- Marc Marquez quickest in Australian MotoGP practice
- 'Like Texas': Spain's arid south draws Western film shoots
- With record production, Moldova plum farmers hail EU integration
- Nigerians sacrifice cars as cost of living crisis worsens
- Liverpool face Chelsea title test, Ten Hag fights to avoid sack
- Asian markets swing as China economic growth slows
- Pogba's shadow looms over Juve as revitalised Lazio come to town
- 'Unbelievable' Raphinha leading Barca into tricky triple-header
- In-form Marmoush and Frankfurt hope to tackle history at wounded Leverkusen
- Britain's Lammy in China to 'challenge' Beijing on Russia support
- Manila's car counters help address 'world's worst traffic'
- British racing attendances falling behind, says Qatar Racing's manager
- Rain forces cancellation of opening practice for Australian MotoGP
- Dupont 'beyond surprise' for Toulouse's Kinghorn
- Drought forces Big Tech to rethink thirsty LatAm data centers
- Countries under pressure to fork out for nature at UN conference
- Biden, allies in Berlin to renew Gaza truce call after Hamas leader killed
- Guardians rally to fry Yankees in 10 innings in MLB playoff thriller
- World Bank president focused on job creation ahead of annual meetings
- World Bank chief says lender's climate goals likely safe under Trump
- Japan's core inflation rate slows in September
- King Charles set to arrive in Australia for landmark tour
- Nadal defeated by 'animal' Alcaraz in Saudi Arabia as career nears end
- US charges Indian agent over alleged plot to kill Sikh separatist
- Musk stumps for Trump in key US swing state
- TikTok, Facebook approve ads with US election disinformation, study says
- Purdy and 49ers face Chiefs in Super Bowl rematch
- Kenya deputy president ousted in historic impeachment
- One Direction members 'devastated' by Liam Payne's death
- Norris shrugs off Red Bull 'trick' of the trade at US Grand Prix
- Chelsea, Lyon ease to wins in Women's Champions League
- China expected to post slowing growth as economic woes drag
- Yamasaki brings keirin world title home as Japan takes two track golds
- Netflix adds millions of subscribers but growth slows
- 'Deeply misguided' to wall US off with tariffs: Yellen
- Biden farewell visit to Berlin focused on Ukraine, Mideast wars
- Sinwar killing a blow to Hamas but impact on war uncertain
- Mitzi Gaynor, star of 'South Pacific,' dies aged 93
- Trump says Zelensky 'should never have let' Ukraine war start
- Hayes turns focus to US women's World Cup goal
- Zelensky seeks EU, NATO backing for 'victory plan'
- Bosch stuns Australia as South Africa reach Women's T20 World Cup final
- What we know about One Direction star Liam Payne's death
- Nicotine pouches rise in popularity as US youth tobacco use hits 25-year-low
- Mendis clinches Sri Lanka series win over West Indies
- Israel says killed Hamas chief Sinwar in Gaza
- Panel urges Secret Service shake-up after Trump assassination bid
- Trump, Harris back on friendly ground after tough interrogations
- Pressure on Ten Hag is 'too much': Brentford boss Frank
- Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar: Israel's most wanted man
CMSD | -0.52% | 25.02 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.52% | 24.79 | $ | |
RBGPF | 0.69% | 60.92 | $ | |
SCS | 0.53% | 13.21 | $ | |
NGG | -1.41% | 67.19 | $ | |
BCC | -3.38% | 142.2 | $ | |
RYCEF | 0.68% | 7.4 | $ | |
JRI | -0.15% | 13.15 | $ | |
VOD | -1.23% | 9.73 | $ | |
RIO | -1.32% | 65.09 | $ | |
BCE | 0.03% | 33.49 | $ | |
RELX | 0.91% | 48.59 | $ | |
GSK | -0.64% | 38.96 | $ | |
AZN | -0.37% | 78.02 | $ | |
BTI | -1.22% | 35.37 | $ | |
BP | 1.25% | 31.32 | $ |
Stocks buckle as Ukraine fears linger
Stock markets retreated on Friday at the end of a highly volatile week rocked by twists and turns in the Ukraine crisis and concerns about interest rate hikes.
Asia's main equity markets closed lower after a steep drop on Wall Street Thursday fuelled by renewed fears that Russia would soon invade Ukraine, adding to long-running angst about the Federal Reserve's plans to hike interest rates.
On Friday, US stock markets retreated in early trading, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding 0.3 percent. The S&P 500 and tech-heavy were briefly in the green after opening but fell minutes later.
London's FTSE 100 and the Paris CAC 40 fell in afternoon trading after being in the black earlier in the day. Frankfurt was also down.
"Markets continue to chop around on these Russia headlines", said Neil Wilson, analyst at Markets.com.
Shellfire rang out near the frontline between government forces and rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, as Kyiv and Washington accused Russia of seeking to provoke an incident to falsely justify an invasion.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who will oversee a ballistic missile drill this weekend, warned of a "deterioration of the situation" in eastern Ukraine.
US President Joe Biden will hold talks with Western allies on Friday to discuss Ukraine.
"The markets may be getting some relief as Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov next week," said a note by analysts at Charles Schwab investment firm.
- Oil prices slump -
The crisis over Ukraine comes as traders continue to contend with the prospect of US interest rates rising sharply this year as the Fed tries to rein in inflation at a 40-year high.
After spending most of last year saying surging prices would be transitory, the US central bank is now in full-on firefighting mode.
But commentators fear it may be behind the curve and will have to act more stringently than previously thought.
While tensions in Eastern Europe continue to absorb most of the attention, oil prices extended losses as traders grow increasingly optimistic of a deal on Iran's nuclear programme that could see it restart crude exports.
"Reports of the US and Iran nearing a new nuclear deal couldn't have come at a better time and oil prices are slipping at the prospect of more than a million barrels of crude re-entering the market," noted Craig Erlam, senior market analyst at OANDA trading group.
"In the absence of a deal, we could already be talking about triple-figure oil prices."
Oil prices on Friday lost two percent, with the WTI contract dropping under the $88 mark.
- Key figures around 1435 GMT -
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 34,214.24 points
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,529.40
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 1.1 percent at 15,093.88
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.3 percent at 6,928.68
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.8 percent at 4,079.65
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 27,122.07 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.9 percent at 24,327.71 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 3,490.76 (close)
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.1 percent at $88.15 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 2.0 percent at $91.16 per barrel
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1342 from $1.1366 late Thursday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3596 from $1.3615
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.42 pence from 83.44 pence
Dollar/yen: UP at 114.99 yen from 114.91 yen
A.Seabra--PC