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Ukrainian Strike Targets Key Russian Missile Facility in Deep-Range Operation

    An employee controls an unmanned ground vehicle during an exhibition of Ukrainian drone makers, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location Ukraine says it carried out a long‑range strike against a major Russian ballistic missile production site, marking one of Kyiv’s deepest attacks inside Russian territory since the full‑scale invasion began. According to Ukrainian security officials, the operation targeted a facility involved in manufacturing components for Russia’s Iskander missile systems—munitions frequently used against Ukrainian cities. While Moscow has not confirmed the strike, Russian regional authorities reported explosions and a subsequent fire at an industrial site. Kyiv has increasingly relied on domestically produced long‑range drones and missiles as Western military aid faces delays, and Ukrainian officials framed the attack as part of a broader effort to degrade Russia’s ability to wage war. The strike underscores Ukraine’s evolving stra...

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US Stocks Slip, Bond Yields Rise as Rate-Cut Bets Cool



US stocks slid on Wednesday as bond yields rose, as optimism for fast interest-rate cuts waned ahead of fresh jobs data and the release of Federal Reserve meeting minutes.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell 0.3% while the benchmark S&P 500 (GSPC) slipped about 0.5%. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) dropped roughly 0.7% after a bruising session that saw tech stocks shed almost 1.6%.

Hopes that the year-end market rally would roll on into 2024 took a battering on Tuesday as stock indexes and bond prices sank in tandem for their worst start to a year in decades. Bonds are headed lower for a fourth day, pushing the 10-year Treasury yield (TNX) up near 4%.

Traders have started pulling back on bets on Fed interest-rate cuts, with 74% now pricing in a March pivot, compared with 89% a week ago, per the CME FedWatch Tool.

Minutes of the Fed’s December meeting due later could give a window into how near officials think they are to easing up on tightening, so they can nail a “soft landing” for the economy.

Eyes will also be on the JOLTS report on job openings, given the unexpected resilience of the labor market has fed into expectations of a Fed shift. Wednesday’s data will set expectations for the December US monthly jobs report coming Friday.

After a rough first day of trading, investor attention on Wednesday will turn to the labor market with the monthly update on job openings and turnover — known as the JOLTS report — set for release at 10:00 a.m. ET.

A decline in job openings throughout 2023 served as an early indicator the US labor market was slowing, and Wednesday’s data will serve as a key table-setter ahead of Friday’s December jobs report.


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