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The EU will urge G7 partners to consider tapping immobilized Russian assets in aiding Ukraine, the bloc’s economy commissioner told AFP on Wednesday, as finance ministers of the group convene in Washington.Also on the Group of Seven ministers’ agenda are discussions on China’s recently announced curbs on rare earths, commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told AFP in an interview.European allies have been working on a plan to provide loans to Ukraine without an outright seizure of Russian assets that have been immobilized after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.”UK and Canada have already indicated willingness to work alongside with the EU’s reparation loan model,” Dombrovskis said.”So, we’re also awaiting more concrete responses from (the) US and Japan,” he added on the sidelines of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s fall meetings in Washington this week.He stressed that G7 leaders earlier agreed at the finance ministers level to “work in a coordinated way.”Dombrovskis said he intends to outline the EU’s plans when G7 finance leaders gather, while encouraging partners to see what they can do with frozen assets in their territories. The leaders will also discuss work on further sanctions.Under the European Union’s plan, the EU would borrow funds from international deposit organization Euroclear in Belgium that have matured into cash, and the money would in turn be loaned to Ukraine.The understanding is that any funds Russia pays towards post-war reparations would be used to reimburse the Europeans.The Kremlin has said the EU plan amounts to “theft” and has threatened to retaliate. Meanwhile, Belgium is seeking guarantees that the bloc would share risks on the plan.- ‘We are ready’ -G7 leaders are also expected to discuss potential responses to China, after Beijing recently announced fresh export curbs involving the rare earth industry, triggering a fiery response from Washington.Early Wednesday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer slammed China’s move as a “global supply chain power grab,” saying that the United States and its allies would not go along with such a system of controls by Beijing.Dombrovskis told AFP that although no concrete decisions have been made at the EU level, “we are ready to engage and to coordinate those approaches, including at the G7 level.””We are willing to discuss what is the best way to approach it, both in the short-term, but also in the longer term. It’s obvious that we need to work on the diversification of our supply chains,” he said.EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic said Tuesday that the EU is coordinating with G7 partners on a response to China’s rare earths export controls, while engaging with China to find solutions.Asked about further progress to seek a reduction in US tariffs targeting EU goods, Dombrovskis noted Wednesday that “there’s a lot at stake economically.”He said he foresees further discussions on sector-specific tariffs, after Brussels managed to negotiate lower duties on auto exports to the United States.- ‘Sizable’ hit -Separately, Dombrovskis noted that a suspension of France’s pension reform would have significant implications, stressing the need for the eurozone’s second-largest economy to ensure it meets its budget commitments.On Tuesday, France’s Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu backed the suspension of the unpopular 2023 reform — a key move to bolster his cabinet’s survival and draw his country out of political crisis.”There are quite sizable fiscal implications,” Dombrovskis said.”So, it’s important that indeed there are measures taken to ensure that France still meets its commitments in line with its medium-term fiscal structural plan,” he added.Freezing the pension reform would cost around 400 million euros ($463 million) in 2026 and 1.8 billion euros the following year, Lecornu previously said.He added that the shortfall should be covered by savings.France’s debt-to-GDP ratio is the EU’s third-highest after Greece and Italy, and is close to twice the 60-percent limit fixed by EU rules.

