* U.S. stocks end lower
* MSCI all-country world index flat after hitting record
* Bond yields jump
* Biden to unveil stimulus proposal
(Adds European stocks close, MSCI global index hits record
high)
By Caroline Valetkevitch
NEW YORK, Jan 14 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended lower on
Thursday after the Dow and Nasdaq hit record highs earlier in
the session as investors focused on U.S. President-elect Joe
Biden's pandemic aid proposal, while the U.S. dollar weakened.
MSCI's all-country world index was last trading in barely
positive territory but was well off its record-high levels of
the session.
The New York Times, citing people familiar with the plans,
reported that Biden is expected on Thursday to unveil a $1.9
trillion spending package. Stocks began to pare gains and the dollar drifted lower
after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell struck a dovish tone
in comments at a virtual symposium with Princeton University.
Powell said the U.S. central bank is not raising interest
rates anytime soon and rejected suggestions the Fed might start
reducing its bond purchases in the near term. After recent strong U.S. stock market gains, equity
investors are looking for signals that could mean further
support for the market, said Paul Nolte, portfolio manager at
Kingsview Investment Management in Chicago.
"We had a pretty good rally in the fourth quarter and a
decent rally so far this year," he said. "Markets are in a
wait-and-see mode."
Friday marks the start of fourth-quarter earnings for S&P
500 companies, with results from JPMorgan Chase JPM.N and
other banks due.
Investors are "waiting to hear commentary from companies on
how things were looking in the fourth quarter and how things
will look in the first quarter, especially given the
not-so-great economic backdrop," Nolte said.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 68.95 points,
or 0.22%, to 30,991.52, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 14.3 points, or
0.38%, to 3,795.54 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped
16.31 points, or 0.12%, to 13,112.64.
European shares gained for a third straight session. The
pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX rose 0.72% and MSCI's
gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained 0.01%.
The dollar index =USD fell 0.071%, with the euro EUR=
down 0.02% to $1.2154.
Bitcoin BTC=BTSP held gains after a slide of nearly
$12,000 from last week's record high of $42,000. It rose about
5.7% to $39,536 on Thursday, after hitting a session high above
$40,000.
Treasury yields edged higher in anticipation of the new
stimulus package, but a jump in U.S. jobless claims put a damper
on immediate expectations of economic growth. Benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR last fell 12/32
in price to yield 1.1292%, from 1.088% late on Wednesday.
Oil prices edged higher, boosted by a weak dollar and
bullish signals from Chinese import data. Brent crude oil
futures LCOc1 rose 36 cents, or 0.6%, to settle at $56.42 a
barrel. U.S. crude CLc1 ended 66 cents, or 1.3%, higher at
$53.57.
Spot gold XAU= added 0.2% to $1,847.11 an ounce.
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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 World Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
US, euro area inflation expectations https://tmsnrt.rs/35FeBcT
Mixed fortunes for Chinese firms facing U.S. blacklist worries
https://tmsnrt.rs/3qdVVZw
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