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- EU states greenlight extra tariffs on EVs from China
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- Hera spacecraft to probe asteroid deflected by defence test
- US dockworkers to head back to work after tentative deal
- After Helene's destruction, North Carolina starts to rebuild
- Dockers end three-day strike at Montreal port
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- Israel-Hamas war causes 86-percent dive in Gaza GDP: IMF
- Milan's Morata moves house after Inter-fan town mayor 'violates' privacy
- 'Devastating' storm hits Augusta National but Masters will go on
- Relief in Brazil, Asia over delay to EU deforestation rules
- Oil prices jump, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Biden says 'discussing' possible Israeli strikes on Iran oil facilities
- Oil prices rise, stocks fall on Middle East tensions
- Oil rallies, stocks mostly retreat on Middle East tensions
- Phasing out teen smoking could save 1.2 mn lives: study
- 'Welcome relief': Asia producers hail EU deforestation law delay
- Japan PM slated to announce plans for 'happiness index'
- Turkish inflation falls less than expected in September at 49.4%
- Easing inflation lifts profit at UK supermarket Tesco
- Skiing calls on UN climate science to combat melting future
- China wine industry looks to breed climate resilience
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong drops after surge
- Dutch airline KLM unveils 'firm' cost-cutting measures
- Carpe diem: the Costa Rican women turning fish into fashion
- Senegal looks to aquaculture as fish stocks dwindle
- Will AI one day win a Nobel Prize?
- Climate change, economics muddy West's drive to curb Chinese EVs
- Argentina's Milei vetoes university budget after huge protests
- TotalEnergies plans to grow oil and gas production until 2030
- 2024 Nobels offer glimmer of hope as global crises mount
- Tokyo rallies on weak yen, Hong Kong reverses after surge
- Tunisia readies for vote as incumbent Saied eyes victory
- High childcare costs in US weigh on women's employment
- US voters seek help with crushing childcare costs
- Taiwan shuts down for second day as Typhoon Krathon to land
- Supercharged storms: how climate change amplifies cyclones
- Biden official urges talks as US port strike enters second day
- Huge protests in Argentina over public university cuts
- Rally in oil prices loses steam on mixed day for global stocks
- South America treated to rare 'ring of fire' eclipse
- Biden official says port strike deal not as far as parties think
- Mexico's new president offers apology for 1968 student massacre
- Historic funding round values OpenAI at $157 billion
- Mixed US car sales in Q3 as industry hopes for post-election bounce
RBGPF | 100% | 58.93 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.16% | 24.74 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.16% | 24.89 | $ | |
SCS | -1.98% | 12.62 | $ | |
BCC | -0.9% | 138.29 | $ | |
GSK | -2.81% | 38.37 | $ | |
AZN | -2.12% | 77.93 | $ | |
RIO | -1.42% | 69.83 | $ | |
BTI | -2.45% | 35.11 | $ | |
NGG | -2.7% | 66.97 | $ | |
RYCEF | 1.15% | 6.98 | $ | |
RELX | -1.46% | 46.61 | $ | |
BCE | -1.77% | 33.84 | $ | |
JRI | -0.6% | 13.3 | $ | |
VOD | -0.52% | 9.69 | $ | |
BP | 0.28% | 32.46 | $ |
European stocks mainly rise, London down as rate hike looms
European stocks mostly rose Thursday but London fell before an expected interest rate hike from the Bank of England, while traders tracked Chinese military drills around Taiwan.
Oil prices edged higher, one day after sinking as major producers announced a small output increase.
The London stock market declined ahead of the Bank of England's latest rate decision at 1100 GMT.
The BoE is tipped by economists to ramp up interest rates by a half-point, the biggest hike in almost 30 years, mirroring aggressive monetary policy elsewhere as it seeks to cool decades-high inflation.
"All eyes (are) on (the) BoE to see if follows other central banks and delivers a larger hike," said MUFG analyst Lee Hardman.
Rising interest rates tend to weigh on shares because they lift business loan repayments and eat further into consumers' incomes.
In company news, Rolls-Royce shares sank 10 percent after the British engine maker revealed it tanked into a £1.6-billion ($1.9-billion) net loss in the first half on adverse currency movements, despite rebounding revenues.
Frankfurt and Paris stock markets meanwhile advanced.
Most Asian indices tracked a Wall Street rally fuelled by healthy economic and earnings data, despite lingering Taiwan concerns.
New York surged Wednesday after a report on the crucial US services sector showed surprise improvement, soothing recession fears in the world's top economy.
That came as several companies -- including Electronic Arts, Starbucks and Moderna -- posted strong earnings, extending a broadly positive reporting season in the face of surging inflation and rising interest rates.
Markets have swung this week after a number of Federal Reserve officials lined up to suggest there were still some big US rate hikes likely and talk of cuts next year might be overdone.
- Pelosi visit -
The mood in Asia was also a lot more settled after the upheaval of this week's visit to Taiwan by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, which sparked outrage in China with warnings of stern military and economic responses.
Beijing has suspended a limited amount of cross-strait imports and exports, and on Thursday began its largest-ever military exercises encircling Taiwan that are expected to last for days.
Soon after, Taiwan's defence ministry said it was "preparing for war without seeking war".
Taipei stocks fell again on worries that the Chinese manoeuvres would hit shipping lanes and flights into Taiwan.
- Key figures at around 0940 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,431.05 points
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.9 percent at 13,706.27
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.5 at 6,504.53
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.6 percent at 3,755.04
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.7 percent at 27,932.20 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 2.1 percent at 20,174.04 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.8 percent at 3,189.04 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 1.3 percent at 32,812.50 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0188 from $1.0166 Wednesday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2166 from $1.2149
Euro/pound: UP at 83.73 pence from 83.63 pence
Dollar/yen: UP at 134.26 yen from 133.86 yen
Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.4 percent at $97.16 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.3 percent at $90.95 per barrel
burs/rfj/lth
Y.Ponomarenko--CPN