* USD index weakens after Powell speech, Trump tweets
* Trump expected to announce action on China later in the
day
* Crude on track for weekly decline
(Updates prices, adds Powell speech, Trump tweets, changes
dateline from previous LONDON)
By Rodrigo Campos
NEW YORK, Aug 23 (Reuters) - A global stock index fell
alongside oil prices and U.S. yields after U.S. President Donald
Trump threatened to further escalate his trade war with China
"this afternoon" after a new round of retaliation tariffs from
Beijing.
Earlier on Friday China's commerce ministry said in a
statement it would impose tariffs on about $75 billion in
imports from the United States including some agricultural
products, crude oil and small aircraft. Trump responded mid-morning in a series of tweets, writing
that "American companies are hereby ordered to immediately start
looking for an alternative to China." Trump cannot compel U.S. companies to abandon China and he
gave no detail on how he might proceed with any such order.
"Clearly when you look at U.S. yields' and the dollar's
reaction, there are concerns that these latest comments from
Trump on China will push the U.S. into recession," said
Marvin Loh, senior global markets strategist at State Street.
Stocks that benefit during economic expansions fell the
most, also hinting at recession concerns.
"There is a lot of worry here. I would say what (Trump) is
tweeting is disconcerting. It's a fair reaction from the
markets. I don't think anyone thought we'd get to this level,"
said Michael O'Rourke, chief market strategist at JonesTrading.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 422.28 points,
or 1.61%, to 25,829.96, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 49.35 points, or
1.69%, to 2,873.6 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped
156.13 points, or 1.95%, to 7,835.25.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX turned sharply
lower after Trump's tweets and last fell 0.68%, while MSCI's
gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS dropped 0.92%.
Emerging market stocks lost 0.23%.
OIL, YIELDS FALL
Oil prices fell after China's retaliatory tariffs
announcement highlighted concern the trade dispute between the
world's two largest economies could slow global growth or even
trigger a recession.
Trump's tweets made matters worse.
"We still view the U.S.-Chinese trade standoff as a major
bearish consideration that will likely be requiring additional
downward oil demand adjustments as this year proceeds," said Jim
Ritterbusch, president of Ritterbusch and Associates.
U.S. crude CLc1 fell 3.07% to $53.65 per barrel and Brent
LCOc1 was last at $58.67, down 2.09% on the day.
U.S. Treasury yields inched lower, with 10-year notes
US10YT=RR last up 22/32 in price to yield 1.5351%, from 1.61%
late on Thursday.
The 2-year/10-year yield curve tripped to negative territory
earlier in the session and for a third consecutive day.
The U.S. dollar fell after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome
Powell said the Fed will "act as appropriate" to keep the
current economic expansion on track, and dropped further after
Trump's comments.
The dollar index .DXY fell 0.44%, with the euro EUR= up
0.56% to $1.114.
The Japanese yen strengthened 0.84% versus the greenback at
105.56 per dollar, while Sterling GBP= was last trading at
$1.2268, up 0.15% on the day.
Spot gold XAU= added 1.8% to $1,526.05 an ounce.
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Global assets in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
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