* S&P 500, Nasdaq end lower, Dow up slightly
* European stocks close down 0.8%
* Sterling lower as no trade deal on Brexit likely
* Dollar gets boost as risk sentiment sours
(Updates with closing U.S. markets levels)
By Caroline Valetkevitch
NEW YORK, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Global stock indexes eased and
the dollar rose on Friday amid continued concerns over the
timing of more U.S. economic stimulus.
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower, while the Dow closed up
slightly. All three indexes registered declines for the week.
Rising coronavirus deaths are causing fresh business
restrictions in many U.S. states and increasing layoffs, making
investors anxious to hear whether more fiscal relief is coming.
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday
raised the possibility of stimulus negotiations dragging on
through Christmas.
"Investors are wondering what is it that Congress needs to
hear before they decide to act ... their focus is more on
politics than it is on the American economy," said CFRA Chief
Investment Strategist Sam Stovall.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to issue
an emergency use authorization for Pfizer Inc's PFE.N COVID-19
vaccine later in the day, the New York Times reported.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 47.11 points,
or 0.16%, to 30,046.37, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 4.64 points, or
0.13%, to 3,663.46 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped
27.94 points, or 0.23%, to 12,377.87.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX closed down 0.8%
and MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS shed
0.19%. The MSCI index also was down for the week.
Still, recent U.S. initial public offerings suggested
investors were generally upbeat on equities, even as jobs data
pointed to U.S. economic weakness.
The dollar rose with safe-haven buying as investors' risk
appetite soured. The dollar index =USD was last up 0.2%.
Sterling slipped as bets on further volatility in the
currency grew over the increasing likelihood of a disorderly
Brexit. Sterling GBP= was last trading at $1.3222, down 0.53%
on the day. Britain is likely to complete its journey out of the
European Union in three weeks without a trade deal, British
Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission chief
Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday.
U.S. Treasury yields were lower across maturities as
complications in stimulus negotiations increased demand for the
safe-haven securities. Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose 4/32 in price
to yield 0.8948%, from 0.908% late on Thursday.
Oil prices LCOc1 CLc1 were lower, as demand worries due
to new virus-related restrictions grew. Brent LCOc1 futures
fell 28 cents to settle at $49.97 a barrel, while U.S. crude
CLc1 fell 21 cents to settle at $46.57. Spot gold prices XAU= were slightly higher.
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World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
Sterling volatility https://tmsnrt.rs/3m7AZ3W
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