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- 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
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- '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
- Israel widens Lebanon strikes as troops fight Hezbollah along border
- Bowlers' graveyards: Pakistan's placid pitches under fresh fire
- 'Little Gregory' murder haunts France 40 years on
- Vietnam, China to expand rail links, cross-border payments
- Americans get their belief back as Pochettino makes his mark
- Vietnam, China to boost economic, defence cooperation
- Winning start for Pochettino's American adventure
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Asian stocks trade higher on Fed rate hopes
Asian stocks were largely higher on Thursday, with Hong Kong leading the gains as investors worked on expectations the US Federal Reserve will cut rates next year.
Global markets have been on the front foot since the Fed's most recent meeting, when it signalled its rate-hike cycle could be nearing an end as global inflation slows.
Other than Japan, most Asian bourses were in positive territory on Thursday, with Shanghai, Seoul, Sydney, Taipei, Wellington, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur all rising.
Tokyo closed down almost half a percent, weighed by a strengthening yen, with the currency buoyed by expectations around the Fed's monetary policy and gaining more than 1.3 percent.
The Japanese exchanges' performance was also hemmed by the fact that the right to claim dividends for many shares has now expired, driving down the overall market.
Hong Kong and Seoul led regional gains across Asia, with the Hang Seng rising more than 2.5 percent in ongoing trading.
On Wednesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average led gains on Wall Street, advancing 0.3 percent to finish at another all-time high of 37,665.52.
US indices returned to work on Tuesday, but European markets were only back on Wednesday, with London leading the way as it closed 0.4 percent higher.
While US inflation has slowed, it remains above the Fed's long-term target of around two percent, and analysts warned that consumer spending had still not bounced back to healthy levels.
US retail sales over the key holiday shopping season were up 3.1 percent year-on-year, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse survey, but that was markedly down from the previous year's 7.6 percent jump.
"This is a reflection of a more cautious consumer and less discounting from retailers due to better inventory management," said investor Louis Navellier in a note.
"While inflation is falling, the runup from last year's high rate has still squeezed budgets against a modest wage growth closer to four percent."
Oil markets continue to fret over the threat of the Israel-Hamas war spilling out into an all-out regional conflict and the ongoing attacks on key Red Sea shipping lanes by Yemen's Huthi rebels.
On Wednesday, French shipping giant CMA-CGM resumed some transit through the waterway, days after Danish group Maersk announced it would return as a US-led naval coalition is now policing the maritime route.
On Thursday, oil prices stabilised around that news, with both WTI and Brent futures trading within a relatively narrow band.
The news on the shipping front was not all rosy, however, with German giant Hapag-Lloyd AG, saying it would continue to avoid the Red Sea route and would route shipments via the Cape of Good Hope.
- Key figures around 0730 GMT -
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 2.5 percent at 17,048.48
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.4 percent at 33,539.62 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.4 percent at 2,954.70 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 37,656.52 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 7,724.95 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1120 from $1.1109 on Wednesday
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 140.75 yen from 141.81 yen
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2819 from $1.2801
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.74 pence from 86.75 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $74.20 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.3 percent at $79.89 per barrel
L.Miller--AMWN