- Nobel scientist uncovered tiny genetic switches with big potential
- Grammy-winning Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney, dies at 91
- UN biodiversity summit in Colombia aims to turn words into action
- Georgia Supreme Court reinstates six-week abortion ban
- 'Dark day': Victims mourned around the globe on Oct. 7 anniversary
- On attacks anniversary, Israel fights multi-front war
- Mexican mayor murdered days after taking office
- Intensifying to Category 5, Hurricane Milton targets Florida
- Mission to probe smashed asteroid launches despite hurricane
- Biden, Harris mark Oct. 7 with call for Mideast peace
- Dupont set for Toulouse return after post-Olympic holiday
- French rugby bosses tighten discipline after nightmare Argentina tour
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street slips
- Visitors to get rare view of Rome's Trevi Fountain
- Europe's asteroid mission Hera launches despite hurricane
- Man City and Premier League both claim victory in legal case
- Deschamps delight as 'light back on' for Pogba after doping ban
- Biden, Harris urge Mideast peace on Oct. 7 anniversary
- Neeskens, tough midfielder in Cruyff's Ajax and Dutch teams
- UN warns world's water cycle becoming ever more erratic
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street retreats
- Ex-Dutch football star Johan Neeskens dies
- Man Utd battling to improve fortunes, says Evans
- What is microRNA? Nobel-winning discovery explained
- Masood, Abdullah centuries lift Pakistan to 328-4 in first England Test
- Hurricane Milton strengthens fast, threatens Mexico, Florida
- Tunisia's President Saied set for landslide election win
- Barca hoping to return to Camp Nou 'by end of year'
- Trump to open second golf course at Scotland resort in summer 2025
- Super-sub Jhon Duran rewarded with new Aston Villa deal
- US duo win Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough
- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
- Israel marks first anniversary of Hamas's October 7 attack
- Darvish tames Ohtani as Padres thrash Dodgers
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on jobs data
- Family affair as LeBron, Bronny James make Lakers bow
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Oil prices slide as EU snubs Russia ban
Benchmark oil prices slid by three percent Friday after European countries decided against a ban on Russian oil imports over its Ukraine invasion -- but Germany said it would drastically slash its energy purchases from Moscow.
European stocks climbed after an upbeat US performance, but gains were capped by caution as Russia's invasion of its neighbour entered its second month.
"European reluctance to walk away from the Russian oil weighs on oil prices," said Swissquote analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya.
But the United States and EU did announce a drive to wean Europe off Russian gas imports and so choke off the billions in revenues that are fuelling Moscow's ruinous war.
Europe's biggest economy, Germany, said its own Russian oil imports would be halved by June and coal deliveries stopped by the autumn of this year.
On stock markets, London advanced in midday deals as investors set aside official data showing a drop in UK retail sales.
Frankfurt and Paris equities climbed in early afternoon deals despite weak regional economic data.
However, "anxieties about the increasingly entrenched conflict in Ukraine are" holding back share price gains, said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah Streeter.
Russia launched its assault on Ukraine on February 24, sending shockwaves across global markets that continue to reverberate.
The business climate in Germany worsened in March, the Ifo index showed, amid fears over soaring energy prices and deepening supply-chain woes owing to the Ukraine war.
Wall Street had rallied overnight as data showed filings for US unemployment benefits hit their lowest level since September 1969.
However, Asian markets fluctuated as traders focused on the impact of the Ukraine war, alongside surging inflation and Federal Reserve plans to fight it.
The crisis in eastern Europe has forced investors to reassess their outlook for the global economy owing to an expected surge in already soaring prices, which some commentators now warn could lead to recessions.
- Key figures around 1215 GMT -
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 3.0 percent at $115.44 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 2.3 percent at $109.73 per barrel
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 7,493.55 points
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.9 percent at 14,408.61
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.8 percent at 6,610.53
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 percent at 3,899.11
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 28,149.84 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.5 percent at 21,404.88 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.2 percent at 3,212.24 (close)
New York - DOW: UP 1.0 percent at 34,707.94 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1011 from $1.0997 late Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3202 from $1.3187
Euro/pound: UP at 83.41 pence from 83.39 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 121.64 yen from 122.35 yen
F.Schneider--AMWN