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- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
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- At least 10 dead in Florida after Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes
- Internet Archive reels from 'catastrophic' cyberattack, data breach
- Wall Street stocks retreat from records on US inflation data
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 22
- Solar storm could impact US hurricane recovery efforts: agency
- Delta eyes Election Day travel pullback as profits climb
- Florida battered by hurricane, floods but spared 'worst-case scenario'
- UK's William and Kate in first joint public engagement since cancer treatment
- Over 200 women in legal talks with Harrods over Fayed abuse claims
- A very stiff breeze: BBC says sorry for 20,000 kph wind forecast
- Musk finally unveiling his long-promised robotaxi
- London's Frieze art fair goes potty for ceramics
- US, Europe stocks fall on US inflation data
- US consumer inflation eases to 2.4% in September
- Hurricane Milton tornadoes kill four in Florida amid rescue efforts
- South Korea's Han Kang wins literature Nobel
- Ikea posts fall in annual sales after lowering prices
- Stock markets diverge, oil gains after China rebounds
- World can't 'waste time' trading climate change blame: COP29 hosts
- South Korean same-sex couples make push for marriage equality
- Mumbai declares day of mourning for Indian industrialist Ratan Tata
- 7-Eleven owner restructures to fight takeover
- Sri Lanka recovering faster than expected: World Bank
- Hong Kong, Shanghai rally as most markets track Wall St record
- Uniqlo owner reports record annual earnings
- Hong Kong, Shanghai rally as markets track Wall St record
- Indonesia biomass drive threatens key forests: report
- Mumbai mourns Indian industrialist Ratan Tata
- China opens $71 bn 'swap facility' to boost markets
- Asian markets track Wall St record as Hong Kong, Shanghai stabilise
- 'Denying my potential': women at Japan's top university call out gender imbalance
- China's central bank says opens up $70.6 bn in liquidity to boost market
- Youth facing unprecedented wave of violence, UN envoy warns
- 'A casino in every kitchen': Brazil's online gambling craze
- Nobel chemistry winner sees engineered proteins solving tough problems
- Discord seen as online home for renegades
- US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
- Ratan Tata: Indian mogul who built a global powerhouse
- One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
- Indian business titan Ratan Tata dead at 86
- Fed minutes highlight divisions over rate cut decision
- Steve McQueen debuts new WWII film at London festival
- Nobel winners hope protein work will spur 'incredible' breakthroughs
- What are proteins again? Nobel-winning chemistry explained
Markets rise with Wall St on lower rate hopes
Markets on Friday tracked a Wall Street rally after a top Federal Reserve official said he would back a small interest-rate hike at its next meeting but hinted at a possible summer pause to see how tighter policy has impacted inflation.
A strong run of data sent chills through trading floors in February -- wiping out almost all January's rally -- as investors realised the US central bank had more work to do to control prices.
The unease largely overshadowed optimism about China's recovery after officials ended three years of strict zero-Covid containment measures that battered the world's number two economy.
Several Fed policymakers have lined up this year to insist that while inflation is coming down, they remain determined to keep hiking rates until they hit their two percent target.
The latest indicators have led investors to bet on rates hitting a peak of 5.5 percent, though six percent has also been mooted, putting further downward pressure on equities.
However, while talk has been swirling that the central bank could hike rates by 50 basis points at its March meeting, traders were given some much-needed hope by Atlanta Fed chief Raphael Bostic, who said he favoured a 25-point move.
He also questioned whether it should go much higher than 5.25 percent from the current 4.5-4.75 percent. That would allow the bank to pause its tightening in the summer.
"I let the data guide me," he said. "If the data continue to come in suggesting the economy is stronger than I had projected, I'll adjust my policy trajectory."
His comments came after he and Minneapolis boss Neel Kashkari called for more hikes and for rates to be held for some time into next year.
Meanwhile, figures released Thursday showed that eurozone inflation remained sticky in February, leading European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde to say more tightening was needed.
All three main indexes on Wall Street ended in the green, with the Dow up more than one percent.
And Asia followed suit. Tokyo piled on more than one percent, alomg with Hong Kong and Mumbai, while Shanghai, Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Manila also enjoyed their time in the sun.
London, Paris and Frankfurt rose at the open.
SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes said that while markets remained uncertain, "unlike last year, where policy shocks drove market shifts through most of the year, this year's price action has been driven as much by improving global growth as by tighter global policy".
"Indeed, that is a more digestible mix for stock market operators. Still, the uptick in January inflation has muddied this picture and caused a fair bit of panic in market circles."
However, he warned: "As long as activity data remain too strong, fanning the inflation fires, the real vulnerability for risk assets is a definitive hawkish policy shift, particularly from Chair (Jerome) Powell, who represents the core members."
- Key figures around 0820 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.6 percent at 27,927.47 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 20,567.54 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,328.39 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,956.60
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0615 from $1.0599 on Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.1976 from $1.1949
Euro/pound: DOWN at 88.64 pence from 88.68 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 136.30 yen from 136.73 yen
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.5 percent at $77.78 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.5 percent at $84.32 per barrel
New York - Dow: UP 1.1 percent at 33,003.57 (close)
D.Avraham--CPN