* Markets expect new round of central bank action
* Asian stocks jump after U.S. gains
* Dollar falls as investors anticipate Fed easing steps
* Gold at new record, silver hits 30-year peak
By Alex Richardson
SINGAPORE, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Stocks, metals and Japanese government debt rose on Wednesday and the dollar fell after fresh monetary easing moves by the Bank of Japan spurred expectations of a new round of central bank action to boost ailing economies.
Tuesday's unexpectedly bold action by the BOJ -- which cut interest rates close to zero and said it would pump cash into the financial system through asset purchases -- was seen as the first salvo in a reflationary splurge by policymakers in Japan, the United States and Britain.
Global markets are now preoccupied with the likelihood that the Federal Reserve will make a new sortie into "quantitive easing" -- effectively printing money to buy assets -- next month, an expectation that pushed the dollar down broadly.
The weakening dollar drove traditional safe haven gold to the latest in a series of record highs and silver to a 30-year peak, while hopes that monetary stimulus while boost industrial demand sent copper to its highest level in more than two years.
But ultra-low interest rates and monetary easing in the rich world has ignited fears of "beggar-thy-neighbour" currency wars, with International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn warning that countries risk undermining the global recovery if they use their currencies to try and boost domestic growth.
"There is clearly the idea beginning to circulate that
currencies can be used as a policy weapon," Strauss-Kahn said
in comments published in the Financial Times on Wednesday.
[nLDE6942A2]
Trade weighted exchange rates: http://r.reuters.com/qun86p
Global interest rates: http://link.reuters.com/wed86p
BOJ policy rate: http://link.reuters.com/syz76p
Yen - taking on the market:
http://r.reuters.com/fac44p
The BOJ's decision to buy a broad range of assets, including real estate investment trusts and exchange traded funds, lifted the Nikkei share average <.N225> 1.3 percent, although a strong yen -- now not far from the level that prompted the authorities to intervene to weaken it last month -- capped gains. [.T]
"The most important focus seems to have been aimed at currencies but the yen hasn't weakened against the dollar, and that's keeping a lid on further stock gains," said Mitsushige Akino, chief fund manager at Ichiyoshi Investment Management Co.
"Rather, the yen is staying on the strong side due to expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve might announce a larger-scale easing."
Hopes of further stimulus from the Fed pushed U.S. stocks to a near 5-month high on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 <.SPX> up 2.1 percent, and the exuberance continued in Asia. [.N]
MSCI's broadest index of Asia Pacific shares outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> rose 1.4 percent, led by the materials and energy sectors <.MIAPJMT00PUS> <.MIAPJEN00PUS>.
"Commodities are all looking pretty fabulous at the moment. Everyone's happy," said Martin Angel, a dealer at Patersons Securities in resource-rich Australia, where the benchmark index <.AXJO> rose 1.5 percent. [.AX]
Spot gold
But oil slipped back from a 5-month high after an industry
report showed U.S. crude stockpiles jumped more than expected
last week. U.S. crude futures
The dollar stood at 83.15 yen
"The low of 15 September has become an important support level. A successful move lower could well trigger a new wave of yen buying as the market search for the next line in the sand," said Matthew Strauss, a senior FX strategist RBC Capital Markets, in a client note.
The euro was steady at $1.3825
Benchmark 10-year Japanese Government Bond <2JGBv1> futures
rose 0.43 point to 144.10, climbing above 144.00 for the first
time since June 2003. The benchmark 10-year yield