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Daily Markets Update: Bond Rout Hits 24-Year High, TSX Slips a 4th Day — and It's Jobs Day

  Friday, October 2, 2026. Figures are as of early morning, before the 8:30 a.m. ET U.S. jobs report. Global bond markets set the tone again. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield touched 5.34% on Thursday, its highest since 2002 , before easing back to about 5.24% by the close. Wall Street held up, but the damage was sharper elsewhere: the UK’s 30-year gilt yield crossed 6% for the first time since 1998, and Toronto slipped for a fourth straight session. Oil jumped more than 4% on Thursday before sliding back under US$100 this morning, and the Canadian dollar fell to a 12-week low. All eyes now turn to today’s U.S. jobs report, which could decide whether the bond selloff cools or keeps running. Today’s big event: the U.S. jobs report The U.S. September jobs report lands at 8:30 a.m. ET . Economists expect roughly 84,000 to 90,000 new jobs, with unemployment holding at 4.1% and wages up 0.3% on the month. That would be a big cooldown from August’s surprise gain of 162,000. It matters bec...

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A Symbol of Hope: Tiny Christmas Tree Amidst Church Ruins in Lebanon

 

In the southern Lebanese town of Dardghaya, amidst the ruins of the 18th-century St. George Melkite Catholic Church, a tiny Christmas tree now stands as a symbol of hope and resilience. The church, devastated by an Israeli airstrike in October, once served as a vibrant community center. 

Georges Elia, a 40-year-old municipal worker and churchgoer, took it upon himself to bring some normalcy to the holiday season. "This year, Christmas is arriving with sadness for us, but we didn't want it to be a sad one for the town's residents and its church," Elia said. 

The modest tree, shorter than Elia himself, is decorated with a shining garland and a star. Despite the lack of lights and a traditional Nativity scene due to the war's destruction, the tree stands tall among the fallen stones and shattered pews. "But, of course, Christ is born in our hearts, lit with our love for him," Elia added.

The church's priest, Father Maurice el Khoury, who has served for 11 years, conducts Sunday Mass in a small underground room that once housed visiting bishops. "This room is more like the cave where Jesus was born," he said, reminding families of the true essence of the holiday season.

The community's faith remains unshaken, and despite the staggering financial toll of the damage, estimated at nearly $3 million, they continue to celebrate Christmas with hope and love.



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