GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks stay near record highs; focus turns to central banks, earnings

* Shares hold near record highs
* U.S. markets shut for holiday
* Oil prices climb on Libyan supply concerns
* Week packed with central bank meetings, earnings, Davos
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

(Updates throughout, adds chart, fresh comment)
By Dhara Ranasinghe
LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters) - World stocks traded just below
record highs on Monday, pausing ahead of this week's central
bank meetings, economic data and earnings, while oil prices rose
to their highest in over a week after blockades began shutting
down two Libyan oilfields.
European equity markets were lower .STOXX , while U.S.
stock futures dipped ESc1 1YMc1 , with trading subdued on the
Martin Luther King Jr. holiday in the United States.
Still, MSCI's s all-country index .MIWD00000PUS is up
almost 2.5% for the first three weeks of the year, as an easing
in U.S.-China trade tensions and signs that the worst may be
over for the world economy bolster sentiment. The S&P 500 .SPX
-- a broad gauge of U.S. shares -- has gained just over 3% and
the tech-heavy Nasdaq .IXIC almost 5%.
In Asia, MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares
outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS fell 0.25% on Monday after rising
to its highest since June 2018. Japan's Nikkei .N225 gained
0.2% to near its highest in 15 months.
In China, the blue-chip CSI300 index .CSI300 rose 0.7%.
The yuan rose to a six-month high CNY= .
U.S. corporate earnings this week include Netflix NFLX.O ,
Intel Corp INTC.O and Texas Instruments TXN.O , while the
European Central Bank, Bank of Canada and Bank of Japan hold
policy meetings.
"Optimism is high, mainly, though, because we appear to have
clicked back to a world of growth enthusiasm," said Chris
Bailey, European Strategist at Raymond James in London.
"The upcoming earnings season is going to be fascinating ...
Netflix and Intel on Tuesday and Thursday in the U.S. are going
to be insightful re the tech sector, whilst UBS tomorrow, ASML
on Wednesday and Ericsson Friday will be helpful on perceptions
towards Europe."

EVENT-PACKED WEEK
The Bank of Japan meets on Tuesday, while the ECB is
expected to open a key strategic policy review when it meets on
Thursday. Friday brings the release of key business activity data,
while the World Economic Forum in Davos is also in focus, with
U.S. President Donald Trump expected to discuss trade disputes
with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Oil prices rose to their highest in more than a week after
two large oil fields in Libya began shutting down after forces
loyal to Khalifa Haftar closed a pipeline. O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 futures were last up 0.7% at $65.31 a
barrel. U.S. crude CLc1 jumped 0.6% to $59.
The dollar rose to its strongest level of 2020 .DXY after
last week's run of data confirmed that the U.S. economy is
holding up well.
Figures on Friday showed U.S. homebuilding surged to a
13-year high in December and a gauge of manufacturing activity
rebounded to its highest in eight months. The dollar edged up 0.1% against a basket of currencies,
with the index rising as high as 97.727, its strongest since
Dec. 24 .DXY . The euro was down at $1.1085 EUR=EBS .
"In 2020, we don't expect the pace of growth to slow as much
as it did last year," said Mark Haefele, chief investment
officer at UBS Global Wealth Management.
"Accommodative policy and the reduction of downside risk
following the signing of the Phase 1 U.S.-China trade deal will
help support the economy and risk assets."
Sterling GBP=D3 came under some selling pressure after
British finance minister Sajid Javid stoked fears about weak
ties with the European Union following Britain's departure from
the bloc. Elsewhere, gold gained to around $1,560 an ounce XAU= ,
after reaching a seven-year high earlier this month at the
height of Iran-U.S. tensions.

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Europe 2020 earnings growth outlook https://tmsnrt.rs/38aqXZb
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