- 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
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Djokovic 'overwhelmed' after 'greatest rival' Nadal's retirement
- Zelensky in Berlin says hopes war with Russia will end next year
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
Asian markets rally after Wall Street highs
Asian markets rose Friday, supported by Wall Street and eurozone records, as traders shrugged off weak US retail sales and recession in Britain and Japan.
US and European stocks rallied Thursday, with the broad-based S&P 500 up 0.6 percent to finish at an all-time high, along with Paris and Frankfurt.
London equities increased despite official data showing the UK entered recession at the end of last year, as high inflation prolonged a cost-of-living crisis.
Japan also entered recession in the back end of 2023, according to data released Thursday, with the Asian nation overtaken by Germany as the world's third-biggest economy.
But overall Asian shares were headed for "their fourth consecutive weekly gain, potentially marking the longest winning streak in over a year unless they experience an unlikely decline" of more than 1 percent on Friday, said Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management.
Despite the recession woes and US retail sales dipping more than expected in January, Innes said "the regional and global interest rate environment remains supportive for risk markets".
The US Commerce Department reported a larger-than-expected decline in retail sales on Thursday, a 0.8-percent retreat after the winter holidays suggesting dampened consumer sentiment.
But Innes said "the broader dataset suggests a contrary narrative: if anything, the growth momentum in the US appears to have gained traction early in the year, building upon the strong performance witnessed in 2023."
Figures released on Tuesday showing the US consumer price index slowed less than expected in January dealt a blow to hopes of an early interest rate cut by the Fed and had sent Asian indices mostly lower.
But investors returned to buying on expectations borrowing costs will be reduced later this year.
Hong Kong advanced Friday on gains from the past two sessions, with investors looking to the release of new US inflation data later in the day.
"Tomorrow's PPI (producer price index) will be closely watched by markets and should drive the near-term direction for the equity and bond markets," said Larry Tentarelli, chief technical strategist at Blue Chip Daily Trend Report.
Tokyo, Sydney, Singapore, Seoul, Manila, Bangkok and Wellington rose in early trade.
Jakarta stocks also gained Friday morning, as Indonesia's election commission results, with half of the votes counted, showed Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto was on course to win the country's presidential election by a wide margin.
- Key figures around 0230 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.7 percent at 38,792.11
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.1 percent at 15,956.11
Shanghai - Composite: Closed for holiday
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0764 from $1.0774 on Thursday
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 150.17 yen from 150.24 yen
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2587 from $1.2577
Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.51 pence from 85.53 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.1 percent at $78.10 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $82.80 per barrel
New York - Dow: UP 0.9 percent at 38,773.12 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.4 percent at 7,597.53 (close)
-- Bloomberg News contributed to this story --
Y.Aukaiv--AMWN