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☆ Rising oil is still the big market risk despite today's pullback, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Markets kept their cool on Monday amid a fast-moving and volatile geopolitical landscape in the Middle East — but the longer-term risk premium has likely risen, while oil prices remain on edge, analysts said. Iran said it was acting in self-defense in response to a strike on its diplomatic compound in Damascus, Syria, earlier this month. By Monday, global players including the U.S. and European leaders were seeking to cool tensions, urging Israel to show restraint in its response. Sinha nevertheless added that "the fact that we moved from a proxy confrontation to a direct confrontation, even though that de-escalates in the near term, the longer term risk premium probably goes up." "I think the FX market ultimately will take its cue from oil prices because ultimately, that's the channel through which it spills over to the FX market," he said.

Persons: Adarsh Sinha, CNBC's, Sinha Organizations: U.S . Energy Information Administration, U.S, Asia FX, Bank of America, Iranian, FX Locations: Iran, Israel, Damascus, Syria, Strait, Hormuz, Tehran, Asia, U.S

☆ Morocco's hashish dealers boycott Israeli traffickers in solidarity with Gaza, says report
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Dealers of highly-prized Moroccan hashish are severing ties with Israeli drug smugglers. They are boycotting Israeli dealers in protest at the killing of Palestinians in Gaza, said a report. AdvertisementMoroccan hashish dealers are severing ties with Israeli drug smugglers amid the ongoing war in Gaza, per a report in Israeli media. "The hashish dealers in Morocco are not willing to sell us more hashish either directly or through intermediaries," a drug offender from Sharon told Mako , an Israeli news portal, reports. The Moroccan hashish boycott echoes the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.

Persons: —, Sharon, Mako, siad, Abu Mustafa, Merchants Organizations: Service, Cannabis Museum, Hamas, REUTERS, IDF Locations: Gaza, Morocco, Israeli, Amsterdam, Israel, Gaza City, Moroccan

☆ Israel's central bank estimates spending to fight Hamas will be about 10% of GDP
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Aruni Soni | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Israel's war with Hamas is costing the country the equivalent of 10% of GDP, the central bank's governor said. The Bank of Israel has estimated that it will cost about $58 billion between 2023 and 2025. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementThe Hamas war will cost Israel the equivalent of a 10th of the country's GDP, the central bank's chief said on Wednesday. AdvertisementThe central bank has also stepped in to stop the shekel from sliding last year, providing $15 billion through swap lines, and pushing the currency up 8.8% against the dollar in November.

Persons: —, Amir Yaron, Yaron Organizations: The Bank of Israel, Service, Bank of Israel, Bloomberg Locations: Israel

Hostages and Missing Families ForumAda Sagi, 75, a resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, has taught Hebrew and Arabic, according to the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum. Hostages and Missing Families ForumRimon Kirsht, 36, and her husband, Yagev Buchshtab, 34, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nirim on Oct. 7. Hostages and Missing Families ForumOfelia Roitman, 77, moved to Israel from Argentina in 1985, according to a Facebook post by the Hostages and Missing Persons Families Forum. She lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz and has nine grandchildren. She worked in education in the kibbutz for many years, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Persons: Marman, Nir Yitzhak, Luis Norberto Har, Fernando Marman, Gabriela Leimberg, Leimberg’s, Mia Leimberg, Moshe Leimberg, Mia’s, Leimberg, “, ”, Mia, “ We’re, ” Mr, Har, Ditza Heiman, Kibbutz Nir Oz, Gideon Heiman, Heiman, Sharon Kleitman, Mr, Neta Heiman, ” Ms, ” “, ” Neta Heiman, ” Tamar Metzger, Tamar Metzger, Yoram Metzger, Tamar, Noralin Babadila, Kibbutz Nirim, Gideon Babani, Babadila, Ada Sagi, Nir Oz, Meirav Tal, Yair Yaakov, Rimon Kirsht, Rimon, Yagev Buchshtab, Kirsht, Buchshtab, Adit, Roitman, Natalie Madmaon, Kan, Madmaon, Johnatan Reiss Organizations: LinkedIn, Jersualem, School of, Arts, International Committee, Hamas, Haaretz, Kibbutz, Associated Press, Forum, Mr Locations: Jerusalem, Gaza, Eden, of Israel, Philippines, Yehud, Israel, The Times, Poland, London, Maslan, Argentina

