* MSCI world equity index ticks down to 286.79
* Euro falls after Almunia; dollar firmer
* Oil falls below $70/bbl
By Natsuko Waki
LONDON, Oct 1 (Reuters) - World stocks kicked off October on a weaker note on Thursday as caution over the state of the U.S. recovery tempered anticipation the global economy would gather momentum in the final three months of 2009.
The euro was the biggest loser in the currency market after EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said the Eurogroup would discuss its strength. [nL1472296]
European stocks <.FTEU3> erased early gains to stand down 0.5 percent, having posted the best quarterly performance in nearly 10 years in the three months to September.
Investors were reluctant to buy or sell aggressively ahead of a closely-watched U.S. jobs report on Friday. Data on Wednesday showed a surprising contraction in an index of U.S. Midwest business activity.
"I don't think anyone will sell too aggressively ahead of the (U.S.) September employment report tomorrow," said Bernard McAlinden, investment strategist at NCB Stockbrokers.
"The economic data hasn't been bad. House prices have been firm ... I think we're in the early stages of a new cycle and indices can go higher over the next year or so though the pace at which this rally can continue is questionable."
MSCI world equity index <.MIWD00000PUS> fell 0.1 percent, having risen more than 17 percent in the third quarter.
"My sentiment is that we came through September in fairly decent shape and I think we're going to press on and it won't be too bad; I think it'll be quite a good fourth quarter," said Stephen Pope, chief global market strategist at Cantor Fitzgerald.
Emerging stocks <.MSCIEF> rose 0.3 percent.
U.S. crude oil
The dollar <.DXY> rose 0.5 percent against a basket of major
currencies, as investors adjusted positions ahead of a meeting
of Group of Seven finance chiefs in Istanbul this weekend. The
euro fell 0.6 percent to $1.4546
"If the weaker dollar trend continues, it will be a concern for a lot of policymakers," said Daragh Maher, senior currency strategist at Calyon.
The September Bund future
For a factbox of major global markets at the end of the Q3, see [ID:nLU395883]
For a graphic on the performance of various assets this year, click on: http://r.reuters.com/gaw29d
---------------------------------- (Additional reporting by Brian Gorman and Tricia Wright)