* Consumer sentiment slips, weighing on crude * IEA raises oil demand expectations * U.S. retail sales up unexpectedly in February NEW YORK, March 12 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures pared gains on Friday on weak consumer sentiment after earlier jumping above $83 a barrel on an unexpected rise in U.S. retail sales in February and an International Energy Agency report boosting its expectation for global oil demand. "The consumer confidence number and looking at the revision to January of the retail sales pulled crude back down," Richard Ilczyszyn senior market strategist at Lind-Waldock in Chicago. He added that he expected choppy trading on a Friday. U.S. consumer sentiment declined slightly in early March, with Americans less positive about the job outlook, according to Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers. [ID:nN12123839] Sales at U.S. retailers rose unexpectedly in February despite a drop in vehicle purchases and inclement weather that was expected to curtail shopping. [ID:nN12202974] January sales were, however, revised down to a gain of only 0.1 percent from the previously reported 0.5 percent rise. The International Energy Agency on Friday lifted its absolute global demand estimate for 2010 from its estimate in February due to rising demand in developing countries. [ID:nLDE62B19O] The U.S. dollar was weaker versus a basket of currencies and the euro, although the greenback pared losses after the retail sales data. PRICES * On the New York Mercantile Exchange at 10:30 a.m. EST (1530 GMT), April CLJ0 crude was up 4 cents, or 0.05 percent, at $82.15 a barrel, trading from $81.83 to $83.16, highest front-month price since the 2010 peak at $83.95 was struck Jan. 11. * In London, April Brent crude LCOJ0 was up 16 cents, or 0.22 percent, to $80.44 a barrel, trading from $79.99 to $81.29. * NYMEX April RBOB RBJ0 dipped 0.29 cent, or 0.13 percent, to $2.2691 a gallon, trading from $2.2625 to $2.2952. * NYMEX April heating oil HOJ0 edged up 0.37 cent, or 0.17 percent, to $2.1187 a gallon, trading from $2.11 to $2.1442. * The April/April heating oil crack spread <0#CL-HO=R> was at $6.75. It ended at $6.72 on Thursday. The April/April RBOB crack spread <0#RB-CL=R> was at $13.14. It ended Thursday at $13.31. * The spread between the current front month and the five-year forward crude contract CLc61 was at $7.78, based on the April 2015 contract Thursday settlement at $89.93. The spread ended Thursday at $7.82. TECHNICALS NYMEX crude 10-day/20-day moving average: $81.12/$79.77 Technical support/resistance: NYMEX crude: $80.81/$83.03 NYMEX heating oil: $2.0840/$2.1460 NYMEX RBOB: $2.2335/$2.31 For a full report on technicals, click on [ID:nLDE62B16V] MARKET NEWS * IEA said global oil processing will rise by 50,000 barrels per day to 72.6 million in the second quarter compared with the January-March first quarter. [ID:nLDE62B0RD] * Britain's ambassador to China said Beijing risks isolation if it fails to join international efforts to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. [ID:nLDE62B0W3] * Falling stocks and demand recovery will boost spot crude prices this summer, moving the market into backwardation for the first time since 2008, Goldman Sachs (GS.N) said. [ID:nLDE62B0XV] (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)

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