GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian stocks eye gains as Brexit deal hopes grow

By John McCrank
NEW YORK, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Asian shares were set to rise
on Thursday ahead of the Christmas break, as global investors
cheered a potential Brexit deal and economic recovery prospects,
largely ignoring U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to veto a
long-awaited COVID aid package.
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 .AXJO was up 0.78% in early
trading, while Japan's Nikkei 225 futures NKc1 were up 0.07%,
and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index futures .HSIc1 inched up
0.17%.
Investors cheered a potential Brexit trade deal between
Britain and the European Union that raised hopes the estranged
allies would avoid a turbulent economic rupture on New Year's
Day. "The framework for a Brexit trade deal gave investors the
green light to start buying everything in Europe," said Edward
Moya, Senior Market Analyst, at OANDA in New York.
The potential for a Brexit deal boosted sterling GBP=D3 ,
which was up 0.13% against the dollar at $1.3509 after closing
up 0.9%. The pound also drew support after France lifted its ban
on freight coming from Britain, which it had enacted in response
to a fast-spreading COVID-19 variant in the United Kingdom.
MSCI's gauge of global stocks .MIWD00000PUS was up 0.02%,
having given back some earlier gains in thin holiday trading.
Wall Street ended mostly higher, with the Dow Jones
Industrial Average .DJI closing up 0.38% and the S&P 500
.SPX edging 0.07% higher. The Nasdaq Composite declined 0.29%.
A raft of mixed U.S. economic data showed lower jobless
claims and an uptick in new orders for durable goods, but also a
pullback in consumer spending, falling personal income and
fading sentiment as the holiday shopping season nears its end
amid a resurgent pandemic. Investors largely shrugged off comments by President Trump
saying a nearly $900 billion stimulus bill, agreed upon after
months of wrangling in Congress, was "a disgrace" that he might
not sign. Trump said he wanted to increase "ridiculously low"
$600 payments for individuals to $2,000, in a video posted to
Twitter. "Risk-on sentiment is guiding markets so far today and it
appears to be weighted more toward possible optimism toward a
Brexit deal and the cherry-picked parts of U.S. releases, rather
than Trump's reckless antics over signing the stimulus and
funding bill," said Derek Holt, head of capital markets
Economics at Scotiabank.
Oil prices settled more than 2% higher as draws in U.S.
inventories of crude, gasoline and distillates lifted investors'
hopes for some return in fuel demand. Brent crude LCOc1
futures were recently up 2.08% to $51.12 a barrel, while U.S.
West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 were flat at $48.12
a barrel.