- UK hands Indian Ocean islands to Mauritius but keeps key US military base
- New NATO chief Rutte says wants Ukraine to 'prevail' in Kyiv trip
- Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games
- Gauff survives scare to reach China Open semi-finals
- Sosie draw gives Fabre Arc boost while Japan's Shin Emperor hopes take hit
- Japan's 'master of horror' Kurosawa highlights 'B-movie' appeal
- History-maker Zhang to plough on after fairytale Beijing run
- Israel says killed 15 Hezbollah militants in Lebanon strike
- Phasing out teen smoking could save 1.2 mn lives: study
- 'Kill him first': Israel eyes top level targets
- Championship leader Martin warns of 'unpredictable' Japan MotoGP
- France must fully probe Azerbaijani dissident's killing: Amnesty
- '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
- Gaza war fuels Arab support for Palestinians, to little effect
- Dutch airline KLM unveils 'firm' cost-cutting measures
- Sri Lanka spinner Jayawickrama banned from cricket for corruption
- EU top team knuckle down for 'scary' confirmation hearings
- Gruelling schedule highlighted as Alcaraz runs from stadium to airport
- 'People will come back': Kazakhstan debates nuclear future
- 'They even murder children': Burkinabes caught in conflict crossfire
- Carpe diem: the Costa Rican women turning fish into fashion
- Senegal looks to aquaculture as fish stocks dwindle
- Deadly strike on central Beirut after Israel, Iran trade threats
- Will AI one day win a Nobel Prize?
- Conte plays down Napoli's title chances
- Tolstoy's descendants in family saga over Russian peace prize
- Climate change, economics muddy West's drive to curb Chinese EVs
- Tigers, Royals, Padres advance in MLB playoffs, Brewers stay alive
- Singapore ex-minister sentenced to 12 months in prison in rare graft trial
- Baseball 'superhuman' Ohtani finds new ways to amaze among greats
- 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
- Australia's world No.7 Green wants women to play Presidents Cup
- Mexico leader worried about drinking water after Hurricane John
- Tunisia readies for vote as incumbent Saied eyes victory
- Messi scores two as Miami clinch MLS Supporters' Shield
- US election like no other enters nail-biting final month
- Morocco mobile desalination units quench remote areas' thirst
- US election: five key moments in an extraordinary campaign
- 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
- Chappell Roan drama sees US singer's fandom get political -- and pushy
- Supercharged storms: how climate change amplifies cyclones
RYCEF | 0.14% | 6.91 | $ | |
RBGPF | 100% | 59.99 | $ | |
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AZN | 1.14% | 79.58 | $ | |
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Oil rallies, stocks mostly retreat on Middle East tensions
Oil prices jumped and major stock markets mostly retreated Thursday as investors reacted to fears of widening conflict in the Middle East.
The dollar gained, helped by its haven status and the outlook for global interest rates, with the British pound sinking more than one percent against the US unit as Bank of England chief Andrew Bailey hinted at faster cuts to UK borrowing costs.
Sterling's drop helped lift London's FTSE 100 share index featuring multinationals earnings in dollars, such as Shell and BP, whose shares were rising also thanks to higher oil futures.
Paris and Frankfurt dropped, however, in midday deals.
In Asia, Tokyo closed 2.0-percent higher as the yen came off the boil.
Hong Kong fell for the first time in more than a week after a blistering surge fuelled by China's bold steps to stimulate its weak economy.
"Markets are in a state of suspense, bracing for Israel's anticipated retaliation against Iran -- a move that could catapult oil prices skyward," noted independent markets analyst Stephen Innes.
"Brent crude has settled around $75 a barrel for now, but any military strike, particularly one targeting Iran's oil or nuclear infrastructure, could trigger a significant spike."
Israel on Thursday carried out a deadly air raid in central Beirut after eight ground troops were killed near the Lebanese border, as it traded threats with its arch foe Iran over possible future attacks.
The Israeli military kept up its bombardment of the Lebanese capital after Iran launched its largest missile attack yet on Israel, which prompted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to warn Tehran would pay for its "big mistake".
As Israel weighs retaliation, President Joe Biden said the United States was "fully supportive" of its ally but ruled out supporting a strike on Iran's nuclear sites.
Iran, which backs Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, said it would step up its response if Israel counterattacked, defying calls for de-escalation in a war that has cost more than 1,000 lives in Lebanon.
Wall Street saw a steady performance Wednesday, with investors awaiting key US jobs data Friday.
- Key figures around 1045 GMT -
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 2.0 percent at $75.36 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 2.2 percent at $71.62 per barrel
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 8,312.96 points
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.7 percent at 7,522.05
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.5 percent at 19,067.90
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 2.0 percent at 38,552.06 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.5 percent at 22,113.51 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: Closed for a holiday
New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 42,196.52 (close)
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3118 from $1.3266 on Wednesday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1034 from $1.1048
Euro/pound: UP at 84.15 pence from 83.26 pence
Dollar/yen: UNCHANGED at 146.83 yen
burs-bcp/ajb/cw
R.Veloso--PC