* S&P 500 lower in late New York trading
* ECB expands and extends emergency COVID stimulus
* Brent futures climb above $50 a barrel
(Updates with closing oil prices)
By Caroline Valetkevitch
NEW YORK, Dec 10 (Reuters) - The euro rose on Thursday as
the European Central Bank rolled out yet more stimulus measures
on Thursday to lift the currency bloc out of a double-dip
recession, while world equity indexes slipped following an
increase in weekly U.S. jobless claims.
Energy shares were sharply higher, however, with oil prices
climbing nearly 3% and Brent rising above $50 a barrel for the
first time since early March, fueled by hopes of a faster demand
recovery.
The ECB expanded its debt purchase scheme and agreed to
provide banks with even more ultra-cheap liquidity as long as
they keep passing the cash onto companies. It said it is
monitoring the euro's exchange rate with regard to its possible
implications for the medium-term inflation outlook. Sterling weakened as investors became more cautious about
the risk of a no-deal Brexit. The euro was EUR= up 0.43% to $1.2133, while sterling
GBP= was last trading at $1.3292, down 0.78% on the day.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 edged lower as the jump in
jobless claims pointed to a stalling labor market recovery,
though focus remained on stimulus talks. The three major stock indexes got a boost earlier after U.S.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said talks between Republican
and Democratic senators on COVID-19 relief were making "a lot of
progress" with more discussions expected in the day.
"Market is very fixated in anticipation that some type of
deal can be made fairly soon," said Ryan Detrick, chief market
strategist at LPL Financial in North Carolina.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 87.06 points,
or 0.29%, to 29,981.75, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 8.66 points, or
0.24%, to 3,664.16 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 36.78
points, or 0.3%, to 12,375.73.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX lost 0.44% and
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed
0.05%.
In the bond market, longer-dated Treasury yields were
broadly lower.
Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose 9/32 in price
to yield 0.9113%, from 0.941% late on Wednesday.
Brent crude LCOc1 rose $1.39, or 2.8%, to settle at $50.25
a barrel, gaining for a third day. U.S. West Texas Intermediate
(WTI) crude CLc1 gained $1.26, or 2.8%, to settle at $46.78.
Spot gold prices XAU= were slightly lower.
($1 = 0.8255 euros)
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Global assets http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
MSCI All Country Wolrd Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
Rebound of major world markets https://tmsnrt.rs/370lXbY
ECB to rein in euro? https://tmsnrt.rs/2I7c2b3
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