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Washington Presses Israel to Halt Strikes on Iran’s Energy Network

  Smoke rises in Sharjah, following reports of Iranian attacks after United States and Israel strikes on Iran, in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, March 1, 2026. The United States has urged Israel to stop its ongoing attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, according to multiple reports citing senior U.S. and Israeli officials. Key Developments U.S. officials delivered the request at high political levels and directly to IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.  The Trump administration outlined several strategic concerns: A desire to maintain the possibility of future cooperation with Iran’s oil sector after the conflict. Fears that continued strikes could harm Iranian civilians.  Warnings that Iran might retaliate with large-scale attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, a scenario described as a potential “doomsday option.”  Context The request marks a rare moment in which Washington is attempting to restrain Israeli military actions, despite the two nations having ...

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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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