UPDATE 11-Oil pulls back after hitting record above $135

(Updates with Brent settlement)

By Richard Valdmanis

NEW YORK, May 22 (Reuters) - Oil prices pulled back sharply
from a record above $135 a barrel on Thursday as dealers took
profits from a dazzling rally and a recovering U.S. dollar
dampened commodities markets.

U.S. crude CLc1 settled down $2.36 at $130.81 a barrel
after jumping earlier in the session to a record $135.09.
London Brent crude LCOc1 fell $2.19, to $130.51, after
touching a peak of $135.14.

"Some people had set a target of $135 as part of their
investment strategy and once that price was achieved, have
started taking some profits," said Phil Flynn, analyst at
Alaron Trading in Chicago.

Dealers also noted selling across other commodities markets
as the dollar recovered on a drop in U.S. jobless claims.

The pullback came after crude rallied more than a third
since the start of the year, driven by worries about tight
stocks of refined products in the near term and mounting global
demand over the longer term.

"The combination of increasing demand and constricted
supply will continue to keep oil prices strong," Robin
Batchelor, manager of BlackRock's BGF World Energy fund, said
in a research note.

Oil has risen sixfold since 2002, propelled by rising
consumption in China and other developing countries.

Concerns about long-term supply tightness have also
recently pushed prices for future delivery even higher than
prompt contracts. December 2016 U.S. crude CLZ6 reached
$145.60 a barrel, making it the loftiest contract on the
futures curve.

Oil prices surged on Wednesday after U.S. weekly data
showed crude stocks declined by 5.4 million barrels. Analysts
had expected an increase.[EIA/S]

OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah al-Badri said Thursday the
group can do nothing to lower oil prices, and called the oil
market "crazy". [ID:nN22498430]

The United States has repeatedly called on the Organization
of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to boost its output
to try to calm markets, but the group has said no increase is
needed.
(Additional reporting by Richard Valdmanis in New York,
Felicia Loo in Singapore, Chikafumi Hodo in Tokyo; Editing by
Marguerita Choy)