- 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
- Tariffs, tax cuts, energy: What is in Trump's economic plan?
- Amazon wants to be everything to everyone
- US firms brace for more tariffs as election approaches
- Winning start for Poch's American adventure
- Morocco's tribeswomen see facial tattoo tradition fade
- Centre-left set to win as pro-Ukraine Lithuania votes
- Colombia guerilla group urges delegations not to attend COP16 in Cali
- Pakistan frets over security ahead of SCO summit
- Ronaldo scores 133rd Portugal goal in Nations League win over Poland
- 40 nations contributing to UN Lebanon peacekeeping force condemn 'attacks'
- Eight dead as heavy rain thrashes Brazil after long drought
- Jewish school in Canada hit by gunfire for second time
- Morocco crush Central African Republic, Guirassy scores hat-trick
- Dupont scores quickfire hat-trick on Toulouse Top 14 return
- Ronaldo scores in Portugal's Nations League win as Spain sink Denmark
- Interim boss Carsley has not applied for England job
- Mets hurler Senga ready to take on Dodgers in game one of NL Championship Series
- Ronaldo on target again as Portugal defeat Poland in Nations League
- Guardians rip Tigers 7-3 to advance in MLB playoffs
- AFP, BBC win top French war reporting awards
- Carsley goes back to basics as humbled England face Finland
- Alex Salmond: the man who took Scotland to the brink of independence
- Scotland's former leader Alex Salmond dies aged 69: party
- UN warns of catastrophe as Israel fights a two-front war
- Croatia extend Scotland's losing streak
- South Africa, New Zealand boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes
- 'Very challenging': Israel faces Hezbollah in tricky terrain
- Farrell begins to feel at home as Racing 92 beat Toulon
- South Africa boost T20 World Cup semi-final hopes with Bangladesh win
Oil prices rise on Red Sea escalation
Oil prices climbed Friday after US and UK forces launched strikes against Iran-backed Huthi rebels, while global stocks were mixed following the kickoff of corporate earnings season.
Crude prices spiked more than four percent before ebbing somewhat after the allies launched deadly strikes following weeks of disruptive rebel attacks on Red Sea shipping.
"The fear in the oil market is that the region is on an unpredictable escalating path, where at some point down the road, supply of oil will indeed in the end be lost," noted Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB bank.
He noted that if the US-UK attacks were unsuccessful in destroying Huthi weapons, and oil tankers need to go around Africa, then up to 80 million barrels will be locked in transit -- sending prices up as much as $5-10 per barrel.
The Huthis have carried out a growing number of strikes on vessels in the Red Sea, a key international shipping route, since the Gaza war erupted in October.
The attacks have affected trade flows at a time when supply strains are putting upward pressure on inflation globally.
In Friday trade, the Dow dipped while the S&P 500 edged higher as investors digested corporate earnings and a surprise drop in wholesale inflation.
Leading banks were mostly lower following a deluge of quarterly results, while airlines were hammered after Delta's forecast disappointed investors.
"The market is optimistic as it can be about (interest) rate cuts," said Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers, adding that investors want to see solid earnings.
Tokyo and European stock markets ended the week with strong gains.
The luxury sector was in focus after British fashion brand Burberry posted a profit warning, sending its share price sliding more than nine percent at one stage in London.
Investors are keenly waiting for a drop in interest rates, which central banks hiked in 2022 and 2023 in a bid to cool decades-high inflation.
While rates of price rises have slowed, inflation remains above target for the US Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England.
- Key figures around 2120 GMT -
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.3 percent at $78.29 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.9 percent at $72.68 per barrel
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 37,592.98 (close)
New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 4,783.83 (close)
New York - Nasdaq: FLAT at 14,972.76 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 7,624.93 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.1 percent at 7,465.14 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.0 percent at 16,704.56 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.9 percent at 4,480.02 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.5 percent at 35,577.11 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.4 percent at 16,244.58 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.2 percent at 2,881.98 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0954 from $1.0972
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 144.86 yen from 145.29 yen on Thursday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2748 from $1.2760
Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.91 pence from 85.99 pence
burs-jmb/sst
Ch.Havering--AMWN