By Nidal al-Mughrabi CAIRO (Reuters) – U.S. and Arab mediators are working round-the-clock to hammer out a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, sources close to the talks said, while in the Gaza Strip medics said Israeli strikes had killed 13 Palestinians on Thursday. The mediators, at talks in Egypt and Qatar, seek to forge a deal to pause the 14-month-old war in the Hamas-ruled enclave that would include a release of hostages seized from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, along with Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Mediators had managed to narrow some gaps on previous sticking points but differences…
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gold bitcoin etf Spot bitcoin ETFs, on the market for less than a year, are on the cusp of overtaking gold exchange-traded funds in terms of assets held as investors bet billions on bitcoin’s surging price. The 36 spot bitcoin ETFs tracked by etf.com hold around $120.5 billion while gold ETFs hold $125.7 billion, as of market close on Dec. 17. Investors have poured $60 billion into spot bitcoin ETFs since their Jan. 11 debut, with huge flows following the Nov. 5 election of crypto-friendly Donald Trump. Bitcoin itself has more than doubled this year, pushing the values of those funds higher. At…
The stock sell-off on Wall Street was “healthy,” as the Federal Reserve’s cautionary projection on future rate cuts gives investors a “reality check,” according to Jeremy Siegel, professor emeritus of finance at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.The U.S. Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter percentage point at its last meeting of the year, taking its overnight borrowing rate to a target range of 4.25% to 4.5%. Meanwhile, the Federal Open Market Committee indicated it probably will only lower rates twice more in 2025, fewer than the four cuts indicated in its September forecast.All three major indexes on Wall…
Image source: Getty Images In 2025 I’ll be doing pretty much the same as I’ve been doing this year, looking around for cheap shares to add to my portfolio. I’m intrigued by these two. They’re cheaper than I would have expected. Lloyds of London insurer Beazley (LSE: BEZ) baffles me. As a rule, shares usually look cheap after falling in value. But the Beazley share price has had a blockbuster 12 months, jumping 53.56%. It’s up 95.67% over three years. Can the share price keep flying? Half-year results published back in August showed profit almost doubling from $366.4m to a record…
As expected, the cut rates by 25 basis points, but the Fed’s positioning regarding future rate cuts caught the market off guard. Looking back, it was somewhat obvious. Earlier yesterday, I shared a video highlighting how analysts were expecting more rate cuts than what the Fed Funds Futures and overnight swaps markets were pricing in. Historically, in my experience, the FOMC aligns more closely with Fed Funds and swaps markets than with analysts’ expectations, so the analysts seemed overly optimistic. We may see fewer—or potentially no—rate cuts next year. The Fed swaps market is currently pricing in just one rate…
In a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, CDW Corporation (NASDAQ:), a technology solutions provider with a market capitalization of $23 billion, announced amendments to its bylaws following a Board of Directors review. The changes, effective immediately as of Monday, align the bylaws with current Delaware law and modify the advance notice provisions for stockholder proposals and director nominations. The Vernon Hills, Illinois-based company, which operates in the retail-catalog and mail-order houses industry, detailed several key adjustments in its Amended and Restated Bylaws. Notably, the revisions are intended to clarify and, in some instances, lessen the disclosure obligations…
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Sweden’s central bank cut its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.50% as expected on Thursday, but said it now saw reasons to be more cautious about cutting rates in early 2025. Sweden’s economy has been treading water for the last two years after the Riksbank jacked up rates to fight surging inflation – which peaked at around 10% in late 2022. With price pressures now tamed, the central bank started cutting rates again in May, but households and businesses remain wary about spending. “If the outlook for inflation and economic activity remains unchanged, the…
The government last week asked the Ministry of Finance (MoF) to complete the government’s scheme on establishing and developing the carbon market in Vietnam in 2025. Quotas set limits on how much greenhouse gas facilities are allowed to emit, Photo: Shutterstock In October, the government mandated the MoF to work with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), and relevant ministries to review legal documents on founding and operating a carbon credit market to be formulated as soon as possible. Under the latest draft, the market will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the country’s Nationally Determined…
BluSky Carbon (BSKCF) announces successful completion of certified laboratory testing for its Biochar production, confirming qualification for global carbon credit transactions. The testing validates the company’s production meets requirements for its $105 million AR1 offtake agreement and proposed $192 million AR2 Biochar project.The certification confirms the Biochar’s low contaminant levels and favorable hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, indicating high carbon density and stability. The company’s Vulcan Heavy equipment produces Biochar suitable for carbon credit transactions through marketplaces like NASDAQ partner PURO.Earth, where current pricing is approximately €160 (~$167 USD) per ton. BluSky Carbon (BSKCF) annuncia il completamento con successo dei test di laboratorio…
Image source: Getty Images The steady returns and growth potential that dividend stocks offer make them highly attractive for a second income. Whether to supplement a salary or build towards a retirement fund, they’re a key part of most income investing portfolios. Whenever the conversation turns to passive income ideas in the UK, the word dividends is usually not far off. They’re particularly popular at the moment as falling prices are pushing up yields. This means the FTSE 100 is awash with lucrative opportunities. One of my top income-generating investments is Phoenix Group (LSE: PHNX), accounting for almost 25% of…