*Weaker US jobs report deadens equities rally
*MSCI world stock index hangs onto gain
*Consumer spending seen buoying economy (Updates with US trading)
By Al Yoon
NEW YORK, Dec 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar dropped and stocks were little changed on Friday after the U.S. unemployment rate rose last month, but investors latched onto signs of economic strength, resisting heavier selling.
Nevertheless, some shift away from riskier assets lifted prices of U.S. Treasury securities.
Stock gains in Europe evaporated and Wall Street opened lower after the Labor Department said businesses added 39,000 nonfarm payrolls in November, falling short of the 140,000 expected by economists. The unemployment rate rose to a seven-month high of 9.8 percent. For details see, [ID:nN02238002]
But overall employment for September and October was revised upward to show 38,000 more jobs created than previously estimated.
What's more, other labor market indicators and consumer spending reports have raised optimism about the economy after a soft patch during the summer.
"The question is, was the number so weak that it creates concern about the economy, market volatility and risk aversion? I think probably not," said Nick Bennenbroek, head of FX strategy at Wells Fargo in New York. "It's not bad enough to raise concerns of a renewed recession."
U.S. stock indexes paused after two days of powerful gains, falling but clawing back losses at one point.
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> declined 12.75 points, or 0.11 percent, to 11,349.66. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> fell 2.21 points, or 0.18 percent, to 1,219.32 and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> climbed 0.30 point, or 0.01 percent, at 2,579.65.
The European benchmark FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> share index declined 0.31 percent to 1,102.73, after closing its last session at a two-week high. In Asia trading, the Nikkei <.N225> closed 0.1 percent higher.
The MSCI world equity index <.MIWD00000PUS> managed a 0.38 percent gain, coming off its highest since Nov. 22.
Many analysts viewed the disappointing employment report as an outlier amid a slew of generally positive U.S. data released the last few weeks that suggest traction for the economy. Strong holiday spending, including all-time highs for online sales on so-called Cyber Monday have made investors more optimistic about year-end.
For the dollar, however, the U.S. jobs report injected enough caution to create a fresh downdraft on the currency.
"Wall Street is going to reevaluate and go back to a slow recovery kind of mode," said Subodh Kumar, chief investment strategist at Subodh Kumar & Associates in Toronto.
Despite Friday's downward move in the dollar, the euro-zone debt crisis is seen as a drag on the euro and is expected keep it under pressure for some time. European authorities may have bailed out Ireland, but investors are speculating euro-zone nations such as Spain and Portugal will require assistance.
The dollar fell against a basket of major trading-partner
currencies, with the U.S. Dollar Index <.DXY> down 0.99 percent
at 79.51. The euro
Against the Japanese yen, the dollar
U.S. Treasury prices jumped as traders unwound short positions after the payrolls data, and others saw softer U.S. growth supporting lower interest rate policy.
The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield declined 0.04 percentage point to 2.96 percent.
Before U.S. jobs data, European shares and the euro drew support among chatter that the European Central Bank was in the market for bonds from euro-zone nations in danger of rising borrowing costs and in possible need of bailouts.
The euro zone debt of nations like Portugal outperformed as the purchases reassured investors the bank would continue to support markets despite the lack of any sign from President Jean-Claude Trichet it would ramp up the program. [GVD/EUR]
Portugal's five-year credit default swaps tightened further
by midday to 409 basis points from 448 basis points, data from
Markit showed, while the premium paid for 10-year Portuguese
debt
In commodities, U.S. light sweet crude oil