- Wall Street, Europe rise as Chinese shares tumble
- Hunkering down for Hurricane Milton at Disney -- but first, a few rides
- Reddy, Rinku power India to 221-9 in second Bangladesh T20
- Overshooting 1.5C risks 'irreversible' climate impact: study
- Time running out in Florida to flee Hurricane Milton
- Demis Hassabis, from chess prodigy to Nobel-winning AI pioneer
- The long walk for water in the parched Colombian Amazon
- Biden-Netanyahu to talk as Hezbollah, Israeli forces clash
- France vows to step up drugs fight after police vehicles torched
- Air France says jet flew over Iraq during Iran attack on Israel
- Activists target Picasso work to protest Israel arms sales
- Let 'Emily in Paris' remain in Paris, Macron says
- Global stocks diverge as Chinese shares tumble
- Time runs out in Florida to flee Hurricane Milton
- Chad issues warning ahead of more devastating floods
- Record-breaking Root helps England dominate Pakistan in first Test
- German govt sees economy shrinking again in 2024
- Ex-UK soldier denies passing secrets to Iran intelligence
- Creator's death no bar to new 'Dragon Ball' products
- Three Kosovo Serbs on trial over 'secession plot' attack
- Van Gogh museum to launch Impressionism show
- French minister ups ante in Eiffel Tower Olympic rings row
- Japan PM calls snap election to 'create a new Japan'
- German police shut pro-Palestinian camp over Thunberg invite
- Chinese stocks tumble on lack of fresh stimulus
- Trio wins chemistry Nobel for protein design, prediction
- SE Asian summit urges end to Myanmar violence but struggles for solutions
- Wimbledon replaces line judges with electronic system
- Record-breaking Root hits hundred as England power to 351-3
- Record-breaking Root hits hundred as England's power to 351-3
- Sabalenka relishes 'much-needed' tennis rivalry with Swiatek
- Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson set for six weeks out
- Taylor Swift got police escort to London gigs after Austria terror plot
- Cook tips Root to break Tendulkar's all-time runs record
- British skull auction sparks Indian demand for return
- Joe Root: England's elegant Test record-breaker
- Braving war: Lebanon's 'badass' airline defies odds
- Klopp to return as head of Red Bull football operations
- Hezbollah strikes Israel, says it foiled Israeli incursions
- Jurgen Klopp to return as head of Red Bull football operations
- Sinner to face Medvedev in Shanghai Masters quarter-finals
- US weighs Google breakup in landmark trial
- Record-breaking Root guides England to 232-2 in reply to Pakistan's 556
- Japan PM dissolves parliament for 'honeymoon' snap election
- Chinese stocks tumble on stimulus upset, Asia tracks Wall St higher
- 7-Eleven owner confirms new takeover offer from Couche-Tard
- Goodbye Tito? Tomb at risk as Serbs argue over Yugoslav legacy
- Restoration experts piece together silent Sherlock Holmes mystery
- Sinner avoids Shanghai deja vu with assured Shelton win
- Pyongyang to 'permanently' shut border with South Korea
RIO | -0.54% | 66.305 | $ | |
BTI | 0.95% | 35.559 | $ | |
CMSC | 0.28% | 24.71 | $ | |
SCS | 2.7% | 13.135 | $ | |
BCC | 0.88% | 143.28 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.01% | 24.85 | $ | |
JRI | 0.36% | 13.208 | $ | |
BP | -0.2% | 31.965 | $ | |
RBGPF | -2.48% | 59.33 | $ | |
NGG | -0.12% | 65.82 | $ | |
RYCEF | -1.01% | 6.9 | $ | |
BCE | -0.13% | 33.465 | $ | |
GSK | 0.91% | 38.37 | $ | |
AZN | 0.31% | 77.11 | $ | |
RELX | 0.05% | 46.665 | $ | |
VOD | 0.77% | 9.735 | $ |
Oil prices, stock markets steady after recent volatility
Oil prices and stock markets steadied Thursday, as Western leaders gathered for emergency summits in Brussels triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
NATO, G7 and European Union gatherings were taking place as the EU debates a possible embargo on Russian oil.
"After a period of sharp volatility, the oil market is enjoying a moment of calm," noted Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor.
The recent surge in oil prices on tight supply fears has fanned already sky-high inflation, causing central banks around the world to hike interest rates, in turn threatening economic recovery.
"We may see volatility increase further regarding multiple 50 basis point (US) hikes and even emergency rate hikes in the near term," said SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes, referring to the Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell's warning that the next increase could be higher than a quarter point.
But the European Central Bank is sitting tight on rates for the time being, as it reacts also to weak growth in the eurozone.
Business activity in the single currency bloc slowed in March, according to a closely watched survey Thursday, as high prices and a gloomy outlook raised fears the Ukraine war could snuff out economic recovery.
The S&P purchase managers' index slipped one point this month to 54.5. A figure above 50 indicates growth.
The survey underscores the "immediate and material impact" of the war on the economy and "highlights the risk of the eurozone falling into decline in the second quarter", said S&P's chief business economist, Chris Williamson.
- Gold reserves -
Elsewhere Thursday, the Moscow Stock Exchange resumed trading of some shares, the second stage in a phased re-opening.
The Moscow exchange suspended trading hours after President Vladimir Putin sent thousands of troops into pro-Western Ukraine on February 24.
Trading resumed for only around 30 of the largest companies that make up the ruble-denominated MOEX Russia Index, which saw early gains of more than 10 percent.
Britain has meanwhile slapped sanctions on 59 more Russian individuals and entities, as well as six Belarusian enterprises.
It comes as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for the world to prevent Russia using its gold reserves.
"The more we do that now, the more pressure we apply now, particularly on things like gold, ... I believe the more we can shorten the war, shorten the slaughter in Ukraine," he said.
- Key figures around 1200 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 7,476.70 points
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 14,261.99
Paris - CAC 40: FLAT at 6,579.96
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,865.22
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.3 percent at 28,110.39 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.9 percent at 21,945.95 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.6 percent at 3,250.26 (close)
New York - DOW: DOWN 1.3 percent at 34,358.50 (close)
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $121.37 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $115.06 per barrel
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1000 from $1.1013 late Wednesday
Pound/dollar: UNCHANGED at $1.3204
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.30 pence from 83.36 pence
Dollar/yen: UP at 121.56 yen from 121.12 yen
F.Schneider--AMWN