LONDON: Stock markets traded mixed Thursday as investors assessed twists in the Ukraine crisis, while minutes from the Federal Reserve's January meeting eased concerns it was set to hike US interest rates sharply.
Investors also digested results from major companies, including Airbus and Nestle.
Oil prices retreated on further signs of a breakthrough in Iran nuclear talks, analysts said.
Haven investment gold won support, rising close to $1,900 an ounce over concerns of a potential invasion of Ukraine by neighbouring Russia.
The crisis in Ukraine is a serious threat to the global economy's post-pandemic recovery, Indonesia's leader warned on Thursday at a meeting of finance chiefs from the G20 wealthy nations.
European aircraft giant Airbus posted record profits in 2021 after two years of losses as it cruises past the pandemic-induced crisis in the travel industry, company results showed Thursday.
Air France-KLM posted another net loss in 2021, though it was more than half less than in 2020 at 3.3 billion euros.
Elsewhere, Swiss food giant Nestle's net profit and sales rose in 2021 as it sold shares in cosmetic company l'Oreal and hiked prices amid soaring global inflation.
In Russia, the Kremlin on Thursday said that the country's withdrawal of forces from around Ukraine's borders would take place over an extended period, after reports of Moscow's drawdown drew scepticism from Kyiv's allies.
Global equities were sent plunging and crude surged at the start of the week after a top US official said Russia could invade Ukraine imminently, but Moscow appeared to soothe those fears Tuesday by saying it had started withdrawing some soldiers.
Asian equity markets enjoyed broadly positive sessions on Thursday, though confidence was knocked when reports said Russian separatists in Ukraine said the country's forces had fired at them -- highlighting the tense climate in the area.
Most Asian markets up as traders eye Ukraine, Fed eases rate fears
In later European trading, major eurozone indices were steady while London fell.
The geopolitical uncertainty jolted US markets Wednesday, though they enjoyed a late rally from intraday lows after the Fed minutes provided no surprises.
The release had been keenly awaited as the bank tries to walk a fine line of reining in four decade-high inflation while not knocking the healthy economic recovery off track.
Oil drops
High oil prices, which have contributed heavily to soaring inflation, cooled Thursday on growing hopes that talks on the Iran nuclear deal could soon bear fruit.
Tehran's top negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani said an agreement was "closer than ever" and while Washington and Paris were a little more circumspect, the comments raised the possibility Iranian crude could return to the market soon.
Oil recoups some losses after report of Kyiv forces attacking Russia-backed rebels
"Positive developments in the US-Iran nuclear negotiations are helping to calm oil prices," noted Claudio Galimberti at Rystad Energy.
"Although not a done deal yet, prices are sliding on news of progress and broad consensus in the talks as it could ultimately see up to 900,000 barrels a day of crude added to the market by December this year."
The developments offset uncertainty over the Russia-Ukraine crisis, which had helped propel prices towards $100 per barrel for the first time in more than seven years, and comes as demand continues to improve as the world economy reopens.
Key figures around 1200 GMT
London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 7,592.64 points
Frankfurt - DAX: FLAT at 15,367.77
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.1 percent at 6,973.80
EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.1 percent at 4,135.15
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.8 percent at 27,232.87 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.3 percent at 24,792.77 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,468.04 (close)
New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 34,934.27 (close)
West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 1.9 percent at $91.88 per barrel
Brent North Sea crude: DOWN 1.7 percent at $93.19 per barrel
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1365 from $1.1381 late Wednesday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3606 from $1.3589
Euro/pound: DOWN at 83.52 pence from 83.75 pence
Dollar/yen: DOWN at 115.00 yen from 115.49 yen
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