(Corrects euro rise to two-month high vs dollar in headline and
bullets)
* Euro hits 2-month high against dollar, 5-week high vs yen
* World stocks on track for worst weekly loss in 8 weeks
* Commodities recover, concerns remain over China tightening
By Dominic Lau
LONDON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - World stocks edged up on Friday
but were set to post their biggest weekly drop in eight weeks on
concerns that rising inflation in emerging economies could lead
to aggressive policy action and hurt global growth.
Spain's stocks rose. Madrid plans a partial state takeover
of its weakest savings banks as it seeks to reassure investors a
costly bank rescue will not weigh on its deficit, sources and
reports said. [ID:nLDE70K0A4]
The euro hit a two-month high against the dollar on growing
expectations that euro zone policymakers will arrive at a more
durable solution to the debt crisis. Hawkish noises from the
European Central Bank were also cited as a reason for the latest
surge in the currency.
Worries over inflation in China and India have put their
stock markets under pressure, with Chinese stocks <.SSEC> down
3.3 percent so far this year and Indian equities <.BSESN> down 7
percent.
Other euro zone peripheral equities, which were hit hard
last year by the sovereign debt crisis, have also recovered in
2011 on the back of rising inflation in emerging markets.
Commodity prices have also suffered as China is a top
consumer, though copper and oil prices recovered on Friday.
"Background is still somewhat nervous given concerns over
further tightening measures in China," said Keith Bowman, equity
analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown in London.
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Graphic on global inflation: http://r.reuters.com/wuz46r
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World equities as measured by the MSCI All-Country World
Index <.MIWD00000PUS> added 0.1 percent after losing for two
days in a row. The index has fallen 1 percent this week, on
track for its worst weekly performance since late November.
Spain's stocks <.IBEX> rose 0.9 percent and are up nearly 9
percent in January, while yields on 10-year Spanish government
bond <ES10YT=RR> <DE10YT=RR> over benchmark German Bunds were
steady at 219 basis points.
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that Spain is
planning to force its debt-laden regional saving banks to become
conventional banks and seek stock market listings.
High levels of bad property loans at the savings banks are
seen as a major risk for Spain's government as it aggressively
cuts its budget deficit to stave off fears it will need an Irish
or Greek-style bailout from the European Union and International
Monetary Fund.
Among Spanish banks, Banco Santander <SAN.MC> advanced 2.2
percent and BBVA <BBVA.MC> put on 2 percent.
EURO RISES, COMMODS REBOUND
The euro <EUR=> rose 0.5 percent to $1.3533 after rallying
to a two-month high of $1.3556. It also hit a five-week high
against the yen <EURJPY=R>, at around 112.20 yen.
"This reaction seems overdone as it's highly unlikely the
ECB will raise rates soon and there's been nothing concrete on
the rescue fund," said Raghav Subbarao, currency strategist at
Barclays Capital.
"We think Portugal will have to be bailed out eventually.
After that the euro can rise further as Spain we believe is
solvent, but the euro rally is not sustainable here," he added.
The dollar <.DXY> was down 0.4 percent against a basket of
major currencies.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> index gained 0.2
percent, while U.S. stock index futures <SPc1> <DJc1> <NDc1>
eased around 0.1 percent, indicating a weak open on Wall Street
ahead of results from General Electric and Bank of America.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei average <.N225> dropped 1.6 percent
and posted its biggest weekly loss in three months.
Copper <CMCU3> recovered 0.5 percent after falling 3.6
percent in the two previous sessions, and is down 2.5 percent
for the week, while oil <CLc1> snapped a three-session losing
streak, up 0.4 percent.
(Additional reporting by Atul Prakash, Neal Armstrong, Anirban
Nag and Kirsten Donovan; Editing by Catherine Evans)