Stocks mostly rose and the dollar retreated Wednesday on hopes for further US interest rate cuts and a solid set of company earnings.Gold surged to a new high above $4,200 an ounce, boosted also by a fresh flare-up in China-US tensions.The dollar was weighed down by warnings from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell on risks to the US labour market, reinforcing expectations the central bank will cut rates at its October meeting.”The dollar’s pullback reflects both improved global risk sentiment and dovish comments from Fed Chair Powell, who signalled that rising labour market risks justify another rate cut,” said City Index and FOREX.com analyst Fawad Razaqzada.A series of weak jobs reports led the Fed to trim borrowing costs last month for the first time in 2025. The prospect of rate cuts has helped propel Wall Street stocks to record highs.”The Fed and a raft of better-than-expected earnings reports are driving sentiment,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB.Paris surged more than two percent after the world’s biggest luxury group LVMH beat earnings expectations, triggering a rally across the sector.LVMH shares soared more than 12 percent, while shares in Hermes jumped 7.2 percent and Gucci-owner Kering rose 5.4 percent. Shares in Burberry climbed over three percent in London.”Luxury goods demand has been in something of a tailspin of late, but LVMH has reported signs of easing pressures,” said Steve Clayton, head of equity funds at Hargreaves Lansdown.Investors also hoped for an end to France’s political turmoil after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu backed the suspension of an unpopular 2023 pensions overhaul to bolster his cabinet’s survival.Frankfurt and London both finished the day in the red.Sentiment in the tech sector was lifted by Dutch tech giant ASML reporting solid sales and orders on its semiconductor machines.Its shares climbed 3.4 percent in Amsterdam even as it warned of a steep fall in its China business next year.Asian markets rallied, with Seoul jumping 2.7 percent while Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo all closed more than one percent higher.The gains came despite data showing that Chinese consumer prices fell in September, a sign that the world’s second-largest economy still faces weak consumer activity.Investors also tracked the latest trade salvos between Washington and Beijing, with US President Donald Trump last week threatening 100-percent tariffs in retaliation to China’s new export controls on rare earths.China appeared to stoke the row Tuesday by imposing sanctions on five American subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, accusing them of supporting Washington’s investigation into the shipping industry.Trump later threatened to stop purchases of Chinese cooking oil in retaliation for Beijing’s halt of US soybeans.”The rebound in risk appetite has continued across the board today, shrugging off any further spat between the US and China, this time over cooking oil,” said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at trading platform IG.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent added to the tensions on Wednesday by slamming Beijing’s rare earth export curbs as “China versus the world,” and vowing that Washington and its allies would “neither be commanded nor controlled.”- Key figures at around 1530 GMT -New York – Dow: UP 0.5 percent at 46,517.53 pointsNew York – S&P 500: UP 0.8 percent at 6,700.16New York – Nasdaq Composite: UP 1.1 percent at 22,774.70London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 9,424.75 (close)Paris – CAC 40: UP 2.0 percent at 8,077.00 (close)Frankfurt – DAX: DOWN 0.2 percent at 24,181.37 (close)Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.8 percent at 47,472.67 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.8 percent at 25,910.60 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,912.21 (close)Euro/dollar: UP $1.1636 from $1.1604 on TuesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3396 from $1.3319Dollar/yen: DOWN at 151.22 yen from 151.74 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 86.86 percent from 87.13 penceBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.6 percent at $61.99 per barrelWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.6 percent at $58.37 per barrelburs-rl/gv

FIFA said on Wednesday it hoped all 16 host cities will be “ready” to stage games at the 2026 World Cup finals after US President Donald Trump suggested matches could be moved for security reasons.”We hope every one of our 16 host cities will be ready to successfully host and fulfil all necessary requirements,” a FIFA spokesperson said.”Safety and security are the top priorities at all FIFA events worldwide.”The spokesperson however added that: “Safety and security are obviously the governments’ responsibility, and they decide what is in the best interest for public safety.”Trump said Tuesday that FIFA president Gianni Infantino would support moving World Cup games from US cities if necessary.In September, Trump raised the possibility of moving matches amid his crackdown on Democratic-run cities.”If somebody is doing a bad job and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni, the head of FIFA, who’s phenomenal, and I would say, let’s move it to another location. And he would do that,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if games could be moved from Boston, one of the host cities.”Very easily he would do it,” Trump added.The US president suggested that, if necessary, events for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could also be moved. Republican Trump’s administration has deployed national guard troops to Democratic-run US cities this year over the objections of local and state leaders, saying they are needed to counter crime and left-wing activism.Boston is scheduled to host seven games at next year’s World Cup. San Francisco and Seattle are both hosting six matches each at the tournament while Los Angeles is hosting eight.The United States is staging the World Cup jointly with Mexico and Canada, but will be hosting the bulk of the games in the tournament, which has been expanded to include 48 teams.Eleven of the 16 host cities are in the United States for the June 11 to July 19 tournament.Trump earlier this year appointed himself as chairman of a White House task force for the World Cup.

