* Dollar dips as Bernanke cools U.S. rate rise speculation
* Asian shares flat as investors take a breather
* Japan announces extra stimulus spending but shares ease
* European shares set for flat opening (Repeats to more subscribers)
By Susan Fenton
HONG KONG, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The dollar dipped on Tuesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke dampened speculation of an early U.S. interest rate rise, while Asian shares steadied as investors took a breather after recent gains.
European shares were set to be little changed on opening,
according to financial spreadbetters, while U.S. equity futures
The dollar <.DXY> eased 0.2 percent against a basket of major currencies after Bernanke said the U.S. economy faced "formidable headwinds" including tight credit conditions, cooling expectations for an early rate rise which were prompted by promising U.S. jobs data on Friday.
The Fed was sticking to a pledge to keep rates at exceptionally low levels for an "extended period", Bernanke said. [ID:nN07169826]
Asian shares recovered early losses as investors were both relieved that the United States was not about to accelerate an upturn in the global interest rate cycle, but concerned about the outlook for the world's biggest economy and Asia's leading export market.
Japan's Nikkei <.N225> dipped 0.3 percent after hitting a six-week closing high on Monday, as investors took profits on shares of exporters. Shipping company stocks also lost ground after the Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index <.BADI>, which tracks rates to ship dry commodities, fell for the first time in four days.
Markets were little fazed by news that the Japanese government had finalised a 7.2 trillion yen ($80.6 billion) stimulus package, slightly more than its original plan. [ID:nTOE5B7091F]
"The stimulus news had been mostly factored in as the increase was almost due to pressure from the market," said Masaru Hamasaki, a senior strategist at Toyota Asset Management in Japan.
Tokyo also said it was closely watching exchange rate
movements as the yen
DUBAI SHARES SKID
The MSCI index of Asia Pacific stocks traded outside Japan <.MIAPJ0000PUS> was virtually unchanged.
Investors are becoming more cautious as the year-end draws near and the price of risk is rising, according to the VIX fear factor index <.VIX>, which rose 4 percent overnight.
Asian investors will be especially careful to ensure they hold on to gains as the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index has rallied 66 percent this year, analysts say.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index <.HSI> was down 0.6 percent and
banking giant HSBC Holdings <0005.HK>
The Middle East conglomerate is talking with HSBC and other creditors this week and a Dubai newspaper said on Tuesday that they had set a new date for $3.5 million in debts maturing on Dec. 14. [ID:nSP521377]
Dubai's leading share index <.DFMGI> skidded 5.5 percent in early trade to a 21-week low on continued nervousness about financial stability.
Gold
U.S. President Barack Obama is due to make a speech at 1625 GMT when he will lay out proposals to combat double-digit unemployment, although they are unlikely to move markets, analysts said.
Asian currencies, hurt overnight along with other riskier currencies by news that Standard & Poor's had put Greece on negative credit watch, rebounded as the dollar slipped on receding U.S. rate rise expectations.
The Australian dollar
"It is back to the status quo," said Richard Grace, chief currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia in Sydney.
"This means U.S. yields are likely to stay fairly unattractive for some period and that should give a boost to currencies like the Aussie."
The Korean won