24 Dec 2020 / 00:28 H.
* Possible Brexit deal buoys European markets
* Sterling jumps 1% against dollar
* U.S., European bond yields climb
By April Joyner
NEW YORK, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Wednesday as investors waved away a threat by U.S. President Donald Trump not to sign a pandemic relief bill, while the British pound soared on rising expectations of a Brexit trade deal.
In a video posted on Twitter, Trump said a stimulus bill, agreed upon after months of wrangling in Congress, was "a disgrace" and that he wanted to increase "ridiculously low" $600 payments for individuals to $2,000.
The benchmark S&P 500 U.S. stock index nonetheless rose in morning trade as cyclical sectors such as energy and financials expected to benefit most from an economic recovery led in percentage gains. S&P 500 futures had fallen overnight in response to Trump's threat but later recovered.