- Pakistan police fire tear gas, rubber bullets at pro-Khan supporters
- Hong Kong same-sex couples win housing, inheritance rights
- Indonesia digs out as flooding, landslide death toll hits 20
- Liverpool's old guard thriving despite uncertain futures
- Mbappe takes reins for Real Madrid in Liverpool clash
- As AI gets real, slow and steady wins the race
- China's Huawei to launch 'milestone' smartphone with homegrown OS
- Porzingis and Morant make triumphant NBA returns
- Hong Kong top court affirms housing, inheritance rights for same-sex couples
- Philippines, China clashes trigger money-making disinformation
- Most Asian markets drop, dollar gains as Trump fires tariff warning
- England 'not quivering' ahead of New Zealand Test challenge
- Bethell to bat at three on England Test debut against New Zealand
- Trump vows big tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China
- New Zealand and England to play for Crowe-Thorpe Trophy
- Scheffler, Schauffele and McIlroy up for PGA Player of the Year
- Trump to face less internal pushback in new term: ex-commerce chief
- Extreme weather threatens Canada's hydropower future
- More than 34,000 register as candidates for Mexico judges' election
- Australia ban cycling's Richardson for life after UK defection
- Internal displacement in Africa triples in 15 years: monitor
- 'Remarkable global progress': HIV cases and deaths declining
- Social media firms raise 'serious concerns' over Australian U-16 ban
- Tiger to skip Hero World Challenge after back surgery
- MLB shifts six 2025 Rays games to avoid weather issues
- US women's keeper Naeher retiring after Europe matches
- West Ham stun Newcastle to ease pressure on Lopetegui
- Arteta calls on Arsenal to show 'ruthless' streak on Champions League travels
- Israel bids emotional farewell to rabbi killed in UAE
- Sonar image was rock formation, not Amelia Earhart plane: explorer
- Tottenham goalkeeper Vicario has ankle surgery
- Green light for Cadillac to join Formula One grid in 2026
- Israel to decide on ceasefire as US says deal 'close'
- California vows to step in if Trump kills US EV tax credit
- Special counsel asks judge to dismiss subversion case against Trump
- Ronaldo double takes Al Nassr to brink of Asian Champions League quarters
- Brazil minister says supports meat supplier 'boycott' of Carrefour
- Steelmaker ArcelorMittal to close two plants in France: unions
- Macy's says employee hid up to $154 mn in costs over 3 years
- EU grocery shoppers 'fooled' by 'maze' of food labels: audit
- Awaiting Commerzbank, Italy's UniCredit bids for Italian rival
- Alonso jokes about playing return amid Leverkusen injury woes
- G7 ministers discuss ceasefire efforts in Mideast
- Bayern need to win all remaining Champions League games, says Kane
- Indian cricketer, 13, youngest to be sold in IPL history
- Beating Man City eases pressure for Arsenal game: new Sporting coach
- Argentine court hears bid to end rape case against French rugby players
- Egypt says 17 missing after Red Sea tourist boat capsizes
- Dortmund boss calls for member vote on club's arms sponsorship deal
- Chanel family matriarch dies aged 99: company
Stock markets rise as traders weigh future Fed cuts
US and European stocks rose on Thursday as investors waited for more clues about future interest rate cuts, while worries over Donald Trump's presidency clouded optimism.
Bitcoin was trading above the $90,000 level but below Wednesday's record of $93,462.
Observers are expecting it to soon top $100,000 following pro-crypto pledges from the US president-elect.
Investors were looking forward to a speech by US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell for indications about future interest rate cuts.
"Powell will likely face questions about the latest inflation data and the potential effects of protectionist policies under Trump, on the central’s monetary policy in 2025," said City Index and FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.
US consumer inflation data released on Wednesday showed that consumer prices rose in line with forecasts, cementing expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again next month.
But with Trump having vowed to impose across-the-board tariffs that could boost inflation and give the Fed reason to pause cutting interest rates.
"As things stand, the market is cautiously pricing in just 50 basis points of easing by mid-2025 –- a marked revision from before the US election" when it expected more cuts, added Razaqzada.
"The market, though, has a tendency of making its own mind up, and any dovish Powell remarks might fall on deaf ears."
Meanwhile data released on Thursday showed upticks in wholesale price inflation, which could also give the Fed reason to reevaluate the need to cut rates further.
Wall Street's main indices opened with modest gains.
European markets fared better, with updated data confirming the eurozone recorded 0.4 percent growth in the third quarter.
Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai all fell on Thursday as concerns over another possible China-US trade war, and Beijing's economic woes, weighed on Asian markets.
The dollar built on advances against its peers on the prospect that Trump's policies will keep the Fed from cutting interest rates as much as initially expected.
The greenback topped 155 yen for the first time since July, putting focus on Japanese authorities who have said they are prepared to support their unit if they considered moves to be one-sided or speculative.
The dollar was also at a more than one-year high against the euro.
In company news, shares in Disney jumped more than 11 percent after the entertainment giant beat expectations in its latest quarterly earnings.
While its net profits dipped, its earnings per share excluding exceptional items beat analyst expectations, as did a six percent increase in sales.
Shares in Meta fell 0.7 percent after the EU fined it almost 800 million euros ($840 million) on Thursday for breaching antitrust rules by giving users of its Facebook social network automatic access to classified ads service Facebook Marketplace.
Shares in struggling British fashion house Burberry rose around 19 percent on London's FTSE 250 as the group announced cost-cutting plans after posting a loss.
Chinese tech giant Tencent rose more than one percent after an upbeat earnings announcement in which it saw forecast-beating profits in the third quarter.
It also said it saw signs of a recovery in the world's number two economy.
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com also announced a pickup in third-quarter revenue, in a positive sign for the firm as it grapples with lacklustre consumer spending.
The firm's latest results -- as well as rival Alibaba's expected third-quarter filing on Friday -- are being closely scrutinised by analysts and investors for signs that recent measures taken by the Chinese government to boost activity are having an impact.
- Key figures around 1430 GMT -
New York - Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 44,042.31
New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 5,992.15
New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 19,259.37
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,080.37
Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.4 percent at 7,315.80
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.5 percent at 19,294.96
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.5 percent at 38,535.70 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.0 percent at 19,435.81 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.7 percent at 3,379.84 (close)
Dollar/yen: UP at 155.68 yen from 155.51 yen on Wednesday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0554 from $1.0564
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2690 from $1.2710
Euro/pound: UP at 83.17 pence from 83.11 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.3 percent at $69.35 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.3 percent at $73.19 per barrel
burs-rl/yad
Nogueira--PC