GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares near two-month highs on hopes of trade deal, Fed cut

* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
* Focus turns to Fed decision
* Trade deal hopes buoy stocks
* EU approves Brexit extension to 31 Jan 2020

By Ritvik Carvalho
LONDON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - World shares steadied near
two-month highs on Monday, boosted by hopes for a trade deal and
strong U.S. corporate earnings, while the dollar traded near its
highest in a week before a Federal Reserve rate decision.
MSCI's All Country World Index .MIWD00000PUS , which tracks
shares across 47 countries, was up 0.04% on the day. It was just
off its highest level since July 27.
But European shares fell as a glum profit outlook from HSBC
offset gains by trade-exposed auto and mining stocks. The
pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX was down 0.16%.
The pound edged up after the European Union agreed to extend
the deadline for Brexit until Jan. 31, 2020. It last traded
0.06% higher at $1.2844. GBP/
Euro zone bond yields rose in anticipation of the EU's
decision, after sources said the EU was most likely to grant
one. GVD/EUR
Earlier, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares
outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS rose 0.5% to its highest since
late July, for a third straight day of gains.
The CSI300 .CSI300 of blue-chip mainland China shares was
up 0.8%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index .HSI jumped as much as
1.0%. Japan's Nikkei .N225 rose 0.3% to a one-year high. The
advances came after U.S. and European markets gained on Friday.
"Markets are likely to enter a standby mode ahead of the
Fed's rate decision on Wednesday amid ongoing developments in
the China-US trade negotiations and the corporate earnings
season," Danske Bank said in a research note.
U.S. and Chinese officials are "close to finalising" some
parts of a trade agreement after high-level telephone
discussions on Friday, the U.S. Trade Representative's office
and China's Commerce Ministry said, with talks to continue.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he hopes to sign the
deal with China's President Xi Jinping next month at a summit in
Chile.
The protracted trade war between the world's largest
economies has hurt manufacturing, exports and business
confidence globally and hurt the profits of many major
industrial firms.
Optimism that Beijing and Washington were close to resolving
their dispute led the S&P500 .SPX to surpass its July 26
closing record of 3,025.86, though it ended just below that
level on Friday. The S&P 500's total return index .SPXT posted
an all-time high.
E-mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 were up 0.16% in early
deals in London.
Strong results from companies including Intel INTC.O also
boosted sentiment in equities markets. More than 81% of U.S.
companies have beaten Wall Street expectations so far this
earnings season, despite concerns about the trade war.
Investors next await earnings from the likes of Alphabet Inc
GOOGL.O , Apple AAPL.O , Facebook FB.O and Exxon XOM.N .
Activity later in the week will be dominated by the U.S.
Federal Reserve, which markets expect will lower interest rates
at its Wednesday meeting. Futures show a 90% probability of a
cut. /IRPR
The Bank of Japan meets on Thursday. On Friday, indicators
for Chinese and U.S. manufacturing will be released.
"The outcome of the FOMC (Federal Open Markets Committee)
policy meeting will most likely draw the largest market
reaction," said Richard Grace, Sydney-based chief currency
strategist at Commonwealth Bank.
"We also think the risk is the FOMC will articulate a
pause," for future rate decisions, Grace added.
In currencies, the dollar index .DXY was 0.05% lower
against a basket of six major currencies. The euro EUR=D3 was
edged up 0.1% to $1.1109.
Oil prices fell after strong gains last week, as data
released in China reinforced signs that its economy is
slowing O/R
U.S. crude CLcv1 slipped 0.65% to $56.29 a barrel. Brent
LCOcv1 fell more than half a percent to $61.68.
Spot gold XAU= rose 0.15% to $1,506.3 an ounce. GOL/