Sawt Falasteen - Stocks diverge, dollar up as markets eye more US rate hikes

The dollar gained versus main rivals on the prospect of further tightening to borrowing costs in the world's biggest economy aimed at cooling stubbornly high inflation.

Meanwhile oil prices rose one percent.

A blockbuster US jobs report and sticky inflation data this month have dealt a hammer blow to earlier expectations that the Fed could soon pause its monetary tightening campaign or even cut borrowing costs before year's end.

Several Fed officials have lined up to warn traders they were too optimistic and that with the labour market still strong, rates would need to keep rising until it had weakened and prices were under control.

Investors are now awaiting the release of US jobless claims later in the day, which could provide a fresh idea about the strength of the labour market.

"There were few crumbs of comfort from the closely watched minutes of the US Federal Open Markets Committee (Wednesday), with the determination of policymakers to stay tough on inflation clear," said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.

"The data so far might signal that the hot prices are beginning to be tamed, but it is not yet enough reassurance that the spiral is going to come down fast enough to target without more aggressive tightening, albeit at a slower place."

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index dropped despite shares in Rolls-Royce soaring more than 20 percent after the maker of aircraft engines promised greater efficiency under its new chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic.

Elsewhere, the European Commission has banned TikTok on official devices used by staff amid concerns over data protection, a spokesperson told AFP on Thursday.

The ban also means European Commission staff cannot use the Chinese-owned video-sharing app on personal devices including phones that have official apps installed, the spokesperson said, confirming a report by news website Euractiv.

TikTok said the decision was based on mistaken ideas about its platform.

- Key figures around 1200 GMT -

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.3 percent at 7,908.24 points

Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.5 percent at 15,476.32

Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.4 percent at 7,327.82

EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.6 percent at 4,266.57

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 0.4 percent at 20,351.35 (close)

Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 0.1 percent at 3,287.48 (close)

New York - Dow: DOWN 0.3 percent at 33,045.09 (close)

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: Closed for a holiday

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0602 from $1.0609 on Wednesday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2029 from $1.2046

Euro/pound: UP at 88.12 pence from 87.99 pence

Dollar/yen: UP at 134.93 yen from 134.71 yen

Brent North Sea crude: UP 1.0 percent at $81.40 per barrel

West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.0 percent at $74.69 per barrel

D.Khalil--SF-PST