GLOBAL MARKETS-Global equities rise as U.S. bond yield fears ease

(Adds gold, oil settlement prices)
* Reuters Live Markets blog: LIVE/
* Graphic: Global asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK, Feb 24 (Reuters) - A gauge of global equity
markets rose on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome
Powell said interest rates will remain low, calming market
jitters sparked by a jump in U.S. Treasury yields on fears a
robust recovery would drive inflation higher.
Sales of new U.S. single-family homes increased more than
expected in January as the median sale price rose 5.3% on a
year-over-year basis, the latest data to show certain consumer
prices are rising faster than expected. Crude oil rose more than 2% to fresh 13-month highs while
gold prices struggled for traction as elevated Treasury yields
eroded the allure of bullion as an inflation hedge.
The dollar slid to multi-year lows against the pound and
commodity-linked currencies including the Canadian, Australian
and New Zealand dollars, as they're expected to benefit from a
pick-up in global trade as world growth rebounds.
MSCI's all-country world index .MIWD00000PUS , a gauge of
equity markets in 49 countries, added 0.16%, as rising stocks on
Wall Street pushed the global benchmark to reverse losses.
Progress in the roll-out of coronavirus vaccines, which was
boosted by news that Johnson & Johnson's JNJ.N one-shot
vaccine appeared safe and effective, has increased economic
optimism but also inflation concerns, said Patrick Leary, chief
market strategist and senior trader at Incapital in Minneapolis.
"If you look at commodity prices, you look at real estate
prices and you look at energy prices, they're up significantly
higher than even pre-pandemic levels," he said.
In testimony before the House of Representatives Financial
Services Committee, Powell reiterated the Fed's promise to get
the U.S. economy back to full employment and to not worry about
inflation unless prices rise in a persistent and troubling way.
While rising yields give stock investors pause, the Fed is
"pretty comfortable" with them as they take some of the froth
out of the financial system, Leary said.
The 10-year U.S. Treasury US10YT=RR note yield rose 2.2
basis points to 1.3859% after hitting 1.435% earlier. The
benchmark Treasury yield traded at 0.912% at the end of 2020.
The slipping of 10-year Treasury yields below the 1.4% mark
helped equity markets rebound from early losses, but the
rotation out of technology stocks was apparent, with Apple Inc
AAPL.O and Amazon.com Inc AMZN.N leading Wall Street lower.
In Europe, the tech sector .SX8P has lost nearly 4% this week.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 1.23%, the S&P
500 .SPX gained 0.97% and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC
advanced 0.63%.
Europe's broad FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 closed up
0.4% at 1,590.09 after earlier trading lower on inflation fears.
The benchmark 10-year German Bund was steady DE10YT=RR
after yields jumped on Tuesday.
A sharp rise in real bond yields in line with those seen
during previous "bond tantrum episodes" would reduce the upside
potential for European equities, BofA Global Research said.
Sectors set to benefit from a stronger economy were
supported by German GDP data, as exports and solid construction
activity helped Europe's biggest economy to grow by a
better-than-expected 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Germany's DAX .GDAXI rose 0.8%.
Falling tech stocks, which are sensitive to rising yields,
pulled Asian markets lower overnight.
Bitcoin recovered a bit, up 0.5% at $49,139.34.
The dollar index =USD rose 0.074%, with the euro EUR=
down 0.03% to $1.2145. The Japanese yen JPY= weakened 0.65%
versus the greenback to 105.92 per dollar.
Oil prices rose after U.S. government data showed a drop in
crude output after a deep freeze disrupted production last week.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled up $1.67 at $67.04 a
barrel, while U.S. crude futures CLc1 rose $1.55 to settle at
$63.22 a barrel.
Brent and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures
have both risen by about 28% so far in 2021.
U.S. gold futures GCv1 settled down 0.4% at $1,797.90 an
ounce.

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Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
Global asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
Up and away: global bond yields on the rise https://tmsnrt.rs/3kesTqW
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