Eurozone stocks slide, Dow surges above 24,000

Eurozone markets slipped on Thursday as investors were torn between Wall Street euphoria over renewed optimism that US tax cuts will clear a key legislative hurdle and concerns awaiting OPEC's next move.

Oil prices were mixed ahead of the decision from a meeting in Vienna of 24 producing nations on crude output levels.

However, Bitcoin traded at $9,309.25 according to Bloomberg data -- well down on a record $11,434 reached Wednesday.

The pound extended its climb against the dollar following reports British and European Union negotiators were close to a divorce settlement deal over Brexit.

That didn't help London's benchmark FTSE 100 equities index, which closed down 0.9 percent. Many companies listed there make much of their earnings abroad, and a high price for the pound depresses profits.

A strengthening euro affected main eurozone markets with Frankfurt's DAX 30 sliding 0.29 percent while the Paris CAC 40 dropped 0.47 percent.

Europe's economic recovery is gathering steam, with eurozone unemployment falling to the lowest level since January 2009 and inflation picking up, official figures showed Thursday.

The EU's official statistics agency announced that the jobless rate in the single currency area fell to 8.8 percent in October, with inflation rising to 1.5 percent.

"November's rise in headline eurozone consumer price inflation and the fall in the unemployment rate in October may offer some reassurance to the ECB as it prepares to reduce the pace of its asset purchases," said Jennifer McKeown, chief European economist at research group Capital Economics.

The European Central Bank is starting to wind down the massive support it has given the 19-member eurozone to help it through the crises of recent years.

Traders were meanwhile awaiting "the OPEC meeting in Vienna where it is expected that oil ministers will extend the output freeze", noted Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK.

- Optimism, new records -

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average broke through 24,000 for the first time.

"US stocks are higher in early action, with signs that the Senate's tax reform bill is moving closer to a vote preserving optimism," said analysts at Charles Schwab brokerage.

The Senate, which has been seen as the more challenging branch of Congress, has begun debate on the bill which could be voted on by the end of the week, which means it could potentially reach President Donald Trump's desk to be signed into law by the end of the year.

Earlier in Asia, share prices of technology firms slid following sharp losses on major US firms including Apple (NasdaqGS: AAPL - news) and Netflix (Xetra: 552484 - news) on Wednesday.

The retreat is the latest to hit Asia as investors fret over a recent rally that has sent several indices to record highs, though a surprise jump in a gauge of Chinese factory activity provided some support to Shanghai.

The move has fuelled speculation it could spark a broad move across Asia's central banks to lift rates as they try to avoid capital outflows with the US Federal Reserve on course to tighten policy.

Seoul's main stocks index shed 1.5 percent, hit by the dive in heavyweight Samsung -- and after the Bank of Korea hiked interest rates for the first time in six years on continued improvement in the economy and despite concerns about an increasingly belligerent North.

- Key figures around 1630 GMT -

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.9 percent at 7,326.67 points (close)

Frankfurt - DAX 30: DOWN 0.29 percent at 13,023.98 (close)

Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.47 percent at 5,372.79 (close)

EURO STOXX 50: DOWN 0.37 percent at 3,576.52

New York - DOW: UP 0.79 percent at 24,130.52

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.6 percent at 22,724.96 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng: DOWN 1.5 percent at 29,177.35 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.6 percent at 3,317.19 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1902 from $1.1847 at 2200 GMT

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.3503 from $1.3413

Dollar/yen: UP at 112.26 yen from 111.98 yen

Oil - Brent North Sea: UP 39 cents at $63.50 per barrel

Oil - West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 3 cents at $57.27

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Source:AFP