- German 'Maddie' suspect could be free soon after cleared of separate sex crimes
- China says to take anti-dumping measures against EU brandy imports
- China stocks rally fizzles on stimulus worries amid Asia retreat
- China stocks rally peters out on stimulus worries amid Asia retreat
- Taiwan's Foxconn says building world's largest 'superchip' plant
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- From Bolivia to Indonesia, deforestation continues apace
- China holds off on fresh stimulus but 'confident' will hit growth target
- German suspect in 'Maddie' case faces verdict in sex crimes trial
- Top economic official 'confident' China will hit 2024 growth target
- COP29 fight looms over climate funds for developing world
- Shanghai stocks soar to extend stimulus rally amid Asia-wide drop
- Will Tesla's robotaxi reveal live up to hype?
- 'Invisibility' and quantum computing tipped for physics Nobel
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street falls
- 'Dark day': Victims mourned around the globe on Oct. 7 anniversary
- Mission to probe smashed asteroid launches despite hurricane
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street slips
- Europe's asteroid mission Hera launches despite hurricane
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street retreats
- What is microRNA? Nobel-winning discovery explained
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Cancer, cardiovascular drugs tipped for Nobel as prize week opens
- Tunisia incumbent Saied set to win presidential vote: exit polls
- 'Difficult day': Oct 7 commemorations begin with festival memorial
- Commemorations begin for anniversary of attack on Israel
- Tunisia voting ends as Saied eyes re-election with critics behind bars
- Drowned by hurricane, remote N.Carolina towns now struggle for water
- Two elephants die in flash flooding in northern Thailand
- Tunisia votes with Saied set for re-election
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Italy targets climate activists in 'anti-Gandhi' demo clampdown
- US trade chief defends tariff hikes when paired with investment
- EU court blocks French ban on vegetable 'steak' labelling
- Meta AI turns pictures into videos with sound
- US dockworkers return to ports after three-day strike
- DR Congo to begin mpox vaccination campaign Saturday in east
- Meta must limit data use for targeted ads: EU court
- Oil extends gains, jobs report lifts Wall Street
- US hiring soars past expectations in sign of resilient market
- As EU targets Chinese cars, European rivals sputter
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Dollar falls after Federal Reserve shift in tone, stocks mixed
The dollar continued to retreat Thursday on shifting expectations for US monetary policy, while global stocks finished mixed after digesting data showing record low eurozone unemployment and a moderation in US inflation.
The greenback fell decisively against the euro and other major currencies, a day after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell signaled a pivot in monetary policy away from ultra-aggressive interest rate hikes to counter inflation.
Powell said Wednesday the US central bank could slow the pace of interest rate increases as soon as at its December meeting.
"Still-too-hot inflation has the Fed on track to further raise rates. But the pace of increases could slow as soon as this month," said Convera's Joe Manimbo.
"A less hawkish outlook for Fed policy has left the dollar increasingly vulnerable as its big rate increases helped fuel its surge to two-decade highs."
A day after Powell's remarks spurred a dramatic rally on Wall Street, US indices finished mixed, with the Dow declining and the Nasdaq eking out a gain.
The personal consumption expenditures price index -- a closely-watched inflation benchmark -- rose 6.0 percent from a year ago in October, down from a larger jump the month before, Commerce Department figures showed.
But a survey of US manufacturers showed the sector contracted in November for the first time since mid-2020.
The manufacturing report adds to "festering growth concerns," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare, who nonetheless was encouraged by the market's steady performance after Wednesday's big rally.
Investors are looking ahead to Friday's employment report, which analysts expect will show the US economy added 200,000 jobs in November and that unemployment held steady at 3.7 percent.
- Record-low eurozone unemployment -
Earlier, bourses in Paris and Frankfurt both advanced after the EU's Eurostat office estimated eurozone unemployment at a record low of 6.5 percent in October.
Recession expectations remain high in Europe.
Inflation is running hot, despite falling back in the latest reading on Wednesday at 10 percent -- above the European Central Bank's two-percent target -- largely because of high energy prices spurred by the fallout of Russia's war in Ukraine.
The European Central Bank will pore over the latest indicators as it walks a tightrope between raising interest rates to combat inflation and the risk of tipping the economy into a deep recession.
An analysis note from ING bank said the unemployment data showed "the labor market remains resilient despite the slowing economy."
It added that it expected the ECB to remain "on high alert in its fight against inflation."
In Asia, Hong Kong extended gains into a third day, with tech giants including Alibaba and Tencent tracking massive increases in their US-listed stock, while Shanghai was also up.
Equities were helped by signs that China is edging towards a more pragmatic approach to fighting the coronavirus, having hammered the economy with its strict zero-Covid strategy of snap lockdowns and mass testing.
After widespread unrest against the measures -- and calls for more political freedoms -- authorities announced moves aimed at loosening some restrictions.
- Key figures around 2145 GMT -
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.6 percent at 34,395.01 (close)
New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.1 percent at 4,076.57 (close)
New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.1 percent at 11,482.45 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,558.49 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 14,490.30 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 6,753.97 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.5 percent at 3,984.50 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.9 percent at 28,226.08 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 18,736.44 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,165.47 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0529 from $1.0406 on Wednesday
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 135.34 yen from 138.07 yen
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2251 from $1.2058
Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.91 pence from 86.30 pence
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $86.88 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.8 percent at $81.22 per barrel
burs-jmb/bys
Y.Jeong--CPN