* Argentina's Merval index rises on Bessent support * Regional equities slip, capping volatile week * UBS upgrades EM equities By Niket Nishant Oct 17 (Reuters) - Argentina's stocks gained 1.1% on Friday after another nod of confidence from Washington, outperforming as Latin American markets limped towards the end of a volatile week. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated support...

* Indexes up: Dow 0.52%, S&P 500 0.34%, Nasdaq 0.23% * Trump says 100% tariffs on China not sustainable * Eli Lilly ( LLY ) falls after Trump vows weight-loss drug price cut (Updates with mid-morning prices) By Sukriti Gupta and Twesha Dikshit Oct 17 (Reuters) - Wall Street's main indexes nudged higher in volatile trading on Friday as investors...

(For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window.) * Indexes up: Dow 0.5%, S&P 500 0.4%, Nasdaq 0.4% * Trump says 100% tariffs on China not sustainable * Eli Lilly ( LLY ) falls after Trump vows weight-loss drug price cut (Updates after markets open) By Sukriti Gupta...

* FTSE 100 down 0.9%, FTSE 250 down 1% * Financial stocks slump * Industrial stocks fall tracking European counterparts * Pearson jumps on stronger growth forecasts (Updates to market close) Oct 17 (Reuters) - London's benchmark index hit a two-week low on Friday, weighed down by losses in heavyweight lenders that joined a global selloff in financial stocks on...