GLOBAL MARKETS-Jump in new coronavirus cases derails stock rally

* Hubei province reports 14,840 new cases vs 2,015 on Feb.
11
* U.S. stock futures slip, dollar/yen drops 0.2%
* Nikkei down 0.2% in early trade
* Asian stock markets: https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

By Tom Westbrook
SINGAPORE, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Asian stock markets wobbled
and the safe-havens of the Japanese yen, gold and bonds rose on
Thursday as the number of new coronavirus cases at the
outbreak's epicentre jumped sharply.
China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus, reported
242 new deaths and confirmed 14,840 new cases on Feb. 12, a
dramatic rise from the 2,015 new cases a day
earlier. The increase came as provincial officials adopted a new
methodology for counting infections although it was not
immediately clear how the new methods affected the results, nor
why the death toll rose so sharply. The spike dashed hopes that the virus was slowing, knocking
U.S. e-mini stock futures in to negative territory, sending the
Japanese yen 0.2% higher against the dollar and pushing yields
on U.S. 10-year Treasuries about 3 basis points lower
US10YT=RR .
It also capped gains on stock boards, with MSCI's broadest
index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS 0.04%
weaker, despite a strong rally on Wall Street overnight.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 was 0.2% lower, while Australia's
ASX/S&P 200 index .AXJO retreated from a record high.
"The slowdown was the key driver of the rally in
growth-exposed assets that we've seen over the past 24 hours...a
lot of people leapt to the conclusion that we might have seen a
peak," said Michael McCarthy, chief strategist at CMC Markets in
Sydney.
"The reversal of what appeared to be good news is enough to
have people scrambling for the exits."
The yen last traded at 109.91 per dollar JPY= while
export-exposed currencies, which had rallied on confidence the
virus could be contained, retraced rises.
The Australian dollar lost 0.2% AUD=D3 , as did China's
yuan CNH= and the Korean won KRW= . Gold rose 0.3% to
$1570.30 per ounce XAU= .
Overnight, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus had warned the apparent slowdown in the spread of
the epidemic should be viewed with "extreme caution."
"This outbreak could still go in any direction," he told a
briefing in Geneva.
More than 1,300 people have died from the epidemic in China
and the total number of cases in Hubei province now stands at
48,206.
The economy has also been upended, with factory closures
hitting supply chains from car makers to tech firms.

(Editing by Sam Holmes)