* U.S. stocks rise on U.S. economic data
* Oil prices rise on platform fire, hurricane
* All eyes on Friday's U.S. payrolls report
(Updates with closing prices)
By Manuela Badawy
NEW YORK, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Stocks and oil rose while U.S.
Treasuries fell on Thursday as U.S. data showed the world's
largest economy did not appear to be falling back into
recession.
But investors were looking ahead to Friday's August U.S.
employment report for clues on the recovery outlook.
The euro rose against the dollar, supported by healthy
results at Spanish and French bond auctions and stable global
equities. The dollar slipped against other major currencies as
the upbeat economic data boosted risk appetite.
U.S. Treasury debt prices fell as strength on Wall Street
undermined the safe-haven appeal of government debt.
A string of grim economic figures last month ignited fears
that the U.S. economy could slip back into recession. But
Wednesday's rally capped concerns that some deem overblown.
"Money seems to be flowing out of bonds and into the stock
market," said Ryan Detrick, senior technical strategist at
Schaeffer's Investment Research in Cincinnati.
"Obviously, tomorrow comes the big news with the employment
data. But in the near term, it shows how explosive rallies can
be when we get decent economic data, because the market is
pricing a double-dip recession."
The Dow Jones industrial average <> added 50.63 points,
or 0.49 percent, to 10,320.10. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index
<.SPX> rose 9.81 points, or 0.91 percent, to 1,090.10. The
Nasdaq Composite Index <> gained 23.17 points, or 1.06
percent, to close at 2,200.01.
About 6.6 billion shares traded on the New York Stock
Exchange, the Nasdaq and the American Stock Exchange, about
average for the past month but still way below last year's
daily average of 9.65 billion. Volume is typically light in the
days just ahead of the Labor Day holiday weekend.
The housing and labor markets have long been considered two
of the biggest headwinds for the economic recovery. Friday's
payrolls report is expected to show about 100,000 jobs were
lost in August.
World stocks <.MIWD00000PUS> hit a two-week high as
optimism from strong U.S. and Chinese manufacturing data
extended into a second day.
The FTSEurofirst 300 index <> of top European shares
ended flat as investors took a breather after the previous
session's jump, while recently hit construction stocks extended
their recovery, aided by the positive U.S. data.
The benchmark index, which surged 2.9 percent on Wednesday
following strong manufacturing data from the United States and
China, is still down 2.1 percent from a peak in early August.
Markets showed little reaction to Thursday's decision by
the European Central Bank to keep interest rates on hold at a
record low of 1 percent, as expected, amid tepid economic
recovery and persistent concerns about the banking sector. For
details, see: []
Comments from European Central Bank President Jean-Claude
Trichet had limited impact on the euro. []. The
euro <EUR=> was up 0.09 percent at $1.2823 from a previous
session close of $1.2811, supported by healthy results at
Spanish and French bond auctions.
France and Spain sold 12.2 billion euros of bonds, with the
average yield on the 5-year Bono dropping at auction and the
paper easily absorbed as the yield fell after the tender.
Against the Japanese yen, the dollar <JPY=> was down 0.13
percent at 84.31 from a previous session close of 84.420.
The focus now is on the U.S. Labor Department's widely
watched monthly employment report, with analysts predicting
non-farm payrolls fell for a third straight month in August.
[]
Currency markets are not paying too much attention "to
anything but the jobs number tomorrow," said Greg Salvaggio,
vice president of trading at Tempus Consulting in Washington.
U.S. Treasury debt prices fell as investors took profits
from a recent hefty bond rally and ahead of the jobs report.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note <US10YT=RR> was
down 13/32, its yield at 2.6267 percent. The 2-year U.S.
Treasury note <US2YT=RR> was unchanged, its yield at 0.502
percent. The 30-year U.S. Treasury bond <US30YT=RR> was down
37/32, with the yield at 3.7124 percent.
U.S. crude oil <CLc1> rose 1.56 percent to $75.06 a barrel
supported by an oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico and
Hurricane Earl's possible impact on East Coast refineries. Spot
gold prices <XAU=> rose $6.95, or 0.56 percent, to $1250.80.
(Additional reporting by Rodrigo Campos, Vivianne Rodrigues
and Ryan Vlastelica in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler)
