* Rupee ends at 62.16/17 per dlr vs 61.79/80 on Tues * Month-end dlr demand from oil firms, importers hurts * Mkt likely to remain range-bound in thin year-end trade By Swati Bhat MUMBAI, Dec 26 (Reuters) - The Indian rupee snapped a three-day winning streak on Thursday on month-end dollar demand from oil firms and other importers, but continued strong foreign flows into shares and debt limited further declines. Foreign funds have bought a total of $3.3 billion in debt and equities so far in December. Shares edged up as blue-chips extended a rally, although bonds fell for a fourth consecutive session. Trading was thin because of the holiday week, with major financial centers such as London also closed on Thursday. "The market has been very dull. There will be month-end demand continuing while we could also see some year-end dollar selling which will keep the unit in a range," said Hari Chandramgethen, head of foreign exchange trading at South Indian Bank. Chandramgethen predicted a 61.65 to 62.15 per dollar range for Friday. The partially convertible rupee closed at 62.16/17 per dollar compared to 61.79/80 on Tuesday. Financial markets were closed on Wednesday for Christmas. Oil firms tend to buy more dollars towards the end of each month to pay their import bills, an impact that can be magnified on days of thin volumes. In the offshore non-deliverable forwards, the one-month contract was at 62.59 while the three-month was at 63.41. FACTORS TO WATCH * Dlr firm on US recovery hopes, hits 5-yr high vs yen * Thai baht near near 4-yr low, Philippine peso down * Equities buoyed by Nikkei high, dollar edges up * Foreign institutional investor flows * For data on currency futures DIARIES & DATA: Indian Data Watch European diary Indian diary US Diary (Editing by Sunil Nair)

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