(Adds close of U.S. markets)
* Global equity markets start quarter higher
* Tokyo trading halted by system glitch
* Uncertainties over U.S. stimulus talks cloud outlook
* Oil prices slide more than 3%, gold gains over 1%
By Herbert Lash
NEW YORK, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Renewed U.S. stimulus hopes
lifted gold prices and global equity markets on Thursday, but
relief talks faltered while an all-day outage on Tokyo's Nikkei
and a Brexit legal dispute provided a bumpy start to a likely
volatile fourth quarter.
The dollar slipped against major currencies as hopes for a
new round of fiscal stimulus from Washington cheered investors
who sought higher-yielding but riskier currencies.
Stocks on Wall Street and in Europe rose as investors bet on
more stimulus after data showing the number of Americans filing
new claims for jobless benefits fell last week. But claims were
still at recession levels, while personal income dropped in
August, underscoring the need for further government stimulus.
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The Dow industrials and the S&P 500 pared some gains after
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven
Mnuchin remained far from agreement on COVID-19 relief,
differing over aid to state and local governments. The economy is recovering well but large U.S. corporations
have announced layoffs, so stimulus is needed to support income
and people's lives, said Esty Dwek, head of global market
strategy for Natixis Investment Managers, in Geneva.
Walt Disney Co DIS.N , Goldman Sachs Group Inc GS.N and
the airline industry, among others announced job cuts this week.
"The more you can support or give job confidence, the better
it will be," Dwek said. "If we don't get stimulus, it's going to
be extra bumpy."
The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell to
837,000 in the week ended Sept. 26, but claims could rise again
over the next few weeks as businesses cut more jobs to ride out
the recession.
MSCI's benchmark for global equity markets .MIWD00000PUS
rose 0.55% to 568.28, while the broad FTSEurofirst 300 index
.FTEU3 in Europe closed up 0.23% at 1,402.27.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 35.2 points, or
0.13%, to 27,816.9. The S&P 500 .SPX gained 17.8 points, or
0.53%, to 3,380.8 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 159.00
points, or 1.42%, to 11,326.51.
The euro and European shares advanced on data showing the
region's recovery from the coronavirus-induced slump helped
traders claw back some of September's heavy falls.
.EU
Euro zone manufacturing activity rose last month but it was
largely driven by strength in powerhouse Germany, and rising
coronavirus cases across the region could reverse the upturn, a
survey showed. The euro EUR= gained 0.25% to $1.1747 and the Japanese yen
JPY= weakened 0.11% at 105.54 per dollar.
Sterling GBP= experienced a wild ride, last down 0.22% at
$1.2888.
News that the European Union had launched a legal case
against Britain for undercutting their earlier divorce deal sent
the pound tumbling It rebounded on a Financial
Times tweet that the two sides had made progress in trade talks.
With U.S. elections, as well as the potential for a COVID-19
vaccine and a no-deal Brexit all lying ahead, markets are likely
seeing the lull before a storm, according to Chris Dyer, Eaton
Vance's director of global equity.
"What I have been saying is that the equity markets are
likely to move violently sideways in the next few months," he
said, though in 12 months the global recovery should be
brighter.
In Asian trading, MSCI's regional index .MIAPJ0000PUS rose
0.4%, led by 1.1% and 1.5% gains in Australia and India. The day
was dominated by a rare glitch at Tokyo Stock Exchange, the
world's third-largest stock market. TSE President Koichiro Miyahara said the exchange decided to
suspend the full session because an early resumption could cause
market confusion, but it planned to restart on Friday.
In currency markets, the dollar's slide after its best month
since July 2019 lifted Australia's trade-sensitive dollar 0.5%
to $0.72 AUD=D4 and Mexico's peso MXN= more than 1%.
Gold rose after its worst month since November 2016 while
oil prices slid hard, adding to a 10% September drop.
Spot gold prices XAU= rose 1.04% to $1,904.97 an ounce.
U.S. gold futures GCv1 settled up 1.1% at $1,916.30.
Oil prices fell more than 3% as rising coronavirus cases
around the world dampened the demand outlook and a rise last
month in member output from the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries also pressured prices.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 settled down $1.37 at $40.93 a
barrel. U.S. crude futures CLc1 fell $1.50 to settle at $38.72
a barrel.
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