* U.S. stocks gain for sixth day, set 2009 closing highs
* Oil at 5-week high on US cold snap, recovery optimism
* Bond prices sag as equities gain in thin trading volume
* Dollar gains against the yen, euro in light trade (Updates with close of U.S. markets)
By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Oil rose to a five-week high over $79 a barrel on Monday on signs of economic recovery, while global stocks edged higher as increased U.S. retail sales during the key holiday shopping season lifted U.S. equities.
U.S. equities -- as measured by the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq -- gained for a sixth straight session and set fresh closing highs for 2009.
The U.S. dollar rose against the yen and euro in the second week of holiday-shortened trading, as investors assessed the outlook for the greenback after a recent rally. [ID:nN28579560]
Volume was light overall, exaggerating swings in security prices, with many market participants absent because of the holidays. Markets in Britain, Canada and Australia shut for Boxing Day, while Monday was the last business day of 2009 for many Japanese companies.
Expectations of colder weather in the United States and signs of economic recovery boosted the outlook for fuel demand, pushing crude above $79 a barrel at one point. [ID:nTOE5BR05A]
Oil has climbed more than 12 percent from a dip below $70 two weeks ago on expectations of rising consumption and falling inventories in the United States, where companies have been drawing down stockpiles for year-end tax purposes. [EIA/S]
"The market continues to climb on bullish momentum. Cold weather, economic optimism, Russian/Ukraine concerns, possible further draws in this week's inventory reports, all are in the mix," said Tom Bentz, analyst at BNP Paribas Commodity Futures Inc.
News that Russia and Ukraine agreed on the terms of a new deal governing the transit of oil exports to Europe eased concerns about a potential disruption, which had supported prices early Monday. [ID:nLDE5BR11W]
There was little market impact from news over the weekend of an attempt to blow up a passenger plane en route to Detroit. [ID:nLDE5BP055]
U.S. crude
U.S. stocks edged higher as retailers' shares rose on data that pointed to an improved performance during the holidays, while rising commodity prices boosted the resource sector. [ID:nN28166239]
Sales at U.S. retailers rose 3.6 percent from Nov. 1 through Christmas Eve on Dec. 24, data from SpendingPulse, a unit of MasterCard Advisors showed, although sales were up only 1 percent when adjusted for an extra shopping day this year.
The S&P Retail index <.RLX> added 0.3 percent.
"A few people were looking for a disaster, so that's a little bit of a boost," said Fred Dickson, market strategist at D.A. Davidson & Co. in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
"It looks like we're drifting into year end with a modest rally on light volume."
Amazon.com Inc
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> closed up 26.98 points, or 0.26 percent, at 10,547.08. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> gained 1.30 points, or 0.12 percent, to finish at 1,127.78. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 5.39 points, or 0.24 percent, to close at 2,291.08.
Gold rose slightly in quiet trade, and U.S. copper finished at 16-month highs, pushed up by lower inventories of the metal on the Shanghai futures exchange and a weaker dollar. [ID:nN28173940] GE5BR03Y]
U.S. gold futures for February delivery climbed $3.10 to settle at $1,107.90 an ounce in New York.
The dollar was up against a basket of major currencies, with the U.S. Dollar Index <.DXY> up 0.02 percent at 77.66.
The euro
"The dollar has recovered a bit from its losses last Thursday, but I wouldn't put too much into the dollar's gains today," said Vassili Serebriakov, senior currency strategist, at Wells Fargo in New York.
U.S. government debt prices fell following a $44 billion auction of two-year notes.
The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note
Japan's Nikkei average <.N225> rose 1.3 percent to a four-month closing high, ending at 10,634.23, on data showing factory output rising for the ninth straight month in November. The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> rose 0.5 percent. (Reporting by Leah Schnurr, Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss, Matthew Robinson and Emily Flitter in New York; Joanne Frearson, Emelia Sithole-Matarise, Dominic Lau and Alex Lawler in London; Writing by Herbert Lash; Editing by Jan Paschal)