By Dominic Lau LONDON, Nov 10 (Reuters) - World stocks and copper prices fell on Wednesday on concerns about softening demand from China after slower-than-expected import data, while the dollar recovered further and hit its highest level in two weeks. Borrowing costs for Ireland rose to a euro lifetime high after a clearing house raised margin requirements for Irish debt, highlighting nervousness about the country, which is struggling to pass the first of four austerity budgets next month. Data showed Chinese October import growth was slower than expected, indicating softening domestic demand. China, a major engine of global growth, has also raised required reserves for its biggest banks to mop up some of the cash that is streaming into the country and posing a growing inflationary threat, following a fresh round of money-printing by the U.S. Federal Reserve. [ID:nSGE6A9091] The move fuelled worries that Chinese authorities may further try to cool economic expansion. "Growth in China imports has slowed down, that will be a bit of a concern for the market," Heino Ruland, strategist at Ruland Research in Frankfurt, said. "But earnings have been better than expected and any dip could be a buying opportunity." Stock markets in Hong Kong .HSI and China .SSEC fell, while world equities measured by the MSCI All-Country World Index .MIWD00000PUS lost 0.5 percent. Japan's Nikkei average .N225 rose 1.4 percent to its highest close in more than four months, buoyed by financial shares, with Mizuho Financial (8411.T) up 7.6 percent, after a report that most major Asian banks may be exempt from planned new global rules. [.T] However, people close to the G20's taskforce on financial regulation said global regulators have yet to draw up lists of banks judged "too big to fail". [ID:nTOE6A904O] <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ G20 battle lines: r.reuters.com/jux34q Reshaping financial rules: r.reuters.com/zys68p FX futures positioning: r.reuters.com/kus26k Currency tensions package: r.reuters.com/deh58p Euro zone struggles with debt: r.reuters.com/hyb65p Ireland's bailout graphic: r.reuters.com/wuv48p ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> U.S. stock index futures SPc1 DJc1 NDc1 were down 0.05 to up 0.1 percent, indicating a steady open on Wall Street, ahead of weekly jobless claims data. Europe's FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 dropped 0.3 percent, led by commodity stocks after China's copper imports fell to their lowest level for a year and oil shipments were down 30 percent. Copper CMCU3 fell 1.3 percent, while gold XAU= rose 0.8 percent though off its record high hit in the previous session. Oil eased 0.2 percent to trade below $87 a barrel after hitting a two-year high on Tuesday.

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