* Strong U.S. jobs data sparks talk of interest rate hike
* Dollar soars vs euro, yen on jobs data, rate speculation
* Gold falls 4 pct, oil slips below $76 on strong dollar
* Investors ditch bonds as jobs data fuels recovery hopes (Updates with close of U.S. markets)
By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar jumped and global stocks soared on Friday after data showing the United States shed far fewer jobs last month than expected boosted hopes the U.S. economy is taking solid steps forward.
But the surprisingly strong report on the U.S. labor market stoked speculation the Federal Reserve may move to raise interest rates from record lows sooner than initially thought.
Speculation that rates may head higher crushed commodity prices and sent prices of government debt on both side of the Atlantic tumbling after a U.S. Labor Department report showed only 11,000 jobs were lost in November .
U.S. gold futures shed 4 percent and were on track for their biggest one-day percentage loss since February, as the stronger dollar triggered heavy margin selling.
U.S. stocks see-sawed for much of the day before ending higher as the job losses were less than an expected 130,000. The data brightened the outlook for corporate profits as an improving labor market is considered crucial for recovery.
Economically sensitive sectors like industrials, technology, consumer and financials put up the day's best showing on Wall Street. The U.S. unemployment rate also dropped unexpectedly to 10 percent from October's 10.2 percent.
"The internals of the official non-farm payrolls release spoke to a much broader improvement in the overall employment picture," said Peter Kenny, managing director at Knight Equity markets in Jersey City in New Jersey.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> rose 22.75 points, or 0.22 percent, at 10,388.90. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 6.06 points, or 0.55 percent, at 1,105.98. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 21.21 points, or 0.98 percent, at 2,194.35.
Oil prices fell nearly $1 to below $76 a barrel, pressured by a stronger dollar, which outweighed the U.S. jobs data. [ID:nSP472653]
The dollar jumped against the yen and the euro, making dollar-denominated commodities like crude more expensive for holders of other currencies, helping pressure prices.
U.S. crude futures
The dollar broke above 90 yen for the first time in three weeks and was on track for its best day against the Japanese currency since August. The euro fell below $1.49 and headed for its biggest one-day decline since July.
The dollar was up against a basket of major currencies, with the U.S. Dollar Index <.DXY> up 1.53 percent at 75.772 from a previous session close of 74.631.
The euro
"The market is pricing in more scope for changes in Fed policy, meaning, higher interest rates. That's why we're seeing a rally in the dollar," said Paresh Upadhyaya, senior portfolio manager at Putnam Investments in Boston.
Bullion investors who recently entered the gold market were forced to sell to cover margins as prices broke below support levels, said Bill O'Neill at LOGIC Advisors.
Gold on Thursday had hit a record of $1,226.10 an ounce.
Bond yields, which have remained low on the view that the weak economy and poor jobs outlook will damp inflation and prevent the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates, jumped. That notion could now be at risk.
"Treasury market yields are soaring right now because if the economy is going to see sustainable growth, the day is nearing when the Fed will have to make good on its plans for an exit strategy," said Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at Bank of Tokyo/Mitsubishi UFJ in New York.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note
Asian shares rebounded this week after steep losses the week before over worries about Dubai's debt problems. MSCI's Asia index excluding Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> fell 0.6 percent on Friday.
In Japan, the Nikkei <.N225> rose 0.45 percent, topping 10,000 for the first time in five weeks as the benchmark gained 10.4 percent for the week, its biggest weekly gain in a year. (Reporting by Caroline Valetkevitch, Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss, Edward McAllister and Burton Frierson in New York;Joanne Frearson, Ikuko Kurahone and Emelia Sithole-Matarise in London; writing by Herbert Lash; Editing by Kenneth Barry) ((herb.lash@thomsonreuters.com; +1 646 223 6019; Reuters Messaging: herb.lash.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ((Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available
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