Sawt Falasteen - World stock markets mixed as rate calls loom, geopolitics weighs

Commodity markets were steadier after oil and gold won strong support Monday owing to uncertainty over Syria's impact on the wider crude-rich Middle East.

The Paris stock market retreated and the euro fell versus the dollar, as French party leaders were set to gather at President Emmanuel Macron's Elysee Palace office to chart a route towards a new government.

The main US indexes were little changed as traders eyed US consumer price inflation (CPI) data due out on Wednesday.

Interest rate decisions are also due from the European Central Bank on Thursday and the US Federal Reserve next week.

In Europe, independent analyst Andreas Lipkow said traders were taking a cautious approach ahead of the ECB meeting. The bank is expected to lower rates by 0.25 basis points amid weak eurozone growth.

On Wall Street, "tomorrow's CPI report is in full focus with a looming rate-decision from the Fed coming," analyst Bret Kenwell of trading platform eToro said in a note.

Following recent spending and jobs data "traders have felt even more emboldened to bet on a December rate cut, while the Fed has done little... to quiet that expectation," he added.

Earlier, stock markets struggled "amid concerns that China's economic stimulus measures might not have a long-lasting effect", noted Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at AJ Bell.

The growth plan comes as Beijing contemplates Donald Trump's second term in the White House.

The US president-elect has indicated he will reignite his hardball trade policies, fuelling fears of another standoff between the economic superpowers.

The Shanghai stock market ended higher and Hong Kong fell.

Seoul's Kospi index rallied more than two percent after tumbling since President Yoon Suk Yeol declared short-lived martial law on December 3.

On the corporate front, shares in Stellantis rose slightly on the Paris index after the car giant and Chinese manufacturer CATL announced plans for a $4.3-billion factory making electric-vehicle batteries in Spain.

Shares in Ashtead slumped 12 percent in London after the industrial-equipment hire group warned over profits and said it plans to switch its main stock listing to key market the United States.

- Key figures around 1500 GMT -

Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.8 percent at 7,419.92 points

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.08 percent at 20,363.19

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.7 percent at 8,291.23

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 44,315.37

New York - S&P 500: UP 0.1 percent at 6,058.66

New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.5 percent at 19,841.57 (close)

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.5 percent at 20,311.28 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.6 percent at 3,422.66 (close)

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.5 percent at 39,367.58 (close)

Seoul - Kospi: UP 2.4 percent at 2,417.84 (close)

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0513 from $1.0555 on Monday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2732 from $1.2746

Dollar/yen: UP at 151.86 yen from 151.21 yen

Euro/pound: DOWN at 82.58 from 82.78 pence

West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.2 percent at $68.49 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.1 percent at $71.05 per barrel

U.Shaheen--SF-PST