- Murray on the brink in Geneva comeback
- ICC prosecutor seeks Gaza 'war crimes' arrest warrant for Netanyahu, Hamas leaders
- 'Incognito Market' founder arrested in New York
- Cate Blanchett urges film industry to include refugee voices
- Sargent returns to US squad for pre-COPA friendlies
- Microsoft unveils 'Copilot Plus' PC amped with AI
- Biden slams 'outrageous' ICC bid to arrest Israeli leaders
- Five things to know about incoming Anfield boss Arne Slot
- Changing climate influences London's Chelsea Flower Show
- UK PM sorry for institutional cover-up in infected blood scandal
- G7 push to use Russian assets for Ukraine 'vital and urgent': Yellen
- Trump trial closing arguments set for next week
- US Supreme Court rejects ex-Guantanamo detainee's appeal
- Japan's Studio Ghibli receives honorary Palme d'Or in Cannes
- Liverpool confirm Slot will replace Klopp as manager
- Pogacar 'good enough' to win Giro d'Italia and Tour de France
- Cargo ship that destroyed Baltimore bridge towed to port
- 'God works slowly': NGO ship rescues 35 Bangladeshis off Malta
- Dominican Republic's President Abinader wins resounding re-election
- England relish 'fear factor' of returning paceman Archer
- Israel, Hamas reject bid before ICC to arrest leaders for war crimes
- Explosive Trump biopic hits Cannes Film Festival
- Demi Moore transforms for Cannes body horror 'The Substance'
- Spain demands Milei public apology for 'corrupt wife' comment
- Gold hits record high as Iran shock triggers haven support
- Ship that destroyed Baltimore bridge being towed to port
- Max wins but Red Bull supremacy challenged: Emilia Romagna GP talking points
- US inflation fight will take 'further time': senior Fed official
- UK report finds cover-up of decades-long infected blood scandal
- Trump trial resumes, closing arguments expected next week
- Ruto on first state visit by Kenyan leader to US in two decades
- African players in Europe: Superb Kudus goal in vain as City take title
- Pope to visit Belgium, Luxembourg in September
- Gold hits high as Iran shock triggers haven support
- Strikes pound Gaza as Israel voices 'duty' to expand Rafah incursion
- Russia tries playwright and director on terror charges
- Iran mourns president Raisi's death in helicopter crash
- Attack on tourists rocks fledgling Afghanistan tourism sector
- Paralympics should put disability back on global agenda, says IPC chief
- South Africa's top court strikes Zuma from ballot
- Crunch time looms for BHP's bid buy Anglo American
- Kane to face old club Spurs for first time in Seoul
- Markets rise as traders cheered by China property plan
- Black farmers in Brazil changing views on coffee production
- Iran's President Raisi declared dead in helicopter crash
- Australia police arrest 554 in domestic violence crackdown
- South Korea, Britain host AI summit with safety top of agenda
- New president Lai vows to defend Taiwan's democracy
- Forever fad: Rubik says his cube 'reminds us why we have hands'
- Trump eyes witness stand as trial draws to a close
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European stock markets hit record highs on rate cut hopes
European stock markets climbed to fresh record highs Friday on growing hopes that central banks are close to cutting interest rates.
London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam all hit new heights, with global equities benefitting also from strong first-quarter earnings.
"European markets are on the rise despite concerns that a resurgence in UK growth could yet hinder hopes for a dovish pivot from the Bank of England in the months ahead," noted Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at Scope Markets.
Britain exited a shallow recession with better-than-expected growth in the first quarter, official data showed Friday, in a boost to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of the country's general election this year.
In the United States, data has indicated that the labour market is beginning to soften, giving the Federal Reserve room to ease monetary policy.
The forecast-beating figures showing that unemployment claims rose to their highest level since August followed news that far fewer new posts were created in April than expected.
In reaction, US Treasury bond yields, a proxy for interest rates, have moved lower.
The US readings soothed worries that borrowing costs would remain elevated through the year after a series of above-estimate inflation readings in the first four months.
Still, speculation is growing that the Fed will cut rates in September, though analysts urged caution as decision-makers were keen to see evidence that prices are being brought under control.
The Bank of England on Thursday signalled a rate cut this summer after keeping UK borrowing costs at the highest level in 16 years to tame inflation.
The European Central Bank is expected to cut its rates in June.
With Wall Street performing strongly Thursday, Asian investors pushed regional stocks higher ahead of the weekend.
Hong Kong continued an impressive run that has seen it enter a bull market after climbing more than 20 percent from its January lows.
The gains were boosted by news that city officials were considering a plan to exempt individuals from paying tax on their dividends from stocks bought via the stock connect with mainland bourses.
Elsewhere Friday, oil prices extended gains as investors tracked developments in the Middle East, with Hamas on Friday saying its team at Gaza ceasefire talks in Cairo had left, adding that the "ball is now completely" in Israel's hands.
State-linked Egyptian outlet Al-Qahera News reported Thursday that representatives of both camps had left after two days of negotiations aimed at finalising a ceasefire deal.
- Key figures around 0950 GMT -
London - FTSE 100: UP 0.8 percent at 8,448.68 points
Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.7 percent at 8,247.88
Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.7 percent at 18,816.68
EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.8 percent at 5,092.32
Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.4 percent at 38,229.11 (close)
Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 2.3 percent at 18,963.68 (close)
Shanghai - Composite: FLAT at 3,140.77 (close)
New York - Dow: UP 0.9 percent at 39,387.76 (close)
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0783 from $1.0785 on Thursday
Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2531 from $1.2524
Dollar/yen: UP at 155.69 yen from 155.47 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.05 from 86.09 pence
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.5 percent at $84.30 per barrel
West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.6 percent at $79.75 per barrel
burs-bcp/rfj/lth
J.Horn--BTB