Skip to main content

Featured

Gaza Truce and Hostage Deal Faces Last-Minute Crisis

  In a dramatic turn of events, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that a last-minute crisis with Hamas is delaying the approval of a highly anticipated ceasefire and hostage release agreement. The deal, which was set to be approved by the Israeli Cabinet, has been put on hold as Netanyahu accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. The ceasefire, brokered by U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar, was expected to bring a temporary halt to the 15-month conflict in the Gaza Strip and facilitate the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas. However, Netanyahu's office stated that the Cabinet would not convene to approve the agreement until Hamas backs down from its new demands. Hamas, on the other hand, has denied the allegations, with senior official Izzat al-Rishq asserting that the militant group remains committed to the ceasefire agreement. The delay has raised concerns about the implementation of the...

Mixed Bank Earnings Offset Cooler-Than-Expected Inflation News

 


On Friday, January 12th, 2024, the US stock market closed with little change as mixed bank earnings offset cooler-than-expected inflation news that buoyed hopes for interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 118.04 points, or 0.31%, to 37,592.98. The S&P 500 gained 3.59 points, or 0.08 %, at 4,783.83 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.58 points, or 0.02%, to 14,972.76.

Bank of America’s fourth-quarter profit shrank as the lender took $3.7 billion in one-off charges. Wells Fargo’s warning of a 7% to 9% drop in net interest income in 2024 sent the bank’s shares down 3.34%. UnitedHealth fell on higher-than-expected medical costs. Tesla fell after flagging output hit from Red Sea disruption.

The data showed U.S. producer prices unexpectedly fell in December as the cost of goods such as food and diesel fuel declined, while prices for services were unchanged for a third consecutive month, in contrast to Thursday’s hotter-than-expected consumer inflation reading. Expectations for a rate cut of at least 25 basis points by the Fed in March moved up to 79.5%, according to CME’s FedWatch Tool, from 73.2% in the prior session.


Comments

Popular Posts