* Canadian dollar at C$1.2590, or 79.43 U.S. cents * Price of U.S. crude oil rises 1.8 percent * Bond prices mixed across flatter yield curve TORONTO, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar steadied on Monday against its U.S. counterpart after hitting a six-week low at the end of last week, helped by higher oil and stock prices. At 9:49 a.m. EST (1449 GMT), the Canadian dollar was trading 0.1 percent lower at C$1.2590 to the greenback, or 79.43 U.S. cents. The currency traded in a range of C$1.2556 to C$1.2607. On Friday, it touched its weakest since Dec. 27 at C$1.2690 after domestic data showed the biggest decline in jobs since January 2009. The price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, recovered some of last week's steep losses as global equities steadied after their largest one-week slide in two years. U.S. crude prices were up 1.8 percent at $60.25 a barrel. Commodity-linked currencies, such as the Canadian dollar tend to underperform when stocks fall. The loonie retreated 1.2 percent last week. Still, speculators raised bullish bets on the Canadian dollar for the fifth straight week, data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Reuters calculations showed on Friday. As of Feb. 6, net long positions had risen to 40,164 contracts from 33,465 a week earlier. Canadian government bond prices were mixed on Monday across a flatter yield curve, with the two-year down 1.5 Canadian cents to yield 1.796 percent and the 10-year rising 1 Canadian cent to yield 2.351 percent. The Canadian Real Estate Association will release its monthly home sales report on Thursday. Canada's manufacturing sales report for December is due on Friday. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

SOURCE: REUTERS