GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares steady as Fed comes into focus; dollar at two-month high

(Updates throughout)
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* MSCI ACWI flat
* S&P 500 futures
* Dollar hits 2-month high
* Sterling sinks to 28-month low on Brexit fears

By Ritvik Carvalho
LONDON, July 29 (Reuters) - Global shares steadied on Monday
and the dollar hit a two-month high against a basket of
currencies as markets counted down to a likely cut in U.S.
interest rates this week, with much riding on whether the
Federal Reserve signals more cuts will follow.
After opening lower, European shares began to gain.
Deal-making and a rally in defensive sectors pushed the
pan-European STOXX 600 index up 0.3% .STOXX .EU .
The dollar index - which measures it against a basket of
peers - was higher by 0.1% and at its highest since May 31.
A stronger-than-expected U.S. gross domestic product report
on Friday gave the dollar wings, leading some investors to doubt
whether the Fed will continue easing this year after its
Wednesday meeting.
Interest rate futures are fully priced for a quarter-point
rate cut from the Fed on Wednesday, with only a small chance of
a half-point move FEDWATCH .
More important will be what the central bank flags for the
future, given the market implies 100 basis points of easing over
the next year or so.
MSCI's All Country World Index .MIWD00000PUS of stocks,
down by as much as 0.2% on the day, erased some losses to trade
0.02% lower. Wall Street futures were flat. ESc1 NQc1 .N
"Central banks are very much the focus of attention for
markets at the moment," said Rupert Thompson, head of research
at Kingswood.
Investors were also keeping an eye on U.S.-China trade
talks. U.S. and Chinese negotiators meet in Shanghai this week
for their first in-person talks since a G20 truce last month,
but expectations for a breakthrough are low. Data on the weekend showed profits earned by China's
industrial firms contracted in June, fuelling concerns that the
trade war will drag on economic growth. "Both parties know they are running out of time to prevent a
sharper slowdown in the global economy. However, given the past
experiences, investor sentiment isn't too high," said Hussein
Sayed, chief market strategist at FXTM.
"While resolving their core issues seems far from reach at
this stage, especially when it comes to China's subsidies and
technology transfers, markets need at least a sign of goodwill
to prevent a sharp, volatile reaction..."
In Asia, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares
.MIAPJ0000PUS was half a percent lower. Japan's Nikkei .N225
dipped 0.2% and Shanghai blue chips .CSI300 0.1%.
In bonds, euro zone bond yields dipped as jittery investors
eyed the trade talks and waited for the likely Fed rate cut,
after the European Central Bank's dovish signalling last week
disappointed some.
The benchmark German 10-year Bund yield fell more than 1
basis point to -0.3920% DE10YT=RR , not far from last week's
record low of -0.422%.
Elsewhere in currencies, sterling fell over half a percent
to a 28-month low of $1.2301 GBP=D3 amid reports the
government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson was preparing the
ground for a "no-deal" Brexit. GBP/ The euro was 0.1% lower at $1.111. EUR=EBS
Spot gold was 0.1% higher at $1,419.58 per ounce XAU= .
Oil prices weakened amid pessimism over the U.S.-China talks
and the prospect of slower economic growth globally that could
reduce demand for crude. O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 futures eased 0.41% to $63.20. U.S.
crude CLc1 lost 0.14% to $56.12 a barrel.