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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Ruling-party candidate Lai Ching-te emerged victorious in Taiwan’s presidential election on Saturday, a result that will determine the trajectory of the self-ruled democracy’s contentious relations with China over the next four years. Beijing strongly opposes Lai, the current vice president who abandoned his medical career to pursue politics from the grassroots to the presidency. It's the first time a single party has led Taiwan for three consecutive four-year presidential terms since the first open presidential election in 1996. Its candidate, Hou Yu-ih, also had promised to restart talks with China while bolstering national defense. Evelyn Ni traveled from China especially to get a taste of Taiwan’s election.

Persons: Lai Ching, Lai, Tsai Ing, Hou Yu, Hou, “, I’m, David Chiau, Ko Wen, Ko, Chen Binhua, Beijing wouldn't, ” Chen, Antony Blinken, ” Blinken, Evelyn Ni, Tony Chen, ”, Xi Jinping, Stacy Chen, Gabrielle Reid, Sung Organizations: Democratic, Nationalist, KMT, ih, Taiwan People’s Party, DPP, Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Office, Biden, Associated Press Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, China, Beijing, Japanese, United States, Taipei, Russia, Ukraine, South China

Taipei, Taiwan CNN —Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party pulled off a historic third consecutive presidential victory on Saturday as voters shrugged off warnings by China that their re-election would increase the risk of conflict. The counting of votes has concluded, with Lai – the candidate of Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) – receiving just over 40% of the total votes, according to Taiwan’s Central Election Commission (CEC). Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party candidate Hou Yu-ih garnered 33.49% of the votes, with Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) candidate Ko Wen-je received 26.45%. A spokesperson for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office insisted the election result “does not represent the mainstream view on the island.”“Taiwan is China’s Taiwan. “There’s multiple times that China could cause a fuss over a DPP victory, either now or later this year,” Nachman said.

Persons: Taiwan CNN — Taiwan’s, Lai Ching, ” Lai, “, Hsiao Bi, Lai –, Taiwan’s, –, Hou Yu, Ko Wen, je, Xi Jinping, Xi, Yasuyosh Chiba, Tsai Ing, Lai, Tsai, China’s, ” Xi, Hsiao, ”, Jaw Shaw, kong, Sam Yeh, Biden, Wang, Lev Nachman, ” Nachman, Nachman, hasn’t, they’ve Organizations: Taiwan CNN, Democratic Progressive Party, Commission, Kuomintang, KMT, ih, Taiwan People’s Party, Taiwan Affairs Office, Xinhua, China’s Communist Party, Party, Taiwan, Communist, DPP, Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan’s, Illinois State University, National Chengchi University, China’s Taiwan Affairs, Taiwan “, Analysts Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, China, United States, Beijing, ”, China’s Taiwan, AFP, “, New Taipei City, Washington, Taiwan Strait

☆ The Point - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Patrick Healy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Chinese officials had strongly warned Taiwanese voters not to choose as their next president Lai Ching-te, a Harvard-educated doctor whom it detests as a separatist. China cautioned that the election of Lai could lead to war in the Taiwan Strait, and it interfered in the election to try help Lai’s rivals. Taiwan’s voters took that all in and then did what mainland Chinese can’t do openly: They defied President Xi and elected Lai as president. They have made “China’s reunification” a nightmare to most Taiwanese voters. I lived in Taiwan in the 1980s, studying Chinese, and have been here countless times since.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Lai Ching, Lai, Xi, Tsai Ing, Jinping, Hsiao Organizations: Harvard, People Liberation Army Locations: Taiwan, China, Taiwan Strait, Hong Kong, New Jersey, United States

☆ The Epstein story may not be the fantastical conspiracy of blackmail and murder that drew you in. But it is disgusting — and more common than you think.
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Haven Orecchio-Egresitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

In the end, the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case caused international intrigue because of its ties to some of the wealthiest, most high-profile names in the world. AdvertisementBut, in the end, the story of Jeffrey Epstein and his entourage of accusers is not all that uncommon. Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Jeffrey Epstein, and Ghislaine Maxwell pose together at Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida. Speaking generally, textbook sex trafficking victims have had to live most of their lives like this. Maybe Jeffrey Epstein was assassinated in his jail cell to keep the rich and powerful safe.

Persons: —, Jeffrey Epstein, Peter Nygard, Kelly, NXVIM, Jeffrey Epstein's, James, Gabriel Lopez Albarran, Epstein, Maura Healey, aren't, Stacey Gallagher, Gallager, Virginia Guiffre, Donald Trump, Melania Knauss, Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey, Harvey Weinstein, Maxwell, they're, Michael Caine, Dave Benett, Jacob Shamsian, I've, Ghislaine Organizations: Service, Business, AP, Virgin Islands, vacationland, johns, Mar, Davidoff, FBI, Department of Justice Locations: Little St, Virgin, Cape, vacationland USA, Virginia, Palm Beach , Florida, Palm Beach, West Palm, British, Chelsea, London

☆ Fox News ran a conspiratorial segment saying the Pentagon wanted to use Taylor Swift as a psy-op
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Jesse Watters floated a theory the Pentagon wanted to make Taylor Swift a pro-Biden "asset." Speaking on "Jesse Watters Primetime," Watters started out with the conundrum of why Swift has so many fans. AdvertisementHe said: "Around four years ago, the Pentagon's psychological operations unit floated turning Taylor Swift into an asset during a NATO meeting," he said. AdvertisementIs Taylor Swift a Pentagon PsyOp asset? I include Taylor Swift in here because she's a fairly influential online person."

