* Belgium, Spain, other possible candidates for 50-year issuance

China will provide necessary policy support for the economic recovery this year, to avoid a "policy cliff", as small firms remain hard-pressed amid the pandemic, a senior official at the state planner said on Tuesday.

Asian shares climbed on Tuesday as investors wagered China's economic strength would help underpin growth in the region, even as pandemic lockdowns threatened to lengthen the road to recovery in the West.

Japanese government bonds were steady to slightly firmer on Tuesday, with solid demand at a 20-year bond auction allaying fears that the Bank of Japan could widen its policy target in March.

* Graphic: World FX rates http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh * Asian stocks https://tmsnrt.rs/3f2vwbA * Taiwan's dollar leads Asia FX gains * S. Korean shares climb nearly 3% * Malaysian ringgit in tight range ahead of c.bank meeting By Shriya Ramakrishnan Jan 19 (Reuters) - Asia's...

Asian shares climbed on Tuesday as investors wagered China's economic strength would help underpin growth in the region, even as pandemic lockdowns threatened to lengthen the road to recovery in the West.

* KOSPI rises, foreigners net buyers * Korean won strengthens against U.S. dollar * South Korea benchmark bond yield rises SEOUL, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets: ** South Korean stocks rebounded on Tuesday, led by Samsung Electronics and Hyundai...

The following table shows rates for Asian currencies against the dollar at 0206 GMT. Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move Japan yen 103.860 103.69 -0.16 Sing dlr 1.329 1.3309 +0.13 Taiwan dlr 27.968 28.49 +1.87 Korean won 1101.400 1103.9 +0.23 Baht 30.050 30.12 +0.23...

Asian share markets edged ahead on Tuesday as investors wagered China's economic strength would help underpin growth in the region, even as pandemic lockdowns threatened to lengthen the road to recovery in the West.

British firms called on Tuesday for another 7.6 billion pounds ($10.3 billion) of emergency government help, saying they cannot wait until finance minister Rishi Sunak's March budget to learn if they will get more pandemic support.

Janet Yellen, U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's nominee to run the Treasury Department, will tell the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday that the government must "act big" with its next coronavirus relief package.

European companies hit by COVID-19 could issue "hybrid" shares to plug a predicted capital gap of up to 600 billion euros ($723.48 billion) when government relief measures expire as vaccination programmes are rolled out, a report said on Tuesday.

Wall Street may be facing an uncomfortable four years after President-elect Joe Biden's team confirmed on Monday it planned to nominate two consumer champions to lead top financial agencies, signaling a tougher stance on the industry than many had anticipated.

(Adds strategist quotes and details throughout; updates prices) * Canadian dollar weakens 0.1% against the greenback * Loonie touches a one-week low at 1.2799 * Canadian housing starts fall 12.2% in December * Canadian government bond yields were mixed across the curve By...

Brazil's real rose on Monday as the country geared up to send vaccine doses across its states later in the day, while most other currencies in Latin America were subdued against a stronger dollar. The real gained 0.6% to 5.26 against the dollar, with investors eying the...

More governments are selling bonds that mature in 30, 50 and even 100 years' time, capitalising on rock-bottom borrowing costs and a willingness among investors to look past risks for the sake of slightly higher yields.

London's FTSE 100 slipped on Monday, weighed down by falls in energy and travel stocks, while tighter restrictions on businesses led to concerns about the near-term impact on the economy.

* Euro zone periphery govt bond yields http://tmsnrt.rs/2ii2Bqr (Updates prices)

Germany's upper house of parliament called on Monday for Chancellor Angela Merkel's government to extend a waiver on insolvency filings for firms hit by the coronavirus crisis.

* Canadian dollar weakens 0.3% against the greenback * Loonie trades in a range of 1.2726 to 1.2799 * Canadian housing starts fall 12.2% in December * Canada's 10-year yield rises 1.8 basis points By Fergal Smith TORONTO, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar weakened against...