- 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
- China offers $325 bn in fiscal stimulus for ailing economy
- Dodgers drop Padres 2-0 to advance in MLB playoffs
- Alexei Navalny wrote he knew he would die in prison in new memoir
- Last-minute legal ruling allows betting on US election
- Despite hurricanes, Floridians refuse to leave 'paradise'
- Israel observes Yom Kippur amid firestorm over Lebanon strikes
- Trump demonizes migrants in dark, misleading speech
- X says 'alert' to manipulation efforts after pro-Russia bots report
- US, European markets rise before Boeing unveils sweeping job cuts
- Small Quebec company dominates one part of NHL hockey: jerseys
- Comoros shock Tunisia, Salah, Mbeumo strike in AFCON qualifiers
- Boeing to cut 10% of workforce as it sees big Q3 loss
- Germany win in Nations League as 10-man Dutch rescue point
- Undav brace sends Germany to victory against Bosnia
- Israel says fired at 'threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- Want to film in Paris? No sexism allowed
- Ecuador's last mountain iceman dies at 80
- Milton leaves at least 16 dead, millions without power in Florida
- Senegal set to announce breakaway development agenda: PM
- UN says 2 peacekeepers wounded in south Lebanon explosions
- Injury-hit Australia thrash 'embarrassing' Pakistan at Women's T20 World Cup
- Internal TikTok documents show prioritization of traffic over well-being
- Israel says fired at 'immediate threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- New US coach Pochettino hails Pulisic but worries over workload
- Brazil orders closure of 2,000 betting sites
- UK govt urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China
- Sculptor Lalanne's animal creations sell for $59 mn
- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
Stock markets steady before US inflation data
Europe's main stock markets steadied Friday as traders reacted to more earnings updates from top companies, while awaiting revisions to US inflation data.
Asia saw holiday-thinned trade, with investors there struggling to build on another record-setting day on Wall Street.
"Today sees things slow down after a week that has seen yet another prominent role played by earnings, with Arm Holdings helping to bolster the tech story that underpins the gains seen for US markets," noted Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at traders Scope Markets.
Shares in Arm soared in after-hours US trading "after earnings pointed to the AI opportunity for the British chip designer", said Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Finalto.
The luxury sector was a focus in Europe, with French giant Hermes on Friday posting record annual sales and net profit.
Hermes said it would reward all employees with a bonus following strong growth in every region last year.
Shares in Hermes rose by more than four percent to 2,618 euros nearing the half-way stage in Paris, propelling the group above cosmetics giant L'Oreal in terms of market value.
L'Oreal's stock price fell more than seven percent to 420 euros after it posted lower-than-expected results for the fourth quarter.
Shares in LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods group, were down 0.3 percent to 802 euros, though it also reported record annual earnings last month.
Gucci owner Kering was up 0.7 percent to 412 euros, a day after reporting slumping profits.
In the US, equities have continued their march higher this week as strong earnings from big-name firms and data showing resilience in the world's number one economy helped overcome Federal Reserve warnings that interest rates will not come down as early as hoped.
Figures released Thursday showing below-expectation US jobless claims reinforced the view that the labour market remained in good health despite interest rates sitting at two-decade highs, but gave the central bank room to hold borrowing costs where they are for longer.
Revisions to the consumer price index due Friday will be pored over and followed by new data for January, with an above-forecast reading seen as justifying the monetary policymakers' reluctance to cut just yet.
- China watch -
While China is in holiday mode, investors are keeping tabs on Beijing, hoping for fresh measures to boost market confidence or even hints of growth-driving help for the country's stuttering economy.
News that consumer prices fell at their sharpest pace since 2009 added to the gloom, and ramped up pressure on officials to address the crisis head-on with a big-time "bazooka" stimulus package.
However, observers were sceptical that anything major would be forthcoming.
Analysts at Eurasia Group said the replacement of the chairman of China's markets regulator "demonstrates that the political impulse remains to tighten administrative controls rather than address fundamental problems facing the economy".
- Key figures around 1115 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 7,603.44 points
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.1 percent at 7,655.64
Frankfurt - DAX: FLAT at 16,965.86
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.1 percent at 4,716.23
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 36,897.42 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.8 percent at 15,746.58 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: Closed for a holiday
New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 38,726.33 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0768 from $1.0781 on Thursday
Dollar/yen: UP at 149.38 yen from 149.30 yen
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2604 from $1.2620
Euro/pound: UP at 85.42 pence from 85.40 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $76.39 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $81.50 per barrel
dan-bcp /lth
X.Karnes--AMWN