US President Barack Obama (C) stands with other APEC leaders for group photo following their evening dinner in Singapore, 14 Nov 2009Pacific Rim leaders have ended their annual APEC gathering with a vow to seek a sustained economic recovery and reject protectionism.The leaders of 21 Pacific Rim economies gathered around the conference table in Singapore.But the big news came outside their formal sessions - in closed door meetings and one-on-one talks.U.S. President Barack Obama focused on the sidelines, engaging in almost non-stop personal diplomacy.

Obama Discusses Climate ChangeHe began early Sunday, with an unexpected meeting on climate change called by the leaders of Mexico and Australia.Over breakfast, the prime minister of Denmark urged the group to back a different approach to save the upcoming international climate conference in Copenhagen.Severe drought is one of the expected consequence in Africa of climate changeWith negotiations on a new global climate agreement in trouble, there was consensus behind an alternative: adopt a political framework in Copenhagen and fill in the details later.

Obama Discusses Nuclear IssuesThere was also an effort to push forward talks on arms control, with President Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev meeting to talk about a successor to the soon-to-expire 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.Mr. Obama said he still believes they can get an agreement by the end of the year. The president said, "I am confident if we work hard, and with a sense of urgency about it that we should be able to get that done and I very much feel as if both sides are trying to work through some difficult technical issues but are doing so in good faith easy payday loans."

Russian President Dmitri MedvedevThey also talked about Iran's nuclear program.  President Obama urged Iran once again agree to a deal to ship its uranium out of the country for processing. "We are now running out of time with respect to that approach. And so I discussed with President Medvedev the fact that we have to continue to maintain urgency," said Mr. Obama.

President Medvedev said he still hopes to convince Iran to accept the nuclear deal. The Russian leader said, "We are prepared to work further and I hope that our joint work will yield positive results."

Obama Discusses BurmaBurma's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (r) walks with US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell after their meeting at the Inya Lake Hotel, in Rangoon, Burma, 04 Nov 2009A short time later, Mr. Obama became the first American president to meet with all 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asia nations - including Burma.He called for political reform in Burma and the release of democracy advocate Aug San Suu Kyi, saying, "I reaffirmed the policy I put forward yesterday in Tokyo with regard to Burma."Mr. Obama's last meeting before leaving Singapore was with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. President Obama spent a good bit of his childhood in Indonesia, and has referred to himself as America's first Pacific president.In 2011, he will host the annual meeting of Pacific Rim leaders.   And the president announced in Singapore that he plans to host the gathering in his native state, Hawaii.

Obama Holds Key Talks on Sidelines of APEC

LONDON – European stock markets awaited direction from Wall Street on Friday despite the news that the recession in the 16-country eurozone was over.

The FTSE 100 index of leading British shares was almost unchanged, down less than a point at 5,275.92 while Germany's DAX fell 12.94 points, or 0.2 percent, to 5,651.02. The CAC-40 in France was 10.64 points, or 0.3 percent, lower at 3,797.43.

Meanwhile in the U.S., Dow futures were 14 points, or 0.1 percent, higher at 10,203 while the broader Standard & Poor's 500 futures rose 2.1 points, or 0.2 percent, at 1,089.40.

On Thursday, U.S. stocks fell by 1 percent as oil prices tumbled and the dollar continued to clamber off recent lows.

"As it stands right now, it would be of little surprise to see something of a sideways drift into the weekend break," said David Jones, chief market strategist at IG Index.

Many analysts think stocks may claw out more gains if the S&P 500 can close about the 1,100 mark. Despite several attempts this week, it has not been able to sustain a break above that level through the end of the session.

"The question investors are asking now is whether we can eventually push higher...or whether recent congestion is a sign that the rally higher is over," said Geoffrey Yu, an analyst at UBS.

Stocks have rallied strongly since March's lows with many of the world's major indexes trading at, or near, their highest levels this year as investors reined in their economic doomsday expectations to factor in a swifter than anticipated global economic rebound.

News that the 16-country eurozone emerged from recession in the third quarter did little to excite investors as the 0.4 percent quarterly rise was less than many had been anticipating, and as growth in some major economies fell short of forecasts. With a rebound in exports partially offset by weak household spending, Germany's economy grew by 0 payday loans.7 percent and France's by 0.3 percent.

Still, the third quarter rise in eurozone output was the first in six quarters and brings to an end Europe's sharpest recession since World War II. Though the eurozone's banks were not at the epicenter of the financial crisis that triggered the global economic downturn, the region suffered as demand for its high-value products fell off a cliff.

Investors also didn't get too excited by the planned merger of British Airways PLC and Spain's Iberia. Both stocks were up only around 2 percent, though they had rallied strongly in the run-up to the announcement.

Earlier, Asian markets closed mixed amid investor uncertainty about the global outlook after Wall Street's losses on Thursday.

Tokyo's Nikkei 225 fell 34.18 points, or 0.4 percent, to 9,770.31 while Seoul's Kospi was off 0.1 percent at 1,571.99. Singapore's market traded flat, while Sydney shed 0.8 percent.

Among rising markets, China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index added 0.5 percent to 3,187.65, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng recouped its early losses to gain 0.7 percent to 22,553.63.

Oil prices continued to fall in the wake of Thursday's soft U.S. inventory data. Benchmark crude for December delivery was down 27 cents at $76.67 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract tumbled $2.34 to settle at $76.94 on Thursday.

The euro was 0.2 percent higher at $1.4871. Despite the modest advance, the euro is still a ways down from levels earlier this week, when it nearly broke above its 15-month high of $1.5061.

The dollar was 0.6 percent down at 89.76 yen.

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Associated Press Writers Louise Watt in London and Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report.

European stocks steady ahead of Wall Street open