* European shares struggle, Wall Street set to open weak
* Chinese exports fall, highlight trade war damage
* Fed, ECB meet later this week
* Sterling shines before Thursday's election
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
(Updates throughout, releads)
By Tommy Wilkes
LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Global equity markets were in a
sombre mood on Monday, holding well off recent two-year highs
after Chinese export data highlighted the damage from the
17-month long trade war and re-focused attention on a crucial
Dec. 15 tariff deadline.
Markets had closed last week in an upbeat mood as
forecast-beating U.S. jobs data reassured investors about the
U.S. economy and sent MSCI's index of global stocks 0.8% higher
.MIWD00000PUS but those gains stalled as worries about a
Chinese economic slowdown returned.
Wall Street, which closed just 1% off record highs on
Friday, was set for a slightly weaker open, futures showed.
Several big events loom for the week -- the Federal Reserve
meets on Wednesday and new European Central Bank chief Christine
Lagarde holds her first policy meeting on Thursday, the same day
as Britain's parliamentary election.
But at the forefront of investors' minds is the Dec. 15
deadline for the United States to impose a new round of tariffs
on China.
Top White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow said on Friday
that the deadline was still in place but he also said President
Donald Trump likes where trade talks with China are going.
"If we see Donald Trump decide not to delay tariffs, that
would lead to a risk-off reaction in markets," said Nomura
currency strategist Jordan Rochester.
"We don't expect tariffs to go into effect as the talks are
ongoing but the trade talks are the main driver this week," he
said, adding he did not expect any "fireworks" from the central
bank meetings.
A pan-European equity index .STOXX inched down 0.1%,
having jumped 1% on Friday, as did the German DAX .GDAXI .
France's CAC 40 .FCHI -- hit last week by fears of U.S.
tariffs on its luxury exports such as wine and handbags -- shed
0.3 percent.
Europe's energy sector was the biggest loser of the day,
falling almost 1% as shares in Tullow Oil slumped 60% to 19-year
lows TLW.L due to issues at its main producing assets in Ghana
and the resignation of its chief executive. Asia, however, managed to notch up small gains, with Japan's
Nikkei .N225 adding 0.33 percent and MSCI's Asia-Pacific
shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS up 0.15 percent.
Futures for the U.S. S&P500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq indexes
were all down a marginal 0.1% ESc1 YMc1 NQc1
CHINESE SHIVERS
Markets have been largely working on the assumption that
the Dec. 15 tariffs, covering consumer goods such as cellphones
and toys, will be dropped or postponed, given Trump will be
unwilling to risk a year-end equity selloff.
Concerns about damage being done to the global economy by
the trade war, were renewed after China released data showing
its exports shrank for the fourth consecutive month in November.
Chinese shares closed 0.2% lower, their losses checked by a
rise in imports that was interpreted as a sign that Beijing's
stimulus steps are helping to stoke demand. The U.S. dollar, which bounced on Friday after data showed
U.S. job growth increased in November by the most in 10 months,
was down marginally against a basket of currencies .DXY and
the euro, at $1.107 EUR=EBS . The strong labour market data in the United States allayed
fears about a slowdown in the world's largest economy which had
been fanned by a series of weak figures on business and consumer
activity.
"The clouds of recession still remain well offshore despite
troubled economies elsewhere in the world and a trade war," said
Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist at MUFG Union Bank.
The biggest currency mover was the British pound which rose
to a new 7-month high of $1.3180 GBP=D3 as investors raised
their bets on a Conservative Party victory - and a majority in
parliament - in the general election. Yields on government bonds inched lower, in keeping with
market jitters as investors awaited the central bank meetings.
U.S. 10-year Treasury yields were down 2 basis points at 1.8242%
Oil prices weakened after the disappointing Chinese trade
data, with Brent futures LCOc1 down more than 1% at $63.73 per
barrel after gaining about 3 percent last week on the news that
OPEC and its allies would deepen output cuts.