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- Indonesia biomass drive threatens key forests: report
- Home is far away for Madagascar in AFCON qualifying
- Two months on, Donbas soldiers begin to question Kursk offensive
- Rugby Australia to counter-sue in dispute with Melbourne Rebels
- Mumbai mourns Indian industrialist Ratan Tata
- Philippines challenges China over South China Sea at ASEAN meet
- Mets advance on Lindor blast, Dodgers stay alive in MLB playoffs
- Injury-ravaged Krygios aiming to return at Australian Open
- Greek international Baldock, dead at 31: family
- EU talks deportation hubs to stem migration
- Deaths and repression sideline Suu Kyi's party ahead of Myanmar vote
- S. Africa offers a lesson on how not to shut down a coal plant
- China opens $71 bn 'swap facility' to boost markets
- Mets advance on Lindor grand slam, Yankees and Tigers win
- Taiwan President Lai vows to 'resist annexation' of island
- China's solar goes from supremacy to oversupply
- Asian markets track Wall St record as Hong Kong, Shanghai stabilise
- 'Denying my potential': women at Japan's top university call out gender imbalance
- China's central bank says opens up $70.6 bn in liquidity to boost market
- Zelensky on whirlwind tour of Europe ahead of US vote
- Youth facing unprecedented wave of violence, UN envoy warns
- 'A casino in every kitchen': Brazil's online gambling craze
- Nobel chemistry winner sees engineered proteins solving tough problems
- Lindor powers Mets past Phillies into NL Championship Series
- Wildlife populations plunge 73% since 1970: WWF
- 'Sleeper agent' bots on X fuel US election misinformation, study says
- Death toll rises to 109 after Haiti gang attack, official says
- Tigers beat Guardians and on brink of advancing in MLB playoffs
- Argentina MPs back Milei's veto of university funding
- Man City sink Barca in Women's Champions League as Bayern outgun Arsenal
- Greek international Baldock, 31, found dead in pool: state agency
- Florida seaside haven a ghost town as hurricane nears
- Pharrell Williams to co-chair Met Gala exploring Black dandyism
- Wall Street indices hit fresh records as Chinese shares tumble
- Taiwan's president to deliver key speech for National Day
- Sea row on the menu as ASEAN leaders meet China's Li
- Injured Kane won't start England's Nations League clash with Greece
- Discord seen as online home for renegades
- US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
- Mozambique starts tallying votes in tense election
- Zelensky moves to court European leaders in drive for military aid
- Ratan Tata: Indian mogul who built a global powerhouse
- Rodgers rejects 'false' suggestions of role in Saleh dismissal
- One dead as storm Kirk tears through Spain, Portugal, France
- Indian business titan Ratan Tata dead at 86
- Lebanon facing 'catastrophic' situation as 600,000 displaced: UN
- US warns Israel not to repeat Gaza destruction in Lebanon
- Musk's X returns in Brazil after 40-day showdown with judge
- Call her savvy? Harris unleashes unconventional media blitz
London stock market strikes record as sentiment lifts globally
London's FTSE 100 stocks index hit record highs Tuesday, catching up with major global peers that have struck all-time peaks this year as inflation cools.
Sentiment was upbeat across major world indices thanks to easing Middle East worries and hopes of interest-rate cuts, while traders are keenly awaiting the release this week of more major earnings and key US inflation data.
European stocks rose "for a second day, following the trend registered in Asia overnight, amid growing risk appetite ahead of tech earnings this week", noted Pierre Veyret, analyst at ActivTrades.
London's FTSE 100 reached 8,076.52 points shortly after the open, surpassing a record 8,047.06 struck in February last year.
The index has in recent weeks been lifted by weakening of the pound, particularly against the dollar, as markets anticipate cuts to UK interest rates in the coming months thanks to slowing price rises.
Sterling fell against the US unit and euro Tuesday, benefitting FTSE-listed British multinationals that make big earnings in foreign currencies.
The Paris and Frankfurt stock markets won a lift from news of an improvement to business activity in the eurozone this month.
The apparent easing of Iran-Israel tensions after the rivals launched missile attacks against each other continued to weigh on oil prices.
Investors are a little more upbeat after last week's struggles fuelled by dimming hopes for US interest rate cuts and concerns the Middle East crisis could escalate into a regional war.
"Crude has unwound the Israel-Iran risk premium but could slip into a holding pattern," said Vandana Hari at Vanda Insights.
"It's hard to see a correction from current levels unless there's a breakthrough on the Gaza front."
- Earnings -
Focus is on the corporate reports from Wall Street titans including Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Tesla, with observers saying that traders are keen to see strong earnings as well as positive outlooks.
However, there is a worry that equities could take a hit if the results disappoint, with the surge in markets in recent months partly helped by bets on firms providing bumper returns.
Ahead of the Wall Street open, General Motors reported higher profits thanks to continued strength in North America that offset a loss in its China business, enabling the carmaker to lift its forecast.
Music streaming giant Spotify reported an increase in the number of paying subscribers and a rare but lower-than-expected operating profit for the first quarter.
Key data out of Washington this week will provide a fresh idea about the Federal Reserve's rate-cutting plans, with updates on US gross domestic product and monetary policymakers' preferred gauge of inflation the standouts.
The personal consumption expenditures index, due Friday, comes after three months of above-forecast readings on US consumer prices that have seen investors lowering their outlook for Fed rate cuts this year.
- Key figures around 1045 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 8,071.86 points
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.6 percent at 8,091.71
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.1 percent at 18,057.16
EURO STOXX 50: UP 1.1 percent at 4,990.33
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 37,552.16 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.9 percent at 16,828.93 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,021.98 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.7 percent at 38,239.98 (close)
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2347 from $1.2354
Euro/pound: UP at 86.31 pence from 86.24 pence
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0657 from $1.0656
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 154.78 yen from 154.84 yen on Monday
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.2 percent at $81.75 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $86.87 per barrel
burs-bcp/rfj/lth
L.Durand--AMWN