demand forecast

* U.S. retail sales rise 0.3 pct in February

* Dollar slips to near one-month low versus the euro * Oil pares gains after earlier rising towards $83 a barrel * South Africa slips to fourth place as world gold producer

(Updates prices, adds comment)

* Unexpected U.S. sentiment drop dulls surprise retail

sales

* IEA expects global oil demand to rise to 86.6 mbd in 2010

* U.S. retail sales rise 0.3 pct in February

* Retail sales up 0.3 pct, consumer sentiment drop

* United Tech shares fall after outlook

* IEA expects global oil demand to rise to 86.6 mbd in 2010

* U.S. retail sales rise 0.3 pct in February

* Dollar recovers from one-month low versus the euro * Oil prices climb towards $83 a barrel * South Africa slips to fourth place as world gold producer

(Updates prices, adds comment)

* IEA expects global oil demand to rise to 86.6 mbd in 2010

* Oil prices stay within $1 of eight-week highs

NEW YORK, March 12 (Reuters) - The dollar gained against the yen and pared losses against the euro on Friday as data on U.S. February retail sales beat expectations, boosting hopes that the economy is on a path to recovery. More details click, [ID:nN11242539].

The euro fell to $1.3747 <EUR=> from $1.3768 before the data's release. Against the yen <JPY=>, the dollar rose to 90.96 from 90.54 previously. (Reporting by Nick Olivari, Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

* Dollar slips to one-month low versus the euro * Oil prices climb towards $83 a barrel * Coming up: U.S. retail sales data at 1330 GMT

(Updates prices, adds comment)

* Global stocks hit seven-week highs, banks lead

* Dollar under pressure; yen eases on BoJ easing view

* Retail sales, consumer sentiment data awaited

* Senate talks on financial reform collapse

* Retail sales, consumer sentiment data awaited

* Senate talks on financial reform collapse

* Banks higher on hopes U.S. reforms may be tempered

* Miners rally as metal prices recover

* Dollar slips to three-week low versus the euro * Oil prices climb towards $83 a barrel * Coming up: U.S. retail sales data at 1330 GMT

(Updates, adds comment, changes dateline from SINGAPORE)

* IEA expects global oil demand to rise to 86.6 mbd in 2010

* Oil prices stay within $1 of eight-week highs

* Yen under pressure on talk BOJ will relax policy further

* Global stocks edge up to seven-week highs

* FTSEurofirst 300 up 0.3 percent

* Banks higher after U.S. banking reform talks collapse

* Mixed views on effect of China tightening

* Oil prices stay within $1 of eight-week highs

* Asian shares supported by Wall St; Nikkei leads the way

* Yen edges lower on talk BOJ will relax policy further

* Gold gains on firmer euro, off 2-week lows

* PGMs, silver steady

TOKYO, March 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average hit its highest close in seven weeks on Friday, with exporters such as Shin-Etsu Chemical <4063.T> higher, helped by expectations for a weaker yen amid speculation that the Bank of Japan may take additional steps to ease monetary policy.

The benchmark Nikkei <.N225> rose 0.8 percent to 10,751.26, its highest finish since Jan. 21.

TOKYO, March 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average hit its highest close in seven weeks on Friday, with exporters such as Shin-Etsu Chemical <4063.T> higher, helped by expectations for a weaker yen amid speculation that the Bank of Japan may take additional steps to ease monetary policy.

The benchmark Nikkei <.N225> rose 0.8 percent to 10,751.26, its highest finish since Jan. 21.

* Yen slips on expectations BOJ may ease policy next week

* Dlr subdued as investors focus turns to U.S. retail sales

* Yen slips on expectations BOJ may ease policy next week

* Dlr subdued as investors focus turns to U.S. retail sales

* Mixed views on effect of China tightening

* Oil prices stay within $1 of eight-week highs

* Asian shares supported by Wall St; Nikkei leads the way

* Yen edges lower on talk BOJ will relax policy further

* Asian shares supported by Wall St; Nikkei leads the way

* Yen edges lower on talk BOJ will relax policy further

* Gold holds near NY levels, off 2-week lows

* PGM, silver extend losses

* Views mixed about effect of China tightening

* Oil prices stay within $1 of eight-week highs

SINGAPORE, March 12 (Reuters) - Gold ticked higher on Friday after the euro edged up against the dollar ahead of U.S. retail sales data for February, which could show falling consumer spending.

FUNDAMENTALS

TOKYO, March 12 (Reuters) - U.S. crude futures were little changed on Friday around $82 a barrel, just under an eight-week high hit two days earlier.

FUNDAMENTALS

TOKYO, March 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 1.1 percent to hit a seven-week high at the open on Friday, boosted by exporters such as Honda Motor <7267.T> after Wall Street rallied on the possibility new banking regulations being studied by U.S. Congress could be watered down.

The benchmark Nikkei <.N225> gained 112.54 points to 10,777.49, its highest since Jan. 21.

* U.S. stocks stage late rally on banking, retail shares

* Spike in Chinese inflation stirs rate hike concerns

* Spike in Chinese inflation stirs overheating worries

* Gold ends flat as currencies, possible tightening weigh

* SPDR gold ETF sees 0.609-tonne outflow on Wednesday