Oil hit its highest since October on Thursday as increased demand for raw materials continued, while 10-year Treasury yields eyed their highest levels in eight months on concern over the US budget deficit.

World stocks edged up and the dollar eased ahead of an auction of 30-year US Treasury bonds later.

The benchmark 10-year yield dipped after testing 4 percent late on Wednesday, the highest since Oct 16, on concern about how expensive it will be for the US government to finance its growing budget deficit.

'With yesterday's US bond auctions seeing 10-year yields pushed to almost 4 percent...the dollar remains rattled ahead of today's 30-year auction amid fear that investors are losing their appetite for US assets,' said analysts at Calyon in a client note.

The 10-year yield eased 2.2 basis points on Thursday to 3.9256 percent.

The US dollar dipped against the euro and weakened nearly 0.5 percent against the yen ahead of the $11 billion auction of 30-year bonds.

The MSCI world equity index edged up 0.3 percent. The FTSEurofirst 300 index also rose 0.3 percent.

Markets will be watching US May retail sales data at 1230 GMT, expected to rise for the first time in three months, helped by rising gasoline prices and an uptick in demand for cars and light trucks in response to aggressive discounting.

Tight inventories are squeezing crude prices, which rose to the highest since October. US light crude for July delivery rose above $72, before trimming gains to $71.61, following U.S. data showing a larger than expected drawdown of inventories.

Inflows of industrial metals to China rose to a new record in May and crude oil imports remained high, data showed on Thursday. Increased demand for commodities has boosted risk-taking and supported emerging markets.

Emerging sovereign debt spreads tightened by 5 basis points to 408 bps over US Treasuries.

Euro zone government bond futures fell 18 ticks, on rising expectations of higher US interest rates this year and ahead of nearly 9 billion euros of Italian supply.

Investors are also looking at plans by Brazil, Russia and China to buy IMF bonds denominated in the IMF's special drawing rights (SDRs).

Russia said this week it would reduce the share of its reserves invested in US Treasuries and buy IMF bonds. - Reuters