- EU chief says China must 'adapt its behaviour' to solve trade row
- Musk unveils robotaxi, pledges it 'before 2027'
- Lynx rally, stun Liberty in overtime in WNBA Finals opener
- Pogacar hunting 'perfect' season finale with Coppi's Il Lombardia record
- 'Soul of old Baghdad': city centre sees timid revival
- Kittle at the double as Niners hold off Seahawks
- At least 11 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Yankees advance in MLB playoffs as Guardians stay alive
- Asian markets mixed after Wall St drop, Shanghai dips before briefing
- Automaker Stellantis says CEO will retire in 2026
- Musk's promised robotaxi unveil delayed
- Kamada says Japan can close in on World Cup place against Australia
- On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument
- Renewables revolt in Sardinia, Italy's coal-fired island
- Argentina held, Brazil leave it late in 2026 World Cup qualifiers
- Obama blasts 'crazy' Trump in first rally for Harris
- 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, a plea in favour of world order?
- Fry homers as Guardians down Tigers to stay alive in MLB playoffs
- Japan PM presses China's Li on airspace intrusion
- In Trump 'Truths,' conspiracies, attacks -- and doubts about the election
- How Sebastian Stan found a 'relatable' Trump for 'The Apprentice' biopic
- Panama's water wheel trash collector keeps plastic at bay
- It's still 'the economy, stupid,' says US political guru Carville
- Five key dates in the history of the America's Cup
- Zelensky to meet Pope, Scholz as whirlwind Europe tour ends
- At least 10 dead in Florida but Hurricane Milton not as bad as feared
- Far from eye, Hurricane Milton's deadly tornados rampaged Florida
- At least 10 dead in Florida after Hurricane Milton spawns tornadoes
- Argentina held, Bolivia stun Colombia in 2026 qualifiers
- Socceroos have 'nothing to fear' from Japan
- 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
European stocks, euro retreat ahead of major elections
European stock markets and the euro retreated Tuesday on concerns about potential economic fallout should the far-right win power in France in weekend elections.
London was also lower and the pound traded mixed heading into a UK general election Thursday.
The dollar firmed as investors weighed the possibility of another Donald Trump presidency after last week's poor debate performance by incumbent Joe Biden.
"Political concerns continue to weigh on European stocks," noted Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets.
Candidates in France on Tuesday faced a deadline to register for the run-off round of a high-stakes parliamentary election, as President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp and a left-wing alliance scrambled to prevent the far-right from taking power.
On Sunday, French voters go to polls for the decisive final round of the snap election Macron called after his camp received a drubbing in European elections last month.
His gamble appears to have backfired, with the far-right National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen scoring a victory in the first round of voting last Sunday.
Ahead of the vote, official data Tuesday showed eurozone inflation cooled in June -- but experts said it would be insufficient to convince the European Central Bank to accelerate its rate-cutting cycle despite sluggish economic growth.
Consumer prices have remained stubbornly above the ECB's two-percent target, although the return to easing inflation will no doubt be welcomed by officials.
Consumer price inflation in the single currency area came in at 2.5 percent in June, down from a 2.6-percent rate in May, the EU's statistics agency said.
There are meanwhile concerns about big spending plans promised by France's far-right should it become victorious.
In Britain, the main opposition Labour party is this week on course to end 14 years of power by the Conservatives and the premiership of Rishi Sunak.
Elsewhere Tuesday, Asia's main stock markets closed higher, with Hong Kong enjoying a rare surge after a recent run of losses.
Tokyo piled on more than one percent to end above 40,000 points for the first time since April.
- Key figures around 1100 GMT -
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.9 percent at 7,495.77 points
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 1.0 percent at 18,106.87
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 1.0 percent at 4,881.37
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.4 percent at 8,138.41
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.1 percent at 40,074.69 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.3 percent at 17,769.14 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 2,997.01 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 39,169.52 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0716 from $1.0743 on Monday
Euro/pound: DOWN at 84.75 pence from 84.92 pence
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2645 from $1.2648
Dollar/yen: UP at 161.64 yen from 161.46 yen
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.8 percent at $87.25 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $83.98 per barrel
burs-bcp/rfj/cw
F.Pedersen--AMWN