Global stock markets mostly rose on Thursday as investors weighed strong tech earnings and hopes that the latest flare-up in US-China trade tensions might ease.

Wall Street was mostly higher in late morning trading, with Europe’s main markets ending the day higher and Asian markets largely in the green.

Equities have been in flux since US President Donald Trump last week reignited his tariff row with Beijing, threatening 100 percent levies on Chinese goods in retaliation for its recent rare-earth export controls.

But Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared to take a more conciliatory tone on Wednesday, suggesting that a longer pause in tariffs was possible as they look to resolve the rare earths row.

He also said Trump still plans to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month

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