* Tracking the coronavirus: https://tmsnrt.rs/3aIRuz7
* World stocks fall; CDC, WHO comments weigh
* Almost $3 trillion wiped off world stocks
* Treasury yields remain near record lows
* Japan stocks hit by fears of Olympics cancellation
(Updates prices, adds quote, chart)
By Sujata Rao
LONDON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - World stocks tumbled for the
fifth straight day on Wednesday, while safe-haven gold rose back
towards seven-year highs after health authorities warned of a
possible coronavirus pandemic and markets stepped up bets on
interest rate cuts.
U.S. Treasury yields nevertheless rose off record lows hit
the previous day as equity futures turned around to signal a
firmer Wall Street open following Tuesday's 3%-plus slide on
news the coronavirus had spread to dozens of countries.
Adding to alarm, the World Health Organization said the
epidemic had peaked in China, but urged other countries to
prepare for virus outbreaks. In a change of tone, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention also advised Americans to be ready for community
spread of the virus. Drastic travel restrictions in China, where coronavirus has
claimed almost 3,000 lives, have slammed the brakes on mainland
manufacturing and consumer spending, and there are worries other
countries will face similar disruptions.
"China's template to contain the virus was to restrict
economic activity and that's hitting home," Lombard Odier's
chief strategist Salman Ahmed said.
"Markets are fearing there will be sequential shutdowns of
economic systems to stop the spread."
Those fears of severe economic damage, even a recession,
have sent MSCI's All-Country equity index .MIWD00000PUS to
2-1/2-month lows, wiping almost $3 trillion off its value this
week alone.
Asian shares excluding Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS fell 1%. Tokyo
lost 0.8% on concerns the virus could force the cancellation of
the Olympics scheduled for July. That weighed on shares in firms
such as Dentsu 4324.T that are involved in the Games.
A pan-European equity index lost 1% .STOXX , shrugging off
slight gains on futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq
Economic growth worries are reflected in steep drop in bond
yields -- 10-year U.S. yields are down 60 basis points since the
start of 2020. Moreover, U.S. three-month T-bill yields remained
some 18 basis points above 10-year rates -- the curve inversion
that's considered a classic signal of recession. Ten- and 30-year U.S. Treasury yields teetered just off
record lows and another safe-haven, German bonds, also saw
10-year yields tumble to four-month lows below -0.5% US10YT=RR
Analysts note growing market bets on interest rate cuts --
expectations that monetary policy will be deployed yet again to
head off any downturn.
Money markets are now pricing in roughly two 25-basis-point
rate cuts by the U.S. Federal Reserve and expect a 10 bps cut by
the European Central Bank by December. A Bank of England rate
cut is also fully priced for September.
"Part of this selloff is a cry for help," Ahmed said, adding
that Fed cuts were unlikely in the early part of the year unless
"we get an Italy-like situation in the United States".
An outbreak of coronavirus in northern Italy has raised
additional fears for its perpetually sluggish economy.
The rate cut expectations weighed on the dollar which is now
well off three-year highs reached against the euro on Feb. 20.
Against the yen too, it has retreated from recent 10-month highs
of 112.23 yen. JPY=EBS and stood around 110 yen.
It traded just off 12-day lows against a basket of
currencies =USD .
Some reckon the greenback slump may not last, given the
Fed's wariness of rushing into rate cuts.
"The significant dovish tilt being priced in by markets from
the Fed may not materalise and that might cause the next leg of
the dollar rally," said Peter Chatwell, head of multi-asset
strategy at Mizuho.
The dash for safety also boosted gold XAU=> 0.5% to around
$1,640 per ounce, heading back towards seven-year highs of
1,688.66 hit on Monday.
Oil prices fell, with U.S. futures LCOc1 at the lowest
since January 2019, below $50 per barrel.
Coronavirus spreads outside of China png https://tmsnrt.rs/38V85hO
Global stocks' performance vs. reported coronavirus cases https://tmsnrt.rs/3c3WvTr
U.S. 3-month, 10-year yield curve https://tmsnrt.rs/2Tc8XId
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