* Stocks rise on surprisingly strong U.S. labor report
* Dollar surges as U.S. sheds fewer-than-expected jobs
* Oil slips below $76 a barrel on supply worries
* Investors ditch bonds as jobs data fuels recovery hopes (Updates with U.S. markets, changes byline, dateline previously LONDON)
By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Global stocks rose and the U.S. dollar soared on Friday after data showed the United States shed far fewer jobs last month than expected, boosting hopes recovery is picking up in the world's largest economy.
Prices for government debt tumbled on both sides of the Atlantic as the U.S. Labor Department reported just 11,000 jobs were lost in November, fueling recovery hopes and sapping demand for safe-haven bonds. For details, see: [ID:nN04158039] [ID:nGEE5B31GK]
But U.S. stocks clung to modest gains as investors wrestled with the prospect that the U.S. Federal Reserve might need to raise interest rates, which have hovered at historic lows to help foster economic growth. [ID:nN04168221]
Oil prices fell below $76 a barrel, reversing earlier gains, as the stronger dollar and tentative U.S. equity market outweighed the early positive reaction from the jobs data. [ID:nSP472653]
Struggling U.S. stocks also reflected the unwinding of the so-called carry trade, where investors bought the low-yielding U.S. dollar to buy dollar-based assets, such as equities.
"The dollar is getting stronger ... and we're seeing a reversal today" in the gold market, said Robert Francello, head of equity trading for Apex Capital in San Francisco.
Gold slid below $1,180 a troy ounce, pulled down by the dollar's strength and the jobs data, which raised sentiment on economic growth and dented gold as a currency hedge. [ID:nGEE5B30P4]
Gold on Thursday had hit a record peak of $1,226.10 an ounce.
Shortly after 1 p.m. the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 22.75 points, or 0.22 percent, at 10,388.90. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 4.81 points, or 0.44 percent, at 1,104.73. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 14.24 points, or 0.66 percent, at 2,187.38.
FANTASTIC DATA
In Europe, shares hit a two-week closing high on the jobs data. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top shares ended up 1.1 percent at 1,025.77 points.
The U.S. labor data -- financial markets had expected a loss of 130,000 jobs -- initially lifted markets.
"It is fantastic. It is positive for the wider economy and everyone is coming in to buy equities," said Joshua Raymond, market strategist at City Index, referring to the jobs data.
Oil reversed course after an initial surge.
U.S. light sweet crude oil
"The early rally here is being tempered by considerations of the overhang in petroleum supplies," said Gene McGillian, analyst at Tradition Energy in Stamford, Connecticut.
"In any case, the oil market is looking at the dollar and its movement at this point could likely lead to a test of crude support at $75," McGillian said.
The dollar gained from the surprisingly strong jobs report as it fed speculation the Federal Reserve may soon have to consider raising interest rates from record lows, which would increase returns on dollar assets.
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 1.21 percent at 75.532.
The euro
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 Ellis Mnyandu, Steven C. Johnson, Burton Frierson in New York;Joanne Frearson, Ikuko Kurahone and Emelia Sithole-Matarise in London; writing by Herbert Lash; Editing by Andrew Hay) ((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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