* MSCI Asia ex-Japan +0.56%
* Australia eases lockdowns, U.S. vaccines in sight
* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* 2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Andrew Galbraith
SHANGHAI, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Asian shares climbed on Monday,
with a broad regional index touching a record high on hopes for
imminent coronavirus vaccines, but worries over the impact of
economic lockdowns and uncertainty over U.S. stimulus capped
gains.
A top official of the U.S. government's vaccine development
effort said Sunday that the first vaccines could be given to
U.S. healthcare workers and others recommended by mid-December.
Despite the grim backdrop of accelerating COVID-19
infections in the United States, the forecast helped to raise
hopes that lockdowns that have paralysed the global economy
could be nearing an end.
"With the vaccine on its way and the likelihood that
economic damage being done by the virus will lift, we'll still
have in place substantial support from central banks and
governments. And that is an economic sweet spot that should see
a significant economic bounce," said Michael McCarthy, chief
market strategist at CMC Markets in Sydney.
"It's fascinating that investors are willing to focus on
that aspect. It does require some pretty heavy squinting,
including looking through the rising infection rates that we're
seeing right now. But there is a real optimism around it."
Total U.S. COVID-19 cases topped 12 million over the weekend
and more than 255,000 have died.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS was up 0.56% on Monday, pushing past a previous
record high touched on Friday.
Seoul's Kospi .KS11 was 1.82% higher as an optimistic
earnings outlook for South Korean chip giants drove gains.
Japanese markets were closed for a holiday, but Nikkei
futures NKc1 added 0.19% to 25,795.
The regional index also got a boost from Australian shares
.AXJO which gained 0.51% as the country eased some COVID-19
restrictions. Most of the country has seen no new community
infections or deaths in several weeks. Chinese blue-chips .CSI300 added 0.69%. Hong Kong's Hang
Seng was an outlier, edging down 0.2%.
While most regional indexes were up on Monday, sentiment was
fragile as monetary and fiscal help for the U.S. economy
remained elusive.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Thursday that
key pandemic lending programs at the Federal Reserve would
expire on Dec. 31, putting the outgoing Trump administration at
odds with the central bank and potentially adding stress to the
economy. "Discussion is only beginning and may take some time if the
recent partisan disagreements over the composition and magnitude
of fiscal spending are any indication," analysts at ANZ said in
a note.
U.S. e-mini futures for the S&P 500 EScv1 were 0.26%
higher at 3,563 on Monday after U.S. shares slumped on Friday on
a combination of dwindling aid for the U.S. economy and rising
novel coronavirus infection rates.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI dropped 0.75%, the
S&P 500 .SPX fell 0.68% and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC ended
down 0.42%.
In currency markets, a rise in the safe-haven yen
underscored nagging investor concerns. The dollar softened 0.1%
to 103.75 JPY= while the euro EUR= gained 0.14% on the day
to $1.1870.
The dollar index =USD , which tracks the greenback against
a basket of six major rivals, nudged down to 92.255.
U.S. crude CLc1 eased less than 0.1% to $42.40 per barrel
and global benchmark Brent crude LCOc1 rose 0.18% to $45.04
per barrel.
Spot gold XAU= added 0.06% to $1,871.69 per ounce. GOL/
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World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
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