GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks hold near record as investors weigh vaccine hope and virus concern

(Updates With close of European markets)
* World stocks pull back from record level
* Oil retreats after Monday jump
* Dollar weakens on rising case numbers, yuan rising

By Chuck Mikolajczak
NEW YORK, Nov 17 (Reuters) - A gauge of global stocks held
near a record on Tuesday, even as rising coronavirus cases
raised concerns about fresh lockdown measures and tamped down
recent optimism over promising vaccine trial results.
U.S. stocks had moved off their worst levels of the day but
the Dow and S&P 500 remained in the red as several states
imposed new restrictions on gatherings amid climbing COVID-19
cases and the onset of colder weather. The Nasdaq was able to show a modest gain, however, in part
due to a 9.25% jump in Tesla TSLA.O on news the electric car
maker will be added to the S&P 500 in December.
Investors cheered positive vaccine trial results from
Moderna MRNA.O on Monday, the second upbeat report on a
coronavirus trial in a week.
"You have that push and pull of you had the Pfizer news last
week and the Moderna news this week," said Tom Hainlin, global
investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management's Ascent
Private Wealth Group in Minneapolis.
"We haven't had a lot of follow through because the pull on
the other side is watching the case growth and watching the
states enact renewed restrictions on an individual's mobility
and business activity."
Still, analysts have warned that absent a new fiscal
stimulus package, the economy is likely to falter until a
vaccine is available for distribution.
Data on Tuesday showed retail sales increased less than
forecast in October, with the potential for even further
slowing. Factory production accelerated but remained well below
levels prior to the pandemic.
Federal reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Tuesday that the
current surge in coronavirus cases is a big concern, and the
economy will continue to need both fiscal and monetary policy
support. The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 145.93 points,
or 0.49%, to 29,804.51, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 8.7 points, or
0.24%, to 3,618.21 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 11.40
points, or 0.1%, to 11,935.52.
European shares closed lower, as the STOXX 600 dipped from
an eight-month high, as Sweden moved to restrict the size of
public gatherings and a British medical adviser suggested
strengthening the three-tier system of restrictions when the
full lockdown in England ends.
The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX lost 0.24% and
MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS gained
0.01% after closing at a record 613.61 in the prior session.
U.S. Treasury yields fell in the wake of the retail sales
report as it underscored the possibility of a slowdown in the
fourth quarter. Benchmark 10-year notes US10YT=RR last rose 10/32 in price
to yield 0.8734%, from 0.906% late on Monday.
The U.S. dollar remained soft, touching its lowest level in
a week, with expectations for continued weakness on expectations
for more fiscal and monetary stimulus as well as optimism over a
potential vaccine.
The dollar index =USD fell 0.077%, with the euro EUR= up
0.09% to $1.1864.
The offshore Chinese yuan rose to its highest since June
2018 against the dollar, as positive economic data in the
world's second largest economy buoys the currency. prices fell back, as short-term demand concerns
overshadowed vaccine hopes and the possibility of tighter supply
policy from OPEC+ in 2021. U.S. crude CLc1 recently fell 0.6% to $41.09 per barrel
and Brent LCOc1 was at $43.46, down 0.82% on the day.

<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Global assets http://tmsnrt.rs/2jvdmXl
Global currencies vs. dollar http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
Emerging markets http://tmsnrt.rs/2ihRugV
MSCI All Country Wolrd Index Market Cap http://tmsnrt.rs/2EmTD6j
China's Yuan is surging https://tmsnrt.rs/3pECkSL
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>