GLOBAL MARKETS-China strength prompts stock pullback, oil off

* China growth prompts fears of monetary tightening

* World stocks fall, led by emerging markets

* Euro gains cut by upbeat U.S. economic data.

* Share prices fall for materials and car makers

* Oil slumps on future demand concerns, gold drops

By Daniel Bases

NEW YORK, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Global equities and oil prices sold off on Thursday after robust Chinese economic growth prompted fears the world's second largest economy would try to choke-off excessive demand fueling inflation.

Measures to fight price increases, such as tightening monetary policy, were felt across asset classes after China's fourth quarter gross domestic product soared past forecasts, rising to 9.8 percent versus expectations for a slowdown to 9.2 percent.

"A lot of Asian economies, and especially China, (are) overheating. People have invested heavily in commodity shares and any disappointing news might provoke a ... correction," said Philippe Gijsels, head of research at BNP Paribas Fortis Global Markets in Brussels.

Upbeat U.S. economic data such as the stronger than expected rise in existing home sales and bigger than expected fall in new claims for jobless benefits helped boost the U.S. dollar.

The euro dropped back from early strength fueled by expectations the European Union would come up with a comprehensive plan to help debt-laden countries finance their overwhelming obligations.

Emerging market equities led the stock sell-off, while materials, miners and car makers were the worst hit by concerns of a potential slackening in demand from China's factories.

MSCI's emerging markets stock index fell 1.78 percent <.MSCIEF> while the broader All-Country World Index <.MIWD00000PUS> lost 1.4 percent.

U.S. benchmark stock indexes were all lower, although there were pockets of strength such as No. 2 U.S. investment bank Morgan Stanley <MS.N>, which posted a 60 percent increase in quarterly profit.

In Mid-morning New York Trade, the Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> fell 76.10 points, or 0.64 percent, at 11,749.19. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> lost 9.54 points, or 0.74 percent, at 1,272.38. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> dropped 32.38 points, or 1.19 percent, at 2,692.98.

"I do consider it to be the start of a something more," said Marc Pado, U.S. market strategist at Cantor Fitzgerald & Co in San Francisco. "We're looking for a 5 percent to 7 percent pullback range, and I think we started it yesterday."

Shares of Morgan Stanley rose 0.64 percent to $27.93 a share.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index of top shares was down 0.99 percent at 1,141.02 points - its lowest since 11th January.

In the mining sector, Anglo American <AAL.L>, Antofagasta <ANTO.L>, BHP Billiton <BLT.L> and Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation <ENRC.L>, Alcoa <AA.N> slipped 1.6 to 2.8 percent.

Car makers also featured among the worst performers, with German car makers hit by worries exports to China would ease.

Ford Motor <F.N> dropped 2.4 percent while BMW <BMWG.DE> and Daimler AG's <DAIGn.DE> fell 3.94 percent and 3.1 percent respectively.

Earlier, Japan's Nikkei <.N225> closed 1.1. percent lower.

Crude oil prices fell $2.50, or 2.76 percent to $88.35 a barrel in New York trade, falling below $90 for the first time in a week.

DOLLAR STRENGTH

The economic data helped to propel the dollar higher against its major trading partners. The U.S. dollar index <.DXY> rose 0.43 percent.

The euro dropped back against the greenback after nearly pulling to the break-even point on the day. It traded at $1.3436, down 0.22 percent <EUR=>. The dollar rose 1.12 percent to 82.98 yen <JPY=>.

Against the Swiss franc, the dollar gained more than 1 percent to 0.9670 francs <CHF=>.

Despite its weakness, the euro was supported by a generally optimistic view that the European Union's rescue fund (EFSF) will ultimately offer a comprehensive solution to help euro zone countries finance mounting debts. [ID:nLDE70J1DW]

That fueled hopes the region's rescue fund could enable buybacks of those states' bonds. As a result core German debt prices weakened.

The Bund future <FGBLc1> sank to 123.72, its lowest since mid-April 2010 and down over half a point on the day.

"Obviously it now seems to be officially acknowledged that they're talking about it," said Charles Diebel, rate strategist at Lloyds Banks.

Benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasuries fell 15/32 of a point in price, pushing the yield up to 3.40 percent, on the strength of the U.S. economic data.

Strength in the greenback held gold prices in check. Spot gold <XAU=> fell $21.55, or 1.57 percent, to a two month low of$1348.30. (Additional reporting by Angela Moon, William James, Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss, Jeremy Gaunt, Naomi Tajitsu, Neal Armstrong and Atul Prakash; Editing by Andrew Hay)