* China data fuels hopes of soft landing
* U.S. retail sales fall less than expected in May
* Global stock markets advance, euro strengthens
* Greece sells T-bills; 10-year debt yield at record high (Updates market action, adds quote)
By Richard Leong
NEW YORK, June 14 (Reuters) - Encouraging Chinese and U.S. economic data lifted stocks, oil and other growth-oriented markets on Tuesday, while Greece managed to raise cash in a debt auction even after it became S&P's lowest-rated sovereign borrower.
Data from China showing the world's second biggest economy could avoid a hard landing amid efforts to prevent it from overheating renewed the market's appetite for risk. That also boosted oil, gold and other commodity prices but put downward pressure on prices for low-risk government bonds.
China's inflation accelerated to its fastest level in almost three years, and its industrial output grew a solid 13 percent from a year ago. Its central bank, in an effort to curb inflation, later increased the reserve requirement ratio for commercial lenders by 50 basis points. For details, see [ID:nL3E7HE05P]
While the data showed inflation at multi-year highs, it did not stoke fears that it is running beyond the control of policy makers.
"News out of China is somewhat encouraging in spite of the fact they raised reserve requirements," said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Avalon Partners in New York.
He said the data is a sign that perhaps China's economy "can avoid a hard landing, and that's cheering the markets."
In the United States, retail sales in May fell for the first time 11 months, but the drop was less than expected, signaling the resilience of American consumers despite sluggish job growth and a lousy housing market. [ID:nN14189765]
The U.S. stock market advanced, with the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 131.01 points, or 1.10 percent, at 12,083.98. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 16.04 points, or 1.26 percent, at 1,287.87. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 37.41 points, or 1.42 percent, at 2,677.10.
Top European stocks <.FTEU3> rose 1.15 percent, while Tokyo's Nikkei <.N225> ended 1.0 percent higher.
Some analysts cautioned the gains in stocks and risky markets could be short-lived as public debt problems in Europe and the United States fester and U.S. Federal Reserve's $600 billion bond program expires at the end of June.
"A one-day rally is not going to change the situation," said Robbert Van Batenburg, head of global research at Louis Capital Markets in New York.
GREECE SELLS DEBT
Also reducing investor anxiety was Greece's ability to raise short-term funds after Standard & Poor's downgraded its rating closer to default territory. [ID:nN13126859]
Greece sold 1.625 billion euros ($2.33 billion) of 6-month T-bills at a yield of 4.96 percent. This was higher than May's 4.88 percent but attracted a larger percentage of foreign buyers than the previous auction, reflecting market expectations Greece will secure a second rescue package worth about 120 billion euros to stave off default.
On the other hand, the cost of insuring Greek debt against default over five years rose to record peak of 1,615 basis points, as did the yield on Greek government bonds. [ID:nLDE75D0ZT]
Greece's trials did little to discourage investors from buying the euro.
The euro rebounded a day after it hit a record low against the Swiss franc
The euro rose to $1.4480 against the greenback, up 0.5 percent on the day
Investors also channeled money into commodities at the expense of government bonds.
ICE Brent July crude
Spot gold
A sell-off in the U.S. government bond markets pushed benchmark yields to their highest level in almost two weeks at 3.08 percent. German Bund futures fell 48 basis points at 125.45 after posting a contract high of 126.11 on Monday. (Reporting by Rodrigo Campos and Nick Olivari in New York and Simon Falush, Amanda Cooper in London; Editing by Padraic Cassidy)