GLOBAL MARKETS-Global shares steady as investors await U.S. inflation data

* Euro STOXX 600 up 0.2%
* Investors watch for US inflation due at 1230 GMT
* Bitcoin hits new record
* Export-heavy German shares gain 0.2%
* China imports rise at fastest pace in 4 years
* Graphic: Global asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

By Tom Wilson
LONDON, April 13 (Reuters) - Global stocks were steady on
Tuesday as market players awaited U.S. data expected to show a
pick-up in inflation, with the dollar also edging higher.
The broad Euro STOXX 600 .STOXX gained 0.2%, hovering near
record highs, with export-heavy German shares GDAXI. and Paris
.FCHI both up 0.2%. London shares fell 0.2%. .FTSE
Investors were focused on U.S. inflation data for March, due
at 1230 GMT, with many expecting that an increase in inflation
would accelerate recent moves by equity investors to rotate
towards cyclical stocks.
"The question for the next few months is not whether
inflation will pick up, but how far inflation is going to pick
up," said Hugh Gimber, global markets strategist at J.P. Morgan
Asset Management.
"We do see scope for further increases in Treasury yields
over the course of 2021. We'd expect that to drive a
continuation of the rotation that we've seen over the past six
months or so towards more cyclical sectors."
Wall Street futures gauges ESc1 NQcv1 fell between
0.2%-0.4% after the New York Times reported U.S. federal health
agencies will call for an immediate pause in use of Johnson &
Johnson's JNJ.N COVID-19 vaccine after six U.S. recipients
developed a rare disorder involving blood clots. The yield on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasuries US10YT=RR
was up at 1.6765%, holding below a 14-month high of 1.776%
reached on March 30. Bond yields rise when prices fall.
The MSCI world equity index .MIWD00000PUS , which tracks
shares in 49 countries, was marginally in the red.
Investors were also awaiting the start of the first-quarter
earnings season, with results from Goldman Sachs GS.N ,
JPMorgan JPM.N and Wells Fargo WFC.N due on Wednesday.
"(Inflation) is going to be a key determinant in the
equities performance in weeks or even months to come, even
though we have the earnings season that is going to kick in
rapidly," said Olivier Marciot, portfolio manager at Unigestion.
Asian stocks had earlier gained support on China trade data
that showed exports in dollar terms up by over 30% in March from
a year earlier, short of expectations.
Still, imports jumped 38%, their fastest pace in four years,
suggesting a post-pandemic recovery in its domestic spending.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS gave up most of its gains and closed up 0.1%.
China's blue-chip index fell 0.2%. .CSI300

"SIGNIFICANT REBOUND"
In currency markets, the dollar =USD rose from near a
three-week low against other major currencies on Tuesday, buoyed
by a bump in Treasury yields. The dollar was last up 0.2% against a basket of currencies,
at 92.245 =USD .
The dollar has eased back along with U.S. yields this month
after surging to multi-month peaks as markets expect that major
fiscal stimulus, coupled with continued monetary easing, will
spur faster U.S. economic growth and higher inflation.
Boston Federal Reserve Bank President Eric Rosengren said
Monday the U.S. economy could see a significant rebound this
year due to looser money and fiscal policy but the country's job
market still faced weakness.
He said with inflation still below the central bank's 2%
target rate the current "highly accommodative" monetary policy
stance remained appropriate. Bitcoin BTC=BTSP hit a record of $63,199 on Tuesday,
extending its 2021 rally to new heights a day before the listing
of Coinbase shares in the United States. <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
World FX rates YTD http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Global asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>