☆ Israel's war with Hamas will cost $53 billion, Israeli central bank says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Israel's central bank forecasts war with Hamas to cost $53 billion between 2023 and 2025, per the WSJ. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementNew estimates from the Israeli central bank forecast the war with Hamas to cost Israel roughly $53 billion between now and 2025, according to a Wall Street Journal report. By the end of 2024, the war will cut into Israel's GDP by 3%, in the Israeli central bank's view, even as policymakers work to stabilize financial markets and its currency. Thanks to central bank interventions, it's jumped about 9% over the last four weeks against the greenback, after the conflict had previously dragged the currency to an 11-year low.

Persons: Israel's shekel, —, Amir Yaron, it's, Yaron Organizations: Service, Wall, Bank of Israel, greenback Locations: Israel

☆ Elon Musk to meet Israeli president, Gaza hostage families on Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, accused by civil rights groups of amplifying anti-Jewish hatred on his X social media platform, will meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday along with Israelis whose relatives have been held by Hamas in Gaza. Herzog's office announced the meeting on Sunday night, saying, "In their meeting, the president will emphasize the need to act to combat rising antisemitism online." Musk's visit coincides with a four-day truce in an Israeli war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza during which 40 of the 240 hostages Israel says have been held by Hamas have returned to Israel. Israel's Channel 12 said Musk would also meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday. Antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen in the United States and worldwide, including during the now seven-week-old war between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Elon Musk, Isaac Herzog, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Musk, Netanyahu's, Walt Disney Organizations: Tech, SpaceX, Hamas, House, U.S, Warner Bros Discovery, CNBC, Comcast, Defamation League Locations: Gaza, Israel, California, Tesla's California, United States

☆ Elon Musk to meet Israeli leaders on Monday, Israel TV says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/3] People gather to protest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to California as he is scheduled to meet with entrepreneur Elon Musk, at union square in San Francisco, California, U.S. September 18, 2023. An Israeli source confirmed the visit by Musk, a billionaire who also runs Tesla (TSLA.O) and SpaceX. Musk's visit coincides with a four-day truce in an Israeli war with Palestinian Hamas militants in Gaza. During that visit, before the war, about 200 people protested efforts by Netanyahu's right-wing government to curb the powers of Israeli courts. Antisemitism and Islamophobia have risen in the United States and worldwide, including during the now seven-week-old war between Israel and Hamas.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu's, Elon Musk, Carlos Barria, Benjamin Netanyahu, Isaac Herzog, Netanyahu, Musk, Netanyahu's, Walt Disney, Kenneth Li, Ari Rabinovitch, Steven Scheer, Howard Goller, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Monday, SpaceX, Twitter, House, U.S, Walt, Warner Bros Discovery, Comcast, Defamation League, Thomson Locations: California, San Francisco , California, U.S, Israel, Israeli, Gaza, Tesla's California, United States

Heavy fighting broke out around the Indonesian Hospital, which has housed thousands of patients and displaced people for weeks. More than 250 patients with severely infected wounds or other urgent conditions remain stranded at Shifa Hospital days after Israeli forces entered the compound. Four other babies died in the two days before the evacuation on Sunday, according to Mohamed Zaqout, the director of Gaza hospitals. NETANYAHU EXTENDS CENTRAL BANK GOVERNOR’S TERMTEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has decided to grant the country’s central bank chief a second term. Jordan will build the hospital in southern Gaza to help with the territory's health crisis.

