Reuters: US Dollar Report: GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares flat ahead of Bernanke, euro edges lower

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GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares flat ahead of Bernanke, euro edges lower May 21st 2013, 15:50 Tue May 21, 2013 11:50am EDT * Shares flat ahead of Bernanke testimony on Wednesday, Home Depot rallies * Dollar index firmer, but down from near 3-year high * Yen dips after Japanese minister says seeks 'balance' for currency * Commodities fall, gold and oil weaker on the day By Ryan Vlastelica NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Stock markets around the world were little changed on Tuesday as investors awaited an update on the future of the U.S. Federal Reserve's stimulus program. U.S. shares hovered near five-year highs while the dollar rose and gold fell. The euro was slightly higher, though a slowdown in British inflation sent sterling to a 7-week low on the view it could give the Bank of England more leeway to support the economy. The yen lost ground after a Japanese minister rowed back on remarks suggesting the currency had weakened enough. The constant drip of global central bank stimulus during the financial crisis has pushed many financial markets to their highest levels in years and limited market declines. But in recent weeks, Fed officials have started talking more openly about scaling back the bank's support. That has made Wednesday's release of minutes from the central bank's last meeting and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony in Congress the main focus for markets waiting for the first sign of a clear shift in attitude. Markets are "nervous" ahead of the testimony, "but not enough to take any action," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh. Economists expect Bernanke to deliver a steady message on the bank's policy when he speaks to Congress. But any hint that it plans to scale back its support could unsettle markets. The usually dovish Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said on Monday that while the pick-up in the U.S. jobs market continued, he was "open-minded" about slowing the bank's bond-buying and mentioned the idea of simply halting it. "With the economic numbers being pretty good in the States, there may be an easing back of QE (bond-buying stimulus) sooner rather than later," said Berkeley Futures associate director Richard Griffiths. The dollar was up 0.1 percent against a basket of major currencies at midday in Europe, comfortably below its recent three-year high. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 33.83 points, or 0.22 percent, at 15,369.11. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 1.71 points, or 0.10 percent, at 1,668.00. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 2.62 points, or 0.08 percent, at 3,499.05. Weakness in U.S. equities was limited by Home Depot, which raised its full-year profit outlook as it benefited from a recovery in the housing market. Having hit a five-year high on Monday, top European shares dipped 0.1 percent as traders took the uncertainty as a cue to lock in some of the recent sharp gains. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note was up 3/32, the yield at 1.9525 percent. GREECE LIGHTENING If the Fed does tighten policy by slowing its bond-buying, benchmark bond yields would be pushed up. Safe-haven German Bund futures lost ground, dropping 0.3 percent. In Greece, 10-year yields fell below 30-year yields for the first time in three years, popping its bond curve back into a more normal shape in a sign that some are starting to believe the worst may be over for the euro zone's most troubled economy. "The perception of investors has changed," said ING strategist Alessandro Giansanti in Amsterdam. "There has been a change in trend in public finance policies. If the trend of reduction in the deficit continues, we cannot rule out that even next year (Greece) can come back to the market." YEN, METALS YO-YO Earlier in the day, Japan's Nikkei share index crept to a 5-1/2 year high. The yen shed some of Monday's gains after Japan's economy minister said his comments the previous day that the government was satisfied with the level of the currency had been misinterpreted. A recent downward slide in precious metals also resumed. Gold was down 2.4 percent as the stronger dollar left it facing its eighth fall in nine sessions. Silver dropped more than 3 percent. While low inflation prospects have dulled demand for the traditional hedge, gold, silver has fallen out of favor with investors recently as demand from the solar energy sector has also sagged and mining of the metal has increased. "The market was caught horribly short yesterday, so there was some buying this morning. But the dollar started to get stronger and gold didn't manage to break above $1,400, so sales started again," said Marex Spectron head trader David Govett. U.S. crude oil fell 0.7 percent on caution ahead of Bernanke's testimony, while Brent crude fell 0.8 percent. Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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