* Stocks advance on hopes stimulus plans will run longer
* U.S. dollar remains under pressure after G20, jobs data
* U.S. 30-year bond falls ahead of new supply, oil rises
* Status quo in place: asset prices to head higher
By Kevin Plumberg
HONG KONG, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Asian stocks and currencies
rose on Monday as investors bet that a surge in the U.S.
unemployment rate to a 26-1/2-year high would force
policymakers to keep many stimulus measures in place until an
economic recovery was on more solid footing.
U.S. stock futures <SPc1> edged up while U.S. Treasuries
sagged ahead of $81 billion worth of new supply this week.
The message of status quo was well reflected in markets
with U.S. job market contraction remaining near a trend rate
and G20 finance leaders ending a weekend meeting without any
concrete proposals to rebalance the global economy.
That meant the winner will be asset prices.
"On the one hand, as long as the recovery is not strong
enough, central banks will keep on supporting liquidity and
asset prices may benefit," said Sebastien Barbe, strategist
with Calyon in Hong Kong.
"On the other, central banks may begin to tighten monetary
conditions in coming quarters, but only when economic growth
has gained sufficient momentum and sustainability, and this
restored economic strength may also to some extent support
asset prices despite central bank tightening," Barbe said in a
note.
The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks outside Japan
<.MIAPJ0000PUS> rose 1.3 percent, having risen about 5 percent
since hitting a one-month low a week ago.
The materials sector was the biggest outperformer followed
by financials. Telecommunications and utilities, traditional
defensive plays, were laggards.
A Thomson Reuters index of regional shares was up 1.3
percent <.TRXFLDAXPU>.
Japan's Nikkei share average <> was flat.
The Australian benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index <> rose 1.6
percent and led the region.
Shares of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings <AXA.AX> shot up 30
percent after the insurer rejected a $10.3 billion break-up
plan that would have left its assets split between its parent
and a rival.
In addition to equities, dealers went straight for Asian
currencies as the U.S. dollar remained under pressure.
G20 finance officials failed to talk more specifically
about the dollar's recent decline at their weekend meeting
[].
Also hurting the dollar was a statement by the
International Monetary Fund which said while the U.S. dollar
has depreciated in the recent months, it still remained on the
"strong" side, sparking another bout of selling in Asia.
The dollar was down 0.6 percent to 1160.90 against the
South Korean won and 1 percent against the Phillipine peso.
The euro edged up 0.2 percent to $1.4909 <EUR=>, creeping
back up toward a 14-month high above $1.50.
Long-dated U.S. Treasuries slid in the cash market, pushing
up the 30-year yield to 4.42 percent.
The U.S. government will auction $81 billion in debt this
week, including $16 billion in 30-year bonds.
Oil prices rose about 1 percent to $78.28 a barrel,
recouping some of the previous session's near 3 percent loss,
on concerns that a powerful hurricane would cut U.S. oil and
gas supplies. []
(Editing by Kim Coghill)