Persons: Yemen’s, Egypt’s, ”, Mohamed Zaqout, “, Hirokazu Matsuno, Yemen’s Houthi, Abraham Ungar, Ungar, Matsuno, NYK, BILL, Itamar Ben, ” Gil Dikman, Gvir, Ophir Katz, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Netanyahu, NETANYAHU, Benjamin Netanyahu, Amir Yaron, Yaron, Bezalel Smotrich, Israel —, Gila Gamliel, Gamliel, Israel’s, Gamliel’s, GAZA KHAN YOUNIS, JERUSALEM —, Elad Aderi, Aderi Organizations: Health Ministry, Indonesian Hospital, World Health Organization, Shifa, West Bank, Israel’s, Palestinian, Crescent, Galaxy Leader, Ray Car Carriers, Associated Press, Houthi, Galaxy Maritime Ltd, British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, Israel Defense Forces, Firefighters, National, National Security, CENTRAL BANK, Gov, Finance, BE, Intelligence, Jerusalem Post, Palestinian Authority, Street Journal, Monday, Israel Democracy Institute Locations: Gaza, Gaza City, Israel, Gaza's, China, Pakistan, israel, EGYPT, Gaza’s, Egypt, Palestinian, JAPAN, Japan, Iran, Bahamas, Philippines, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, Romania, Gulf of Oman, Saudi Arabia, Oman, India, Hodeida, British, ISRAEL, Lebanon, Biranit, JERUSALEM, Israel’s, TEL AVIV, Israeli, GAZA, Jerusalem, United States, U.S, JORDANIAN, Jordanian, Rafah, Jordan

LONDON, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Foreign investors pulled a record amount of money from U.S. equity funds tracking Saudi Arabia in October as the Middle East's worst violence in decades shook the region's business-friendly narrative. The iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF saw record net outflows in October of more than $200 million, LSEG data shows, cutting 20% from what it held at the beginning of the month. "Capital flight can be quite indiscriminate," said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal analyst for the Middle East and North Africa with Verisk Maplecroft. The iShares MSCI Qatar ETF (QAT.O) lost $7.7 million in funds in October, while the iShares MSCI UAE ETF (UAE.O) suffered outflows of $2.75 million. Nearly all the region's main economies are strong enough to weather some turmoil, investors say.

Persons: Torbjorn Soltvedt, Verisk, Natalia Gurushina, Israel, Gurushina, Bonds, Sergey Dergachev, Maplecroft, Dergachev, Libby George, Alexander Smith Organizations: Saudi Arabia ETF, . Exchange, Exchange, ARK Israel Innovative Technology, BlueStar, BlueStar Israel Technology, Hamas, Union Investment, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Israel, East, North Africa, BlueStar Israel, outflows, Saudi, London, Bengaluru

Bets on oil prices moving up from here are at their highest level since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, CME options market volatility data shows. Average daily volumes in energy options of the CME exchange overall are the highest since an all-time record in 2018. "The aftermath of the attacks and rising Middle East tensions did not impact oil prices as many investors expected, including ourselves," Unigestion multi-asset portfolio manager Sandrine Perret said. Reuters Graphics3/ DEFENCE STOCKSA gauge of defence stocks compiled by index provider MarketVector (.MVDEF) is 8% higher in the four weeks since the conflict began. It's also near eight-year highs versus the euro and therefore another asset class attracting questions about how it would perform if Middle East tensions are resolved.

Persons: Abdel Hadi Ramahi, Israel, Sandrine Perret, Derek Sammann, Gold, Jeff, Mikhail Zverev, Ron Temple, It's, Francesca Fornasari, Fornasari, Elisa Belgacem, Brent, Naomi Rovnick, Marc Jones, Dhara Ranasinghe, David Evans Organizations: United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, U.S White, Aegon, Reuters, Global, Defence, Lazard Asset Management, Swiss, Insight Investment, Generali Investments, Thomson Locations: Dubai, United Arab, Hamas, Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, Jordan, Egypt, China, Taiwan, Europe

☆ Euro finds footing on hawkish policy remarks, lower energy prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

