US STOCKS-S&P 500 set to open lower, still set for best November ever

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* Dow on track for biggest monthly gain since 1987
* Moderna jumps on plans to seek emergency use of COVID-19
vaccine
* IHS Markit rises on $44 bln buyout deal from S&P Global
* Futures: Dow down 0.5%, S&P dips 0.2%, Nasdaq up 0.2%

(Adds comment, updates prices)
By Shriya Ramakrishnan and Medha Singh
Nov 30 (Reuters) - The S&P 500 was set to open lower on
Monday as investors paused to take stock of what was set to be
the benchmark index's best November ever.
Data giant S&P Global Inc SPGI.N dipped 0.2% in premarket
trading after it announced a $44 billion deal to buy IHS Markit
Ltd INFO.N . IHS shares rose about 8%. Wall Street's main indexes were set to finish the month up
more than 10% as investors bet that progress in the development
of a COVID-19 vaccine would fuel a swift economic rebound next
year.
Moderna MRNA.O unveiled plans to apply for U.S. and
European emergency authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine after
full results from a late-stage study showed it was 94.1%
effective, sending its shares up 12%. "A little bit of cautiousness and a little bit of
trepidation.... the focus is going to continue to be on vaccine
and its distribution, economic news and to see if there is a
continuation of interest in early cyclicals," said Robert
Pavlik, senior portfolio manager at Dakota Wealth in New York.
A rotation into sectors deemed to provide better returns
coming out of a recession such as energy, industrials and
financials have powered the Dow to all-time highs this month and
put it on track for its biggest monthly gain since 1987.
The S&P value index .IVX has rallied about 14% this month
after underperforming the benchmark index all year.
Prospects of a smooth handover of power to President-elect
Joe Biden after weeks of legal challenges mounted by incumbent
President Donald Trump have also aided the stock-market rally.
Biden is expected to unveil his picks for several top
economic positions as early as Monday when he will also finally
receive his first classified intelligence briefing, an essential
step towards taking control of national security. At 08:20 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis 1YMcv1 were down 0.49%, S&P
500 E-minis EScv1 were down 0.24%. Nasdaq 100 E-minis NQcv1
were up 0.16%.
Macy's Inc M.N and Kohl's Corp KSS.N slipped about 1% as
masked shoppers turned up in smaller numbers at major U.S.
retailers on Black Friday as early online deals and concerns
about a spike in COVID-19 cases dulled enthusiasm for mall
trips. After an explosion in infections and business restrictions
this month that undermined the U.S. labor market recovery, focus
will be on the monthly employment report and the Fed's Beige
Book, as well as an address by Fed Chair Jerome Powell before
the Senate Banking Committee.
Energy companies Chevron Corp CVX.N , Occidental Petroleum
OXY.N and ConocoPhillips COP.N were down between 1.2% and
2.8%, tracking a fall in crude prices. O/R U.S.-listed shares of CNOOC CEO.N tumbled about 12% on
reports the Trump administration is set to add China's national
offshore oil and gas producer to a blacklist of alleged Chinese
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S&P 500 set for its best November ever https://tmsnrt.rs/2JbECsp
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