GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks extend gains as vaccine hopes support global reopening

By Lawrence Delevingne
BOSTON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Asian shares rose on Wednesday as
hopes for a successful coronavirus vaccine lifted expectations
of a swift reopening of the global economy, which would help the
region's heavily trade-dependent markets.
Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 .AXJO climbed 1.05% with
energy stocks and miners boosted by higher crude and commodity
prices.
New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index .NZ50 rose around
0.6% in early trade ahead of the country's central bank meeting.
Japan's Nikkei 225 .N225 added 1.1%, and Hong Kong's Hang
Seng index futures .HIS HSIc1 rose 0.09%.
"Investors anticipate a lift in economic activity and a
swing back to physical businesses, judging by their support for
travel, consumer, financial, materials and energy stocks,"
Michael McCarthy, chief market strategist for CMC Markets in
Sydney, wrote in a note Wednesday.
The gains in Asia came despite the S&P 500 index slipping
slightly and the Nasdaq closing sharply lower on Tuesday as
vaccine optimism led investors away from market leaders and
toward cyclical stocks associated with economic recovery.
At the same time, there were mixed signals from U.S.
government leaders about near-term policies.
President Donald Trump and other top Republican lawmakers
continued their refusal to concede the election to
President-elect Joe Biden, delaying the transition of power and
related policy shifts. U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers also said on Tuesday that
a surge in coronavirus cases threatens to slow economic growth
once more and that more targeted government aid was needed.
That shouldn't stop government stimulus efforts, according
to ANZ Research strategists Liz Kendall and David Croy.
"Policy makers remain vigilant and monetary policy will err
towards being very accommodative until a vaccine can be
comprehensively rolled out," they wrote on Wednesday.
E-mini futures for the S&P 500 EScv1 were flat.
European shares held near eight-month highs on Tuesday,
riding a wave of optimism about a COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough,
although concerns about the pandemic's economic damage capped
gains. Oil also ended nearly 3% higher on Tuesday as hopes of a
COVID-19 vaccine outweighed worries about a drop in fuel demand
from new lockdowns to contain the virus. U.S. crude CLc1 rose 1.11% to $41.82 per barrel and Brent
LCOc1 was at $44.05, up 3.89% on the day.
"The reflation trade continues to work in earnest and the
rotation to the unloved areas of the market continues," Chris
Weston, Pepperstone's Melbourne-based head of research, wrote in
a note Wednesday.
The greenback was steady on Tuesday and the yen stayed near
three-weeks lows, as investors remained optimistic about
progress toward a vaccine and the currency markets digested
Monday's big moves. The euro EUR= rose 0.03% to $1.1818, the Japanese yen
strengthened 0.04% versus the greenback at 105.26 per dollar,
while sterling GBP= last traded at $1.3263, down 0.06% on the
day. The Australian dollar fell 0.01% versus the greenback at
$0.728.
U.S. Treasury yields rose modestly on Tuesday, as the market
consolidated the previous session's strong gains fueled by news
of a potential coronavirus vaccine. Gold regained some ground lost in Monday's plunge as
expectations of fiscal and monetary stimulus offered support to
the safe-haven metal. Spot gold XAU= added 0.1% to $1,878.06 an ounce.

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