U.S. Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. The Australian dollar fell 0.5% overnight and was last at $0.6405, just above its 50-day moving average. It seems set for its largest weekly fall since June, as the central bank appeared to raise the bar for further hikes after lifting rates on Tuesday. In Asia, China's yuan touched a two-month high in overnight offshore trade. China's consumer prices fell in October, data showed on Thursday, stoking expectations for lower interest rates.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Gabriel Makhlouf, Joachim Nagel, Jane Foley, Mario Draghi, Brent, Ping, Michael Wan, Jerome Powell, Tom Westbrook, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: REUTERS, Central Bank's, Bank of Japan, Rabobank, Treasury, New Zealand, Canadian, Italian, ECB, Financial, Reuters, Ping An Insurance Group, HK, MUFG, Bank of Israel, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Ireland's, U.S, Asia, Europe, Singapore, East, Gaza City

[1/2] The Bank of Israel building is seen in Jerusalem June 16, 2020. Israel's central bank has played its part too with a flurry of support measures, and has stayed away from rate cuts. At the outset of the war, markets were stunned. "The Bank of Israel took very aggressive action," said Gil Moshe, the head of markets at the Israel unit of U.S. bank Citi. Looking to next year, Shmuel Katzavian, a strategist at Israel's Discount Bank, expects the shekel to continue to strengthen.

Persons: Ronen, Israel's, Yaniv Pagot, Amir Yaron, Geoff Yu, Gil Moshe, Pagot, Shmuel Katzavian, Steven Scheer, Marc Jones, Jan Harvey Organizations: Bank of, REUTERS, Rights, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Reuters, U.S . Federal Reserve, BNY Mellon, Reuters Graphics, Israel, Citi, Israel's Discount Bank, Thomson Locations: Bank of Israel, Jerusalem, Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Israel's, Israel, U.S, London

☆ Take Five: You (may) have arrived at your destination
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

No wonder markets see a 70% chance that the Fed's brutal 20-month tightening cycle is over and that rate cuts could begin as soon as June. So watch closely to see if the top central bankers push back against the cut chatter until inflation is truly tamed. Shekel, gold, oil response to the war5/RACE DAY RATE HIKEThe famous Melbourne Cup horse race runs on Tuesday, but some of the shortest odds are on an Aussie central bank rate hike over in Sydney that day. Three-year and 10-year Australian government bond yields have hit their highest since 2011, though backed off slightly on the Fed's hold. The Australian dollar has also rallied strongly against its New Zealand counterpart as rate expectations diverge.

Persons: Marc Jones, Dhara, Kevin Buckland, Tom Westbrook, Lewis Krauskopf, BoE, Horton, Walt Disney, Mittal, shekel, Antony Blinken, Jordan, Luci Ellis, Kripa Jayaram, Riddhima Talwani, Gareth Jones Organizations: Federal Reserve, Fed, ECB, FX, Bank of Japan, Reuters, eBay, Nvidia, UBS, ABN Amro, Allianz, Friday, U.S, Melbourne Cup, Westpac, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Australia, Gaza, Here's, London, Tokyo, Singapore, New York, Britain, U.S, Europe, Commerzbank, Israel, Gaza City, Iran, Sydney

On Tuesday an Israeli strike at the Jabalia refugee camp in north Gaza killed dozens of people according to hospital authorities, leaving a moonscape of craters. In Khan Younis, Farida Abu Azzam was taking her husband to hospital for his cancer treatment. In a shelter for displaced people in a U.N. school in Khan Younis, Salwa Najar stood by her son Majed's bedside, wiping his face. A cousin had taken them to Hilal Hospital in Khan Younis, the biggest city in the southern part of the tiny enclave. "Gaza hospitals are crowded with injured people who are filling the hospital beds," she said.

