Sawt Falasteen - Stocks surge, dollar drops as US inflation cools

US consumer prices rose at an annual pace of 7.1 percent in November, down from 7.7 percent in October, according to Labor Department data.

The consumer price index (CPI) is a closely-watched measure of inflation and was forecast by analysts to come in at 7.3 percent.

The bigger-than-expected drop should come as a relief to monetary policymakers after wholesale inflation came in hotter than expected last week.

"The key takeaway from the report at first blush is that overall inflation is cooling and that the Fed should be convinced to temper the pace of its rate hikes and perhaps place a lower ceiling on its terminal rate," said market analyst Patrick O'Hare at Briefing.com.

The central bank is widely expected to lift interest rates 50 basis points Wednesday -- a slowdown from the previous four 75-point hikes.

Lower inflation and interest rates are positive for businesses, and stock prices in Europe surged after the US inflation data was released, with London up 1.0 percent, Paris 2.1 percent, and Frankfurt 2.2 percent in afternoon trade.

Wall Street's main indices jumped at the opening bell, with the Dow climbing 2.1 percent. The S&P 500 rose 2.6 percent and the tech-heavy Nasdaq 3.6 percent.

"In summary, Santa has delivered a nice enough package to the Fed, who can now celebrate the Christmas with more peace knowing that inflation is moving in the direction that they want with plenty of tail wind behind," said Naeem Aslam, chief market analyst at Avatrade.

The prospect of the Fed slowing interest rate hikes was not positive for the US dollar, however, which lost more than one percent against its main rival currencies.

Elsewhere, China's shift away from its economically damaging zero-Covid policy continued to support sentiment as the world's number two economy opens up.

Top Chinese officials are meeting this week to draw up their economic blueprint for re-emerging from Covid, with observers predicting more stimulus measures and pledges of support for the troubled property sector.

But there is also a worry among investors that the quick relaxation of containment measures such as mass testing and lockdowns might lead to a massive surge in infections that could overwhelm the healthcare system and weigh on the economy.

Still, the expected pick-up in demand in China boosted oil prices further, with both main contracts extending Monday's strong gains.

"China's reopening is coming, it won't happen overnight, but it will provide a major boost to demand in the outlook next quarter," said OANDA's Edward Moya.

Ahead of the Wall Street open, United Airlines unveiled an order of 100 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners with options for an additional 100 jets.

Shares in Boeing climbed 1.4 percent and United Airways 1.2 percent as trading got underway.

And the US Securities and Exchange Commission charged disgraced cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried with defrauding customers of billions of dollars.

- Key figures around 1430 GMT -

London - FTSE 100: UP 1.0 percent at 7,519.85 points

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 2.2 percent at 14,614.89

Paris - CAC 40: UP 2.1 percent at 6,788.81

EURO STOXX 50: UP 2.5 percent at 4,018.36

New York - Dow: UP 2.1 percent at 34,708.92

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.4 percent at 27,954.85 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 0.7 percent at 19,596.20 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,176.33 (close)

Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0660 from $1.0539 on Monday

Dollar/yen: DOWN at 134.82 yen from 137.66 yen

Pound/dollar: UP at $1.2430 from $1.2268

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.75 pence from 85.78 pence

Brent North Sea crude: UP 2.1 percent at $79.66 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.9 percent at $74.58 per barrel

burs-rl/bp

S.Barghouti--SF-PST