- Harris, Trump and Biden mark Oct. 7 attacks as US election looms
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street falls
- US judge orders Google to open Android to rival app stores
- On attacks anniversary, Israel fights 'sacred' multi-front war
- Nobel scientist uncovered tiny genetic switches with big potential
- Grammy-winning Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney, dies at 91
- UN biodiversity summit in Colombia aims to turn words into action
- Georgia Supreme Court reinstates six-week abortion ban
- 'Dark day': Victims mourned around the globe on Oct. 7 anniversary
- On attacks anniversary, Israel fights multi-front war
- Mexican mayor murdered days after taking office
- Intensifying to Category 5, Hurricane Milton targets Florida
- Mission to probe smashed asteroid launches despite hurricane
- Biden, Harris mark Oct. 7 with call for Mideast peace
- Dupont set for Toulouse return after post-Olympic holiday
- French rugby bosses tighten discipline after nightmare Argentina tour
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street slips
- Visitors to get rare view of Rome's Trevi Fountain
- Europe's asteroid mission Hera launches despite hurricane
- Man City and Premier League both claim victory in legal case
- Deschamps delight as 'light back on' for Pogba after doping ban
- Biden, Harris urge Mideast peace on Oct. 7 anniversary
- Neeskens, tough midfielder in Cruyff's Ajax and Dutch teams
- UN warns world's water cycle becoming ever more erratic
- Oil prices extend gains on Mideast tensions, Wall Street retreats
- Ex-Dutch football star Johan Neeskens dies
- Man Utd battling to improve fortunes, says Evans
- What is microRNA? Nobel-winning discovery explained
- Masood, Abdullah centuries lift Pakistan to 328-4 in first England Test
- Hurricane Milton strengthens fast, threatens Mexico, Florida
- Tunisia's President Saied set for landslide election win
- Barca hoping to return to Camp Nou 'by end of year'
- Trump to open second golf course at Scotland resort in summer 2025
- Super-sub Jhon Duran rewarded with new Aston Villa deal
- US duo win Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough
- Masood hits first ton for four years to power Pakistan to 233-1
- Fritz wins delayed match to reach Shanghai Masters third round
- Naomi Osaka pulls out of Japan Open with back injury
- Weather may delay launch of mission to study deflected asteroid
- China to flesh out economic stimulus plans after bumper rally
- Artist Marina Abramovic hopes first China show offers tech respite
- Asian markets track Wall St rally on US jobs data
- Pakistan 122-1 at lunch in first England Test
- Kazakhs approve plan for first nuclear power plant
- World marks anniversary of Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- 'Second family': tennis stars hunt winning formula with new coaches
- Philippines, South Korea agree to deepen maritime cooperation
- Mexico mayor murdered days after taking office
- Sardinia's sheep farmers battle bluetongue as climate warms
- Japan govt admits doctoring 'untidy' cabinet photo
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Asian markets drift lower ahead of key US figures, eyes on China
Asian markets retreated Tuesday as investors steel themselves for a high-stakes US jobs report at the end of the week while keeping tabs on China after fresh data stoked renewed worries over the world's number two economy.
The Federal Reserve is widely expected to cut interest rates at its next meeting this month but close attention is being paid to Friday's non-farm payrolls (NFP) figures, which are seen as playing a major role in how big the central bank will go.
However, analysts warned that traders were sensitive to a reading that is too far above or below forecasts. A miss to the upside could temper hopes for a series of reductions but a reading well below expectations would likely revive worries about a possible recession.
"This week's overload of labour data... will be crucial in breaking the debate between a 25 or 50 basis point cut in September," said Charu Chanana at Saxo Capital Markets, referring to the NFP as well as job openings and private hiring figures.
"If the data remains robust, a 25-basis-point cut is more likely. However, a weak NFP, particularly if it falls below 130,000 with another jump higher in unemployment rate, could push the rates market closer to pricing a 50-basis-point cut."
Chanana added that investors will be paying close attention to comments from New York Fed boss John Williams and governor Christopher Waller later in the week for an idea about officials' thinking.
With Wall Street closed Monday for a public holiday, there were few major catalysts to drive business and Asia fluctuated.
Hong Kong, Sydney, Seoul, Wellington, Taipei, Manila, Mumbai and Jakarta all fell, with Tokyo marginally lower, though there were small gains in Singapore and Bangkok.
London opened higher, along with Paris and Frankfurt.
Nervousness over the Chinese economy was keeping buyers at bay after another round of data showed the country's manufacturing sector contracted for a fourth straight month.
A stream of indicators has highlighted weaknesses in the economy since leaders lifted painful Covid curbs at the end of 2022, but Beijing has refused to embark on the sort of big-ticket stimulus it unveiled during the global financial crisis.
With no sign that the government will give in to the calls for support, investors are left waiting nervously for the latest round of data this month, with inflation and trade due next week.
In company news, the Hong Kong-listed shares of Cathay Pacific slipped after it announced the temporary grounding of its A350 aircraft for inspections after a "first of its type" engine component failure forced a flight to Zurich to turn back to Hong Kong on Monday.
The Hong Kong carrier said it had cancelled 24 return flights operating up until the end of Tuesday as it inspected its 48 Airbus A350 planes.
- Key figures around 0710 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: FLAT at 38,686.31 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.4 percent at 17,612.31
Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.3 percent at 2,802.98 (close)
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.2 percent at 8,377.16
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1058 from $1.1067 on Monday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3115 from $1.3147
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 146.05 yen from 147.01 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 84.32 pence from 84.18 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $74.07 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $77.37 per barrel
New York - Dow: Closed for public holiday
O.M.Souza--AMWN