Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Friday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.2 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.1 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.3 percent by 6:00 a.m. ET.

Oil eased to $72 a barrel on Friday, pressured by a firmer dollar, but stronger-than-expected Chinese economic data helped support prices near an eight-month high. The market on Thursday settled at $72.68, the highest since October 20 after a three-day rally, making it look overvalued to some analysts.

The dollar edged up against a basket of currencies on Friday, recovering as traders booked profits from the U.S. currency's slide earlier this week, while investors awaited a G8 finance ministers meet later in the day.

European stocks were down 0.2 percent in morning trade, retreating from Thursday's five-month closing high, with influential commodity-related shares falling along with oil and metal prices.

Japan's Nikkei stock average <.N225> climbed to close above 10,000 on Friday for the first time in eight months as upbeat data from Japan and China fed hopes for global economic recovery, leading to broad-based buying. <.T>

China's May factory output rose more than forecast and retail sales growth accelerated, giving new impetus to investor hopes that the world's third-largest economy can lead a global revival.

BlackRock has agreed to buy Barclays Global Investors to create the world's biggest asset manager, in a $13.5 billion deal that British bank Barclays hopes will put to rest concerns about its capital. The cash and shares deal, unveiled in the United States late on Thursday, will see Barclays take a 19.9 percent stake and two seats on the board of the enlarged group, to be called BlackRock Global Investors.

The day's economic agenda includes data on May import-export prices at 1230 GMT, as well as Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, which is due to release the June preliminary consumer sentiment index at 1355 GMT.

No S&P 500 companies are scheduled to report results.

U.S. stocks advanced in a broad rally on Thursday, gaining ground along with rising commodity prices and helped by improving labor market conditions.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 31.90 points, or 0.37 percent, to 8,770.92. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 5.74 points, or 0.61 percent, to 944.89. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> added 9.29 points, or 0.50 percent, to 1,862.37.

(Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by Rupert Winchester)

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