By John Geddie
LONDON (Reuters) - Investors turned cautious on Friday about what a stronger dollar and weak commodity prices could mean for the world economy, as a clutch of central banks moved to cushion the impact of the first U.S. rate rise in nearly a decade.
Initial relief after the U.S. Federal Reserve enacted a long-expected hike earlier this week started began to fade, as declines in global stocks and emerging markets showed that the move might not pass off as smoothly as hoped.
Wall Street, which has shed all gains made just after the Fed meeting on Wednesday, was set to open lower, following earlier falls in European and Asian stocks.
The dollar weakened but remained on track for its strongest week since early November, as the price of oil hit its lowest level seen since early 2009.
"I am still quite bearish about the prospects for the first quarter of next year. The oil price problems are not going away any time soon," said Terry Torrison, managing director at Monaco-based McLaren Securities.
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European shares fell from a one-week high reached in the previous session. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index, which had risen 1.3 percent on Thursday, dropped 0.6 percent.
Debt markets built on gains made on Thursday as investors sheltered in less risky assets. Money markets are pricing in fewer rate rises next year than the Fed now projects, reflecting concern about the economy and doubts about significant inflation.
"Equities are all down and bond yields are down - partly because of stocks, partly because of lower oil, so the move is global," said Ciaran O'Hagan, a strategist at Societe Generale.
Spanish bonds lagged in Europe as the country braced for its most uncertain election in decades this weekend.
STIMULUS MOVES
The Bank of Japan on Friday bolstered its massive stimulus programme to try to counter the impact of the Fed move, setting up a new programme to buy exchange-traded funds, extend the maturity of bonds it owns to around 12 years and increase purchases of risky assets.
In Taiwan, the central bank unexpectedly cut interest rates for the second time this year.
"The global macro dynamics from the beginning of a Fed rate hiking cycle are slowly playing out across the world," Angus Nicholson, market analyst at IG in Melbourne, said in a note to clients.
"In the direct wake of the decision we have seen some dramatic moves in central bank policy with Taiwan cutting its benchmark interest rate, Hong Kong and Mexico both hiking rates, and Argentina removing currency controls."
MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was down 0.6 percent, but still on course to finish the week up 1.5 percent. Emerging market stocks fell 1 percent, back at levels seen before the Fed decision.
Against a basket of other major currencies, the dollar was up 1.3 percent, headed for its best week since early November, although it slipped on Friday.
The dollar sank 1.1 percent against the Japanese currency to 121.16 yen and weakened against the euro.
Argentina's peso plummeted 28 percent on Thursday after the country's new government lifted long-held restrictions and floated the currency. President Mauricio Macri has promised to implement free-market reforms in an attempt to heal the crisis-ridden economy.
U.S. crude futures hit levels not seen in nearly seven years on Friday at $34.50 a barrel. Brent crude was headed for its third week of losses, down 0.6 percent at $36.84.
Gold edged up slightly from Thursday, when it suffered its biggest slide in five months. Spot gold rose 0.4 percent, after tumbling 2 percent on Thursday, and is down 1.7 percent for the week.
(Additional reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta, Dhara Ranasinghe, Lisa Twaronite and Nichola Saminather; Editing by Larry King)