- Sean 'Diddy' Combs sex trafficking trial set for May 2025
- Bolivia stun Colombia in World Cup qualifiers
- Internet Archive reels from 'catastrophic' cyberattack, data breach
- Greece earn late win against England in Nations League, Italy-Belgium stalemate
- Trump biopic 'The Apprentice' hits US theaters weeks before election
- Pavlidis dedicates 'special' Greece win over England to tragic Baldock
- Wall Street stocks retreat from records on US inflation data
- 'Like a quake': Beirut shaken after deadliest strikes on centre
- Fallen giants Ghana in AFCON trouble after Sudan draw
- Asian leaders meet in Laos with US, Russia on world turmoil
- England gamble backfires as Pavlidis fires emotional Greece to victory
- Obama stumps for Harris, Trump talks US protectionism
- New-look France ease past Israel in Nations League
- Belgium fight back to draw with 10-man Italy in Nations League
- 'Get a life': Hurricane whips up US election storm
- Japan stay perfect in World Cup qualifying
- Relief as Lebanon evacuees dock in Turkey
- Lebanon says 22 dead in Israeli strikes on central Beirut
- NBA boss Silver sees games back in China 'at some point'
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 22
- Table tennis and Netflix push Ukraine teen into French Open contention
- Civilians flee Gaza's Jabalia in tightening Israeli siege
- Israel strikes central Beirut, killing 18
- At least 10 dead in Florida from tornadoes caused by Hurricane Milton
- Warhol's rare 'Queen' collection opens at Dutch museum
- Three-time NBA champion Green retires
- MLB Twins up for sale after 40 years
- S.Sudan floods affect 893,000, over 241,000 displaced: UN
- Solar storm could impact US hurricane recovery efforts: agency
- Windies sweat on injury to 'crucial' Taylor at World Cup
- Lebanon says 11 dead, 48 injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
- Panama lashes out at EU over tax haven 'outrage'
- Erdogan says Gaza 'shame of humanity', calls for permanent ceasfire
- 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
Stock markets retreat before US inflation data
European stocks sank Tuesday as investors awaited the latest reading on rampant US inflation.
Most Asian indices also fell after a weak overnight lead from Wall Street with all eyes on surging prices in the world's biggest economy that have been fuelled by fallout from the Ukraine war.
Approaching the half-way stage, Frankfurt's DAX index slid 1.0 percent, London shed 0.4 percent and Paris dropped 0.8 percent.
Oil prices rebounded from much of Monday's sharp losses, as concerns subsided over weaker Chinese demand after Shanghai eased Covid restrictions.
The dollar remained elevated versus the yen, one day after hitting a 2015 high at 125.77 yen on expectations of tightening US monetary policy.
That was not far from the greenback's two-decade peak of 125.86 yen.
- 'Feeling the heat' -
"Investors feel the heat before today's inflation print," said Swissquote analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya.
Economists predict US inflation will soar in March to nearly 8.5 percent, which would be the highest since late 1981.
Inflation had already spiked to 7.9 percent over the 12 months to February, the biggest increase in 40 years.
A fresh inflation surge could spur the US Federal Reserve into aggressive interest rate hikes.
That would in turn weigh on investor sentiment and overall activity in the world's biggest economy.
- 'Hotter than hot' -
"It's not really about the level of inflation anymore, as it has been well broadcast that CPI is hotter than hot," said Matt Simpson, senior market analyst at City Index.
"The big question is how long it takes to come back down and whether the Fed will tip the US into a recession in doing so."
Elsewhere Tuesday, bitcoin crept back above $40,000 on strengthening demand for the world's most popular virtual unit following recent heavy losses.
- Key figures around 1130 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 7,586.40 points
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.8 percent at 6,504.87
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 1.0 percent at 14,050.44
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.7 percent at 3,813.76
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.81 percent at 26,334.98 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.52 percent at 21,319.13 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 1.46 percent at 3,213.33 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 1.19 percent at 34,308.08 (close)
Brent North Sea crude: UP 3.4 percent at $101.81 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 3.3 percent at $97.43
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0863 from $1.0884 late Monday
Dollar/yen: UP at 125.66 yen from 125.37 yen
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2999 from $1.3030
Euro/pound: UP at 83.57 pence from 83.53 pence
burs-rfj/bcp/lth
D.Cunningha--AMWN