Canadian leaders said Wednesday that Jeep-maker Stellantis’s decision to invest $13 billion in the United States threatens Canadian jobs, urging action to counter what they called another casualty of President Donald Trump’s trade war.The automaker on Tuesday announced what it described as its largest US investment push in its 100-year history, aiming to create 5,000 jobs across the midwestern United States.Stellantis told AFP on Wednesday that “as part of this announcement, we will move one model from Canada to the US.”UNIFOR, Canada’s largest private-sector union representing thousands of autoworkers, said the model in question is the Jeep Compass, which will shift from a plant in Brampton, Ontario, to Illinois.”Canadian auto jobs are being sacrificed on the Trump altar,” Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement, calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government “to use Canada’s leverage now to fight for our auto jobs.”Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday called the announcement “painful” for workers.”I have spoken with Stellantis to stress my disappointment with their decision to prioritize investment in the US,” Ford said, also urging Carney “to stand up for the 157,000 workers in Ontario’s auto sector.”Reshoring auto jobs has been a central plank of Trump’s trade policy.Canada has been partially spared from his global auto sector tariffs through an existing North American trade pact.But the levies in place have created uncertainty for Canadian autoworkers.Carney, who met with Trump in Washington last week to advance trade talks, has expressed optimism about the prospects for a deal to cut tariffs in certain sectors like aluminum, but a breakthrough on autos appears less promising.- ‘Transform our economy’ -Reacting to the Stellantis announcement late Tuesday, Carney said the company’s decision was “a direct consequence of current US tariffs.”He said his government would continue to prioritize investments “that will transform our economy from being overly reliant on our largest trading partner (the US).”University of Toronto industrial relations expert Rafael Gomez told AFP that Canada needs to be prepared for a steady loss of auto assembly jobs over the coming years.Trump will not relent on tariffs designed to ensure more cars are made in the US, Gomez said.”Think of the photo op — cutting a ribbon in front of the first new Jeep made in Illinois in years,” he added.Canada should prioritize being an essential provider of auto parts to serve US assembly plants, Gomez said.Stellantis told AFP it remains committed to Canada.”We have been in Canada for over 100 years, and we are investing,” the company said in a statement.”We have plans for Brampton and will share them upon further discussions with the Canadian government.”

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday ordered military exercises in the country’s biggest shantytowns after US forces blew up another boat allegedly carrying drugs from the Caribbean country.President Donald Trump said six “narcoterrorists” were killed in the strike on the vessel in international waters near Venezuela, bringing to at least 27 people the number killed in such attacks since early September.Trump has also deployed eight warships, a nuclear-power submarine and fighter jets to the region as part of what he has presented as an operation to combat drug smuggling into the United States.Maduro, who is widely believed to have stolen last year’s presidential election, has accused Washington of plotting regime change.In a message on the Telegram social network, the authoritarian Socialist said he was mobilizing the military, police and a civilian militia to defend Venezuela’s “mountains, coasts, schools, hospitals, factories and markets.”State television showed images of armored vehicles deploying in the sprawling low-income Caracas suburb of Petare, a traditional stronghold of socialist support.Military exercises will also take place in Miranda state, which neighbors Caracas.He said the deployments aim to “win the peace.”Trump accuses Maduro of heading a drug cartel — charges Maduro denies.The US Justice Department in August doubled a bounty for information leading to Maduro’s capture to $50 million.Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said Wednesday the United States was scheming to “rob” Venezuela, a once wealthy petro-state, “of its immense natural resources.”The pressure on Maduro inched higher last week when US-backed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for leading peaceful resistance to his 12-year rule.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent slammed Beijing’s rare earth export curbs Wednesday as “China versus the world,” vowing that Washington and its allies would “neither be commanded nor controlled.””This should be a clear sign to our allies that we must work together, and work together we will,” Bessent told reporters at a press conference.His comments came as global economic leaders gather in Washington this week for the International Monetary Fund and World Bank’s fall meetings.”We should work together to de-risk and diversify our supply chains away from China as quickly as possible,” Bessent urged.He spoke days after Beijing announced fresh controls on the export of rare earth technologies and items.China is the world’s leading producer of the minerals used to make magnets crucial to the auto, electronic and defense industries.Bessent maintained that Washington would “rather not” take substantial actions to retaliate against China, expecting that more talks with Beijing will be forthcoming this week.Earlier Wednesday, Bessent told CNBC that that he was “optimistic” about trade talks with China despite the surge in tensions.- Longer tariff truce? -A trade war between Washington and Beijing has reignited in US President Donald Trump’s second term, with tit-for-tat duties reaching triple-digit levels at one point, snarling supply chains.Both sides have de-escalated tariff levels but their truce remains shaky and is set to expire in early November.With the latest controls surrounding rare earths, Trump has threatened an additional 100-percent tariff on goods from China starting November 1.US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned at Wednesday’s press briefing that US plans for a tariff hike or other export controls are in the works.But he expressed hope that China would back off its rare earth curbs.Bessent said an extension of the pause in steep tariffs was possible — in return for a delay in rare earth controls.”Is it possible that we could go to a longer roll in return for a delay? Perhaps,” Bessent said. “But all that is going to be negotiated in the coming weeks, before the leaders meet in (South) Korea.”The leaders of the world’s two biggest economies are expected to hold talks at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit starting later this month.Bessent earlier told CNBC that Trump still planned to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit.Greer said Wednesday that “this is not just about the United States.””China’s announcement is nothing more than a global supply chain power grab,” he said. “This move is not proportional retaliation. It is an exercise in economic coercion on every country in the world.”

