- 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
- Lucian Freud 'masterpiece' fetches £13.9 million at London sale
- SoFi Stadium to hold next two CONCACAF Nations League finals
- McIlroy and DeChambeau set for PGA-LIV 'Showdown' in Vegas
- Fed minutes highlight divisions over rate cut decision
- Steve McQueen debuts new WWII film at London festival
- Run blitz edges India and South Africa closer to World Cup semi-finals
- Zelensky to court European leaders in drive for military aid
- Israel captain says 'difficult' to focus on football in time of war
- Macron to host Ukraine's Zelensky after meeting Ukrainian troops
- Root says 'many more to get' after England Test runs landmark
- India pile up World Cup high to rout Sri Lanka
- One year later, Israeli hostage family learns of loss
- Texans receiver Collins, Pats' safety Peppers out for NFL clash
London stocks hit new record peak on takeovers
London's stock market fired its way to another record peak on Friday, with investors gripped by a series of eye-catching takeovers this week for listed UK companies.
The British capital's benchmark FTSE 100 index jumped to 8,136.52 points, notching up a record high for the fourth session running in a hectic week for merger and acquisition activity which also buoyed eurozone indices.
Cybersecurity firm Darktrace on Friday became the latest target, joining mining heavyweight Anglo American and music rights owner Hipgnosis Songs Fund on the takeover roster.
Investors were awaiting the release of the US Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, hoping for an idea about its plans for interest rates ahead of next week's policy meeting.
- 'Yet more takeovers' -
Back in London, Anglo American on Friday rejected a blockbuster $38.8-billion takeover bid from Australian rival BHP, slamming it as "highly unattractive" and "opportunistic" and sending its shares down one day after soaring on initial news of the offer.
Darktrace meanwhile accepted a $5.3-billion takeover offer from US private equity firm Thoma Bravo, sending its share price shooting higher.
A battle also brewed to buy UK music rights owner Hipgnosis Songs Fund after US rival Concord increased its takeover offer, slightly beating a bid by Blackstone.
"What a fantastic week for the FTSE 100. We've had new record highs, yet more takeover action, and everyone is talking about UK stocks in a positive way," said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
He added that first-quarter NatWest results also buoyed market sentiment, as the UK bank's pre-tax profit fell but beat expectations.
Added to the mix, forecast-topping earnings from Microsoft and Alphabet helped soothe investor worries that a tech-fuelled global markets rally may have been overdone.
In Asia, major equity markets rose, while the yen hit a fresh 34-year low after the Bank of Japan stood pat on interest rates.
However, the mood was clouded by fresh worries about the economic outlook after worse-than-expected US data combined with a forecast-topping print on core inflation that fanned speculation the country could top into stagflation.
Asia has, however, enjoyed a largely upbeat week on the back of a healthy earnings season, which partially offset fading hopes for Fed rate cuts.
The rally has been helped by blockbuster reports from heavyweights Microsoft and Alphabet, which topped estimates, while the latter also announced its first dividend. Social media company Snap also provided a bullish revenue projection.
All three soared in after-hours trade, helping push up US futures.
Investors were keeping a close eye on Tokyo after the yen sank further after the BoJ held interest rates after raising them for the first time in 17 years last month.
The unit hit 156.82 to the dollar on Friday, fuelling fresh speculation of an intervention after several officials lined up in recent weeks to warn they were ready to step in to support the unit.
- Key figures around 1030 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 8,105.13 points
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.2 percent at 8,030.32
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 18,048.76
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.7 percent at 4,971.71
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.8 percent at 37,934.76 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 2.1 percent at 17,651.15 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,088.64 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 1.0 percent at 38,085.80 (close)
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 156.60 yen from 155.65 yen on Thursday
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0733 from $1.0730
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2512 from $1.2514
Euro/pound: UP at 85.78 pence from 85.74 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.4 percent at $89.33 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.4 percent at $83.93 per barrel
burs-rfj/lth
O.Johnson--AMWN