Persons: Mohammed Al, Masri, Nasr, Khan Younis, Israel, Farida Abu Azzam, Akram al, Qara, Salwa Najar, Majed's, Najar, puffy, Nahed Abu Taeema, Nidal al, Angus McDowall, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Turkish Friendship, Hospital, Nasser Hospital, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Hamas, Khan, Egypt, Khan Younis

☆ Premarket stocks: It’s a spooky Halloween for markets. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Here’s what’s causing the market fears:High bond yieldsSurging yields have contributed to one of the worst periods for bond market performance in history and pressured equity markets. The company reported quarterly profits of $9.9 billion, also beating estimates. Shares of Meta slid last week after the Facebook parent company reported that advertising revenue had been soft this quarter. Jerominski told CNN that there have been at least 25 store closures. Fraser Engerman, a Walgreens spokesperson, told CNN that just two stores closed on Monday and no more than 12 pharmacists walked out across the entire country.

Persons: Dow, Rob Almeida, ”, Jason Pride, “, don’t, Erik Weisman, Seema Shah, JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, Wall, Shane Jerominski, Jerominski, Fraser Engerman, Max —, Tim Cook, Apple Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN —, Traders, Nasdaq, MFS Investment Management, Federal Reserve, Asset Management, LPL Research, JPMorgan, Big Tech, Meta, Facebook, Reality Labs, Google, CVS, Walgreens, Staff, CNN, Workers, Apple Locations: New York, United States, Israel, Russia, Ukraine, China, Arizona , Washington , Massachusetts, Oregon, Southern California, Chicago, Deerfield, Apple’s Cupertino , California

Reuters GraphicsThe Tel Aviv Inter-Bank Offered Rate, or TELBOR , a proxy for interest rate expectations, shows markets are now pricing in just over 50 bps of rate cuts over the next 12 months. "We thought the market was overreacting and exaggerating a rate cut in the (Oct. 23) decision, during the war," Bank Hapoalim's Shafrir said. The central bank's own economists project 50-75 bps of rate cuts in the next year. Prior to the war, markets had predicted that the benchmark rate would be lowered by at least 100 bps through 2024 as inflation returned to its target range. Israel's next rate decision is due on Nov. 27 with markets currently expecting rates to be held, and the three-month TELBOR rate pointing to a 25 bps cut in early 2024.

Persons: Violeta Santos Moura, Morgan Stanley, Georgi Deyanov, Modi Shafrir, Amir Yaron, Andrew Abir, Shafrir, Yaron, Anatoliy Shal, Shal, Steven Scheer, Karin Strohecker, Sumanta Sen, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Palestinian, Hamas, Bank of Israel, Bank Hapoalim, Reuters, Tel Aviv Inter, Monday, P Global Market Intelligence, Thomson Locations: Israel's, Gaza, Israel, LONDON, Jerusalem, London

☆ The Israel-Hamas war hasn’t set off market panic. That doesn’t mean investors aren’t concerned
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Investors have much on their minds these days, but there’s one thing seemingly staying under the radar. The Israel-Hamas war, which began in early October, initially rattled global financial markets, sending stocks tumbling, the Israeli shekel sliding and oil prices climbing. Potential escalation, potential impactNow, markets are looking decidedly less bright. Wall Street hasn’t completely shrugged off the potential impacts on financial markets from the Israel-Hamas war. His firm increased its allocation to longer-term government bonds this week to lock in currently high yields before potential declines down the line.

Persons: “, ”, Yung, Yu Ma, David Bahnsen, Ma Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Peoples, Treasury, Federal, BMO Wealth Management, Microsoft, Fed, Dow Jones, Traders Locations: New York, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia

The cost to Israel's economy of its war with Hamas militants will be unlike anything it has experienced in decades. "This is not a hit for contractors or industrialists alone," said Raul Sarugo, president of the Israel Builders' Association. Israel was blindsided on Oct. 7 by Hamas gunmen from Gaza who rampaged through border towns in the deadliest attack on civilians in its history. The conflict has also halted the movement of thousands of Palestinian labourers from Gaza to Israel and curtailed the flow from the occupied West Bank. The Economy Ministry created a war room and put out a call for help.

