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Power Vacuum in Tehran After Reported Death of Iran’s Supreme Leader

                                A man holds a portrait of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the national flag. A senior Israeli official has stated that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in a series of U.S.–Israeli strikes targeting leadership sites in Tehran. Satellite imagery reportedly shows heavy damage and smoke rising from Khamenei’s compound following the attacks.  Multiple outlets, including Reuters and Al Arabiya, report that the strikes were part of a coordinated operation aimed at crippling Iran’s top leadership structure. U.S. President Donald Trump publicly confirmed Khamenei’s death, calling him “one of the most evil people in history” and framing the operation as a step toward ending what he described as a long‑standing security threat.  Iranian state media has since acknowledged Khamenei’s death, announcing a 40‑day mourning p...

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TSX gains on hopes of rate hike pause

 

The TSX closed slightly higher on Wednesday, as some sectors that benefit from lower interest rates rose amid signs that central banks may not tighten monetary policy further. The Canadian and U.S. economies added fewer jobs than expected in October, easing inflation fears and boosting bond prices. The TSX composite index ended up 3.5 points, or 0.02%, at 20,264.59.

The financials sector, which accounts for about a third of the TSX’s weight, gained 0.6%, as lower bond yields reduce borrowing costs and increase the value of future cash flows. The real estate sector, which is also sensitive to interest rates, climbed 1.2%, while the consumer discretionary sector, which includes retailers and auto parts makers, rose 0.9%

The energy sector, however, fell 1.1%, as oil prices dropped 2.4% to $80.51 a barrel, amid concerns about rising U.S. crude inventories and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global demand. The materials sector, which includes miners and fertilizer producers, also declined 0.7%, as base metal and gold prices retreated.

For the week, the TSX was down 0.4%, as a jump in bond yields earlier in the week weighed on interest-rate sensitive sectors such as technology and utilities. The TSX is still up 18.6% year-to-date, outperforming the S&P 500, which is up 15.8%.

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