- TD Bank to pay more than $3 bn to US in money-laundering case
- SAfrica prosecutors drop criminal complaint against president
- 'Good opportunity': Nagelsmann upbeat despite Germany's long injury list
- Hurricane whips up bitter US election battle
- Cameroon bans media talk of president's health amid rumours
- NFL MVP Jackson and rookie phenom Daniels set for showdown
- Chad's capital under threat as floodwaters rise
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit central Beirut
- No answers on strike on reporters in Lebanon one year on: watchdog
- Ramharack picks four wickets as Windies beat Bangladesh in Women's T20 World Cup
- France's City of Light switches to climate-resilient power cables
- Djokovic hails Nadal 'legacy' as Alcaraz in 'shock' over retirement
- Obama hits campaign trail for Harris
- Delta eyes Election Day travel pullback as profits climb
- Djokovic tells Nadal: 'Your legacy will live forever'
- Ethel Kennedy, wife of RFK, dead at 96
- Zelensky denies ceasefire with Russia under discussion on trip
- Florida battered by hurricane, floods but spared 'worst-case scenario'
- After long fight for glory, Nadal leaves with a legacy of memories
- Home hopes Zheng and Wang through to last-eight in Wuhan Open
- UN peacekeepers say Israel fired on Lebanon HQ, injuring 2
- UK's William and Kate in first joint public engagement since cancer treatment
- Alcaraz out as top players pay tribute to Nadal at Shanghai Masters
- Racing's Farrell 'not thinking' about British and Irish Lions
- Alcaraz, Sinner pay tribute to 'unbelievable' Nadal at Shanghai Masters
- Over 200 women in legal talks with Harrods over Fayed abuse claims
- After K-pop, K-novels? South Korean Nobel win sparks joy, hope at home
- After Nadal exit, Djokovic left to rage against dying of the light
- A very stiff breeze: BBC says sorry for 20,000 kph wind forecast
- Triple centurion Brook happy to break Dad's club record
- Zelensky touts 'victory plan' against Russia in Macron talks
- Musk finally unveiling his long-promised robotaxi
- UN peacekeepers accuses Israel of firing on Lebanon HQ
- London's Frieze art fair goes potty for ceramics
- Southgate taking year out from coaching
- US, Europe stocks fall on US inflation data
- Zelensky meets Macron in Paris as part of European tour
- Hurricane Milton shreds Florida stadium roof
- UN probe accuses Israel of seeking to 'destroy' Gaza healthcare
- US consumer inflation eases to 2.4% in September
- England in sight of victory after Brook's triple hundred
- Juventus readmitted to ECA after failed Super League revolt
- World number 2 Alcaraz knocked out of Shanghai Masters by Machac
- Leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia meet amid regional tensions
- Klopp's Red Bull decision 'ruined life's work' say Dortmund fans
- Han Kang wins South Korea's first literature Nobel
- S. Korea's Nobel winner Han Kang a modest, thought-provoking writer
- Hurricane Milton tornadoes kill four in Florida amid rescue efforts
- The almost impossible job: Beating Rafael Nadal at the French Open
- New French government faces key test with budget plan
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Asian markets struggle to track Wall St on hawkish Fed
Asian markets limped into the weekend Friday at the end of a tough week dominated by the Federal Reserve's hawkish tone that has set up an aggressive tightening of monetary policy, while oil drifted after another series of losses.
The region struggled to take a lead from Wall Street, which recovered from steep intraday losses to end on a positive note, having plunged in previous sessions as traders fretted over the prospect of higher interest rates.
While the Fed has made clear it intends to act more decisively to rein in 40-year-high inflation by ramping up borrowing costs and offloading bond holdings, analysts suggested the better clarity on policy was welcome.
The Fed's desire to tighten up has sent the dollar rallying against most other major currencies and particularly the euro, which has been weighed by European officials' reticence to move as aggressively on prices. The single currency is sitting around a one-month low.
Markets have come under huge pressure this year as the end of ultra-cheap central bank cash, a Covid-fuelled slowdown in China's economic activity, the war in Ukraine and soaring inflation come together in a perfect storm.
Still, all three indexes on Wall Street ended slightly higher, having bounced back from heavy losses earlier in the day thanks to bargain-buying, while some observers suggested recent selling may have gone too far.
But Asia was unable to take up the reins.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Bangkok and Wellington were in the red, though Sydney, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta edged up.
Crude prices were barely moved in early Asian business at the end of another tough week after the United States and allies pledged to release more than 200 million barrels over the coming months to offset the loss of Russian supplies.
The decision comes on top of concerns about demand from China owing to lockdowns and other strict containment measures across the country including the biggest city Shanghai.
Still, there is a feeling that the war in Ukraine, and any possible further sanctions on Russia, could send the oil market higher again.
"I still think... the sentiment-driven sell-off will give way, and fundamentals will reassert themselves, especially as more market participants start fretting about how will the US administration replenish the SPR drawdown," said SPI Asset Management's Stephen Innes.
"Oil prices remain volatile amid concerns over Russian supply against the backdrop of slowing demand in China and a likely depressed US summer driving season due to higher prices at the pump."
He added that "deficits are likely to persist but only moderated by the accelerated strategic stock release from May to November and weaker demand growth".
- Key figures around 0230 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.3 percent at 26,820.37 (break)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.8 percent at 21,642.40
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 3,215.43
Brent North Sea crude: FLAT at $100.56 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.1 percent at $96.15 per barrel
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0863 from $1.0880 late Thursday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3069 from $1.3071
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.12 pence from 83.17 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 123.85 yen from 123.95 yen
New York - Dow: UP 0.3 percent at 34,583.57 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.5 percent at 7,551.81 (close)
J.Oliveira--AMWN