(Updates prices ahead of European open)
* S&P, European futures whipsawed as U.S. vote too close to call
* Final result might not be known for a day or more
* Tech stocks gain on talk a Trump win would favour sector
* Dollar rallies, 10-yr Treasury yields down sharply
* Gold retreats, oil clings to gains
* Graphic: 2020 asset performance http://tmsnrt.rs/2yaDPgn
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2020 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh
By Marc Jones and Wayne Cole
LONDON/SYDNEY, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Share markets were whipsawed, while bonds and the dollar rose on Wednesday as results from the U.S. presidential election proved far closer than polls had predicted, potentially leaving the outcome in doubt for days to come.
Democratic contender Joe Biden took to the air to declare he was still optimistic about winning and called for all votes to be counted, no matter how long it took.
President Donald Trump responded saying that he had won, that "they" were trying to steal the election, without providing evidence, and that he would go the U.S. Supreme Court to fight for the win if needed.
Investors had initially wagered that a possible Democratic sweep by Biden could ease political risk while promising a huge boost to fiscal stimulus.
But the mood quickly changed as Trump snatched Florida and ran much closer in other major battleground states than polls had predicted. equity futures went on a wild ride, rising then falling, climbing again as the voting seemed to favour Trump before buckling again in tandem with European futures after Trump vowed to make a Supreme Court challenge. .EU
"It means possibly quite a lot of volatility," said AXA Group's Chief Economist Gilles Moec in London.
"As it is not clear, markets are going to overreact to every tiny piece of news," such as any further talk from Trump or Biden about legal fights.
(For the latest results and news on U.S. election, click: https://www.reuters.com/world/us-election2020 )
Dealers said investors could be thinking a status quo result would at least lessen political uncertainty and remove the risk a Biden administration would roll back corporate tax cuts.
The technology sector seemed encouraged, with NASDAQ futures rising as much as 2.2% at one point before easing back to 0.6% up NQc1 . E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 ESc1 dropped 1% though after Trump's news conference. EUROSTOXX 50 futures STXEc1 were last down 1.6% having been fractionally higher just 30 minutes earlier. FFIc1 .
Andrew Brenner, head of international fixed income at NatAlliance Securities, said the move in techs looked like it was a play on the Senate potentially staying Republican.
Brenner said that under a Biden win tech stocks were seen faring worse, partly due to Democrats going after the sector in hearings and also that a potential rise in capital gains tax would hit tech stocks harder.
Japan's Nikkei .N225 was ahead by 1.7%, while MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS edged up 0.2%.
Chinese blue chips .CSI300 rose 0.7%, with markets uncertain how Sino-U.S. relations would develop from here.
Some investors were now hedging against the risk of a contested election or at least a drawn-out process as mail-in ballots were counted.
"It's a wait-and-see," said Matt Sherwood, head of investment strategy at Perpetual in Sydney.
"I think the odds of a clean (Democrat) sweep are diminishing, almost by the minute. That reduces the possibility, or the likelihood at least of a large stimulus program being agreed to in the first days of a Biden administration."
That saw 10-year Treasury yields fall all the way back to 0.81% US10YT=RR , having been at a five-month top of 0.93%.
The U.S. dollar had a roller coaster session, reversing early losses to be last up 1% on a basket of currencies at 93.902 =USD . The euro fell back hard to $1.1640 EUR= and away from a top of $1.1768.
The chance of a Trump victory saw the dollar jump 2% on the Mexican peso MXN= on the assumption U.S. trade policies would continue to favour tariffs. Norway's crown NOK= and Australia's risk-sensitive dollar AUD=D3 both tumbled too.
Going the other way, the dollar eased 0.9% on the Russian rouble RUB= which had been one of the hardest fallers in the run up to the election.
STILL TO COME
Investors are still awaiting the outcome of U.S. Federal Reserve and Bank of England meetings this week, which are expected to at least give a nod to further stimulus.
The Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday cut interest rates to near zero and boosted its bond-buying program, adding to the tidal wave of cheap money flooding the global financial system. had recently been buoyed by all this liquidity but ran into profit-taking on Wednesday, losing 0.6% to $1,896 an ounce.
Oil prices held gains made after industry data showed crude inventories in the United States dropped sharply. O/R
Dealers noted a returned Republican administration would likely be more positive for the oil industry than Democrats that favoured renewable technology.
U.S. crude futures CLc1 were up 90 cents at $38.56 a barrel, with Brent crude LCOc1 futures gaining 91 cents to $40.62.
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https://tmsnrt.rs/2zpUAr4 Asia-Pacific valuations
https://tmsnrt.rs/2Dr2BQA Key emerging currencies being split by U.S. election
https://tmsnrt.rs/326Toa7 Global markets since Trump's election
https://tmsnrt.rs/3jNwnis World stocks market cap rise over last four years
https://tmsnrt.rs/2TL19hh
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