Stocks jumped and the dollar retreated Wednesday as trade war fears were overshadowed by comments from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell that suggested the bank would cut interest rates again this month.After a volatile couple of days characterised by a fresh flare-up in China-US tensions, investors took the opportunity to jump back into the market and resume a months-long, tech-fuelled rally.Powell has for most of the year walked a fine line between trying to keep a cap on US inflation while also supporting the labour market, even as he faced a barrage of abuse from President Donald Trump for not lowering borrowing costs soon enough.And while price gains continue to outpace the bank’s target pace, a series of weak readings has forced him to turn his focus on jobs, and last month announced the first rate cut since December.And on Tuesday he indicated more were on the way.”In this less dynamic and somewhat softer labour market, the downside risks to employment appear to have risen,” said Powell, adding that longer-term inflation expectations remained aligned with the Fed’s two-percent goal.”Rising downside risks to employment have shifted our assessment of the balance of risks,” he said, adding there was “no risk-free path for policy as we navigate the tension between our employment and inflation goals.”Powell also hinted that monetary policymakers could soon stop reducing the size of its holdings of bonds and other instruments bought in vast quantities during the pandemic to keep borrowing rates low and support the economy.The bank has a dual mandate from Congress to act independently to tackle both inflation and employment.No official jobs data has been published for September because of the US government shutdown, but private sector figures point to a marked slowdown in hiring last month.US markets ended mostly down but well off their morning lows, and Asia was on the front foot.Seoul soared 2.7 percent, while Hong Kong, Tokyo, Sydney, Taipei and Bangkok all climbed more than one percent.Singapore, Mumbai, Manila and Wellington also advanced.Shanghai also put on more than one percent, with little negative reaction to data showing Chinese consumer prices fell in September, indicating consumer sentiment remains weak.Paris surged more than two percent on hopes for an end to political turmoil after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu backed the suspension of an unpopular 2023 pensions reform, while he also got support of the Socialist Party in the National Assembly.Frankfurt was on the front foot but London slipped.Expectations that borrowing rates will drop weighed on the dollar, which was well down against its peers.Powell’s remarks helped investors turn from the latest trade salvos between Washington and Beijing, with Trump last week threatening 100-percent tariffs owing to China’s new export controls on rate earths.While the US president tempered his rhetoric Sunday, China appeared to stoke the row by imposing sanctions on five American subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, accusing them of supporting Washington’s investigation into the shipping industry.Still, there are hopes the row can be defused, with Trump telling reporters at the White House that “we have a fair relationship with China, and I think it’ll be fine. And if it’s not, that’s OK too.””We have a lot of punches being thrown, and we’ve been very successful.”Meanwhile, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that senior officials had spoken Monday on the rare earths dispute, and gave a broadly upbeat view.”We’ve been pretty successful in finding a path forward with them in the past so we think we’ll be able to work through it,” he said in an interview.- Key figures at around 0810 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.8 percent at 47,472.67 (close)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.8 percent at 25,910.60 (close)Shanghai – Composite: UP 1.2 percent at 3,912.21 (close)London – FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 9,447.81 Euro/dollar: UP $1.1638 from $1.1604 on TuesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3360 from $1.3319Dollar/yen: DOWN at 151.11 yen from 151.74 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 87.12 pence from 87.13 penceWest Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.1 percent at $58.62 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $62.32 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.4  percent at 46,270.46 (close)

The US Supreme Court hears a case involving Black voters on Wednesday that could have lasting repercussions on whether Democrats or Republicans control the House of Representatives.The case touching on the thorny issues of race and politics is a challenge to a congressional map adopted by the Louisiana state legislature creating a second Black majority district.The conservative-dominated top court actually heard the case last term, but in an unusual move it decided not to issue a ruling and scheduled it for re-argument during the current session.African-Americans tend to overwhelmingly vote Democratic and they make up one-third of the population of Louisiana, which has six congressional districts.Following the 2020 census, Louisiana created a new congressional map that included only one Black majority