* World stocks pull back from record
* S&P poised for best August since 1984
* Dollar near two-year trough as Fed commits to easy policy
(Updates throughout, adds charts)
By Chuck Mikolajczak
NEW YORK, Aug 31 (Reuters) - A gauge of global stocks
retreated from record highs on Monday but remained on track for
a fifth straight month of gains while the dollar remained
listless as investors adjust to the policy shift outlined by
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell last week.
U.S. stocks were mixed, with the Dow Industrials and S&P 500
lower while the Nasdaq posted gains. The S&P is up more than 7%
for the month, putting it on track for its best August,
traditionally a softer month for stock performance, since 1984.
Fed Vice Chair Richard Clarida on Monday followed on
Powell's comments, noting the central bank's new policy view
means a low rate of unemployment does not on its own trigger
higher interest rates. Last week, the Fed said its new strategy
plan is to use higher inflation when the economy is robust to
offset the impact of periods of weaker prices. "There is a reallocation of assets from sectors that are not
performing, into sectors that are," said Stan Gregor, chief
executive officer of Summit Financial LLC in Parsippany, New
Jersey.
"Right now the euphoria is stay long on technology and
stay-at-home stocks."
Monday marked the first new look at the revamped Dow,
following the additions of Salesforce.com CRM.N , Amgen Inc
AMGN.O and Honeywell International Inc HON.N and the removal
of Exxon Mobil Corp XOM.N , Pfizer Inc PFE.N and Raytheon
Technologies Corp RTX.N . The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 177.99 points,
or 0.62%, to 28,475.88, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 0.55 points, or
0.02%, to 3,507.46 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 79.39
points, or 0.68%, to 11,775.02.
The dollar edged lower against a basket of major currencies
and was set for a fourth straight monthly decline. In Europe, stocks turned lower following the open of U.S.
markets. Shares in Europe were initially higher as higher crude
prices boosted oil and gas names while merger talks between
major French utilities provided support for the sector. Trading
in London was closed for a public holiday.
MSCI's world equity index .MIWD00000PUS , which has risen
more than 6% in August, is set for a fifth month of gains as
massive monetary and fiscal stimulus outweighs concern about the
outlook for a world economy battered by the coronavirus.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX lost 0.19% and
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed
0.08%.
The expectations for the Fed to keep interest rates lower
for an extended period kept the dollar in check, with a fourth
straight months of declines its longest streak since 2017. The
greenback hit a low of 91.989, its lowest since May 2018.
The dollar index =USD fell 0.124%, with the euro EUR= up
0.35% to $1.1945.
Treasuries benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose
5/32 in price to yield 0.713%, from 0.729% late on Friday.
Oil prices were modestly higher, with Brent crude oil
touching a five-month high, bolstered in part by a 30% cut in
Abu Dhabi crude supplies and encouraging Chinese data.
U.S. crude CLc1 recently rose 0.4% to $43.14 per barrel
and Brent LCOc1 was at $46, up 0.41% on the day.
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GRAPHIC-Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
GRAPHIC-MSCI's World Stock Index https://tmsnrt.rs/2DcGXQD
GRAPHIC-Global markets, asset performance https://tmsnrt.rs/3hJ4UOL
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