- French footballer Ben Yedder on trial for sexual assault
- India foreign minister in arch-rival Pakistan for rare visit
- Restored 'Apollo Belvedere' marble back on show in the Vatican
- Lagos festival dances to Nigerian icon Fela Kuti's beat
- Italian PM hails 'courageous' Albania migrant deal
- 'Tragedy in Jabalia' as Israel army tightens siege in north Gaza
- Draft UN climate pact leaves open thorny question of money
- Two giant pandas arrive in US from China aboard 'Panda Express'
- Musiala and Upamecano return to Bayern training
- Wirtz return 'unclear' after injury on Germany duty
- Ghulam says 'wait is over' after century on Pakistan debut
- Boeing to raise up to $25 bn as strike weighs on finances
- Two giant pandas arrive in US from China
- Japan hold Australia, S. Korea and China win in World Cup qualifying
- Mbappe's golden-boy image takes a hit amid negative headlines
- Hezbollah threatens to attack targets across Israel
- Oil prices fall on easing Middle East fears
- Wales lock Jenkins to miss November Tests with 'horrible' injury lay-off
- France to play Israel in Paris and allow fans in
- Twin panda cubs to make public debut at Berlin zoo
- Scotland's Kinghorn maintains Lions 'dream' despite Toulouse clash
- Pakistan debutant Ghulam hits century to defy England in second Test
- Boeing announces intention to raise up to $25 bn
- Tuchel 'in talks with FA' over England manager's job
- Dutch rider Lavreysen targets record at world track championships
- Bangladesh suspend Hathurusingha as coach after alleged assault
- Russian Olympic chief announces surprise resignation
- Ferguson to leave Man Utd ambassador role as club cuts costs
- Turkish govt defends tax plan to fund defence industry
- Oil prices tumble on easing Middle East fears
- Eidevall quits as Arsenal Women head coach
- US, Philippines launch war games after China's Taiwan drills, ship collision
- Swedish prosecutor confirms 'rape' probe without naming Mbappe
- England dismiss Ayub but Pakistan reach 173-3 at tea in second Test
- Israel vows to put 'national interest' first in response to Iran attack
- Oil prices hit by easing Middle East fears, most Asian markets rise
- Mbappe-PSG salary row faces hearing as France captain cited in 'rape' report
- K-pop star tells South Korea lawmakers of workplace bullying
- Ex-Wallabies captain Elsom denies wrongdoing after arrest warrant
- Pakistan 79-2 at lunch in second England Test after Leach strikes
- Hopes pinned on peace across Taiwan Strait after drills
- Valencia fans leave Singapore with 'stern warning' after protest
- Falling sales cause sour grapes for iconic Portugal wine
- Belgian pathologist and literary star gives 'voice to the dead'
- Ethiopia's 'korale' recyclers turn waste into money
- Italy row, AI in focus at world's biggest book fair
- US, Philippines launch war games a day after China's Taiwan drills
- Scotland lock Gray signs for Japan's Toyota
- Allen and Bills foil Rodgers, outlast Jets 23-20
- North Korea blows up roads connecting it to the South
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BCE | 2.76% | 33.485 | $ | |
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BTI | 0.04% | 35.465 | $ | |
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European stock markets, oil prices steady after volatility
Europe's main stock markets and oil prices steadied Monday after last week's volatility at the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Asian markets sank having caught up with losses in Europe and the United States on Friday as oil prices soared nearly six percent.
The haven dollar lost some strength on Monday.
Further gains to oil prices "threaten to disrupt the central banks' war against inflation, and weigh on an already-bad-looking global economy", noted Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote Bank.
"The earnings season will be at full speed this week... (but) will likely remain under the shadow of mounting geopolitical tensions in the Middle East," she added.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has returned to Israel after talks in six Arab states, hoping to coordinate efforts against Hamas while finding ways to alleviate Gaza's humanitarian crisis.
Four days after he paid a lightning visit to Tel Aviv to show solidarity with Israel, Blinken flew back and went straight to talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Jerusalem office.
As Israel prepares what is expected to be a major ground operation in the Gaza Strip, Blinken was later to meet Netanyahu's security cabinet.
"The key uncertainty is whether a ground operation risks widening the conflict, with markets focused on whether Iran and its allies are drawn into the conflict," said National Australia Bank's Tapas Strickland.
JPMorgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon on Friday warned of a geopolitical crisis if the fighting widened.
"This may be the most dangerous time the world has seen in decades," he said in a statement containing the US bank's latest bumper earnings.
"The war in Ukraine compounded by... attacks on Israel may have far-reaching impacts on energy and food markets, global trade, and geopolitical relationships," Dimon added.
Adding to the unease was news the White House will tighten rules on Chinese access to semiconductor chips and chip-making equipment, maintaining a long-running security standoff between the superpowers, despite moves to ease tensions.
Traders will be keeping a close eye on speeches this week by several Federal Reserve decision-makers, including boss Jerome Powell, hoping for some idea about their plans for interest rates.
The talks come after a number of officials in recent weeks indicated they were happy to keep US borrowing costs on hold, soothing concerns about more tightening that some observers fear could flip the world's biggest economy into recession.
- Key figures around 1100 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 7,628.79 points
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.1 percent at 15,172.24
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.1 percent at 6,999.80
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.1 percent at 4,132.39
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 2.0 percent at 31,659.03 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.0 percent at 17,640.36 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 3,073.81 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 33,670.29 (close)
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $90.76 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: FLAT at $87.68 per barrel
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0536 from $1.0513 on Friday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2154 from $1.2138
Dollar/yen: UP at 149.55 yen from 149.53 yen
Euro/pound: FLAT at 86.70 pence from 86.58 pence
M.Thompson--AMWN