district instead of the previous two.The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and others filed suit claiming the new map diluted Black voting power and violated the Voting Rights Act, which was passed during the civil rights movement in 1965 to remedy historic racial discrimination.The Louisiana legislature released a new map last year with two Black majority districts that was met with the legal challenge from a group of “non African-American” voters. It has now reached the Supreme Court, where conservatives hold a 6-3 majority.The opponents of the redrawn map argue that using race to design congressional districts is racial gerrymandering prohibited by the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.”The stakes are incredibly high,” said ACLU attorney Sophia Lin Lakin. “The outcome will not only determine the next steps for Louisiana’s congressional map, but may also shape the future of redistricting cases nationwide.”Republicans currently hold a slim majority in the House and an increase or decrease in the number of Black majority districts could help tip the balance in the November 2026 midterm elections, when all 435 seats in the chamber will be up for grabs.- ‘One-party control’ -According to a report by two voting advocacy groups, Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter, a Supreme Court ruling striking down Voting Rights Act protections for minorities could lead to Republicans picking up an additional 19 seats in the House.”It’s enough to cement one-party control of the US House for at least a generation,” they said.The Louisiana voting case is being heard against a backdrop of redistricting moves in both Republican- and Democratic-ruled states. Republican-led Texas is drawing new congressional district maps that are expected to flip up to five House seats from Democrats to Republicans.Several mainly Latino or Black districts which Republican Donald Trump lost in the 2024 election in Texas were broken up to dilute support for Democrats.Democratic leaders in California responded with a redistricting push to offset potential Republican gains in Texas, though it will first be put to a state-wide referendum.

Grammy-winning musician D’Angelo has died at the age of 51 after “a prolonged and courageous battle with pancreatic cancer,” his family told US media Tuesday.The R&B icon and neo-soul pioneer melded genres and opened doors as he stretched the boundaries of Black pop traditions while producing sensuous hits including “Brown Sugar” and the “Untitled (How Does It Feel).”The risque, shirtless music video for the latter track catapulted the artist to superstardom, though he struggled with the weight of his newfound pop culture fame. “The shining star of our family has dimmed his light for us in this life,” his family said in a widely reported statement. “After a prolonged and courageous battle with cancer, we are heartbroken to announce that Michael D’Angelo Archer, known to his fans around the world as D’Angelo, has been called home.” Fellow artist Lauryn Hill, who dueted with him in “Nothing Even Matters” on her Grammy-winning debut album, shared praise and prayers on Instagram Tuesday.The similarly reclusive singer wrote of D’Angelo’s “undeniable beauty and talent,” noting his ability to present an image of “strength and sensitivity in Black manhood to a generation that only saw itself as having to be one or the other.”On her website, singer Beyonce called him a “pioneer of neo-soul” who “changed and transformed rhythm and blues forever.”- ‘Rare and beautiful voice’ -Known as a creative perfectionist with a silky voice who could play piano and guitar, D’Angelo released three albums with RCA Records: his 1995 debut “Brown Sugar,” “Voodoo” in 2000 and “Black Messiah” in 2014. The record label said in a statement Tuesday D’Angelo “was a peerless visionary who effortlessly blended the classic sounds of soul, funk, gospel, R&B and jazz with a hip hop sensibility.” Voodoo’s lead single “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” won him the Grammy for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and the album was named Best R&B Album.Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea lamented the loss of D’Angelo Tuesday, saying “no one did anything funkier over the last 30 years,” adding “what a rare and beautiful voice and an inimitable approach to songwriting.”D’Angelo was a fan of analog production and favored long jam sessions, and was a sought-after collaborator. “Such a sad loss to the passing of D’Angelo. We have so many great times. Gonna miss you so much. Sleep Peacefully D’ Love You KING,” DJ Premier wrote on X in tribute.D’Angelo and DJ Premier collaborated on the 1998 single “Devil’s Pie.” Music industry bible Pitchfork credited D’Angelo with helping to “define the neo-soul movement.”Born Michael Eugene Archer in Virginia, the son of a Pentecostal preacher, D’Angelo was something of a recluse, periodically surfacing to release music or perform.In 2016, he was featured on a playlist used by then US president Barack Obama, alongside other musical greats such as pop superstar Janet Jackson, soul singer Janelle Monae and blues rocker Gary Clark Jr.Tyler, The Creator posted a black and white photograph of D’Angelo on X, while The Alchemist wrote simply “Man. Rest in peace D’Angelo.”

