World Stock Markets Uneven

World Stock Markets Uneven

HONG KONG (AP) -- World stock markets were uneven Friday with investors finding little guidance after Wall Street closed for the Thanksgiving holiday. Worries over Brexit cast a pall over trading in Britain, despite recent encouraging economic indicators.

KEEPING SCORE: European shares were drifting in early trading. France's CAC 40 edged up 0.2 percent to 5,390.85 while Germany's DAX crept up less than 0.1 percent to 12,998.62. Britain's FTSE 100 slipped 0.2 percent to 7,400.53. Wall Street was poised to open higher. Dow futures were up less than 0.1 percent to 23,496.00 and broader S&P 500 futures rose 0.1 percent to 2,597.20.

BREXIT TALKS: British Prime Minister Theresa May stepped up lobbying efforts to broaden Brexit negotiations with the European Union to include future relations and trade, as the talks bogged down on preliminary issues. The talks must be completed well before Britain leaves the bloc in March 2019.

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ANALYST INSIGHT: "Eurozone business conditions PMIs rose further in November driven by both services and manufacturing and are running about as high as they ever get," Shane Oliver of AMP Capital said in a commentary. "Consumer sentiment also rose to a 20-year high in November. Very strong business and consumer sentiment point to further growth acceleration."

ASIAN SCORECARD: Regional markets had a choppy day of trading, with some benchmarks reversing early losses to end higher. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.1 percent to 22,550.85 while the Shanghai Composite index was up 0.1 percent to 3,353.82. Hong Kong's Hang Seng rebounded 0.5 percent to 29,866.32 and South Korea's Kospi added 0.3 percent to 2,544.33. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 edged 0.1 percent lower to 5,982.60. Taiwan's benchmark was flat and Southeast Asian indexes were mostly lower.

CHINA TRADING: Investors watching for another day of wobbles on the mainland's markets were relieved when Shanghai shares staged a late rally after bouncing off a fresh two-month low. On Thursday they tumbled in the final hour of trading, sending the Shanghai Composite down 2.3 percent. Traders blamed factors including tightening liquidity following reports the government is clamping down on online lenders and jitters over bond markets.

WEEK AHEAD: With few other catalysts expected and U.S. trading shortened for "Black Friday," investors are looking ahead to possible market-moving events next week. President Donald Trump's tax overhaul is expected to come into the spotlight again as the Senate's version goes to a vote. U.S. and Chinese manufacturing indexes are due for release, as well as data on U.S. new home sales, Japanese industrial production and European unemployment.

OIL: Energy futures were mixed. U.S. benchmark crude rose 51 cents to $58.53 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 20 cents to $57.82 per barrel on Thursday. Brent crude, used to price international oils, lost 8 cents to $63.47 per barrel in London.

CURRENCIES: The dollar strengthened to 111.46 yen from 111.22 yen in late trading Thursday. The euro strengthened to $1.1868 from $1.1854.

(BE)

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