* U.S. dollar on track for best month since November
* Imminent U.S. rate rises still on investors' minds
* European shares retreat but stay close to 1-month high
By Sudip Kar-Gupta
LONDON, May 27 (Reuters) - The U.S dollar rose on Friday
while world stock markets were steady, as investors braced for
the likelihood of a hike in U.S. interest rates in coming
months.
The MSCI All-Country World equity index .MIWD00000PUS
edged higher by 0.1 percent.
The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index .FTEU3 of leading
European shares slipped 0.1 percent but remained in touching
distance of a one-month reached earlier this week. .EU .
"Markets are doing remarkably well given that a U.S.
interest rate rise might happen as early as next month," said
Lex Van Dam, hedge fund manager at Hampstead Capital.
The dollar index .DXY rose 0.1 percent and was on track
for its best monthly performance since last November, after a
string of U.S Federal Reserve officials raised expectations for
a hike in interest rates as early as June, given signs of
strength in the world's biggest economy.
Investors were also looking out for further clues on when
U.S. rates might go up from a speech due later in the day from
Federal Reseve head Janet Yellen.
"I'm not sure if U.S. interest rates will go up in June, but
July is quite likely," said Clairinvest fund manager Ion-Marc
Valahu, who added that he had recently cancelled some earlier
"short" positions that were betting on the dollar losing ground.
A stronger U.S. dollar can often lift European stocks, since
a weaker euro EUR= can help European companies to export their
goods overseas.
However, some traders said stock markets were unlikely to
make much headway in the coming month, given the uncertainty
over issues such as future U.S. rate rises and Britain's June
vote on its membership of the European Union.
"With the headwinds of a possible interest rate hike from
the Federal Reserve, and the EU referendum in June, there might
not be a huge amount of new money coming into the market," said
Manoj Ladwa, head of trading at TJM Partners.