* U.S. retail sales data boosts global stocks
* Euro strengthens vs. dollar
* Investors speculate on Fed meeting outcome (Updates with U.S. midday trading)
By Al Yoon and Alina Selyukh
NEW YORK, Dec 14 (Reuters) - World stocks rose on Tuesday, nearing a two-year high set last month, and Treasury yields jumped after stronger-than-expected U.S. consumer spending boosted optimism of a lasting global economic recovery.
Benchmark U.S. Treasury 10-year yields hit their highest levels in more than six months after the U.S. reported retail sales rose for a fifth straight month and the producer price index also increased more than forecast, suggesting economic growth was accelerating. For details, see [ID:nN14261708]
"The hand-off to 2011 looks very promising," Tom Porcelli, chief U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets, said. "Very solid ... there is no other way to describe the retails sales report," The data suggested consumers are ramping up spending in the thick of the holiday shopping season that is critical for retailers.
Investors are eyeing another potential boost to the economy -- the deal worked out between U.S. President Barack Obama and Republican lawmakers to extend tax cuts, jobless benefits and a payroll tax credit.
European shares pared losses after the U.S. data, which affirmed a stocks rally that has pushed up the S&P 500 index by 6 percent since Nov. 29. European stocks gained for the seventh straight session on thin volume, with the FTSEurofirst 300 Index <.FTEU3> up 0.3 percent.
Investors were reluctant to take on large positions ahead of this year's final meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve, looking for hints of altering a $600 billion bond-buying program designed to push long-term interest rates lower. [ID:nN14232588]
The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> gained 69.93 points, or 0.61 percent, to 11,498.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> rose 4.87 points, or 0.39 percent, to 1,245.33 and the Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> increased 10 points, or 0.38 percent, to 2,634.91.
Shares of Best Buy Inc
GLOBAL OPTIMISM
The MSCI world equity index <.MIWD00000PUS> and the Thomson Reuters global stock index <.TRXFLDGLPU> both rose about one-half of a percent, nudging the MSCI index closer to a two-year high set in November. Emerging stocks <.MSCIEF> added 0.7 percent.
In currencies, the euro
The euro "may have room to run higher if the Fed reasserts its commitment to purchasing $600 billion, citing the weakness in inflation and spare capacity weighing on unemployment," Brown Brothers Harriman strategist said in a note to clients.
The dollar and euro both fell to session lows against the Swiss franc as some investors speculated the Fed could alter its quantitative easing pledge.
U.S. Treasuries dropped, adding to a sharp selloff as the Washington tax deal sparked concerns over a widening federal budget gap and the inflationary impact of faster growth.
"A more robust U.S. growth outlook has taken over the mantle of market leadership," Goldman Sachs wrote in a note.
U.S. Treasury 10-year yields, which influence consumer and corporate borrowing costs, rose 0.11 percentage point to 3.40 percent.
Also supporting expectations for global recovery was China's extension of special reserve requirements for top banks as traders see Beijing unlikely to aggressively cool down its economy since much of the world has been relying on China's robust growth. [ID:nLDE6BC0ET]
Chinese stocks rose 0.1 percent <.SSEC>. A leading official newspaper reported China will probably target a limit of about 7.5 trillion yuan ($1.1 trillion) in new loans next year, an indication that policy could be slightly looser than expected.
In commodities, U.S. light sweet crude oil futures