GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks shrug off Trump's stimulus threat; Brexit trade deal hopes boost pound

* Possible Brexit deal buoys European markets
* Sterling jumps 1% against dollar
* U.S., European bond yields climb

By April Joyner
NEW YORK, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Wednesday as
investors waved away a threat by U.S. President Donald Trump not
to sign a pandemic relief bill, while the British pound soared
on rising expectations of a Brexit trade deal.
In a video posted on Twitter, Trump said a stimulus bill,
agreed upon after months of wrangling in Congress, was "a
disgrace" and that he wanted to increase "ridiculously low" $600
payments for individuals to $2,000. The benchmark S&P 500 .SPX U.S. stock index nonetheless
rose in morning trade as cyclical sectors such as energy and
financials expected to benefit most from an economic recovery
led in percentage gains. S&P 500 futures ESc1 had fallen
overnight in response to Trump's threat but later recovered.
Investors said they still believed a fiscal package would
come soon, whether under Trump or President-elect Joe Biden.
"Stocks, rightly so, are looking through what is political
theater from Trump," said Garrett Melson, portfolio strategist
at Natixis Investment Managers Solutions.
In Europe, the STOXX index .STOXX gained 0.97% after
reports that Britain and the European Union were close to a
trade agreement after difficult, protracted negotiations, with
the end of year deadline looming. A senior European diplomat
told Reuters on Wednesday that a deal was imminent. MSCI's gauge of global stocks .MIWD00000PUS in turn rose
0.60%.
On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose
191.4 points, or 0.64%, to 30,206.91, the S&P 500 .SPX gained
17.37 points, or 0.47%, to 3,704.63 and the Nasdaq Composite
.IXIC added 5.64 points, or 0.04%, to 12,813.55.
The Brexit trade deal news also boosted sterling GBP=D3 ,
which gained 1.12% against the dollar to $1.3527. In a further
shot in the arm for the pound, Paris lifted its ban on freight
coming from Britain, which it had enacted in response to a
fast-spreading COVID-19 variant in the United Kingdom.
"Sterling is off its lows - there's a little twinkle of
optimism around that deal," said Jane Foley, head of FX strategy
at Rabobank.
Foreign exchange markets broadly reflected optimism toward
U.S. fiscal stimulus and global growth. The euro EUR=EBS rose
0.25% to $1.2192, while the Australian dollar AUD=D3 ,
considered a riskier currency, advanced 0.88% to $0.7586.
Conversely, the safe-haven U.S. dollar resumed its decline.
The dollar index =USD fell 0.17%.
In accordance with Wednesday's risk-on sentiment, U.S.
Treasury yields jumped to their highest level since Dec. 7. They
received a lift from the Brexit trade deal developments after
having fallen earlier in response to Trump's stimulus comments.
The yield between two- and 10-year yields US2US10=TWEB
steepened to its the widest spread since October 2017. European
bond yields likewise climbed.
Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes US10YT=RR last fell
14/32 in price to yield 0.9646%, from 0.918% late on Tuesday.
In oil markets, the weakening in the dollar supported
prices, helping them overcome an unanticipated rise in U.S.
crude oil inventories. Brent LCOc1 and U.S. crude CLc1 both
rose around 2%. The weaker dollar also helped to boost gold XAU= , which
added 0.7% to $1,871.91 an ounce. Meanwhile, copper prices CMCU3 resumed their advance
toward multi-year highs as investors regained optimism toward
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Asset performance in US dollar terms https://tmsnrt.rs/33TWwY1
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