* MSCI world stocks hit record highs
* European stocks up 1%, U.S. futures up 0.24%
* U.S. dollar at lowest since April 2018
* Federal Reserve policy announcement due
By Carolyn Cohn
LONDON, Dec 16 (Reuters) - World stocks rose to record highs
on Wednesday while the safe-haven dollar reached its lowest in
more than two and a half years on the prospect of effective
coronavirus vaccines and more U.S. fiscal stimulus.
European stocks and the euro also got a boost after PMI
economic data came in better than expected and the European
Central Bank decided on Tuesday to let euro zone banks start
paying dividends again if they have enough capital. Markets will look to the U.S. Federal Reserve later to see
whether it hints at an extension of its stimulus programme and
it thinks the economy will suffer a double-dip recession or is
on the cusp of a vaccine-inspired boom.
"We are not expecting a lot of fireworks from the Fed today
– they have already engineered very easy monetary conditions and
the tone of their messaging has been persistently dovish," said
Marija Vertimane, senior strategist at State Street Global
Markets. "This is unlikely to change ... in this meeting."
Europe's strong open saw stocks .STOXX rise 1% to
nine-month highs, with the UK's FTSE 100 index .FTSE jumping
1.3%.
The MSCI world stock index .MIWD00000PUS rose 0.4% to a
record high of 636.64. The index has climbed 15% since the
beginning of November, propelled by trillions of dollars worth
of global stimulus and more positive outlook.
MSCI broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside of Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS had followed Wall Street's latest rise to end
0.9% higher. The region is also near record highs and up 3.8% so
far in December putting it track for its best yearly performance
since 2017.
E-mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 were up 0.25%, after
the Dow .DJI rose 1.1% overnight and the S&P 500 .SPX and
the Nasdaq .IXIC climbed 1.3% each. .N .
Optimism over a $1.4 trillion U.S. spending package
increased after House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi
invited other congressional leaders to meet late on Tuesday to
put together a deal to be enacted this week.
"The odds are that this deal is more than the $500 billion
the Republicans proposed and likely less than the $900 billion
of the joint Republican/Democrat committee proposal," said
Sebastien Galy, macro strategist at Nordea Asset Management. "It
is rightfully welcomed by the markets, but the size of the
fiscal package is the issue."
SHOT IN THE ARM
Progress on rolling out vaccines continued after Moderna
Inc's COVID-19 vaccine appeared set for regulatory authorization
this week.
The United States also expanded its rollout of the newly
approved vaccine developed by Pfizer Inc. PFE.N and BioNTech
SE BNTX.O .
Analysts expect guidance later in the day on when and how
the Fed might change its bond purchases.
The dollar fell to its lowest since April 2018 against a
basket of currencies =USD . Derek Halpenny, MUFG's head of
research, said that "underlines high expectations that the Fed
will today deliver a message of continued loose monetary policy
for a considerable period to come".
The euro rose above $1.22 EUR= for the first time since
April 2018 and euro zone bond yields edged up, after data showed
better-than-expected business activity in the bloc this month.
GVD/EUR
The pound rose to 12-day highs against the dollar GBP= and
a one-week high against the euro EURGBP= . It gained after
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said there
was progress on a Brexit trade deal and the next few days would
be critical.
The dollar fell to a month-and-half low of 103.30 against
the Japanese yen JPY= .
In Asia, stock markets gained. Australian shares .AXJO
rose 0.8%, South Korea's KOSPI .KS11 was up 0.4% and Japan's
Nikkei .N225 added 0.2%.
China's blue-chip CSI 300 index .CSI300 added 0.15% and
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index .HSI climbed 0.86%.
In commodities, gold prices XAU= rose 0.4% to $1,860.20 an
ounce. GOL/
Gold has risen over 22% so far this year amid unprecedented
government stimulus globally.
Brent crude LCOc1 slipped 3 cents to $50.73 a barrel and
U.S. crude CLc1 fell 1 cent to $47.61. They were undercut by
a surprise gain in crude oil inventories in the United States
and persistent investor worries about demand for fuel being
squeezed amid tighter lockdowns in Europe to counter the
coronavirus pandemic. O/R
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Global assets http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
MSCI All Country Wolrd Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
Asia stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>