Skip to main content

Featured

Israel Links Return of Lebanese Displaced to Security of Its Northern Communities

                                A dog looks on next to displaced people at the corniche after rainfall, in Beirut, Lebanon. Israel has stated that tens of thousands of displaced Lebanese civilians will not be able to return to their homes in southern Lebanon until Israeli residents evacuated from the country’s north can safely go back to their own communities. The position underscores how deeply intertwined the two displacement crises have become amid ongoing cross‑border hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli officials argue that any long‑term arrangement must guarantee security along the northern frontier, where months of exchanges of fire have forced widespread evacuations on both sides. They maintain that Hezbollah’s military presence near the border remains the primary obstacle to restoring stability. Lebanese authorities, meanwhile, have warned that prolonged displacement i...
Post a Comment
Read more

article

Labels

Techs lead the way as US stock futures climb, setting the S&P 500 on track for a fresh record high


US stock futures climbed on Friday, setting the S&P 500 on track for a fresh record high as a tech-led rally gave a lift to a market weighed down by uncertainty over the odds of an early interest rate cut. The Nasdaq 100 futures jumped 0.7%, eyeing a return to gains notched Thursday as Apple and chipmakers outperformed. S&P 500 futures rose 0.4%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures put on 0.2%.

The market is still closely watching for cues to the timing of rate cuts, which could set the tone for corporates this year. The focus has turned to big tech to potentially kickstart a lagging stock market, now that the key drivers of the late 2023 rally have waned. Thursday’s tech-led surge in stocks put the S&P 500 within 0.3% of its all-time closing high of 4,796.56 and snapped a three-day losing streak for the Dow.

In individual stocks, iRobot shares tanked over 38% after a report that EU regulators plan to block Amazon’s $1.4 billion acquisition of the Roomba maker. Meanwhile, investors were assessing Macy’s announcement that it is cutting 2,350 jobs and closing five stores. Quarterly results from Travelers, Regions Financial, and other banks are on the earnings docket Friday. In economic updates, a December reading on existing home sales is due, as well as a look at consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan.


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment