GLOBAL MARKETS-Treasuries yields at 3-month low on Fed; Shares snap recent rally

* U.S. Treasuries yields slip to 3-month low as Fed tapering

seen delayed

* S&P 500 snaps four-session winning streak on earnings

* China short-term rates spike lifts dollar, yen, Swiss

franc

By Angela Moon

NEW YORK, Oct (KOSDAQ: 039200.KQ - news) 23 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasuries yields fell to

their lowest in three months on Wednesday on more bets that the

Federal Reserve will maintain its stimulus efforts until next

year, while global equity markets ended their recent winning

streak.

In the aftermath of a disappointing U.S. jobs report on

Tuesday, overnight buying helped yields fall further on

Wednesday. The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury note

gained 4/32, the yield at 2.4962 percent.

On Wall Street, the S&P 500 snapped its four-session winning

streak as shares of Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT - news) and a group of chipmakers

tumbled after they reported earnings.

European shares also snapped a nine-day winning streak, hit

by plans for a tougher stress test for euro zone banks, as well

as weak earnings numbers and forecast downgrades in other

sectors. The FTSEurofirst 300 index lost 0.6

percent.

Global equity markets weakened as China's primary short-term

money rates rose on concerns the People's Bank of China may

tighten its cash supply to address inflation risks, which could

hurt growth in the world's second-largest economy. Shanghai

shares fell 1.3 percent.

In the bond market, the focus was largely centered on next

week's Fed policy meeting, where the U.S. central bank is

expected to keep its $85 billion a month bond purchase program

unchanged.

"The Fed is kind of handcuffed from doing any tapering; the

consensus is pushing it out to March. The weak (jobs) number

supports it," said Sean Murphy, a Treasuries trader at Societe

Generale in New York.

A Reuters poll conducted on Tuesday showed 9 of 15 U.S.

primary dealers see the Fed starting to reduce bond purchases in

March, with many of them blaming Washington's fiscal impasse for

a "significant" impact on the Fed's timing. [ID:nL1N0IC1HH

TOUGHER BANK HEALTH TESTS

The STOXX Europe 600 Banks index dropped 2.1 percent for its

weakest day in two months after the European Central

Bank said it would review the quality of a broader-than-expected

range of assets held by top regional lenders next year. That may

result in them having to raise fresh capital.

The Spanish IBEX and Italian FTSE MIB

recorded their worst sessions since August.

On Wall Street, Caterpillar Inc was one of the

biggest decliners on the S&P, slumping 6 percent to $83.76 after

the heavy-equipment machinery maker cut its full-year outlook

for a third time.

The Dow Jones industrial average lost 54.33 points,

or 0.35 percent, to close at 15,413.33. The Standard & Poor's

500 Index fell 8.29 points, or 0.47 percent, at 1,746.38.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 22.49 points, or

0.57 percent, at 3,907.07.

MSCI (NYSE: MSCI - news) 's world equity index, which tracks

shares in 45 countries, fell 0.6 percent.

In the currency market the dollar, yen and Swiss franc all

rose on Wednesday after a spike in China's short-term

money-market interest rates drove risk aversion, driving bids

for the three safe-haven currencies.

China's primary short-term money rates rose in

a delayed reaction to signals from regulators that they are

considering tightening liquidity to tamp rising inflationary

pressure.

A policy adviser to the People's Bank of China told Reuters

on Tuesday that the authority may tighten cash conditions in the

financial system to address inflation risks.

Concerns about soft U.S. jobs data for September, which

appeared to rule out a cut in U.S monetary stimulus before next

year and caused a plunge in the dollar, took a back seat as

Chinese money market rates climbed to levels not seen since

July.

"The weight of a weak U.S. non-farm (payroll data released

on Tuesday) is surpassed by rising risk aversion on concerns

over China's money market. Profit-taking takes hold," said

Camilla Sutton, chief currency strategist at Scotiabank in

Toronto.

The dollar rose against riskier commodity-linked currencies

such as the Australian and New Zealand dollars. The Aussie

dollar fell 0.8 percent versus the greenback to US$0.9629

, while the New Zealand currency dropped 1.5 percent to

US$0.8385.

The yen was also in demand, with the dollar down 0.9 percent

at 97.24 yen and the euro 0.8 percent weaker at 134.08

yen.

The Swiss franc also rose, as the dollar slipped 0.4 percent

to 0.8912 franc and the euro fell 0.3 percent to 1.2290

francs >EURCHF=>.

In commodities trading, U.S. oil prices fell, extending one

of the year's sharpest sell-offs, after government data showed a

surprisingly large increase in crude supplies.

U.S. crude settled down $1.44 at $96.86 while Brent

crude fell $2.17 to $107.80 a barrel.