Global Benchmarks Mixed Friday         09/04 04:58

   Global shares were trading mixed Friday, as market sentiment for some 
regional benchmarks got a boost from the tech-led rally on Wall Street.

   TOKYO (AP) -- Global shares were trading mixed Friday, as market sentiment 
for some regional benchmarks got a boost from the tech-led rally on Wall Street.

   France's CAC 40 slipped 0.1% to 8,275.17 in early trading, while the German 
DAX was little changed, inching down less than 0.1% to 25,982.69. Britain's 
FTSE 100 gained less than 0.1% to 10,834.34.

   U.S. shares were set to be little changed with Dow futures down nearly 0.1% 
at 53,697.00, while S&P 500 futures inched up less than 0.1% to 7,757.00.

   In Asia, Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 1.3% to finish at 65,020.94. 
South Korea's Kospi gained 1.6% to 6,687.21. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 declined 
0.2% to 9,005.90. Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 1.7% to 25,650.87, while the 
Shanghai Composite lost 0.3% to 3,930.12.

   In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude edged down 55 cents to $90.75 a 
barrel. Brent crude fell 30 cents to $95.22 a barrel.

   The six-month U.S. war with Iran, which has intensified lately, is the main 
cause behind the recent surge in energy prices.

   Many nations depend on access to the Strait of Hormuz to import oil from the 
Middle East.

   Iran fired at Kuwait on Thursday in retaliation for U.S. bombardments 
earlier in the week.

   On interest rates, some investors are taking the recent remarks by Federal 
Reserve governor Christopher Waller as a sign that perhaps the Fed isn't as 
likely to raise its short-term interest rates at its next policy meeting in two 
weeks as previously expected.

   Waller said that, if new data next week shows inflation is cooling, he 
"would be inclined" to keep the Fed's benchmark interest rate unchanged. Should 
the data show hotter inflation, he would consider a rate hike.

   Market players are also closely watching what Japan's central bank might do 
on interest rates when its policy board meets later this month. Some analysts 
expect the Bank of Japan to raise its benchmark rate, and the question is by 
how much. Some reports say Japan is facing pressures to raise the interest rate 
so that the yen will move higher.

   In currency trading, the U.S. dollar edged up to 156.41 Japanese yen from 
155.84 yen. The euro cost $1.1624, down from $1.1631.