Bank troubles hit world stocks

By Jennifer Ablan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors scrambled for safety on Tuesday, driving world stocks lower and propelling bids for government bonds and the dollar on poor results from UBS (UBSN.VX) and a shake-up of UK banks Lloyds (LLOY.L) and Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L).

UBS shares were down nearly 6 percent following news the Swiss bank suffered a larger-than-expected asset outflow in the third quarter For more, see: [nL2713325]. Lloyds shares were under pressure after it launched a record 13.5 billion pound ($22 billion) rights issue. Along with RBS, it agreed to sell off businesses as part of a deal to limit reliance on government support.

Adding to the sector's problems, the European Commission said results of stress tests on euro zone banks showed losses could amount to 400 billion euros ($590.9 billion) in 2009-2010.

"Equity market setbacks have a propensity to re-ignite risk aversion investment activity," said Tom Sowanick, co-president and chief investment officer of Omnivest Group.

World stocks as measured by MSCI .MIWD00000PUS fell 0.44 percent. The index rallied by 75 percent between early March and late October on growing optimism over the global economy, but fell 4 percent last week.

The FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top European shares was down 1.16 percent, losing ground for the sixth time in nine sessions. Riskier emerging market shares .MSCIEF fell 0.83 percent.

Parts of the U.S. equities market were down.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was off 17.53 points, or 0.18 percent, at 9,771.91, but the Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX was up 2.53 points, or 0.24 percent, at 1,045.41. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was up 8.12 points, or 0.40 percent, at 2,057.32.