Persons: Raul Sarugo, Israel, Netanel Shraga, Barak Klein, ThetaRay, Erel Margalit, Dror Bin, We've, Bin, Leo Leiderman, Amir Yaron, Yaron, Steven Scheer, Ari Rabinovich, Toby Chopra Organizations: Hamas, Israel Builders ' Association, West Bank, Columbia, HIGH, TECH, Factories, Israel Innovation Authority, Ministry, Bank Hapoalim, Israeli Finance Ministry, Reuters, of Israel, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Israel's, Iran, Lebanese

Oct 23 (Reuters) - Outflows from exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tracking Israeli stocks accelerated in the last two weeks, tracking a sharp slide in share prices as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas widens to other fronts. The iShares MSCI Israel ETF posted net outflows of $2.5 million between Oct. 9 and Oct. 20, leaving it with assets of $111.62 million, according to Lipper data. "The market doesn't like uncertainties," said Sammy Suzuki, head of emerging market equities at AllianceBernstein. Israel ETFs were underperforming most of their peers prior to Hamas' attack, said Steven Schoenfeld, CEO of Market Vector Indexes, who created the index behind the $78.4 million BlueStar Israel Technology . ETFs tracking Israeli technology stocks such as the BlueStar Israel Technology ETF and the $75.4 million ARK Israel Innovative Technology ETF recorded net outflows of $1.9 million and $7.2 million, respectively, in the last two weeks.

Persons: Sammy Suzuki, Steven Schoenfeld, Israel's shekel, Bansari Mayur, Mark Potter Organizations: Health, Israel Technology, Israel Innovative Technology, Thomson Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Gaza, Lebanon, Iran, Bengaluru

☆ Prospect of Prolonged Israel-Gaza War Adds Economic Havoc to Human Toll
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Liz Alderman | More About Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

That has concentrated the pool of recruits around people who make up the bulk of Israel’s entrepreneurial economic activity. Two credit ratings agencies this week warned that Israel’s debt could be downgraded. The Bank of Israel has about $200 billion in foreign exchange reserves — close to 40 percent of the country’s gross domestic product — which its governor, Amir Yaron, told I.M.F. and World Bank officials in a video call on Sunday provided ample capacity to support the economy. Since the conflict, the central bank has earmarked $30 billion in foreign exchange to support the shekel, which has fallen to an eight-year low.

Persons: ”, Ben, David, Moody’s, Fitch, Israel’s, Israel, Goldman Sachs, Amir Yaron, I.M.F Organizations: Bank of Israel, World Bank

☆ From a likely recession to a weakening shekel, here's how the conflict with Hamas is impacting Israel's economy and markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The conflict with Hamas that began October 7 will have widespread financial implications for Israel. A top Israeli economist said a recession in Israel is likely, and Fitch put the country's credit rating on watch for downgrade. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Yet in less than two weeks, Israel's shekel has weakened about 4.8% to hit multi-year lows against the dollar. The Financial Times reported Tuesday that Bank of Israel deputy governor Andrew Abir said policymakers would prioritize stabilizing the currency over growth.

Persons: Fitch, —, Joe Biden, Benjamin Netanyahu, Joseph Zeira, Zeira, Israel's shekel, Andrew Abir, Lee Hardman Organizations: Hamas, Service, Tel, Israel's Defense Forces, Hebrew University, CNBC, Bank of Israel, Traders, Deutsche Bank, Financial Times, MUFG Bank Locations: Israel, Palestinian, Tel Aviv, Gaza, Israeli, Iran

