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Massive Russian Strikes Cripple Ukraine’s Power Grid Ahead of Peace Talks

An employee works at a thermal power plant damaged by multiple Russian missile strikes, in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Russian forces launched a sweeping overnight assault on Ukraine’s energy network, striking multiple regions just hours before planned peace discussions. The barrage targeted major cities including Kyiv and Kharkiv, damaging power stations and transmission lines that millions rely on for heat and electricity during freezing winter conditions. Ukrainian officials reported widespread outages, with emergency crews working through the night to stabilize the grid. Residential areas were also hit, leaving civilians injured and prompting renewed concerns about the humanitarian toll of the conflict. The timing of the strikes has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian leaders, who argue the attacks are intended to undermine the upcoming negotiations and pressure Kyiv at the bargaining table. Despite the escalation, both sides are still expected to attend the talks, thou...

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TSX set to end the year on a positive note amid global recovery hopes

The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) is expected to open higher on Friday, the last trading day of 2023, as investors remain optimistic about the global economic recovery from the pandemic.

The TSX closed at a record high of 23,456.78 on Thursday, boosted by gains in energy, financials, and materials sectors. The index has risen more than 20% this year, outperforming its U.S. peers, as Canada’s economy rebounded from the COVID-19 crisis.

The positive sentiment was also supported by the latest data showing that Canada’s GDP grew by 0.4% in October, beating expectations of a 0.2% increase. The growth was driven by the services sector, which expanded by 0.6%, while the goods-producing sector contracted by 0.1%.

On Friday, the TSX futures were up 0.3% at 7:30 a.m. ET, indicating a higher open for the cash market. The Canadian dollar was trading at 79.32 U.S. cents, slightly lower than Thursday’s close of 79.36 U.S. cents.

Meanwhile, the U.S. stock futures were also pointing to a higher open, as Wall Street looked to end the year with record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, the S&P 500, and the Nasdaq Composite have gained 18.7%, 26.9%, and 21.4% respectively this year, as the U.S. economy recovered from the pandemic-induced recession.

The U.S. markets will close early at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, while the TSX will close at its regular time of 4 p.m. ET. Both markets will be closed on Monday, January 1, 2024, for the New Year’s Day holiday.

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