- Navalny memoirs spark mix of curiosity, indifference in Moscow
- Modi calls for quick end to Ukraine conflict in talks with Putin
- Ukraine peace talks, NATO invite may hinge on US elections, Zelensky says
- Leipzig players 'not yet talking' about Klopp, says Openda before Liverpool tie
- IMF predicts slightly slower global growth in 2024 and 2025
- US interest rate, election uncertainy hit stock market sentiment
- Guardiola applauds Man City mentality ahead of Sparta Prague test
- San Siro saga continues as Inter and AC Milan propose new stadium project
- French luxury brand Chanel to sponsor Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race
- Flick calm despite Barca's dire Bayern record
- Kenya court hears challenge to deputy leader's impeachment
- Women footballers call on FIFA to drop Saudi Aramco as sponsor
- Mozambican opposition leader says security forces killed his lawyer
- Modi calls for quick end to Ukraine conflict in meeting with Putin
- Stock markets diverge tracking US outlook
- Snyman returns for Springboks' November internationals
- Bangladesh battle at 101-3 as South Africa threaten innings defeat
- Over 250 women in talks with Harrods over Al-Fayed claims
- England pick Ahmed as third spinner for deciding Pakistan Test
- Verreynne century puts South Africa on top, Bangladesh 19-2 at tea
- Navalny's tomb 'covered with fresh flowers every day': widow
- Schauffele targets more success in Japan after major breakthroughs
- Rare Tintin albums go under the hammer in Paris
- Blinken in Israel to push for Gaza truce
- Most markets fall as traders weigh US rates outlook
- Harris and Trump push for every vote with just 14 days to go
- Hyundai Motor India shares dip on debut after record IPO
- South Africa 243-8 at lunch, lead Bangladesh by 137
- Apple CEO visits China for second time this year as sales slump
- Glasgow confirmed as host of 10-sport 2026 Commonwealth Games
- 'Serious business': influencer degree launches in Ireland
- In South Africa, water shortages are the new reality
- Frontline Ukraine cafe offers glimpse of normality as war rages
- In Mozambique, cigars 100% made in Africa
- North Korea UN representative denies Pyongyang sent troops to Russia
- Leipzig host Liverpool under Klopp's looming shadow
- Harvey Weinstein diagnosed with bone marrow cancer: US media
- King Charles caps Australia trip with 'barbie' and Opera House bash
- Tuipulotu named All Blacks captain to face Japan
- Is Musk's million-dollar US voter lottery legal?
- Britain seeking EU trade reset: minister
- Most Asian markets drop as traders weigh US rates outlook
- Wealthy Israelis offer rewards for release of Gaza hostages
- China launches live-fire exercise in Taiwan Strait
- Putin seeks to rival West with high-profile summit
- New Zealand's Williamson out of second India Test
- League convert Suaalii in Wallabies squad for Europe, Skelton returns
- Unsung heroes who saved 1,000 children from Rwanda genocide
- Rwanda orphans build hope from horror 30 years after genocide
- Brest in dreamland after perfect start to debut Champions League campaign
RBGPF | 3.66% | 61.75 | $ | |
GSK | -0.66% | 37.911 | $ | |
AZN | -0.65% | 76.94 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.08% | 24.63 | $ | |
BP | 0.47% | 31.62 | $ | |
NGG | -1.56% | 66 | $ | |
RIO | 0.49% | 65.27 | $ | |
BTI | 1.3% | 34.7 | $ | |
RELX | -1.33% | 47.005 | $ | |
SCS | -0.16% | 12.87 | $ | |
RYCEF | -1.23% | 7.31 | $ | |
VOD | -0.68% | 9.565 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.16% | 24.83 | $ | |
BCC | -1.37% | 136.035 | $ | |
JRI | -0.19% | 13.125 | $ | |
BCE | -0.41% | 33.255 | $ |
Stock markets diverge tracking US outlook
Europe's main stock markets dropped Tuesday after gains for Chinese indices, as traders sought to ascertain the outlook for US interest rates ahead of the presidential election.
Investor focus was also on company earnings, as gold and oil prices continued to win support from Middle East tensions.
"A mix of continuing unrest in the Middle East and uncertainty over the US election casts a cautious shadow over markets," noted Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown.
Wall Street retreated from record highs Monday, while the dollar was mixed against main rivals on Tuesday.
Tech titans Alphabet and IBM announce their latest results over the next two days, while earnings from Boeing, Coca-Cola, and L'Oreal are also in the pipeline.
General Motors raised some of its full-year profit projections Tuesday following solid earnings as strong vehicle pricing compensated for lower auto sales.
All major European equity markets were in the red mid-session Tuesday, after gains for Shanghai and Hong Kong in the hope of more Chinese stimulus.
London stocks fell following data that showed UK public borrowing rose more than expected in September, as the new Labour government prepares for its first budget next week that is expected to include tax rises.
Frankfurt edged lower but was bolstered by strong third-quarter earnings for German software giant SAP, whose shares were up nearly four percent in early afternoon deals.
Expectations of another bumper US interest-rate cut from the Federal Reserve have been tempered slightly following a recent run of strong American data on jobs creation and as some top decision-makers suggested they would like to see a slower pace of rate cuts.
Concerns over the outcome of the US election on November 5 have weighed on investor sentiment, with general consensus across polls and forecasts being that Donald Trump has "gained ground" on Kamala Harris, Deutsche Bank economists noted.
Tokyo closed down more than one percent Tuesday, even as the yen softened against the dollar to sit at its weakest level since early August.
Gold hit a fresh record high at $2,740.59 an ounce, as traders sought out the haven investment as Israel considers its response to Iran's missile barrage this month.
Uncertainty over the US presidential election has also helped fuel the precious metal's rally, according to analysts who added that concerns about a possible wider conflict in the Middle East were lifting oil prices.
- Key figures around 1045 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 8,318.24 points
Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.8 percent at 7,480.06
Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.4 percent at 19,389.96
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.4 percent at 38,411.96 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.1 percent at 20,498.95 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 3,285.87 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.8 percent at 42,931.60 (close)
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0826 from $1.0818 on Monday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2977 from $1.2982
Dollar/yen: UP at 150.86 yen from 150.82 yen
Euro/pound: UP at 83.41 pence from 83.30 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.9 percent at $74.95 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 percent at $70.72 per barrel
P.Stevenson--AMWN