* European shares set for worst day in a month
* Markets eye escalating U.S.-China tensions
* Gold set for best week in more than 3 months
* Graphic: U.S.-China tensions: https://tmsnrt.rs/2BrVRll
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Tom Arnold and Wayne Cole
LONDON/SYDNEY, July 24 (Reuters) - Global shares skidded
further from five-month peaks on Friday as a bounce back in
European business activity did little to ease the jitters
surrounding Sino-U.S. tensions, while gold approached a record
high.
The mood darkened after Beijing ordered the United States to
close its consulate in Chengdu, in retaliation for being told to
shut its consulate in Houston earlier this week. "An escalation in U.S.-China tensions that could have hugely
negative consequences on stock market leadership, particularly
around the US tech giants, is worrying," said International
markets analysis and insights from Stephen Innes, Chief Global
Market Strategist at AxiCorp.
"Even more so, if President Trump pulls the free pass into
China, and things could turn quite ugly into the weekend as
traders will have no option but pare risk."
Unsurprisingly, Chinese blue chips led the declines,
retreating 4.4%, wiping out a week of gains.
European shares were on course for their worst day in a
month, with the pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 .STOXX50E down 1.9%.
Technology stocks led losses, following their U.S. peers
overnight, while the China-sensitive basic materials sector
.SXPP lost 2.4%.
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan
.MIAPJ0000PUS lost 1.9%. Tokyo was closed for a holiday, but
Nikkei futures NKc1 were trading 1% lower.
E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 edged down 0.8%.
Investors took little comfort from purchasing managers'
index (PMI) data which showed euro zone business activity
bounced back to growth in July as more parts of the economy that
were locked down to curtail the spread of the coronavirus
reopened. British businesses experienced the fastest upturn in five
years during July and data for the United States follow later in
the day. The market's dogged optimism on economic recovery had been
challenged on Thursday by data showing the number of Americans
filing for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week for
the first time in nearly four months. The euro was at $1.16020 EUR=EBS , close to its highest
level since October 2018, having enjoyed a winning streak for
all of July, as the European Union's passing of a 750
billion-euro recovery fund restored confidence.
The yen was up 0.6% at 106.25 JPY=EBS , its highest since
June 23.
The Chinese yuan, a barometer of Sino-U.S. tensions, looks
set for its worst week in three months. It was down 0.2% at
7.0276 per dollar in the offshore market CNH=EBS .
Italy's 10-year bond yield was steady at around 1.05%
IT10YT=RR , holding near Thursday's 4-1/2 month low at 1.04%.
Germany's Bund yield was a touch lower on Friday at -0.49%
DE10YT=RR . The combination of super-loose money and negative real bond
yields has burnished the attractiveness of gold, which pays no
yield but is supply constrained. GOL/
The precious metal was last at $1,894.23 an ounce XAU= for
its biggest weekly gain in more than three months as it held
firm near a nine-year high.
Analysts at RBC Capital Markets noted gold-backed exchange
traded product holdings had already reached record peaks.
"The level of COVID-19 uncertainty, low and negative real
and nominal rates, politics and geopolitics have driven gold
prices sharply higher, and pushed allocations among investors
ever higher," they said in a note.
Oil prices were ending the week on a flat note, having
failed to hold a five-month high as worries about global demand
offset a weaker U.S. dollar. O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 was down 1 cent at $43.30 a barrel,
while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 up 1 cent
at $41.08.
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US-China tensions https://tmsnrt.rs/2BrVRll
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(Graphic by Vidya Ranganathan; Editing by Toby Chopra)