- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Shanghai markets sink ahead of briefing on mixed day for Asia
- Investors, analysts eye bigger China stimulus at Saturday briefing
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
- At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Asian markets mixed after Wall St drop, Shanghai dips before briefing
- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
- Musk's promised robotaxi unveil delayed
- On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument
- 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
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European stock markets, euro slump on banking fallout
Europe's stock markets and the euro slumped Wednesday on renewed fears of contagion following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.
The main US crude oil contract, WTI, slid under $70 per barrel for the first time since December 2021.
Eurozone equities tumbled more than three percent in value and the euro lost one percent against the dollar.
In Switzerland, Credit Suisse stock plunged more than 20 percent to strike record lows.
Shares in Switzerland's second-biggest bank hit 1.73 Swiss francs after the Saudi National Bank chief ruled out upping the key shareholder's stake in the Zurich-based lender, which has been rocked by repeated scandals.
"The financial sector in Europe is under significant turmoil today as a result of SVB's fallout," noted Naeem Aslam, chief investment officer at Zaye Capital Markets.
It follows the demise over the weekend of US lenders SVB and Signature Bank -- the biggest casualties since the global financial crisis of 2008.
Having slumped at the start of the week, global equities recovered Tuesday and in Asia on Wednesday before Europe's latest slump.
Bank shares tumbled across Europe, with Germany's Commerzbank and France's Societe Generale and BNP Paribas shedding more than 10 percent. British lender Barclays gave up about seven percent.
"What began as a regional banking crisis in the US has suddenly morphed into a European one," said IG analyst Chris Beauchamp.
"Surely the ECB are not going to hike yet again just as the crisis intensifies," he told AFP.
The European Central Bank is poised to raise interest rates again Thursday to tackle high inflation, but the banking crisis has fuelled concern about the health of the sector as borrowing costs increase.
"While the European Central Bank is seen have already pre-committed itself to a 50 basis-point rate hike tomorrow, this won't support the euro if concerns over the health of the financial sector remain dominant," added Rabobank analyst Jane Foley.
- Key figures around 1115 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 2.3 percent at 7,462.86 points
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 2.7 percent at 14,830.83
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 3.1 percent at 6,917.62
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 3.0 percent at 4,053.04
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at 27,229.48 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.5 percent at 19,539.87 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.6 percent at 3,263.21 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 1.1 percent at 32,155.40 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0616 from $1.0735 on Tuesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2071 from $1.2156
Euro/pound: DOWN at 87.93 pence from 88.29 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 133.74 yen from 134.20 yen
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.7 percent at $70.13 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 1.6 percent at $76.20 per barrel
burs-bcp/rfj/lth
A.Mykhailo--CPN