* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* Global asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Hideyuki Sano
TOKYO, April 16 (Reuters) - A batch of Chinese and U.S.
economic data helped underpin global stocks near record highs on
Friday, as investors priced in a solid global recovery from the
coronavirus-induced slump.
In Asia, markets were largely steady after China reported a
sharp acceleration in first quarter growth, though the reading
slightly undershot expectations while retail sales bounced
strongly last month. Shanghai shares .SSEC dipped 0.2% while the Chinese yuan
eased.
Analysts said the China data did little to change
expectations of a strong recovery and further policy tightening
to curb any excesses in property investments.
"Property investments were weaker but that's no surprise
given policy makers have been tightening loans to the sector
while consumption is continuing a normalisation," said Ei Kaku,
senior strategist at Nomura.
"On the whole the data is unlikely to have a big impact."
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS was off 0.2% while Japan's Nikkei .N225 was
almost flat.
MSCI's broadest gauge of world stocks .MIWD00000PUS ticked
down 0.05% by mid-Asian trade following 0.89 percent gains the
previous day to a record high.
"U.S. economic data released yesterday was all strong,
confirming the U.S. economy is firmly on a recovery track," said
Norihiro Fujito, chief investment strategist at Mitsubishi UFJ
Morgan Stanley Securities.
U.S. retail sales rebounded 9.8% in March, the largest
increase since May 2020, in a gain that pushed the level of
sales 17.1% above its pre-pandemic level to a record high.
The brightening economic prospects were underscored by other
data, including first-time claims for unemployment benefits
tumbling last week to the lowest level since March 2020.
Despite strong data, U.S. bond yields dropped, in part
driven by Japanese buying, as they have began a new financial
year this month.
The 10-year U.S. Treasuries yield dropped to 1.529%, a
five-week low, on Thursday and last stood at 1.578%
US10YT=TWEB , off its 14-month high of 1.776% set at the end of
March.
"The market has already fully priced in an U.S. economic
recovery in the near term. And if the Federal Reserve will keep
interest rates on hold for the next two to three years, no doubt
the carry of U.S. bonds would be very attractive compared with
Japanese or euro zone bonds," said Chotaro Morita, chief fixed
income strategist at SMBC Nikko Securities.
The fall in long-term bond yields benefited stocks, and
particularly tech shares, given the idea that their historically
expensive valuations can be justified because investors would
have no choice but to buy shares to make up for low returns from
bonds.
On Wall Street, the S&P 500 .SPX advanced 1.11% while the
tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 1.31%, nearing its
record peak set in February.
In the currency market, lower U.S. yields were a drag on the
U.S. dollar.
The euro stood at $1.1951 EUR= , having hit a six-week high
of $1.19935 overnight while the U.S. currency slipped to a
three-week low of 108.61 yen JPY= and last traded at 108.89.
Oil prices held firm after hitting a four-week highs on
Thursday following positive U.S. economic data and higher demand
forecasts from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and OPEC.
Brent futures LCOc1 stood flat at $66.89 per barrel, while
U.S. crude CLc1 was also little changed at $63.36 per barrel,
both on course for their first substantial weekly gains in six.
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(Editing by Gerry Doyle & Shri Navaratnam)