- China says launches military drills around Taiwan
- Stewart leads Liberty past Lynx to level WNBA Finals
- England return to winning ways in Nations League, Austria thrash Norway
- UN chief says attacks on UNIFIL 'may constitute a war crime'
- Ravens outlast Commanders while Bucs batter Saints in NFL
- Dozens hurt in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone strike
- England deserve 'world class' coach: Carsley
- Burkina Faso win to become first qualifiers for 2025 AFCON
- AC Milan's Pulisic among five out for USA match in Mexico
- France's Amandine Henry retires from international football
- Centre-left set to win pro-Ukraine Lithuania's vote
- India's World Cup hopes in Pakistan hands after Australia defeat
- Zelensky says NKorea sending troops to Russian army
- England beat Finland to get back on track
- King and Lewis propel West Indies to T20 triumph over Sri Lanka
- Pre-Halloween 'Terrifier' lands atop North America box office
- 'I still plan to compete and play next season,' says Djokovic
- Harris, Trump seek advantage in knife-edge election battle
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record in Chicago
- Kamindu and Asalanka power Sri Lanka to 179 against West Indies
- Chepngetich shatters women's marathon world record as Korir wins in Chicago
- Spain send injured Yamal home 'to prioritise player's health'
- In milestone, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Iraq walks fine line with pro-Iran factions to avoid war
- Race four abandoned after New Zealand breeze into 3-0 lead in America's Cup
- West Indies win toss, put Sri Lanka in to bat in first T20
- Sudan rescuers say air strike killed 23 in Khartoum market
- Netanyahu tells UN to move Lebanon peacekeepers out of 'harm's way'
- Bangladeshi Hindus defy attack worries to celebrate festival
- Kiwis three up in America's Cup as Ineos pay for time penalty
- In a first, SpaceX 'catches' megarocket booster after test flight
- Dominant England crush Scotland at Women's T20 World Cup
- Dropped: The rise and fall of Pakistan batting maestro Babar Azam
- Israel fights Hezbollah on the ground, pounds Lebanon from the air
- Sabalenka outlasts local hero Zheng to win third Wuhan Open title
- Bangladeshi Hindus shrug off attack worries to celebrate festival
- Former Pakistan captain Azam dropped for second England Test
- 'Opportunist' Dupont dazzles on Toulouse return
- Australia replace injured Vlaeminck with Graham at Women's T20 World Cup
- Sinner wins Shanghai Masters to deny Djokovic 100th career title
- Ubisoft fears assassin's hit over falling sales
- Israel hits Lebanon from the air and fights Hezbollah on the ground
- China's Yin has 'goosebumps' as she romps to LPGA win in Shanghai
- Pakistan to re-use Multan pitch for second England Test
- Blair and King Charles hail Salmond's 'devotion' to Scotland
- Vietnam, China hold talks on calming South China Sea tensions
- SpaceX will try to 'catch' giant Starship rocket shortly before landing
- England captain Stokes in line for second Pakistan Test return
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgery: reports
- Japan's former empress Michiko discharged after surgey: reports
European stocks waver; London boosted by rate cut hopes
European stock markets wavered on Wednesday but London climbed and the pound sank as news of sharply slowing inflation stoked hopes of a Bank of England interest rate cut.
Paris advanced but Frankfurt fell in early afternoon eurozone deals.
London's benchmark FTSE 100 shares index was jolted higher by official data showing that Britain's Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation slowed in November to 3.9 percent, which was the lowest rate since September 2021.
That sparked speculation the Bank of England could now decide to start cutting borrowing costs next year, having lifted them to a 15-year peak of 5.25 percent in order to bring down inflation from double digits.
However, concerns persist after core inflation -- which strips out food and energy costs -- eased only slightly to stand at 5.2 percent in November.
"The FTSE 100 has enjoyed a welcome boost, with markets reacting to a surprise slump in UK CPI that lifted expectations for a May rate cut from the BoE," said Scope Markets analyst Joshua Mahony.
"The optimism seen in the UK has brought only moderate benefits for mainland European indices, with early upside being eradicated in part thanks to a concerning Ifo update that German companies continue to plan a fresh round of price hikes going forward."
Elsewhere, Asian stocks mostly rallied after another record Wall Street performance as traders bet on the US Federal Reserve slashing interest rates several times next year.
The advances come even as central bank officials try to push back against expectations, which have set markets up for a healthy end-of-year rally.
The next key event this week will be the release of the US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, which is the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation.
The reading's fall in recent months, along with consumer prices and a slowing jobs market, has been among the main reasons Fed decision-makers are feeling confident that they are on the right track.
Still, they are trying to prevent investors getting ahead of themselves by tempering expectations.
Oil prices extended their recent rally, which was fuelled by companies suspending transit via the Red Sea owing to attacks on cargo ships by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels in solidarity with Gaza.
- Key figures around 1200 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 7,682.21 points
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.1 percent at 7,579.63
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.1 percent at 16,735.17
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.1 percent at 4,529.72
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.4 percent at 33,675.94 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 16,613.81 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 1.0 percent at 2,902.11 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 37,557.92 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0937 from $1.0981 on Tuesday
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 143.39 yen from 143.84 yen
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2647 from $1.2732
Euro/pound: UP at 86.49 pence from 86.24 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.3 percent at $74.93 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.2 percent at $80.20 per barrel
P.Martin--AMWN