* China's CSI 300 index jumps 3%
* S&P 500 futures creep higher despite stimulus doubts
* FTSE 100, Sterling wobbly ahead of Brexit summit later
this week
* USD/CNH leaps after PBOC tweaks FX policy
By Thyagaraju Adinarayan and Tom Westbrook
LONDON/SINGAPORE, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Global stocks hit
five-week highs on Monday led by China's post-holiday surge as
investors bet on a steady recovery for the world's no. 2
economy, while hopes for stimulus offset worries about rising
COVID-19 cases in Europe and the United States.
European countries were considering adding fresh travel
curbs due to rising coronavirus, a contrast to Asia-Pacific
countries including Singapore, Australia and Japan, where a
gradual easing of some international travel restrictions is
under way. Still, U.S. and European markets were trading higher as
investors hoped for coronavirus aid in the United States, with
the Trump administration on Sunday calling on Congress to pass a
stripped-down relief bill.
European stocks .STOXX and U.S. stock futures EScv1 rose
0.5%. FTSE 100 .FTSE and sterling meanwhile were wobbly ahead
of a Brexit summit later in the week.
"U.S. fiscal policy negotiations are starting to look a lot
like the EU-UK divorce negotiations, being both tedious and
interminable," said Paul Donovan, global chief economist of
UBS's wealth management business.
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS hit
early September highs, mainly driven by a 3% gain in Chinese
blue chips .CSI300 . China has returned from an eight-day
Mid-Autumn festival with investors encouraged by a robust
rebound in tourism and ebbing coronavirus cases. "China is playing a bit of catch-up still from Golden Week.
I actually think as influential was the announcement about the
upcoming Shenzhen reform speech by President Xi," said Chris
Bailey, European strategist at Raymond James.
Chinese President Xi will deliver a key speech in Shenzhen
on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of the establishment of the
country's first special economic zone in the southern city 40
years ago, according to state media Xinhua. Chinese blue chips have gained 17% this year, compared with
an almost 8% gain by the S&P 500 .SPX . Foreigners' buying of
Chinese government bonds hit its fastest pace in more than two
years last month. Chinese assets were also boosted by rising chances of Joe
Biden's victory in the U.S. presidential election -- an
administration seen less likely to incline toward tariffs and
trade disputes.
Meanwhile, U.S. markets are also gearing up for the
third-quarter earnings season, where the S&P 500 companies are
expected to report 21% drop in earnings, according to Refinitiv
data.
Major Wall Street banks JPMorgan JPM.N and Citi C.N are
poised to report results on Tuesday. FALLS
In currency markets, the yuan was off 0.8%, on track for its
worst single day drop since March, hitting the China-sensitive
Australian dollar AUD=D3 . FRX/
The People's Bank of China has scrapped a requirement for
banks to hold a reserve of yuan forward contracts, removing a
guard against depreciation. The yuan is up more than 7% since late May and had shot
higher on Friday as investors wagered that a Biden presidency
would drive smoother relations with the Unites States. It last
sat at 6.7487 per dollar in onshore trade CNY= . CNY/
"We continue to expect a stronger yuan on the back of our
expectation of solid Chinese growth and favourable interest rate
differentials between China and the U.S.," Goldman Sachs'
analysts said in a note, with a 12-month yuan forecast at 6.50.
The euro EUR= edged 0.2% lower to $1.1805 and the yen
JPY= firmed to 105.48 per dollar. The kiwi NZD=D3 dipped
0.1% with the softer yuan to sit at $0.6661.
In commodity markets, oil prices were back under pressure
after the resolution of an oilworkers strike in Norway and the
resumption of production after a storm in the Gulf of Mexico.
O/R
Gold XAU= held steep Friday gains at $1,929 an ounce.
The U.S. bond market is closed on Monday for Columbus Day.
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