Official data showed China's economy grew 1.3% in the third quarter, accelerating from 0.5% in the previous quarter and topping market forecasts for an increase of 1%. China's yuan hit a one-week high of 7.2905 per dollar, though it then retreated to 7.312. The China-sensitive Australian dollar , was last up 0.24% at $0.6381, while the New Zealand dollar was 0.18% higher at $0.5907. Reuters GraphicsThe euro was steady at $1.0571, while sterling was up 0.1% at $1.2194 after data showed British inflation failed to fall as expected in September. Israel's shekel was pinned to the weaker side of 4 to the dollar, around its lowest since 2015.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Joe Biden, I'm, Erik Nelson, Wells, Nelson, we're, It's, it's, Imre Speizer, Israel's shekel, Tom Westbrook, Harry Robertson, Shri Navaratnam, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, U.S ., Israel, Wednesday, New Zealand, Westpac, Reuters, Treasury, Bank of Japan, Thomson Locations: Rights SINGAPORE, LONDON, Gaza, China, Wells Fargo, Israel, Iran, U.S, Japan, Tokyo, Singapore, London

☆ Yuan leads rally in Asian currencies on China's economic bounce
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Asian currencies caught a boost from better-than-expected Chinese economic data on Wednesday, driving the yuan to a one-week high and putting a dampener on the U.S. dollar which has rallied for weeks on end as U.S. yields have climbed. A blast at a Gaza hospital also kept moves modest and traders on edge at the prospect of a widening conflict. Official data showed China's economy grew 1.3% in the third quarter, accelerating from 0.5% in the previous quarter and topping market forecasts for an increase of 1%. On Tuesday U.S. yields had shot sharply higher after data showed retail sales increased strongly, which had helped the dollar pile pressure on the low-yielding Japanese yen. "Maybe it's hitting the limits of this stage of the rally, and needs a bit of a correction."

Persons: Joe Biden, Woei Chen Ho, It's, it's, Imre Speizer, Sterling Organizations: U.S ., Israel, Wednesday, New, Tuesday, Bank of Japan, greenback, Treasury, Westpac Locations: Gaza, Singapore, New Zealand, Asia

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG/LONDON, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Bond yields rose on Tuesday and stocks steadied as markets continued to retrace last week's moves to safe-haven assets, focusing on corporate earnings prospects and the resilience of the U.S. economy rather than tensions in the Middle East. Benchmark 10-year bond yields in the U.S. and Germany (Bunds) rose around 5 basis points (bps) on Tuesday having risen 5-8 bps Monday - bond yields move inversely to prices. Israel's shekel remained on the weak side of the 4 per dollar level it softened to for the first time since 2015 on Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday arrived in Beijing to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping even as the war in Ukraine raged on. If investors do not receive the coupon payment, all of Country Garden's offshore debts will be deemed in default.

Persons: DAX, Kai Pfaffenbach, Banks, BNY, Goldman Sachs, We're, Jorge Garayo, Joe Biden, Israel, Israel's shekel, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, BoE, Gold, Brent, Selena Li, Alun John, Shri Navaratnam, Ed Osmond, Alex Richardson Organizations: Deutsche, REUTERS, Bank of America, Treasury, Bund, Societe Generale, U.S, Israel, Hamas, Iran's, Tuesday, HK, Bank of England, Swiss, Venezuela, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, HONG KONG, U.S, Iran, Gaza, Beijing, Ukraine, Friday's, Washington, Israel, Hong Kong, London

☆ Asia stocks rise on earnings hopes; keep wary eye on Mideast tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Selena Li | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man looks at an electric board displaying the Nikkei stock average outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan June 14, 2023. Overnight the S&P 500 (.SPX) had climbed 1%, while oil prices and the U.S. dollar had fallen. Benchmark 10-year Treasury yields are about 15 basis points off 16-year highs, though they crept higher in Asia trade Tuesday to 4.7331%. The euro traded at $1.0549 and the yen hovered just short of the 150-per-dollar mark at 149.53. If investors don't receive the coupon payment, all of Country Garden's offshore debts will be deemed in default.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Kerry Craig, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Johnson, Craig, Joe Biden, Israel, Israel's shekel, Bitcoin, Selena Li, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Nikkei, REUTERS, Tokyo's Nikkei, U.S ., Morgan Asset Management, Bank of America, Johnson, Netflix, Federal Reserve, Israel, Hamas, Iran's, HK, Brent, BlackRock, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, HONG KONG, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Gaza, Iran, Zealand, Brent

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