- Ferrari's Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris
- 10 years into Huthi rule, some Yemenis count the cost
- France poised to finally get new govt
- Kompany, Alonso call for action on player workload amid strike talks
- Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson doubtful for Bournemouth clash
- Bumrah takes four as India bowl out Bangladesh for 149
- Sri Lanka 134-1 to take upper hand in first New Zealand Test
- Bayern's Kompany calls for game cap for players amid strike talks
- Christie's expands Hong Kong footprint in hope of art market 'pickup'
- Sultry screen legend Sophia Loren turns 90
- Cambodian opposition figure in court on incitement charge
- Bumrah takes three wickets to have Bangladesh in trouble at 112-8
- Kimchi threat as heatwave drives up South Korea cabbage prices
- UK economic data delivers fresh blow to new govt
- China to 'gradually resume' seafood imports from Japan after Fukushima ban
- India minister blames dam release for flooding
- O'Rourke strikes early for Kiwis as Sri Lanka trail by three
- Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India's 376
- Israel pounds Lebanon's Hezbollah after device blasts
- Revolution or mirage? Controversy surrounds new Alzheimer's drugs
- Ashwin's 113 powers India to 376 in Bangladesh Test
- Biden opens home to 'Quad' leaders for farewell summit
- Sally Rooney returns with 30-something questions
- Wallabies sense 'massive' chance to upset All Blacks
- Taiwan questions two in probe into Hezbollah pagers
- Viral Korean Olympic shooter scores first acting role as assassin
- Farrell set for 'challenge' of downing Bordeaux in Top 14
- Springbok Etzebeth diverts attention from looming caps record
- Inter on a high ahead of Milan derby as Napoli face Juve test
- Bank of Japan leaves key interest rate unchanged
- Arnold quits after six years in charge of Australia
- Asian markets track Wall Street record to extend global rally
- Guirassy and Anton to return to Stuttgart with new side Dortmund
- Marseille bidding to continue 'almost perfect' Ligue 1 start
- Arnold quits as coach of Australia men's football team
- Harris and Oprah hold star-studded US election rally
- Allies to remember failed WWII parachute operation
- Perez leading new-look Villarreal charge against leaders Barca
- Man City face Arsenal in Premier League title showdown, Postecoglou under pressure
- Fake celebrity endorsements, snubs plague US presidential race
- Documentary brings Argentine 'death flights' to the big screen
- Strike shows challenge to Boeing 'reset' of labor relations
- World leaders to gather at UN as crises grow and conflicts rage
- How plastic pollution poses challenge for Canada marine conservation
- Scientists track plastic waste in pristine Canada marine park
- South Africa's Buhai grabs LPGA Queen City lead
- Japan inflation firms to 2.8% ahead of BoJ rate decision
- Russia's Kadyrov accuses Musk of 'remotely disabling' his Cybertruck
- Titan sub had to abort a dive days before fatal implosion: testimony
- Ohtani makes MLB history with first 50-homer, 50-steal season
Asian markets mixed, oil drops on Biden-Putin hope
Equities were mixed Monday while oil prices eased after presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin agreed in principle to hold a summit to try to find a way out of the Ukraine crisis.
Warnings from US officials that Russia could invade its neighbour imminently have sent markets spiralling in the past week and sent crude surging towards $100 a barrel as traders fret over already tight supplies.
The crisis has compounded worries about inflation, which is sitting at a 40-year high and putting pressure on the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates with investors speculating over how fast and hard it will move.
Monday's session started on a negative note, with markets suffering hefty falls but the losses were reduced after the US and Russian leaders said they would hold talks on Ukraine, as long as Putin does not invade.
The United States is "committed to pursuing diplomacy until the moment an invasion begins", Biden's press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. "President Biden accepted in principle a meeting with President Putin ... if an invasion hasn't happened."
"We are also ready to impose swift and severe consequences should Russia instead choose war. And currently, Russia appears to be continuing preparations for a full-scale assault on Ukraine very soon."
The news raised hopes for a peaceful conclusion to the standoff, though traders remain on edge.
Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, Manila and Bangkok were in the red, though Sydney, Mumbai, Singapore and Jakarta edged up slightly. Shanghai was flat.
Gold, a safe-haven asset in times of turmoil, slipped.
Warren Patterson, of ING Groep NV, said: "A proposed summit does offer some relief to the market, as it suggests that both sides are still possibly open to dialogue.
"Asset prices, particularly commodities, will continue to be heavily influenced by Russia-Ukraine noise."
Oil eased on easing fears about the possibility of supplies being hit by any conflict in eastern Europe, though surging demand as the global economy reopens continues to put upward pressure on the commodity.
Observers are warning $100 will soon be breached and could hold above that level for an extended period, even if talks on Iran's nuclear programme succeed and lead to the resumption of Tehran's crude exports.
The sharp rise in crude is a key driver of inflation across the planet, adding to supply chain snarls and bottlenecks.
While expectations are for a Fed rate hike next month, some bank officials at the weekend indicated they were not in favour of a 50 basis point rise, as has been suggested in light of consumer price hikes.
The prospect of higher borrowing costs this year has weighed on markets for months, bringing a near two-year equity rally to an end with commentators predicting further volatility down the line.
"Global data and central banks' stance on tightening are all taking a backseat to Ukraine, with markets nervously awaiting the next headline," Su-Lin Ong, at Royal Bank of Canada, said. "Thinner liquidity because of the US holiday adds to the anxiety."
- Key figures around 0710 GMT -
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.8 percent at 26,910.87 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.8 percent at 24,142.59
Shanghai - Composite: FLAT at 3,490.61 (close)
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $90.70 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 0.3 percent at $93.26 per barrel
Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1369 from $1.1323 late Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3623 from $1.3593
Euro/pound: UP at 83.44 pence from 83.30 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 114.95 yen from 115.03 yen
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.7 percent at 34,079.18 (close)
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 7,513.62 (close)
-- Bloomberg News contributed to this story --
O.Bulka--BTB