- Argentina's Matera banned for Italy Test after red card
- Vientos grand slam propels Mets in series-tying win over Dodgers
- Supporters of ex-Bolivia leader Morales block roads over possible arrest
- Germany into Nations League quarters, France and Italy win
- Nagelsmann lauds 'supercharged' Germany's 'best half of the year'
- 'Pandas are coming': Two new bears depart China for US capital
- Dodgers pitcher Kershaw plans to return for 2025
- Mbappe 'investigated for rape' in Sweden: report
- Revived Italy sweep past Israel in Nations League amid high security
- Trudeau slams India as tensions soar over Sikh separatist's murder
- Harris courts Black voters as Trump makes inroads
- Wall Street stocks hit fresh records as oil prices slide
- Nigerian team return home after boycotting AFCON qualifier in Libya
- Nigeria refuse to play in Libya as Algeria, Cameroon qualify
- Strike-hit Boeing leaves experts puzzled by strategy
- Leweling rockets Germany past Dutch and into Nations League quarterfinals
- Kolo Muani double fires France to win in Belgium
- Italy sweep past Israel in Nations League amid high security
- UN peacekeepers to 'stay in all positions' in Lebanon
- NASA launches probe to study if life possible on icy Jupiter moon
- 'Unique' Ronaldo an example to everyone, says Martinez
- New lawsuits against Sean Combs allege sex assault, including of minor
- Italy begins migrant transfers to Albania with first group of 16
- Google signs nuclear power deal with startup Kairos
- Carsley open to foreign England manager amid Guardiola links
- Pogba hungry to have his football cake after doping ban
- India and Canada expel top envoys in Sikh separatist killing row
- Mbappe says victim of 'fake news' after 'rape' report in Sweden
- Lebanon says 21 killed in strike on northern village
- Netanyahu vows no mercy after deadly Hezbollah drone strike
- Russia could be able to attack NATO by 2030: German intelligence
- EVs seek to regain sales momentum at Paris Motor Show
- Clarke backs Scotland to bounce back from 'tough' run
- Harris, Trump target crucial Pennsylvania as US vote looms
- NASA probe Europa Clipper lifts off for Jupiter's icy moon
- Lebanese Red Cross says 18 killed in strike in north
- Mendy borrowed money from Man City team-mates for legal fees
- Palestinian officials say Israeli forces kill two in West Bank
- Football leagues, unions file EU complaint against FIFA in calendar dispute
- Nigeria boycott AFCON qualifier in Libya after 'inhumane treatment'
- India to recall top envoy to Canada: foreign ministry
- Hezbollah, Israeli troops in 'violent clashes' after drone strike
- China insists won't renounce 'use of force' to take Taiwan as drills end
- Painkiller sale plan to US gives France major headache
- Italy begins landmark migrant transfers to Albania
- Russia jails French researcher for three years
- 'Unsustainable' housing crisis bedevils Spain's socialist govt
- Stocks shrug off China disappointment but oil slides
- New Zealand 4-0 up in America's Cup but British show signs of life
- Russian prosecutor demands 3 years prison for French researcher
Oil slumps below $80, stocks wobble
Brent crude fell below $80 per barrel for the first time since July on Wednesday, while stocks struggled, as concerns about the economic outlook weighed on investors.
Brent crude, the main international contract, briefly dropped more than 2 percent to hit $79.80, before bouncing back above $80 per barrel.
Meanwhile, the main US contract, WTI, slumped as far as $75.44 per barrel, also hitting its lowest level since July.
"Oil prices have hit their lowest levels since July today as weaker economic expectations continue to weigh," said market analyst Craig Erlam at OANDA.
Crude had already plunged about four percent the previous day on news that China's exports fell at a faster pace than predicted in October. That stoked fresh concern over its appetite for energy.
"The focus is clearly shifting from undersupply to weak demand and central banks insisting that rates must remain high could further exacerbate that," Erlam added.
The drop in oil prices provided some support to stocks, but they still struggled.
After opening with modest gains, Wall Street's main indices slipped into the red.
"There is not a lot of conviction in this morning's trade (in US markets)," said Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare ahead of the opening bell.
"The most transparent explanation for that is that there is a nagging sense the market is due for a pullback," he added.
Wall Street stocks surged last week after the US central bank hinted at no more increases in interest rates and data showed that the economy is on course to slow but not contract.
But traders have nevertheless been concerned about growth prospects, including in the United States, with a drop in market rates being something of a double-edged sword.
While the lower borrowing costs should be a boost for business, O'Hare said some investors seem to be worried the drop in market interest rates is more an indication of the degraded business outlook.
"This disconnect likely helps explain some of the churning taking place right now, as market participants struggle to reconcile if interest rates are going down entirely for the right reasons," said O'Hare.
In Europe, London ended the day marginally lower, held back by natural resource and energy stocks.
Both Frankfurt and London closed with modest gains.
Asian stock markets ended mixed.
- Key figures around 1530 GMT -
New York - Dow: DOWN less than 0.1 percent at 34,120.85 points
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,401.72 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 7,034.16 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 15,229.60 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.6 percent at 4,178.49 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.3 percent at 32,166.48 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.6 percent at 17,568.46 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 3,052.37 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0705 from $1.0700 on Tuesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2295 from $1.2300
Dollar/yen: UP at 150.78 yen from 150.37 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 87.10 pence from 86.99 pence
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 1.4 percent at $80.51 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.7 percent at $76.05 per barrel
Y.Kobayashi--AMWN