- Last-minute legal ruling allows betting on US election
- Despite hurricanes, Floridians refuse to leave 'paradise'
- Israel observes Yom Kippur amid firestorm over Lebanon strikes
- Trump demonizes migrants in dark, misleading speech
- X says 'alert' to manipulation efforts after pro-Russia bots report
- US, European markets rise before Boeing unveils sweeping job cuts
- Small Quebec company dominates one part of NHL hockey: jerseys
- Comoros shock Tunisia, Salah, Mbeumo strike in AFCON qualifiers
- Boeing to cut 10% of workforce as it sees big Q3 loss
- Germany win in Nations League as 10-man Dutch rescue point
- Undav brace sends Germany to victory against Bosnia
- Israel says fired at 'threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- Want to film in Paris? No sexism allowed
- Ecuador's last mountain iceman dies at 80
- Milton leaves at least 16 dead, millions without power in Florida
- Senegal set to announce breakaway development agenda: PM
- UN says 2 peacekeepers wounded in south Lebanon explosions
- Injury-hit Australia thrash 'embarrassing' Pakistan at Women's T20 World Cup
- Internal TikTok documents show prioritization of traffic over well-being
- Israel says fired at 'immediate threat' near UN position in Lebanon
- New US coach Pochettino hails Pulisic but worries over workload
- Brazil orders closure of 2,000 betting sites
- UK govt urged to raise pro-democracy tycoon's case with China
- Sculptor Lalanne's animal creations sell for $59 mn
- From Tesla to Trump: Behind Musk's giant leap into politics
- US, European markets rise as investors weigh rates, earnings
- In Colombia, children trade plastic waste for school supplies
- Supercharged hurricanes trigger 'perfect storm' for disinformation
- JPMorgan Chase profits top estimates, bank sees 'resilient' US economy
- Djokovic proves staying power as he progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Sheffield Utd boss Wilder 'numb' after Baldock death
- Little progress at key meet ahead of COP29 climate summit
- Fans immerse themselves in Marina Abramovic's first China exhibition
- Israel says conducting review after UN peacekeepers wounded in Lebanon
- 'Party atmosphere': Skygazers treated to another aurora show
- Djokovic 'overwhelmed' after 'greatest rival' Nadal's retirement
- Zelensky in Berlin says hopes war with Russia will end next year
- Kyrgyzstan opens rare probe into glacier destruction
- European Mediterranean states discuss Middle East, migration
- Djokovic proves staying power as progresses to Shanghai semi-finals
- Hurricane Milton leaves at least 16 dead as Florida cleans up
- Britain face 'ultimate challenge' in America's Cup duel with New Zealand
- Lebanon calls for 'immediate' ceasefire in Israel-Hezbollah war
- Nihon Hidankyo: Japan's A-bomb survivors awarded Nobel
- Thunberg leads pro-Palestinian, climate protest in Milan
- Boat captain rescued clinging to cooler in Gulf of Mexico after storm Milton
- Tears, warnings after Japan atomic survivors group win Nobel
- 'Unspeakable horror': the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Stock markets diverge before China weekend briefing
- Christian villagers 'trapped' in south Lebanon crossfire
Stocks rally as Fed eases fears of bigger rate hike
Stock markets rallied Thursday after the Federal Reserve played down chances of an even bigger US interest rate hike in the near future.
Oil prices steadied, one day after big gains as the European Commission proposed a gradual ban on Russian crude over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
The Federal Reserve on Wednesday announced an expected half-point lift in borrowing costs -- the biggest since 2000 -- as part of its battle to rein in inflation.
However, traders were given some much-needed cheer when Fed boss Jerome Powell said a 75 basis-point rise, which had been flagged by many observers, was not being considered.
"Relief has rippled through the financial markets as the Federal Reserve seems committed to keep to the path it had mapped out to try and tame roaring inflation," noted Susannah Streeter, senior investment and markets analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.
The Fed has also indicated that it will start rolling back its massive stimulus programme by offloading bonds from its balance sheet "on a more gradual incline than some feared", Streeter added.
On Wall Street Wednesday following the Fed update, all three main indices closed up by about three percent thanks to a surge in tech firms, which are most susceptible to higher rates.
Strong gains in New York filtered through to Asia and Europe on Thursday.
At 1100 GMT, the Bank of England is expected to announce a fourth straight hike to its main interest rate as UK inflation sits at the highest level in 30 years.
News that Turkish inflation soared to 70 percent in April highlighted the battle central bankers face in controlling prices.
- OPEC+ decision -
Inflation has been dragged higher globally in large part owing to surging energy prices.
OPEC+ members meeting on Thursday are expected to agree a marginal increase in oil production as tight supply concerns caused by the Ukraine war are offset by lower demand risks triggered by China's renewed Covid lockdowns.
OPEC+ includes members of the OPEC oil producers cartel, notably Saudi Arabia, as well as key energy producer Russia.
Traders on Thursday digested also earnings updates from some of the world's biggest companies.
Shares in Airbus soared more than seven percent in Paris after the European aircraft maker said late Wednesday that its net profit more than tripled in the first quarter to 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion), despite the impact of sanctions against Russia.
The results confirm the company's recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic slammed the air travel industry in 2020.
- Key figures at around 0945 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 7,551.92 points
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 1.3 percent at 14,156.82
Paris - CAC 40: UP 1.5 percent at 6,493.45
EURO STOXX 50: UP 1.2 percent at 3,771.35
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.4 percent at 20,793.40 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.7 percent at 3,067.76 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 2.8 percent at 34,061.06 (close)
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: Closed for a holiday
Brent North Sea crude: UP 0.2 percent at $110.34 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $107.72 per barrel
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0598 from $1.0625 on Wednesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2567 from $1.2632
Euro/pound: UP at 84.33 pence from 84.06 pence
Dollar/yen: UP at 129.63 yen from 129.05 yen
O.Johnson--AMWN