- 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
- Samson ton powers India to T20 series sweep after record total
- Djokovic to face Sinner in Shanghai final with 100th title in sight
- UN peacekeepers to remain in Lebanon: spokesman
- Pro-Conquest film fuels debate in Mexico over colonial legacy
- Samson ton powers India to record 297-6 in Bangladesh T20
- New Zealand enjoy perfect start to America's Cup defence over Britain
- Pogacar emulates icon Coppi with fourth straight Il Lombardia triumph
- UN warns against 'catastrophic' regional conflict
- New Zealand crush Ineos Britannia in America's Cup opener
- Djokovic to face Sinner in blockbuster Shanghai Masters final
- With medical report Harris seeks to play health card against Trump
- Sri Lanka seeks to match success in W.Indies T20s
- Sinner reaches Shanghai final, will end year number one
- China-EU EV tariff talks in Brussels end with 'major differences': Beijing
- Sabalenka downs Gauff in three sets to reach Wuhan final
- Israel warns south Lebanon residents to 'not return'
- Sinner tames Machac to reach Shanghai Masters final
- Buried Nazi past haunts Athens on liberation anniversary
- Harris to release medical report confirming fitness for presidency: campaign
- Nobel prize a timely reminder, Hiroshima locals say
- Hezbollah fires at Israel as wars rage on Yom Kippur
- Analysts warn more detail needed on new China economic measures
- China tees up fresh spending to boost ailing economy
- China says will issue special bonds to boost ailing economy
European stocks drop before ECB rate call
European stock markets dropped in morning trades on Thursday as investors awaited an update on the outlook for eurozone interest rates.
Shanghai and Hong Kong closed with sizeable gains awaiting fresh pledges of stimulus from Chinese officials, a day after they announced a measure to boost bank lending.
Oil prices climbed about 1.5 percent after a bigger-than-expected fall in US crude stockpiles. The dollar struggled against main rivals.
"European markets are moderately lower... with traders remaining cautious ahead of this afternoon's ECB meeting," noted Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at trading group Scope Markets.
"Thus far we have seen the ECB holding steadfast in the face of a contracting economy and falling inflation."
The European Central Bank is expected to stand pat on Thursday following a regular interest-rate meeting and call for patience in the drawn-out battle against high inflation, pushing back against market hopes of rapid cuts to borrowing costs.
Ahead of the outcome, data showed business morale in Germany sank further in January, as the slump in Europe's largest economy showed few signs of passing quickly.
Another record close for the S&P 500 on Wall Street on Wednesday had provided a positive lead for Asian investors.
US data this week will be closely scrutinised, with dealers hoping for a fresh handle on the Federal Reserve's own rate plans.
A recent run of strong economic readings in the world's biggest economy -- and central bank warnings that officials were keen to keep borrowing costs elevated -- have dented expectations for a March reduction.
"Frankly, everything depends on the incoming data now and there are a lot of potentially significant releases over the next few weeks that could swing the odds of a March rate cut in either direction," said Paul Ashworth at Capital Economics research group.
"We still think the Fed will lower rates by 25 basis points at that upcoming meeting."
- Key figures around 1100 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,513.28 points
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,427.00
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.4 percent at 16,826.86
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.3 percent at 4,550.62
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at 36,236.47 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 2.0 percent at 16,211.96 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 3.0 percent at 2,906.11 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 37,806.39 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0892 from $1.0883 on Wednesday
Dollar/yen: UP at 147.63 yen from 147.62 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 85.57 pence from 85.56 pence
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2732 from $1.2717
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.4 percent at $81.19 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.6 percent at $76.28 per barrel
burs-bcp/rfj/gil
P.Mathewson--AMWN