(Updates prices, changes comments, dateline; previous LONDON)
* Brexit tensions hit the pound
* Safe havens yen, gold shine in flight to safety
* Worries over health of world economy hit oil
By Rodrigo Campos
NEW YORK, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Oil prices and stocks across
major markets fell on Tuesday as tension rose between China and
the United States ahead of high-level trade talks, while the
British pound sank on reports that Brexit negotiations were
close to breaking down.
Gold and the yen rose, indicating increased appetite for
safe-haven assets.
Washington widened its trade blacklist to include some of
China's top artificial intelligence start-ups, punishing Beijing
for its treatment of Muslim minorities and ratcheting up
tensions ahead of trade talks in Washington this week.
"I don't think there's really much hope that we are going to
see a completed deal any time soon," said Scott Brown, chief
economist at Raymond James in St. Petersburg, Florida. "For
markets, it may be enough to just see a stop in the escalation."
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 275.45 points,
or 1.04 percent, to 26,202.57, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 34.18
points, or 1.16 percent, to 2,904.61 and the Nasdaq Composite
.IXIC dropped 90.80 points, or 1.14 percent, to 7,865.50.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX lost 0.92 percent
and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed
0.91 percent.
Boosted by gains in Asia, emerging market stocks rose 0.01
percent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside
Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS closed 0.22 percent higher, while Japan's
Nikkei .N225 rose 0.99 percent.
Chinese mainland stocks .SSEC returned from a week-long
holiday with a 0.3% rise, but a private survey showed growth in
China's services sector at its slowest in seven months in
September.
With the focus turning to trade talks, U.S. President Donald
Trump said he hoped Beijing would find a humane and peaceful
resolution to political protests in Hong Kong, and said that
situation had the potential to hurt the trade discussions.
An increase in U.S. tariffs on $250 billion worth of Chinese
goods, to 30% from 25%, is scheduled for Oct. 15. Trump has said
it will take effect if no progress is made in the negotiations.
GLOBAL GROWTH CONCERNS
The flight to safety also added to pressure in fixed income
markets with German bund DE10YT=RR yields edging lower.
U.S. Treasury yields fell as expectations of a Federal
Reserve interest rate cut in October rose following a big drop
in the U.S. producer price index and an intensification of trade
tensions with China.
Benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR last rose 10/32
in price to yield 1.5187 percent, from 1.553 percent late on
Monday.
Markets will keenly watch comments from U.S. Federal Reserve
Chairman Jerome Powell after weak data raised concerns the U.S.
economy may be heading toward a protracted slowdown.
Despite expectations for lower rates, the U.S. dollar rose
against a basket of peers.
The dollar index .DXY rose 0.2 percent, with the euro
EUR= down 0.21 percent to $1.0947.
Sterling tumbled after reports that Brexit talks between
Britain and Brussels were close to breaking down.
The EU accused Britain of playing a "stupid blame game"
after a Downing Street source said a deal was essentially
impossible because German Chancellor Angela Merkel had made
unacceptable demands. Sterling GBP= last traded at $1.2205, down 0.69 percent on
the day. GBP/
The safe-haven yen strengthened 0.18 percent versus the
greenback at 107.11 per dollar.
In emerging currency markets the focus remained on the
Turkish lira, which edged higher after hitting a five-week low
in early trade over concerns about a planned Turkish military
incursion in northern Syria. Trump threatened to destroy Turkey's economy if Ankara took
those moves too far, after the U.S. leader opened that door by
ordering the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the
area. The Turkish lira was flat versus the U.S. dollar at 5.83
after falling more than 2% on Monday.
New IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said trade
tensions could mean a loss of around $700 billion by 2020, or
about 0.8 percent of global GDP. Worries over the health of the global economy sent oil
prices lower. U.S. crude CLc1 fell 0.95 percent to $52.25 per
barrel and Brent LCOc1 was last at $57.88, down 0.81 percent
on the day.
Spot gold XAU= added 0.6 percent to $1,502.62 an ounce.
U.S. gold futures GCc1 gained 0.25 percent to $1,501.50 an
ounce.
Copper CMCU3 lost 0.47% to $5,695.00 a tonne.
Global assets in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>