Sawt Falasteen - Oil prices rise, stocks mixed ahead of crucial US inflation data

Traders trod nervously ahead of the consumer price index (CPI) figures, which follow a report last week showing the world's top economy lost more than 20,000 jobs last month, suggesting the labour market was slackening.

With inflation stubbornly elevated above the Fed's two percent target for more than five years -- compounded by the Iran war since February -- monetary policymakers are increasingly considering lifting borrowing costs.

The bank's July meeting saw three board members call for an increase, dissenting from the final decision to hold rates, and investors are betting they will announce one before the end of the year, with some eyeing at least two.

Analysts pointed out that there will be one more CPI release and another jobs report before the Fed's next meeting in September.

The higher oil prices rise, the more traders expect the Fed to tighten, and a lack of progress in talks between the US and Iran on a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is adding upward momentum.

An announcement from Pakistan's defence minister that the two were "close to some sort of arrangement" provided a sliver of hope Tuesday, though that later faded.

His remarks came after Washington and Tehran had issued demands for compensation over the five-month war, hardening their positions.

Meanwhile, a US helicopter fired missiles on Tuesday into the engine room of a Panama-flagged cargo ship that attempted to break the American blockade of Iran's ports, the United States military said.

There was also little major reaction to a report that Iran and Oman were in advanced talks on reopening Hormuz to some maritime shipping.

Both main crude contracts rose Wednesday, and have risen around 14 percent in the past week.

"Crude oil prices have surged in the last few days because the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively shut, and there are no signs of progress between the US and Iran," wrote Forex.com's Fawad Razaqzada.

"The latest headlines around talks between Oman and Iran provided some relief, but we shouldn't confuse talks with an actual breakthrough. Iran has come out saying that the Strait of Hormuz will remain shut until their conditions are met."

He said the positions of the US and Iran indicated "any potential deal is still some way off, meaning risks remain skewed to the upside for oil prices".

Equity markets fluctuated ahead of the CPI release, though Seoul enjoyed another strong day as it claws back some of the huge tech-led losses sustained in July.

The Kospi climbed more than three percent, helped by chipmakers SK hynix and Samsung, which bore the brunt of that selloff.

The gains were helped by strong earnings reports from US AI giants CoreWeave and Super Micro Computer that eased worries about the years-long investment boom that has led many observers to question when firms will see a return.

Tokyo, Shanghai, Taipei, Manila and Jakarta also rose, though Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore and Wellington were in the red.

- Key figures around 0210 GMT -

West Texas Intermediate: UP 0.7 percent at $83.78 per barrel

Brent North Sea Crude: UP 0.6 percent at $89.40 per barrel

Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 0.1 percent at 67,002.60

Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 1.1 percent at 25,375.72

Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 3,939.29

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1539 from $1.1542 on Tuesday

Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3505 from $1.3506

Dollar/yen: UP at 159.35 yen from 159.27 yen

Euro/pound: DOWN at 85.43 pence from 85.46 pence

New York - DOW: DOWN 0.3 percent at 53,791.85 (close)

London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.2 percent at 10,844.19 (close)

K.AbuDahab--SF-PST