Stocks jumped Wednesday as trade war fears were overshadowed by comments from Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell that suggested the bank would cut interest rates again this month.After a volatile couple of days characterised by a fresh flare-up in China-US tensions, investors took the opportunity to jump back into the market and resume a months-long, tech-fuelled rally.Powell has for most of the year walked a fine line between trying to keep a cap on US inflation while also supporting the labour market, even as he faced a barrage of abuse from President Donald Trump for not lowering borrowing costs soon enough.And while price gains continue to outpace the bank’s target pace, a series of weak readings has forced him to turn his focus on jobs, and last month announced the first rate cut since December.And on Tuesday he indicated more were on the way.”In this less dynamic and somewhat softer labour market, the downside risks to employment appear to have risen,” said Powell, adding that longer-term inflation expectations remained aligned with the Fed’s two-percent goal.”Rising downside risks to employment have shifted our assessment of the balance of risks,” he said, adding there was “no risk-free path for policy as we navigate the tension between our employment and inflation goals.”Powell also hinted that monetary policymakers could soon stop reducing the size of its holdings of bonds and other instruments bought in vast quantities during the pandemic to keep borrowing rates low and support the economy.The bank has a dual mandate from Congress to act independently to tackle both inflation and employment.No official jobs data has been published for September because of the US government shutdown, but private sector figures point to a marked slowdown in hiring last month.US markets ended mostly down but well off their morning lows, and Asia was on the front foot.Hong Kong, Tokyo, Taipei and Seoul all climbed more than one percent, while Sydney, Seoul, Singapore and Wellington also advanced.Shanghai rose, with little negative reaction to data showing Chinese consumer prices fell in September, indicating consumer sentiment remains weak.Powell’s remarks helped investors turn from the latest trade salvos between Washington and Beijing, with Trump last week threatening 100-percent tariffs owing to Chinese rate earth measures.While the US president tempered his rhetoric Sunday, China appeared to stoke the row by imposing sanctions on five American subsidiaries of South Korean shipbuilder Hanwha Ocean, accusing them of supporting Washington’s investigation into the shipping industry.Still, there are hopes the row can be defused, with Trump telling reporters at the White House that “we have a fair relationship with China, and I think it’ll be fine. And if it’s not, that’s OK too.””We have a lot of punches being thrown, and we’ve been very successful.”Meanwhile, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CNBC that senior officials had spoken Monday on the rare earth dispute, and gave a broadly upbeat view.”We’ve been pretty successful in finding a path forward with them in the past so we think we’ll be able to work through it,” he said in an interview.  – Key figures at around 0230 GMT -Tokyo – Nikkei 225: UP 1.3 percent at 47,463.31 (break)Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.5 percent at 25,826.42Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.4 percent at 3,881.03Euro/dollar: UP $1.1621 from $1.1604 on TuesdayPound/dollar: UP at $1.3348 from $1.3319Dollar/yen: DOWN at 151.17 yen from 151.74 yenEuro/pound: DOWN at 87.06 pence from 87.13 penceWest Texas Intermediate: FLAT at $58.71 per barrelBrent North Sea Crude: FLAT at $62.40 per barrelNew York – Dow: UP 0.4  percent at 46,270.46 (close)London – FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 9,452.77 (close)