* U.S. benchmark bond yields rise
* Euro STOXX 600 gains 0.2%
* Fed chair due to speak at Jackson Hole on Thursday
* Markets expect clues on loose policy
* Gold falls for fourth straight day
* Graphic: 2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Tom Wilson
LONDON, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Traders sold government bonds and
bought stocks on Wednesday, placing riskier bets on optimism
about U.S.-China trade and expectations of ample central bank
stimulus before a key speech by the U.S. Federal Reserve
chairman at Jackson Hole.
In early London trading, the yield on U.S. 10-year debt
US10YT=RR rose as high as 0.7190%, close to a two-month peak,
as bond traders begin to price in a return to inflation and
growth for major economies.
The broad Euro STOXX 600 .STOXX turned positive in early
trading to gain 0.2%, with indexes in Frankfurt .GDAXI and
Paris .FCHI both up a similar amount, though London .FTSE
fell 0.2%.
The MSCI world equity index .MIWD00000PUS , which tracks
shares in 49 countries, gained 0.1%. Wall Street futures gauges
ESc1 were flat.
A day earlier, investors had dumped benchmark U.S. debt
.US and bought stocks after a productive call between top
Beijing and Washington officials stoked hopes of smoother trade
relations between the world's two biggest economies.
In another sign of a more positive mood, safe-haven gold
XAU= fell 0.6%, on course for a fourth straight day of losses.
Euro zone bonds calmed, with safe-haven Bund yields
DE10YT=RR rising a smidgeon after enduring on Tuesday their
worst session since May as better German economic data and trade
dented hunger for government debt. For many investors, bets on looser policy - the major driver
of a powerful recovery for U.S. stocks from pandemic-driven lows
in March - were at the forefront.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is due to speak at a virtual
Jackson Hole symposium on Thursday, where investors think he
could outline a more accommodative approach to inflation which
would open the door to easier policy for a long time to come.
"Jackson Hole is a big one," said Jeremy Gatto, an
investment manager at Unigestion in Geneva.
"Investors are expecting a bit more clarity on what the Fed
is looking at. We are likely to see a high level of
accommodation for some time to come."
Earlier, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares
outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS traded flat.
DATA AND THE DOLLAR
The dollar edged up slightly, after a knock a day earlier on
data that showed U.S. consumer confidence falling to the lowest
in over six years because of worries over the impact of the
coronavirus pandemic on jobs. Against a basket of currencies the dollar =USD added 0.1%
to 93.070, with prospects for the greenback seen as limited
should Powell send a dovish message at Jackson Hole.
Data due later in the day is forecast to show growth in U.S.
durable goods orders slowed in July, potentially offering
further bad news for the dollar.
The Japanese yen JPY=EBS fell 0.1%, with MUFG analysts
arguing that uncertainty over the health of Shinzo Abe, the
long-serving premier, was adding to downward pressure along with
advances for stocks and rising U.S. yields.
In commodity markets, a positive mood on trade and U.S.
producers shutting most of their offshore output in the Gulf of
Mexico ahead of Hurricane Laura supported Brent crude oil.
Producers evacuated 310 offshore facilities and shut 1.56
million barrels per day of crude output, 84% of Gulf of Mexico's
offshore production - near the 90% outage that Hurricane Katrina
brought 15 years ago.
Brent futures LCOc1 added 13 cents, or 0.3%, to $45.99 a
barrel in early trading, with the benchmarks settled at a
five-month high a day earlier.
For Reuters Live Markets blog on European and UK stock
markets, please click on: LIVE/
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>