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Ukraine Faces Deepening Power Shortages After Russian Strikes

A resident shows a journalist where a Russian drone struck the roof of an apartment building, depriving its residents of water, heat and electricity, in Kyiv. Ukraine is confronting one of its most severe energy shortfalls since the start of the full‑scale invasion, with the country currently able to supply only about 60% of its electricity needs. A new wave of Russian missile and drone attacks has heavily damaged power plants and transmission infrastructure across multiple regions, pushing the grid to the brink. Officials report that nearly every major power‑generating facility has been hit in recent weeks. Cities such as Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, and Dnipro have experienced rolling blackouts, leaving millions of residents coping with limited heating, lighting, and communications during the winter season. Ukraine’s government has warned that the situation remains extremely challenging. Engineers are working around the clock to repair damaged facilities, but repeated strikes have slowed...

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Stock Market Today: US Futures Edge Higher as Walmart Surges with Retail Sales, Jobs Data Ahead


Stock futures nudged higher Thursday as Wall Street looked to two key signals of US consumer health, as well as more insight on the jobs market. Here are the highlights:

  1. Futures Performance:

    • Futures tied to the S&P 500 (ES=F) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (NQ=F) rose 0.1%.
    • Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) pointed up 0.2%.
  2. Walmart’s Strong Quarter:

    • Retail giant Walmart (WMT) shares surged nearly 6% after a largely positive earnings report.
    • Walmart posted both earnings and revenue beats and raised its full-year outlook.
  3. Retail Sales Data:

    • Monthly government retail sales data is set for release at 8:30 a.m. ET.
    • Economists expect a 0.3% month-over-month increase in July, an improvement from June’s flat reading.
  4. Jobs Market Update:

    • The weekly jobless claims report is also in focus.
    • Last week, claims fell more than forecast, sparking a market surge.
  5. Market Resilience:

    • Stocks have rebounded in August, with the S&P 500 recouping most of its losses from the earlier sell-off.
    • As inflation eases, the jobs market remains a key focus for the Fed.

Wall Street continues to monitor these indicators closely, shaping market sentiment and investor confidence.


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