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Lebanese PM Urges Caution Amid Rising Regional Tensions

                                                       Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has issued a firm warning against pulling the country into what he described as “adventures” that could endanger national security and unity. His remarks come at a moment of heightened regional volatility following coordinated strikes by Israel and the United States on Iran.  Salam emphasized the gravity of the situation, urging all Lebanese factions to act with “wisdom and patriotism” and to prioritize the interests of the nation above external pressures or political agendas. Though he did not name Hezbollah directly, his message was widely interpreted as a caution to the Iran‑backed group, which has historically been involved in conflicts with Israel and has signaled it may not remain neutra...

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European Stocks Surge and Bond Yields Ease as Markets Scale Back Bets on Rate Cuts

 

European stocks surged to a fresh two-year high, and bond yields eased as markets scaled back ambitious bets at the end of 2023 on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and other major central banks. The S&P 500 also edged higher, with the index poised to set a new record closing high, at the start of a week packed with big corporate earnings, European inflation data, Federal Reserve and Bank of England meetings and U.S. employment data.

The market is trying to understand the outlook for the U.S. economy as it is unlikely to require the deep interest rate cuts by the Fed it has priced in. Absent geopolitical shocks, the U.S. economy will grow better than expected with just a few areas underperforming.

The surge in European stocks and the easing of bond yields can be attributed to the markets scaling back their bets on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve and other major central banks.



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