GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks hover near record high, oil skids on demand outlook

* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* Highly-anticipated vaccine facing more scrutiny
* Equity markets pull back from record highs
* Oil hit by concerns about oversupply
* U.S. financial markets closed Thursday for Thanksgiving

By Stanley White
TOKYO, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Asian shares stalled near record
highs on Friday as investors weighed renewed doubts about a
highly-anticipated coronavirus vaccine against hopes that some
of the region's economies will recovery quicker than their
Western peers.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS dipped 0.04% but remained with striking distance
of a life-time peak touched this week.
Australian shares .AXJO ended down 0.53%. Treasury Wine
Estates Ltd TWE.AX tumbled by 11.25% after China slapped
tariffs on Australian wine, which is likely to worsen a
diplomatic row between Beijing and Canberra. Japan's Nikkei .N225 rose 0.33% in choppy trade.
Shares in China .CSI300 rose 0.13% after data showed
Chinese industrial profits surged at the fastest pace since
early 2017. South Korean stocks .KS11 also rose 0.27%.
U.S. S&P 500 e-mini stock futures ESc1 fell 0.09%. U.S.
financial markets were closed on Thursday for the Thanksgiving
holiday and will trade on a partial schedule later on Friday.
Euro Stoxx 50 futures STXEc1 were down 0.26%, German DAX
futures FDXc1 fell 0.24%, and FTSE futures FFIc1 were down
0.22%, suggesting a soft start to the European session.
U.S. oil prices extended their declines from a seven-month
high due to signs of oversupply.
British drugmaker AstraZeneca's AZN.L coronavirus drug was
touted as a "vaccine for the world" due to its inexpensive cost,
but the efficacy of the vaccine is now facing more intense
scrutiny, which experts say could delay its approval.
Several scientists have raised doubts about the robustness
of results showing the shot was 90% effective in a sub-group of
trial participants who, by error initially, received a half dose
followed by a full dose.
"With global case numbers having now topped 60 million...
there is certainly some rough terrain ahead for the global
recovery, and that can create economic scarring," analysts at
ANZ Bank wrote in a memo.
MSCI's broadest gauge of world stocks .MIWD00000PUS was up
0.08% on Friday, sitting just below a record high reached in the
previous session.
Concerns about the distribution of a coronavirus vaccine
have placed renewed focus on the current state of the pandemic,
which looks grim for many places.
U.S. hospitalizations for COVID-19 are at a record and
experts warn that Thanksgiving gatherings could lead to further
infections and deaths. More than 20 million people across England will be forced to
live under the toughest restrictions even after a national
lockdown ends on Dec. 2. Partial lockdowns in some European
countries have also raised concern about economic growth.
The European Central Bank's chief economist highlighted
these concerns in dovish comments on Thursday, which pushed
European bond yields lower. The euro EUR=EBS , which last bought $1.1924, showed little
reaction because currency traders have largely priced in
expectations for additional ECB easing next month.
The dollar index =USD fell toward its lowest in more than
two months.
The yield on benchmark 10-year Treasury notes US10YT=RR
fell to 0.8586% as some investors sought the safety of holding
government debt.
U.S. crude CLc1 dipped 1.82% to $44.88 a barrel. Brent
crude LCOc1 fell 0.17% to $47.72 per barrel.
Fuel demand is falling due to renewed coronavirus lockdowns,
but some oil producers are not complying with agreed production
cuts, which raises concerns about oversupply.
Bitcoin BTC=BTSP , the world's biggest cryptocurrency,
edged up to $17,256 on Thursday, but it tumbled by 8.4% in the
previous session after failing to take out its record high of
$19,666.
The cryptocurrency showed little reaction to a report in the
Financial Times that Facebook FB.O will launch its own Libra
digital currency in limited format next year.
Bitcoin has rallied around 140% this year, fuelled by demand
for riskier assets.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>