- Australian Brett Robinson graduates to rugby's top post
- Brazil looking for motive after attempted Supreme Court bombing
- Hotels on Booking.com can offer better rates elsewhere: EU
- EU deforestation ban in chaos as parliament loosens rules
- Springboks make 12 changes to team for England clash
- All Blacks fly-half Barrett returns from concussion against France
- UEFA launches investigation into Premier League referee Coote
- Monaco Formula One GP extended until 2031
- Climate finance: who is being asked to pay what at COP29?
- 'Terrible' AI has given tech an existential headache: activist
- COP29 host tries to calm waters after diplomatic turmoil
- Late drama as Saudis hold Australia in World Cup qualifier
- Israel warfare methods 'consistent with genocide': UN committee
- Iran activist kills himself after demanding release of prisoners
- Russia shuts Moscow's famed gulag museum
- London mayor says Trump attacks due to his ethnicity and religion
- Japan expect tough Indonesia test with World Cup spot in reach
- Uganda TikToker convicted for insulting president
- Burberry launches turnaround plan as posts loss
- Fickou starts for France against New Zealand
- Spain flood epicentre survives fresh rain alert
- Strike hits south Beirut after Israel evacuation warning: AFPTV
- Thousands flee as Typhoon Usagi hits north of Philippines
- King Charles turns 76 after year of little celebration
- Greece's ambitious 'smart city' by the sea takes shape
- For profit or for all? Argentine football clubs red-card Milei reforms
- New Zealand coach hails 'amazing' Chris Wood after fine Forest form
- Corruption overshadows Ukraine's multi-billion reconstruction progam
- Dating apps move to friend zone in search of profits
- As Trump returns, African exporters torn between hope and horror
- Trump's climate impact 'recoverable': researchers
- HRW accuses Israel of 'war crime' with 'forcible transfer' in Gaza
- 'Interior Chinatown' satirizes Asian roles in Hollywood... and beyond screen
- Wembanyama hits another milestone with 50-point game for Spurs
- Live-streamed prayers for stressed S. Korean exam parents
- Scientists say world's largest coral found near Solomon Islands
- Sculptor Gormley hopes art can be bridge to China despite curbs
- UN nuclear chief in Iran to 'reach diplomatic solutions'
- Israel face France in Paris football match under tight security
- Beijing's fears after Trump fills key posts with China hawks
- Man with explosives dies trying to enter Brazil's Supreme Court
- South Korea exam sees record number of re-takes after medical reforms
- Asian markets mixed as traders weigh Fed; bitcoin above $90,000
- Pumas seek historic win over 'hurt' Irish
- Advantage Martin as MotoGP reaches gripping climax in Barcelona
- Man with explosives dies trying to enter Brazil Supreme Court
- Mike Tyson, 58, back in ring to face Youtuber Paul
- Hunger in G20 host Brazil is Lula's unfinished fight
- Biden, Xi arrive in Peru ahead of face-to-face at Asia-Pacific summit
- Mysterious diamond-laden necklace fetches $4.8 mn in Geneva auction
Markets stall, inflation and bitcoin rise amid Trump fears
Global equities stalled Wednesday as traders fret over the impact of Donald Trump's presidency on the Chinese and global economies amid fears his policies could also reignite US inflation, which rose on latest data.
The prospect of higher prices on the back of Trump's planned tax cuts, import tariffs and an easing of regulations gave fresh impetus to the dollar, which has rallied since the Republican's election win last week.
Adding to concerns on the impending transfer of White House power, key US October consumer price data saw a 2.6-percent rise, up from 2.4 percent in September, the Labor Department said.
Although the figure was in line with the median forecast of economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal, the data complicates the US Federal Reserve's plans to cut interest rates, even if it remains broadly on track to slow the rate of price increases, EY chief economist Gregory Daco told AFP.
"It’s particularly pertinent given concerns that Trump’s tariff policies will be inflationary," said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.
"If prices are already looking unruly, expectations will rise for Trump's threats to be watered down."
For Srijan Katyal, global head of strategy and trading services at ADSS brokerage, "this (inflation data) reading has slightly disrupted the disinflationary pattern we have seen in the last few months but continues to remain stable around the targeted level".
Yet, given Trump's election victory, "inflation worries could return to markets," Katyal said.
As inflation edged up, bitcoin, the world's premier cryptocurrency, soared to fresh heights in topping $90,000, hitting an all-time peak above $91,000 before easing to $90,670.
Trump has notably pledged to ease regulation around digital tokens.
Wall Street lacked direction in early trading as traders digested the inflation data.
Its three main indices had finished in the red Tuesday as investors took a breather from a week-long rally to more record highs, with the Dow barely in the green and the tech heavy Nasdaq off 0.2 percent.
Major European indices all were trading down some two hours out from the close, although Siemens Energy shares surged more than 15 percent after the German company posted positive annual results and upgraded its outlook.
Asian markets mostly ended lower as Trump named known China hawks to key cabinet positions, fuelling concerns about another debilitating trade war between the economic superpowers.
"We expect the effective tariff rate on US imports from China to rise to around 40 percent," said Harry Murphy Cruise at Moody's Analytics.
"That would effectively double the rate today," he told AFP.
Cruise said, "China would almost certainly follow suit."
The threat of another standoff comes as Beijing struggles to kickstart growth at home, unveiling a raft of measures at the end of September but leaving traders disappointed.
China's state media on Wednesday reported that Beijing had announced a raft of tax policies aimed at boosting the country's ailing property market.
- Key figures around 1445 GMT -
New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 43,948.32 points
New York - S&P 500: FLAT 0.2 percent at 5,982.53
New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 19,243.48
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 8,008.47
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.7 percent at 7,179.08
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.8 percent at 18,890.76
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.7 percent at 38,721.66 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.1 percent at 19,823.45 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,439.28 (close)
Dollar/yen: UP at 154.98 yen from 154.59 yen on Tuesday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0617 from $1.0625
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2741 from $1.2748
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.31 pence from 83.34 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.0 percent at $71.21 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.0 percent at $67.45 per barrel
A.Magalhes--PC