World stocks eked
out small gains in choppy trading on Thursday as investors resisted
risky bets ahead of the first round of the French presidential election
over the weekend.
Oil prices, which fell sharply on Wednesday on supply news, regained some of their losses.
In general, markets cautiously stuck to well-worn trading ranges buffeted by concern over political risks and continued tensions over North Korea.
Stock futures on Wall Street ESc1 SPc1 rose 0.3 percent. MSCI's world stock index .MIWO00000PUS was up 0.1 percent. The FTSE 100 .FTSE, which has slid into negative territory for the year, fell 0.2 percent.
Centrist Emmanuel Macron held on to his lead as favourite to emerge as the eventual victor in the French presidential election, a closely watched poll showed, although it indicated that the outcome of the first round of voting on Sunday was too close to call.
Millions of French voters remain undecided, making this the least predictable vote in France in decades, and raising fears of a potential surprise result that could spread turmoil in markets.
In general, markets cautiously stuck to well-worn trading ranges buffeted by concern over political risks and continued tensions over North Korea.
Stock futures on Wall Street ESc1 SPc1 rose 0.3 percent. MSCI's world stock index .MIWO00000PUS was up 0.1 percent. The FTSE 100 .FTSE, which has slid into negative territory for the year, fell 0.2 percent.
Centrist Emmanuel Macron held on to his lead as favourite to emerge as the eventual victor in the French presidential election, a closely watched poll showed, although it indicated that the outcome of the first round of voting on Sunday was too close to call.
Millions of French voters remain undecided, making this the least predictable vote in France in decades, and raising fears of a potential surprise result that could spread turmoil in markets.
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