* Dollar retreats from a one-month high marked on upbeat U.S. data
* Dollar slips from a 2-1/2-week high vs yen
* U.S. Treasury yields pull back from a 3-week high
* Euro recovers from a 5-week low
* U.S. housing starts, Philly Fed Business Index in focus
By Yuzuha Oka
TOKYO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - The dollar pulled back on Thursday after rising to one-month highs in the wake of upbeat U.S. economic data, with demand for the greenback cooling as Treasury yields came off their peaks.
Better-than-expected U.S. inflation and retail sales data had backed expectations of an early rate hike by the Federal Reserve, sending the dollar index to 101.76 .DXY on Wednesday, a peak unseen since Jan. 12. It has since retreated to 100.92 in the Asia session on Thursday.
The dollar also came off from a 2-1/2-week high of 114.95 JPY= marked on Wednesday against the yen, touching a low of 113.73. It was last down 0.3 percent at 113.84 yen.
"The dollar is struggling as U.S. Treasury yields retreated from highs," said Junya Tanase, chief currency strategist at JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) Bank in Tokyo.
U.S. benchmark 10-year Treasury note yields slipped to 2.484 percent US10YT=RR on Thursday, after climbing to a three-week high of 2.524 percent on Wednesday following the upbeat U.S. data.
Data on Wednesday showed U.S. consumer prices recorded their biggest gain in nearly four years, jumping 0.6 percent in January. Retail sales also outpaced expectations, increasing 0.4 percent last month compared to the analysts' poll of 0.1 percent. ECONUS
But some analysts also noted that the data may not be as strong as it appears, while industrial output and a gauge on home builder sentiment took unexpected spills.
"Retail sales seemed to have been boosted by higher prices rather than an increase in the real consumption," said Shin Kadota, senior forex strategist at Barclays (LON:BARC).
"Investors also took profit as the dollar was trading high this week," added Kadota.
Up until Tuesday, the dollar index had enjoyed a 10-session winning streak.
Fed Chair Janet Yellen offered no additional insight on the timing of the central bank's next rate hike in her second day of economic testimony before Congress on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Yellen hinted more rate hikes were on the way as the jobs market has improved and inflation has shown signs of nearing the Fed's two percent goal.
Markets will get another chance to check the U.S. economic pulse from another batch of data, including housing starts, building permits and the Business Outlook Survey by Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. ECONUS
The euro edged up 0.15 percent at $1.0614, recovering from a five-week trough of $1.052 EUR= touched on Wednesday.
Elsewhere, the Australian dollar hovered near a three-month high following a slightly better-than-expected reading in the country's January employment data. Australian dollar last traded at $0.7709 AUD=D4 after touching $0.7732, its highest since Nov. 10.
Sterling last stood at $1.2460 GBP=D4 , edging up from a one-week trough of $1.2384 touched on Wednesday, knocked by slowing wage growth in the fourth quarter - bad news for British consumers facing a surge in inflation in the months ahead.