Stocks pause around record high; dollar slips: markets wrap

Global stocks paused at all-time highs amid a muted start to equity trading in Asia, as investors assess renewed optimism over US stimulus talks and vaccine approval. Treasury yields ticked up and the dollar remained near a more than two-year low.

Chinese and Japanese shares underperformed, while European and US equity futures fluctuated after the S&P 500 closed at another record. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for immediate talks and said a bipartisan $908 billion aid proposal should be the foundation for negotiations. The UK approved the Covid vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE.

Elsewhere, Australia’s 10-year yield briefly climbed through 1%. Oil edged lower. The pound clawed back some of Wednesday’s losses seen when the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier reportedly told envoys the outcome of any deal is still too close to call.

After vaccine breakthroughs fueled record monthly gains for global stocks, investors are turning some of their attention to bonds. One of the year’s biggest spikes in Treasury yields on Tuesday has spurred speculation about the potential impact of rising rates on stocks and corporate debt.

“The market has almost immediately priced in a better-than-expected 2021, particularly in the second half and that’s what we are seeing here, and on the yield curve as well,” Alicia Levine, chief strategist at BNY Mellon Investment Management, said on Bloomberg TV. “The message here really is that better days are ahead and that dips and consolidations are eminently buyable.”

Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated Wednesday that there was no rift between the central bank and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin over the sunsetting of emergency lending programs. The US House cleared legislation that would impose restrictions on Chinese companies listed on US exchanges.

These are some key events coming up:

• The US employment report on Friday is expected to show more Americans headed back to work in November, though at a slower pace than October.
• German factory orders for October are due Friday.

Here are some of the main moves in markets:

Stocks

• S&P 500 futures were little changed as of 1:47 p.m. in Tokyo. The gauge rose 0.2% on Wednesday.
• Japan’s Topix index was flat.
• Hong Kong’s Hang Seng added 0.6%.
• Shanghai Composite slid 0.1%.
• Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index added 0.5%.
• Euro Stoxx 50 futures were flat.

Currencies

• The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.1%.
• The yen was at 104.45 per dollar.
• The offshore yuan slipped 0.1% to 6.5491 per dollar.
• The euro bought $1.2119.

Bonds

• The yield on 10-year Treasuries was at 0.94%.
• Australia’s 10-year yield rose one basis point to 0.99%.

Commodities

• West Texas Intermediate crude slipped 0.3% to $45.17 a barrel.
• Gold rose 0.2% to $1,834.61 an ounce.