- 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
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
- Sabalenka sets up Gauff showdown in Wuhan semis
- EU questions shopping app Temu over illegal products risk
- Kim Sei-young holds lead with late birdies at LPGA Shanghai
- Toulouse welcome Dupont 'boost' as Olympic star returns to Top 14
- Japanese atomic bomb survivor group Nihon Hidankyo wins Nobel Peace Prize
- Deadly Israeli strike on Beirut likely targeted Hezbollah security chief
- Bangladesh Islamist chief backs crimes against humanity trial for ex-PM
- Everest climber's remains believed found after 100 years
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack
- Clashes on South China Sea, Ukraine dominate Asia summit
- Han Kang's books sell out in South Korea after Nobel win
- Zelensky meets Pope, Scholz as whirlwind Europe tour ends
- Hello Hallyu: why is South Korean culture sweeping the globe?
- UK economy rebounds in August in boost to new govt
- Voice of Japan's beloved robot cat 'Doraemon' dies
- Shanghai markets sink ahead of briefing on mixed day for Asia
- Investors, analysts eye bigger China stimulus at Saturday briefing
- 20 Pakistan coal miners shot dead in attack: police
- Blinken condemns China's 'increasingly dangerous' sea moves
- Toyota returns to Formula One as Haas partner
- EU chief says China must 'adapt its behaviour' to solve trade row
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
- Lynx rally, stun Liberty in overtime in WNBA Finals opener
- Pogacar hunting 'perfect' season finale with Coppi's Il Lombardia record
- 'Soul of old Baghdad': city centre sees timid revival
- Kittle at the double as Niners hold off Seahawks
- At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Yankees advance in MLB playoffs as Guardians stay alive
- Asian markets mixed after Wall St drop, Shanghai dips before briefing
- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
- Musk's promised robotaxi unveil delayed
- Kamada says Japan can close in on World Cup place against Australia
- On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument
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Stock markets cautious after US jobs report
Global stocks wobbled Friday as investors digested a jobs report that failed to settle the debate about when the US Federal Reserve could start cutting interest rates.
Non-farm payrolls rose 275,000 in February, higher than the consensus forecast of 200,000.
Stock wavered throughout the session, falling in pre-market trading as the news seemed to suggest the economy is running too hot to justify the Federal Reserve easing its monetary stance.
But the report also included downward revisions to previous months, as well as rise in the unemployment rate to 3.9 percent from 3.7 percent.
More than two hours into trading, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 were lower and the Dow up slightly after all three had earlier been in the green.
The jobs figures didn't point to when the Fed might start easing its monetary stance.
"The Fed, having steered the economy with a steady hand thus far, is poised to maintain its cautious stance, likely resisting the clamour for rate reductions in the immediate term," said Richard Carter, head of fixed interest research at Quilter Cheviot.
Wall Street had reached all-time highs Thursday, lifted by Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell hinting at a more dovish tilt to monetary policy coming soon.
But in his testimony to lawmakers he also insisted the Fed needed to see more signs of winning the battle against inflation before making a move.
In Europe, Paris closed slightly higher while Frankfurt and London fell. They had been higher earlier in the session before being pulled lower by Wall Street.
Paris and Frankfurt also hit record highs Thursday after European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde hinted at cuts to eurozone interest rates starting in June.
The Fed and the ECB have jacked up interest rates to combat the inflation that spiked after Russia invaded Ukraine. Inflation rates have slowed, but are still above the central banks' targets.
But the higher rates have risked pushing countries into recession, particularly in Europe.
Official data Friday showed German industrial production rose for the first time in nearly a year in January, fuelling hopes that a manufacturing slowdown in Europe's biggest economy was bottoming out.
The US stock market has gained around 10 percent so far this year, driven higher by tech stocks, but they have started to diverge in recent weeks.
Chipmaker Nvidia is up 85 percent from the start of the year and Facebook owner Meta is up 46 percent, but Apple is down seven percent.
Another major stock, electric carmaker Tesla, has lost 29 percent.
"It's quite obvious that some differentiation is coming back into the market," said David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation.
Expectations of lower US interest rates continued to drag the dollar lower and boost gold, which Friday hit a new summit at $2,191.27 an ounce.
Leading crypto currency Bitcoin hit another record during the day, smashing through $70,000 for the first time on growing investor demand amid speculation over when the United States may begin lowering interest rates.
But the often volatile unit swiftly fell back to around $67,000 shortly afterwards.
- Key figures around 1720 GMT -
New York - Dow: UP 0.2 percent at 38,869.65 points
New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.3 percent at 5,144.56
New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.5 percent at 16,190.30
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,659.74 (close)
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 8,028.01 (close)
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 17,814.51 (close)
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.3 percent at 4,961.11 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.2 percent at 39,688.94 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.8 percent at 16,353.39 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.6 percent at 3,046.02 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0941 from $1.0951 on Thursday
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 147.16 yen from 148.07 yen
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2848 from $1.2819
Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.16 pence from 85.46 pence
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.9 percent at $78.23 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.8 percent at $82.29 per barrel
O.Karlsson--AMWN