GLOBAL MARKETS-Wall St gains, dollar declines as extraordinary year winds down

* All three major U.S. stock averages higher
* Dollar sinks to lowest since April 2018
* Stimulus check negotiations continue in Washington
* Graphic: 2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

(Updates to late afternoon)
By Stephen Culp
NEW YORK, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Wall Street edged higher and
the dollar dipped to its lowest in more than two years on
Wednesday, the penultimate trading day in a remarkable year of
pandemic, recession and recovery.
All three major U.S. stock indexes were up modestly as
recently enacted stimulus and the ongoing rollout of COVID-19
vaccines fed optimism over economic recovery in 2021.
"2021 is going to be the beginning of it," said Matthew
Keator, managing partner in the Keator Group, a wealth
management firm in Lenox, Massachusetts. "My anticipation will
probably be more robust in the latter part of 2021."
"Once there's the sense of an all-clear sign, we would
anticipate a robust response from the consumer," Keator added.
For now, Keator suggests the markets are in wait-and-see
mode.
"The markets are saying 'what have you done for me lately?'
and people are going to be focusing on what's going to happen if
we see more and more restrictions due to the pandemic," he said.
Britain approved a coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford
University and AstraZeneca AZN.L in the latest development in
the rapid progression, testing, approval and deployment of drugs
to battle the disease. The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 64.34 points,
or 0.21%, to 30,400.01, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 4.91 points,
or 0.13%, to 3,731.95 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added
28.54 points, or 0.22%, to 12,878.76.
European stocks reversed gains to end a five-day winning
streak, closing lower as investors locked in year-end gains.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX lost 0.34% and
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained
0.33%.
Emerging market stocks rose 1.70%. MSCI's broadest index of
Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS closed 1.81%
higher, while Japan's Nikkei .N225 lost 0.45%.
U.S. Treasury yields were slightly lower in thin trading as
investors bet that Republicans were unlikely to approve the
passage of proposed $2,000 stimulus checks. Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose 3/32 in price
to yield 0.9264%, from 0.935% late on Tuesday.
The 30-year bond US30YT=RR last rose 9/32 in price to
yield 1.6623%, from 1.674% late on Tuesday.
The dollar fell to the lowest since April 2018 against a
basket of world currencies as investors bet on more fiscal
support and positioned for year-end in light trading volume.
The dollar index .DXY fell 0.34%, with the euro EUR= up
0.27% to $1.228.
The Japanese yen strengthened 0.30% versus the greenback at
103.28 per dollar, while Sterling GBP= was last trading at
$1.3607, up 0.79% on the day.
Crude oil prices inched higher on the back of the weaker
dollar and a dip in U.S. inventories, but gains were capped by
dimming hopes of a demand rebound. U.S. crude CLcv1 futures gained 0.83% to settle at $48.40
per barrel and Brent LCOcv1 settled at $51.34 per barrel, up
0.49% on the day.
Gold prices rose, countering a dip in the greenback,
although global COVID-19 vaccine rollouts and increased risk
appetite limited the safe-haven metal's gains.
Spot gold XAU= added 0.6% to $1,888.28 an ounce.

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GRAPHIC-Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
GRAPHIC-World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
GRAPHIC-MSCI All Country World Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
GRAPHIC-Global assets in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
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