NYMEX-Crude ends up with Wall Street on jobs data

* U.S. non-farm payrolls fall less than expected in Feb

* U.S. equities extend gains, spurred by jobs data

NEW YORK, March 5 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures ended
at their highest level in nearly eight weeks on Friday,
rallying with Wall Street, as government data showed that U.S.
employers cut a smaller number of jobs than expected in
February, bolstering economic recovery hopes.

Crude gained sharply along with a wide array of commodities
as investors bet on higher raw materials demand and firm
interest rates should the economy recover. [ID:nN05151726]

The 19-commodity Reuters-Jefferies CRB index .CRB was on
course to its first positive week since Feb. 21 as oil, its
main component, rose sharply.

Gasoline and heating oil futures rose sharply, in lock-step
with crude.

"Today's better-than-expected employment data ignited
another flurry of buying activity into the complex with RBOB
futures continuing to lead the way higher," said Jim
Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch & Associates in Galena,
Illinois.

U.S. employers cut 36,000 jobs in February, leaving the
unemployment rate steady at 9.7 percent. [ID:nN04252324]

"This particular number will be open to a lot of
interpretation. Job losses coming in well under expectations
will probably lend credence to the argument that the economy is
improving and so should energy demand," said Mike Fitzpatrick,

In late trading, the Dow Jones Industrials Average .DJI
jumped more than 1 percent on the employment report and the
Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was on course for its highest
close in 18 months. [.N]

The U.S. dollar was down against a basket of currencies
.DXY, but soared versus the yen on the jobs report. [USD/]

PRICES

* On the New York Mercantile Exchange, April CLJ0 crude
closed up $1.29, or 1.61 percent, at $81.50 a barrel, the
highest close since Jan. 11's $82.52. It traded from $80.47 to
$82.07, highest front-month price since $82.34 was hit Jan.12.

* Technical resistance is at $82.20 to $82.35, according to
a report from Peter Beutel, president of Cameron Hanover in New
Canaan, Connecticut. Further up, Beutel sees resistance at
$83.85 to $83.95.

* "If $81.80 is exceeded our most bullish case suggests
major resistance into $88.40-$89.85-$90.40 and then a major
dump from there," said Walter Zimmerman, senior technical
analyst at United-ICAP.

* In London, April Brent crude LCOJ0 ended up $1.35, or
1.72 percent, at $79.89 a barrel, trading from $78.80 to
$80.53. For the week, front-month Brent rose $2.30, or 3.0
percent.

* NYMEX April RBOB RBJ0 ended up 3.73 cents, or 1.67
percent, at $2.2710 a barrel, rising for the the fourth week in
a row. It traded from $2.2402 to $2.2831, the contract's
highest price since hitting $2.2971 on Jan. 11.

* In the spot continuation chart, RBOB front-month was at
its highest since the intraday high of $2.2866 on Oct. 3, 2008.

* NYMEX April heating oil HOJ0 settled up 2.87 cents, or
1.39 percent, at $2.0974 a gallon. It traded from $2.0730 to
$2.1079. For the week, front-month heating oil rose 7.25 cents,
or 3.58 percent.

* The April/April heating oil crack spread <0#CL-HO=R>
ended at $6.59, edging up from $6.58 on Thursday. The
April/April RBOB crack spread <0#RB-CL=R> ended at $13.88,
gaining from $13.61 on Thursday.

* The spread between the current front month and the
five-year forward crude contract CLc61 ended at $8.60,
narrowing from $8.86 on London. The April 2015 contract
settled Friday at $90.10, up $1.03, or 1.16 percent.

MARKET NEWS

* BP Plc (BP.N) said on Friday that a hydrotreater unit is
in the process of resuming normal operations at its Texas City,
Texas, refinery following an upset on Thursday. [ID:nN05223191]

* Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) said on Friday a recently
restarted gasoline-making catalytic cracker at its refinery in
St. Charles, Louisiana, was increasing to planned rates, but
work continued on other process units. [ID:nN05211884]

* Singapore raised alert levels and beefed up security at
its airport and new casinos after its navy warned of possible
attacks on oil tankers in a key shipping lane. [ID:nSGE62409F]
(Reporting by Gene Ramos and Robert Gibbons; Editing by
Rebekah Kebede)