GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks defy broader global rally, Brexit worries emerge

* S&P stock futures up slightly
* All three major U.S. stock indexes at record highs
* Asset risk on, dollar down
* Oil and gold rise
* Bitcoin scores again
* Asia stock markets this year: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

By David Henry
NEW YORK, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Asian stock fell slightly on
Friday, failing to catch a broader global rally as the investor
mood in the region shifted to broader caution about the economic
outlook and as post-Brexit worries weighed.
Australian S&P/ASX 200 .AXJO lost 0.46% in early trading.
Japan's Nikkei 225 .N225 fell 0.01%. E-mini futures for the
S&P 500 EScv1 rose 0.01%.
As the year draws to a close, markets have been swinging
between broader optimism about COVID-19 vaccines and a global
economic recovery and concerns about still rising infections.
"We are in an environment now where bad news is good news
because it means more stimulus," said Sharon Zollner, chief
economist at ANZ Research.
"That will have to change, but it is very difficult to know
when central banks will stop having their foot to the floor and
everyone has to reassess," she said.
Global stocks hit record highs on Thursday, fueled by
growing optimism that deals will be reached over a fresh U.S.
stimulus package. However, Britain and the European Union struck a pessimistic
tone in trade talks on Thursday, with a spokesman for Prime
Minister Boris Johnson saying it was "very likely" there would
be no agreement unless the bloc changed its position
"substantially". Bitcoin, BTC=BTSP too, rose another 7% on Thursday after a
10% gain on Wednesday that had carried the cryptocurrency over
$20,000 for the first time. Congressional negotiators in Washington were scrambling on
Thursday to agree on details of a $900 billion COVID-19 aid
bill. Lawmakers from both parties said failing to agree was not
an option. Earlier Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell said talks could spill into the weekend. But markets remained confident in the new spending, which is
estimated to be equivalent to 5% of gross domestic product.
Pressure for pandemic relief increased as new economic data
showed the number of Americans filing first-time claims for
jobless benefits unexpectedly rose last week. And, manufacturing
activity in the mid-Atlantic region cooled in December, with
factories reporting a sharp slowdown in new orders. One bright spot in the economy was credited partly to
low-interest rates: The housing market remains resilient, with
homebuilding and permits powering ahead in November.
Wall Street's three main indexes closed at record highs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 0.5%, the S&P
500 .SPX gained 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC picked
up another 0.8% to its third-straight daily record. Markets were encouraged that the United States stood ready
to ship 5.9 million doses of a new coronavirus vaccine developed
by Moderna Inc MRNA.O that is on the cusp on winning
regulatory approval. The United States is battling a fresh coronavirus outbreak,
with nearly 17 million infected, 308,000 dead and a rising daily
death toll.
The dollar's safe haven status gave way to riskier bets. The
dollar index =USD on Thursday fell as low as 89.723 against a
basket currencies on Thursday, breaking below 90 for the first
time since April 2018, and was last down 0.50% at 89.795.
FRX/ USD/
Spot gold XAU= jumped 1.1% to $1,885.37 per ounce on
Thursday afternoon, having hit a one-month high earlier in the
session. U.S. gold futures GCv1 settled up 1.7% at $1,890.40.
GOL/
Oil climbed rose on Thursday and touched a nine-month high.
Brent crude LCOc1 futures settled up 42 cents at $51.50 a
barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1
futures rose by 54 cents to $48.36 a barrel. O/R

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