* Dollar strengthens, helps pressure oil * French oil port strike continues, supportive to oil * Coming up: U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, 8:30 a.m. Friday NEW YORK, Oct 8 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures prices fell on Friday as investors took profits ahead of U.S. nonfarm payrolls data and as the dollar strengthened after its recent plunge helped fuel a rally by oil and other commodities. Crude oil prices settled nearly 2 percent lower on Thursday, retreating from an five-month high above $84 a barrel hit earlier in the day. FUNDAMENTALS * On the New York Mercantile Exchange, November crude CLX0 fell 82 cent, or 1.0 percent, to $80.85 a barrel at 8:11 a.m. EDT (1211 GMT), trading from $80.30 to $81.82. * Four oil refineries in southern France face closure from the weekend, the country's oil lobby said on Friday, after workers at a key oil port voted to continue a strike for a 12th day. [ID:nLDE6970K4] * St. Louis Fed chief James Bullard, a voting member this year on the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee, told CNBC that policymakers face a tough decision at next month's policy meeting as the economy has slowed but is still bumping along. [ID:nN08192815] * Alcoa Inc's third-quarter profit beat Wall Street estimates on Thursday and the largest U.S. aluminum producer said it increased its outlook for global aluminum demand as markets appear to be strengthening. [ID:n07171017] MARKETS NEWS * The dollar rose after a U.S. policymaker played down the chances of aggressive monetary easing, prompting investors to take some profit on the greenback's recent falls before key U.S. jobs data. [USD/] * U.S. stock index futures fell on concerns a weak jobs report could increase the likelihood the U.S. Federal Reserve will print more money in an effort to buttress the economic recovery. [.N] * World stocks tread water as investors awaited U.S. employment dollar. [MKTS/GLOB] * Gold consolidated below its record high as investors also waited for the jobs numbers. [GOL/] * Copper fell further away from the week's two-year highs as cautious investors awaited U.S. jobs data for clues on economic recovery and possible further monetary easing in the world's largest economy. [ID:nLDE6970Q6] UPCOMING EVENTS/DATA * U.S. Labor Department releases September employment report at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT). Economists in Reuters survey forecast job creation would be flat after August's loss of 54,000 jobs. The unemployment rate was predicted at 9.7 percent, up from August's 9.6 percent. * U.S. Commerce Department releases wholesale inventories for August at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT). Economists surveyed by Reuters projected a 0.5 percent increase after July's 1.3 percent rise. 8:11 LAST NET PCT LOW HIGH CURRENT DAY AGO CHNG CHNG VOL VOL CLc1 80.85 -0.82 -1.0% 80.30 81.82 40,886 349,174 CLc2 81.56 -0.82 -1.0% 80.98 82.56 19,673 191,760 LCOc1 82.37 -1.06 -1.3% 81.86 83.60 50,542 216,161 RBc1 2.1038 -0.0142 -0.7% 2.0929 2.1219 3,407 54,967 RBc2 2.0910 -0.0178 -0.8% 2.0773 2.1100 2,803 34,887 HOc1 2.2370 -0.0148 -0.7% 2.2246 2.258 3,138 46,202 HOc2 2.2556 -0.0167 -0.7% 2.2432 2.2781 1,897 24,109 * NYMEX crude oil for November CLc1 fell 82 cents to $80.85 a barrel by 8:11 a.m. in volume of 40,887 lots. (Reporting by Robert Gibbons) (Reporting by Robert Gibbons; Editing by John Picinich)

Source