Stock markets mostly rose Friday with all eyes on a landmark US-Russia summit aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
US president Donald Trump and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin meet in Alaska later in the day.
After Asia鈥檚 main exchanges mostly closed higher, European markets were 鈥榞aining traction鈥�, noted Joshua Mahony, chief market analyst at traders Scope Markets, as the Trump-Putin meeting raised hopes of a 鈥榩otential end to the war鈥�.
Russia鈥檚 foreign minister said his country would not make guesses on the outcome of Friday鈥檚 summit.
鈥榃e never make any predictions ahead of time,鈥� Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Russian state TV after landing in Alaska.
Putin steps onto Western soil for the first time since he ordered the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a war that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Every word and gesture will be closely watched by European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was not included and has publicly refused pressure from Trump to surrender territory seized by Russia.
鈥楤roadly, markets seemed in an optimistic mood,鈥� said AJ Bell, investment director Russ Mould.
鈥極il prices have been somewhat volatile ahead of the summit as traders seek to work out if Russian exports to Western countries might resume.鈥�
After climbing Thursday, crude futures were lower Friday.
Elsewhere, Tokyo鈥檚 main stocks index extended a record-run higher following Japanese economic growth data that beat expectations.
Weak Chinese economic figures resulted in a mixed showing for Chinese stocks.
Wall Street finished little changed on Thursday as US wholesale inflation data tempered optimism about the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates.
A quarter-point cut is still expected next month but a larger half-point rate cut is likely 鈥榦ff the table鈥�, said Jack Ablin of Cresset Capital Management.