- White Sox heading for worst season in MLB history
- China the top challenge in US history: senior diplomat
- Hong Kong democracy tycoon's son warns time running out
- New migraine drugs no better than cheap painkillers: big study
- Sean 'Diddy' Combs again denied bail in sex trafficking case
- Brewers clinch division title as MLB playoff race heats up
- Man City blunted by 'giant' Inter in Champions League stalemate
- US stocks dip despite larger Fed interest rate cut
- Man City held by Inter as PSG pinch win in Champions League
- All Blacks recall Beauden Barrett for Australia Test
- Fears of all-out war as new Lebanon device blasts kill 20, wound 450
- Spurs late show saves Postecoglou blushes at Coventry
- PSG snatch late goal to beat Champions League debutants Girona
- Gittens' late double gives Dortmund Champions League win at Brugge
- Man City blunted by Inter in Champions League stalemate
- Hidden talent: French Olympic star Marchand opts for disguise
- MrBeast named in California lawsuit over 'Beast Games' show
- Gauff splits with Gilbert as coach after 14-month run
- Hundreds of thousands at risk in Sudan's El-Fasher: UN
- Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new sex crime charge
- Venezuelan opposition candidate says letter conceding election was coerced
- Ukraine official claims Russian advance in Kursk has been 'stopped'
- X update allows app to bypass Brazil ban: internet providers
- Fears of all-out war as new Lebanon device blasts kill 14, wound 450
- US Fed makes aggressive rate cut, weeks before election
- Arsenal's Odegaard faces lengthy injury absence
- India coal expansion risks massive methane growth: report
- China the top challenge in US history, top diplomat says
- US Fed makes larger half-point cut in first reduction since 2020
- Ronaldo's Al Nassr appoint former AC Milan boss Pioli
- Ainslie 'relieved' as British book place in Louis Vuitton Cup final
- Struggling Roma replace sacked icon De Rossi with Ivan Juric
- Women's NBA will add 15th team in Portland in 2026
- Brazil fires need harsher punishment: environmental police boss
- Boeing to start large temporary furloughs amid Seattle strike
- Fears of all-out war as new Lebanon device blasts kill nine, wound 300
- 'Emergency' declared over falling UK butterfly numbers
- McIlroy outlines threats to golf peace deal
- Stock markets, dollar slip before US rate decision
- Russian advance in Kursk 'stopped': Ukraine official to AFP
- UN members demand end to 'unlawful' Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories
- Snapchat pushes 'safer' platform image, but not everyone agrees
- Three dead, 100 wounded in new wave of Lebanon device explosions
- So where does the oceans' plastic waste come from?
- Allied war heroes buried in Netherlands... 80 years on
- Marsh coy over Australia's choice to open alongside Head
- New London sculpture pays tribute to trans community
- Lebanon doctors tell of horror after pager blasts
- McIlroy eyes Wentworth glory after Irish Open collapse
- Italy seen overtaking France as world's largest wine producer
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Stocks rise as traders eye rate hikes, Ukraine
Stock markets in the United States and Europe mostly rose Monday as investors track corporate earnings, expected interest rate hikes and the standoff over Ukraine.
Wall Street was mixed in early trading, with the Dow slightly lower while the NASDAQ and S&P 500 were up.
In Europe, the London FTSE 100, Frankfurt DAX and Paris CAC 40 were up at least half a point in afternoon trading.
A forecast-busting US jobs report Friday reinforced optimism that the world's top economy was well on the recovery track, but also ramped up expectations of an interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve in March.
It comes as surging global inflation resulted in the Bank of England last week hiking its main interest rate for a second meeting in a row, while the European Central Bank signalled for the first time that it may raise borrowing costs this year.
"Volatility is likely to continue as the global markets adjust to the prospect of tighter monetary policies, as well as geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and a mixed Q4 (fourth quarter) earnings season, which will continue to roll on this week," investment bank Charles Schwab said in a note.
With US inflation data this week tipped to show prices rising at a pace not seen in 40 years, traders are becoming increasingly anguished that Federal Reserve rate hike plans could jeopardise the recovery.
There is mounting talk that the US central bank will have to hike borrowing costs at least four times this year -- with some predicting as many as seven rises could occur.
- 'Worst appears behind us' -
Craig Erlam at trading platform OANDA said investors have already prepared for potential rate increases.
"And with so much now priced in -- of course, there's always room for more -- we could see investors taking some comfort from the fact that the worst appears to be behind us," he said.
On the geopolitical front, investors are nervous over Western fears that Russia plans to invade Ukraine.
Investors are also watching for more corporate earnings statements this week after a disappointing report from Facebook parent Meta last week caused the company's shares to sink, dragging markets along.
Elsewhere Monday, oil prices continued their retreat after European benchmark contract, Brent North Sea crude, hit $94 -- the highest level for more than seven years.
"Oil prices are a little flat at the start of the week with the rally losing a little momentum after nuclear talks between the US and Iran appeared to make positive progress," Erlam said.
But the continued reopening of the world economy as well as a cold snap in the United States and uncertainty over the Russia-Ukraine stand-off are expected to keep crude futures well supported, according to analysts.
- Key figures around 1430 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.7 percent at 7566.06 points
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.6 percent at 15191.47
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.5 percent at 6985.99
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.7 percent at 4,113.14
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.7 percent at 27,248.87 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: FLAT at 24,579.55 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 2.0 percent at 3,429.58 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.1 percent at 35062.41 percent
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1431 from $1.1453 Friday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3514 from $1.3527
Euro/pound: DOWN at 84.58 pence from 84.65 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 115.08 from 115.21 yen
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.54 percent at $92.77 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.16 percent at $91.24 per barrel
S.Keller--BTB