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- '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
- Top EU court finds against FIFA in key transfer market ruling
- Oil extends gains, Hong Kong stocks resume rally
- 'A man provides': Ukrainian miners send families away as Russia advances
- EU states greenlight extra tariffs on EVs from China
- Hong Kong stocks resume rally, oil dips after Middle East-fuelled surge
- Crude stable after Israel-Iran surge, Hong Kong stocks resume gains
- 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
- What next for OpenAI after $157 billion bonanza?
- 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
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European equities waver on economic gloom
European stock markets wavered on Wednesday on news that the eurozone and UK economies shrank in November, but by less than the prior month.
In midday deals, Frankfurt equities fell 0.2 percent and Paris flatlined, while London won 0.3 percent.
Oil prices slid on fears of more painful Covid lockdowns in China that could ravage the Asian giant's energy demand.
The euro steadied against the dollar and yen.
- 'Grim picture' -
The eurozone's composite purchasing managers index (PMI), a key economic indicator, improved from 47.3 in October to 47.8 in November, S&P Global said.
However, activity languished under 50 -- signifying the fifth consecutive month of economic contraction as inflation spikes.
"The latest macroeconomic data from Europe continues to paint a grim picture," said City Index analyst Fawad Razaqzada.
"Flash manufacturing and services PMIs for France and Germany, and eurozone as a whole, remain in contraction territory.
"Although the PMI data still managed to beat expectations, that's only because we are seeing improvement from a very low base."
Britain's composite PMI was also fractionally higher, from 48.2 to 48.3 in November, but that marked the fourth straight contraction.
The news comes after the UK government recently confirmed that the nation's economy was in recession, with inflation sitting at a 41-year high.
The reading is "consistent with our view that the (British) economy is probably already in recession", noted Capital Economics analyst Ashley Webb.
Elsewhere, Asian stocks rose on hopes that the Federal Reserve will carry out smaller US rate hikes at its next few meetings after inflation cooled in the world's biggest economy.
But there is growing concern that a surge in China's Covid-19 cases will see officials impose more economically-damaging restrictions.
Wall Street on Tuesday enjoyed a timely rally thanks to healthy retailer earnings amid signs US consumers -- the economy's key driver -- remain resilient to higher borrowing costs and inflation.
Minutes from the Fed's policy meeting this month will be pored over when they are released Wednesday, with traders hoping for some insight into the bank's thinking on rates.
However, US trading volumes are likely to be muted ahead of Thanksgiving on Thursday.
Traders were also keeping tabs on protests at the world's largest iPhone factory as Foxconn workers grow increasingly angry at long-running Covid curbs.
- Key figures around 1200 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 7,473.95 points
Paris - CAC 40: FLAT at 6,659.70
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 14,401.20
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.1 percent at 3,935.38
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.6 percent at 17,523.81 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.3 percent at 3,096.91 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: Closed for a holiday
New York - Dow: UP 1.2 percent at 34,098.10 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0315 from $1.0304 on Tuesday
Dollar/yen: UP at 141.45 yen from 141.23 yen
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.1938 from $1.1886
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.39 pence from 86.69 pence
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.1 percent at $79.22 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 2.3 percent at $86.32 per barrel
burs-rfj/bcp/kjm
H.Meyer--CPN