* Asian stock markets : https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4
* Euro at 2-month lows as weak German data adds to ECB cut
talk
* Entire Swiss bond curve negative yields as 50-year
succumbs
* Nikkei, Australian shares hit multi-month highs
* China shares rise on trade talk hopes
* ECB rate decision at 1145 GMT, news conference at 1230 GMT
By Marc Jones
LONDON, July 25 (Reuters) - Euro and bond yields wilted on
Thursday as a slump in German business confidence piled the
pressure on the European Central Bank to push interest rates
even deeper into sub-zero territory later.
With the chance of a ECB rate cut priced at about 50-50, the
euro was at a two-month trough /FRX , German Bund yields were
slipping back towards record lows GVD/EUR and Europe's main
stock markets shuffled higher. .EU
New German data added to the call for ECB action as it
showed business morale there had hit its lowest level since
April 2013.
The ripple effect saw neighbouring Switzerland's 50-year
government bond yield go negative, meaning none of its bonds now
offer buyers any interest. "The weak macro data this week means the ECB will be forced
to act sooner than later," said Daniel Lenz, a rates strategist
at DZ Bank in Frankfurt.
"The German economy is navigating troubled waters," Ifo
President Clemens Fuest added, saying companies there were
increasingly concerned about the outlook for their businesses.
Overnight it had been a happier story. Wall Street's S&P 500
and Nasdaq had both hit record highs after reassuring comments
from Texas Instruments about global chip demand blunted the
impact of weak earnings from Boeing and Caterpillar. .N
Facebook FB.O also announced forecast-beating revenues,
sending its shares higher in extended trading after the closing
bell.
The social media firm's stock has now surged over 56% so far
this year, despite warnings on future revenue growth from new
data privacy rules and forthcoming privacy-focused product
changes. Asia then managed to overcome a cautious start to finish
modestly higher.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 touched a near three-month high
though Australia .AXJO stole the glory as it ended near a
12-year peak after its central bank chief had stressed interest
rates could continue to fall.
Chinese blue-chips .CSI300 also added 0.5% in Shanghai, as
investors there looked with hope to a face-to-face meeting
between top U.S. and Chinese negotiators next week, even if
there are few signs that it will produce real progress in the
two countries' trade war. "Lower rates are generally, in a traditional, mechanical
way, good news for equity prices," said Jim McCafferty, head of
equity research, Asia ex-Japan, at Nomura.
JOHNSON JITTERS
Away from the ECB and the euro, the dollar was down
fractionally against the year at 108.07 and the dollar index
.DXY which tracks the greenback against six major currencies,
was a barely budged 97.757.
Sterling GBP= was broadly flat too at $1.2475, after
falling for several sessions as market participants feared the
looming possibility of a no-deal Brexit under Britain's new
prime minister, Boris Johnson.
"If talks between the UK and EU break down, the GBP could
see further losses," said Steven Dooley, currency strategist at
Western Union Business Solutions.
In commodities, U.S. crude CLc1 added 20 cents to $56.08
per barrel while Brent crude LCOc1 climbed 15 cents to $63.33.
The advance came amid Middle East tensions and a big fall in
weekly U.S. crude stocks, although the gains were curbed by a
frail demand outlook and increasing signs of slowing global
economic growth. O/R
Spot gold XAU= slipped 0.2% to $1,423.09 an ounce, short
of last week's peak of $1,452.60.
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Asia-Pacific valuations https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA
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