- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- '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
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US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
US and European stock markets rose Friday as traders weighed the outlook for interest rates and solid earnings from banking giant JPMorgan Chase.
Expectations of another bumper rate cut by the Federal Reserve were dampened by data Thursday showing US consumer inflation slowed to 2.4 percent in September, which was slightly above analyst expectations.
"Somewhat higher-than-expected inflation in September has eliminated market expectations of anything more than a 25 basis point interest rate reduction at the Fed's November meeting," said market strategist Patrick Munnelly at traders Tickmill Group.
Fresh data on Friday showed US wholesale prices were unchanged in September.
Insurance company Nationwide said the latest inflation report "won't spoil the Fed's plans" to further reduce interest rates in 2024.
The central bank's next policy meeting is in November.
Shares in JPMorgan Chase jumped more than five percent after the bank reported lower profits but topped estimates, with executives saying the economy was poised to avoid a recession.
Tesla shares fell almost eight percent as investors were apparently disappointed by Elon Musk's presentation of a much-hyped electric Robotaxi without steering wheels or pedals.
Critics said the presentation was short on details of financial steps and timelines to make the product a reality.
Wall Street's three main indexes were up in midday deals, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq reversing morning losses.
The Paris and Frankfurt stock markets closed higher as the European Central Bank is expected to make its third interest rate cut of the year next week.
Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at City Index and Forex.com, said the ECB is expected to reduce rates by 25 basis points, half the size of the Fed's first rate cut in four years last month.
"Holding the ECB from being more aggressive in its rate-cutting is the still-strong wage growth in Eurozone, and the fact that the Fed has signalled it won't cut rates aggressively again following its initial 50 basis point rate cut," Razaqzada said.
"Middle East tensions add another layer of uncertainty for Eurozone given that its largest member states are all net energy importers," he said.
In London, the British capital's top-tier FTSE 100 index rose as data showed the UK economy rebounded in August after stagnating for two months, giving a boost to the new Labour government weeks before it presents its maiden budget.
In Asia, the Shanghai stock market closed more than two percent lower after a week dominated by concerns over a lack of detail on the scale of China's recent batch of stimulus measures.
Focus is now on a briefing Saturday at which Finance Minister Lan Fo'an is to set out fiscal policy.
"The stakes are high -- most observers agree that recent stimulus announcements won't amount to much unless backed up by fiscal support," said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at Capital Economics, in a note.
"Three factors will be key in determining the impact of stimulus: its scale, where it's channelled, and how soon it's deployed," he said.
Elsewhere, oil steadied after having surged more than three percent Thursday following the Israeli defence minister's vow that his country would strike Iran in retaliation for last week's missile attack.
- Key figures around 1600 GMT -
New York - Dow: UP 0.8 percent at 42,796.92 points
New York - S&P 500: UP 0.6 percent at 5,814.33
New York - Nasdaq: UP 0.3 percent at 18,344.57
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,253.65 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.5 percent at 7,577.89 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.9 percent at 19,373.83 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 39,605.80 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 2.6 percent at 3,217.74 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: Closed for holiday
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0943 from $1.0935 on Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3069 from $1.3058
Dollar/yen: UP at 149.11 yen from 148.58 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.72 pence from 83.73 pence
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.7 percent at $75.33 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.6 percent at $78.94 per barrel
M.Mendoza--CPN