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World stocks begin week on back foot, but gold, bitcoin shine

storyp1> LONDON Oct 21 (Reuters) International stocks kicked off the week on a the back foot on Monday, after strong gains last week, while increasing bets on Donald Trump winning the looming U.S. presidential election helped send bitcoin and gold to new peaks.

Increased uncertainty over conflict in the Middle East contributed to the appeal of gold, which hit brand-new record highs around of $2,733 an ounce XAU=.

Hundreds of Beirut citizens fled their homes late on Sunday, as Israel prepared to attack sites connected to the monetary operations of Lebanon's Hezbollah group, propping up oil on worries over supply disturbance.

Wall Street futures ESc1, NQc1 pointed to a lower open and Europe's STOXX 600 index . STOXX fell 0.6% ahead of results later on in the day from German heavyweight SAP SAPG.DE, which might set the tone for a busy incomes week on both sides of the Atlantic.

Other major results today include Deutsche BankDBKGn.DE, Barclays BARC.L, while a quarter of S&P 500 business will post results consisting of TeslaTSLA.O, Boeing BA.N and IBM IBM.N.

Incomes will be extremely important in offering direction to stocks - whether or not current U.S. appraisals can be justified, stated Chris Scicluna, head of financial research study at Daiwa Capital Markets in London.

MSCI's World Stock Index was down around 0.2% . MIWD00000PUS.

The financial calendar gets is busier in the latter half of the week with U.S. and European company activity information for October and the Federal Reserve's Beige Book study due out.

With 2 weeks to go before the Nov. 5 U.S. election, bets showing a Donald Trump triumph were on the rise and getting market attention.

The Republican prospect's tariff, tax and migration policies are seen as inflationary, unfavorable for bonds and favorable for the dollar. Trump is expected to take a more beneficial stance towards cryptocurrencies.

Bitcoin BTC= retreated after striking its greatest because late July at around $69,487. The world's largest cryptocurrency got nearly 10% recently, and is up more than 8% for the month.

With clear policy declarations supporting crypto from the (Kamala) Harris project, the marketplace appears less concerned about disadvantage, said Gautam Chhugani, global digital assets analyst at Bernstein, describing the U.S. vice president.

Sterling and the euro were down about 0.2% each versus the dollar, while the U.S. currency crossed the 150 mark versus the yen and was last up 0.25% on the day JPY=EBS, GBP=D3, EUR=EBS.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback's value against a basket of peers, was last up 0.16% at 103.61 - not far more than two-month highs struck last week =USD.

Candidates can have choices for various industries however where rubber satisfies the road, it's almost difficult to forecast what can actually get achieved, stated Art Hogan, primary market strategist of B. Riley Wealth Management.

The dollar is much more a reflection of the much better financial data and the understanding of what the Fed is going to do has actually tapered back, said Art Hogan, chief market strategist of B. Riley Wealth Management, explaining the dollar's moves.

In bond markets, the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield US10YT=RR rose 6 basis points to 4.13%-- its highest because late July. Two-year yields US2YT=RR increased 3 bps to 3.99%. US/


CHINA WATCHING

On the other hand, optimism over Beijing's variety of stimulus measures initially announced late in September has actually turned into care in recent days as investors aim to further information of more fiscal support from policymakers.

Although China cut its benchmark lending rates on Monday, the move was expected. China's blue-chip index . CSI300 ended 0.3% greater.

We might need to wait up until late October or early November for concrete strategies from the Standing Committee meeting of the National People's Congress, stated Chaoping Zhu, international market strategist at J.P. Morgan Possession Management in Shanghai.

Oil costs leapt following a more than 7% drop last week on worries about need in China and an easing of issues about potential supply disturbances in the Middle East.

Brent unrefined futures LCOc1 were last up 1.83% at $74.4 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate unrefined futures CLc1 rose 2.15% to $70.71

And in other places, silver XAG= scaled a near 12-year peak, riding bullion's rally. It was last up 1% at $34 per ounce.


World FX rates YTD http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh

Asian stock markets https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4

(Reporting by Medha Singh in London and Rae Wee in Singapore; Modifying by Edwina Gibbs, Sam Holmes, Ed Osmond and David Evans)

To read Reuters Markets and Financing news, click on https://www.reuters.com/finance/markets For the state of play of Asian stock exchange please click on: 0 #. INDEXA

(source: Reuters)