Europe mixed, Asia up, oil still near long-term low

FRANKFURT — European stocks traded mixed as oil prices bounced back a bit from 11-year lows and Asian stocks closed mostly higher.

KEEPING SCORE: Britain's FTSE 100 index rising 0.5 percent to 6,063.43 while Germany's DAX lost 0.5 percent to 10,441.48. France's CAC 40 slipped 0.3 percent to 4,551.95. U.S. stocks appeared headed for a flat open, with Dow futures little changed at 17,188.00 and broader S&P 500 futures steady at 2,016.50.

CHINA ECONOMY: Leaders in Beijing wrapped up their annual planning meeting Monday with renewed promises to promote economic growth. The Chinese government said it would be more proactive and flexible in using fiscal and monetary policy to keep growth in a "proper range," the official Xinhua news agency said, citing an official statement. That's raised hopes among some investors that Beijing will take more steps to support flagging growth in the world's No. 2 economy.

ANALYST VIEWPOINT: "There is one word that seems to be directing the markets in quiet pre-Christmas trade: China," Angus Nicholson of IG wrote in a commentary. "The pause in the devaluation of the renminbi and announcements of further fiscal and monetary easing from the Central Economic Work Conference have been moving equities and currencies upwards."

ASIAN SCORECARD: Regional benchmarks spent the early part of the day in negative territory before closing higher. The exception was Japan's Nikkei 225, which finished 0.2 percent lower at 18,918.31. South Korea's Kospi climbed 0.6 percent to 1,992.56 while Hong Kong's Hang Seng rose 0.2 percent to 21,830.02. The Shanghai Composite Index in mainland China added 0.3 percent to 3,651.77 and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 crept up 0.2 percent to 5,116.60. Indexes in Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and New Zealand also gained.

ENERGY: U.S. crude oil futures climbed 9 cents to $35.90 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell 25 cents to settle at $35.81 a barrel on Monday. Brent crude, which is used to price international oils, slipped a penny $36.34 a barrel in London after rebounding from Monday's 11-year low at $36.05

CURRENCIES: The euro rose to $1.0937 from $1.0909 in the previous day's trading. The dollar slipped to 120.99 yen from 121.10 yen.