Global shares up on bargain hunting; euro tumbles on ECB repayments

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Global equity markets rose on Friday, recovering some of the previous session's sharp losses, but the euro hit a six-week low against the dollar on renewed doubts about the health of the euro zone's financial system.

Oil prices edged up as evidence of improving business morale in Germany helped bolster sentiment after two days of heavy losses.

Wall Street also edged higher on Friday, rebounding from two days of losses as shares of Dow component Hewlett-Packard surged on strong results. The stock jumped nearly 15 percent to $19.60 as the top boost on both the Dow and the S&P 500 indexes.

Risk-associated assets have been rattled this week by suggestions the U.S. Federal Reserve could scale back its monetary support sooner than expected and by weak euro zone data that dashed hopes of an early recovery in the recession-hit region.

The S&P 500 <.SPX> had dropped 1.9 percent over the prior two sessions, its worst two-day drop since early November, putting the benchmark on pace for its first weekly decline of the year. Still, the index is up about 6 percent for the year and managed to hold the 1,500 support level.

In a sign that some euro zone banks may still need support, the ECB said just over 61 billion euros ($81 billion) of the 530 billion it lent at the height of the bloc's crisis last year will be repaid when banks get the first opportunity next week.

That was well below the 130 billion euros expected by traders and means there remains more than enough cash in the banking system to keep downward pressure on money market rates.

The news sent the euro to a six-week low against the dollar.

"The low repayment ... will keep liquidity conditions accommodative for the time being in the euro zone," said Nick Bennenbroek, head of currency strategy at Wells Fargo Bank in New York.

The data signaled that some banks still feel the need to keep hold of the ultra-cheap emergency loans and means the ECB's balance sheet will shrink at a slower pace.

A report from the European Commission that forecast the euro zone economy will contract again in 2013, and caution ahead of an Italian election this weekend, also weighed on the euro, which fell for a third straight session.

But stocks fared better in Europe as investors looked to take advantage of the previous session's sharp sell-off, though traders cited some caution given the elections in Italy.

The FTSEurofirst 300 <.FTEU3> closed up 1.2 percent at 1,165.43, having sunk 1.5 percent on Thursday.

The Dow Jones industrial average <.DJI> was up 61.97 points, or 0.45 percent, at 13,942.59. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index <.SPX> was up 6.70 points, or 0.45 percent, at 1,509.12. The Nasdaq Composite Index <.IXIC> was up 14.96 points, or 0.48 percent, at 3,146.45.

MSCI's world share index <.MIWD00000PUS> was up 0.5 percent.

EURO HITS 6-WEEK LOW

The euro fell as low as $1.3144, its lowest since January 10, retreating from a session high of $1.3244 after the German Ifo survey showed a big jump in business morale in Germany, suggesting a brighter outlook for the euro zone's largest economy.

The euro was last down 0.2 percent at $1.3167, with market players reporting supporting bids around $1.3150-60. Europe's common currency was on pace to close lower for a third straight week.

Investors were wary about the risk of a fragmented Italian parliament, which could hinder the euro zone's third-largest economy from fighting its longest recession in 20 years.

Market participants in general are taking a more defensive position - betting on the euro's downside - in case of an adverse outcome in Italy. The result of the vote is not expected until next week.

The euro and the dollar rose against the yen, although strategists said the Japanese currency's three-month decline was showing signs of losing momentum.

Expectations the new Japanese government will take aggressive easing steps to revive the economy have helped the yen fall steeply across the board since November.

The dollar rose 0.3 percent on the day to 93.34 yen, keeping some distance from a 33-month high of 94.47 hit last week. The euro edged up 0.1 percent to 122.90 yen.

Like equities, commodities rebounded from Thursday's big sell-off, which was driven by fears that the Fed may be edging closer to ending its ultra-loose monetary policy, which has flooded the markets with liquidity.

Brent April crude rose 40 cents to $113.94 a barrel by 1:55 p.m. ET, after jumping early to a session high of $114.79.

U.S. April crude was up 11 cents at $92.95 a barrel, having slipped to $92.44 during the session, the lowest price since early January.

In U.S. Treasuries trading, 10-year notes were trading 3/32 higher in price to yield 1.96 percent, down slightly from 1.97 percent late Thursday.

(Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Dan Grebler and Nick Zieminski)