Persons: Jesse Watters, Taylor Swift, Biden, Swift, —, Joe Biden, Watters, she's, Alicia Marie Bargar —, yHp8WywKh8 — Jesse Watters, Bargar, NATO StratCom's, Johns Hopkins Organizations: Pentagon, Fox News, Service, Fox, NATO, 11th, NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence, of Excellence, White Locations: Tallinn, Estonia

☆ Vote counting begins in closely watched Taiwan election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

With China intensifying its rhetoric on its claim over Taiwan, global observers are billing this Taiwan election as highly pivotal for security in the Asia-Pacific at a time of testy U.S.-China relations. If Lai and Hsiao win the Jan. 13 vote for the Taiwan presidential office, it would mark the first time any political party has stayed in office for more than two consecutive terms since Taiwan introduced direct presidential elections in 1996. Campaign posters for various legislative member candidates in Taipei, Taiwan, on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. China's Taiwan affairs office has characterized the self-ruled island's election as a choice between "peace and war, prosperity and decline." "China has always meddled whenever there is an election in Taiwan, but this time, it's the most serious."

Persons: Hou Yu, Hei Leung, Ko Wen, policymaking, Tsai Ing, Ko, Cynthia Wu, Jing Bo, jiun, Sam Yeh, Jing, Tsai, Lai Ching, Hsiao, United States —, Lai, Timothy S, Rich, Jaw Shaw, kong, Hou, Kevin Luo, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Xi, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Rong Xu, Democratic Progressive Party Lai Ching, Yasuyoshi Chiba, DPP's Lai, Weeks Organizations: ih, Anadolu, Getty, Democratic Progressive Party, Kuomintang, Taiwan People's Party, China, Local, KMT, Taiwan Studies, University of Oxford, AFP, Taiwan, Rich Western Kentucky University, Taiwan's National Police Agency, New, DPP, University of Minnesota, Western Kentucky University, U.S, China -, APEC, CNBC, Former U.S, Bloomberg, Taiwan's DPP, Beijing, Cross Straits Service Locations: Taichung, Taiwan, Taipei, Asia, Pacific, U.S, China, Hsinchu, United States, Overconfidence, New Taipei City, China - U.S, Beijing, Taiwan Strait, Kaohsiung

☆ Oil prices rise on Middle East tensions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Oil prices gained on Friday, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken prepared to visit the Middle East to try and prevent the Israel-Gaza conflict from widening. The price rebound serves as "a reminder of the risk that is rooted in ever-growing tension in the Middle East," PVM analyst Tamas Varga said in a note. As the threat of the conflict expanding persists, Blinken was set to travel to the Middle East for a week of diplomacy, the State Department said. "There is still plenty of tension in the Middle East with Houthi rebels launching a sea drone in the Red Sea, a U.S. airstrike in Baghdad," ING analysts said in a report on Friday. Euro zone inflation rose in December and could continue rising in early 2024, which would ease pressure on the European Central Bank to start cutting rates.

Persons: pumpjack, Antony Blinken, Tamas Varga, Blinken, Investors Organizations: Brent, U.S, West Texas, State Department, ING, European Central Bank, Federal Locations: Bakersfield, Kern County , California, USA, Israel, Gaza, Red, U.S, Baghdad

☆ European Central Bank holds rates and trims its inflation forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-14 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - NOVEMBER 27: Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank speaks during the European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Nevember 27, 2023. (Photo by Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images)The European Central Bank on Thursday held interest rates steady for the second meeting in a row, as it revised its growth forecasts lower and announced plans to speed up the shrinking of its balance sheet. The latest staff macroeconomic projections see average real GDP expanding 0.6% in 2023, from a prior forecast of 0.7%. Headline inflation is meanwhile seen averaging 5.4% in 2023, 2.7% in 2024 and 2.1% in 2025. Members see core inflation, excluding energy and food, averaging 5% this year and 2.7% in 2024, 2.3% in 2025, and 2.1% in 2026.

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Dursun Aydemir, James Smith, CNBC's Joumanna Bercetche Organizations: European Central Bank, European Parliament's, Economic, Monetary Affairs, Getty, ECB, ING Locations: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, Brussels, Belgium, Anadolu

☆ There haven't been this few job openings in 2 years. It's exactly what the Fed's been hoping for.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US job openings in October fell to their lowest level since 2021. In October, available job openings fell to 8.7 million from a downwardly revised 9.4 million in September. Driven largely by the retail sector, the number of job openings dipped from a downwardly revised 9.4 million job openings in September, to 8.7 million by the end of October, below the consensus forecast among economists surveyed by Bloomberg, and the lowest level since early 2021. AdvertisementThe latest job opening figures reinforce the case for a soft-landing scenario — job openings are moving higher yet the unemployment has remained relatively low. "By that ratio, a measure of labor market tightness often cited by Fed Chair Jerome Powell, the labor market has slackened substantially in recent months."

Persons: It's, —, Julia Pollak, Jerome Powell, Pollak, CME's Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve, Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bloomberg, Fed, ING, Barclays

☆ The Fed could cut interest rates as early as the first quarter of 2024. Here are 7 quotes from central bankers that hint at what comes next.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Markets are betting the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates as soon as early 2024. AdvertisementWall Street largely anticipates that the Federal Reserve has finished its interest rate-hiking cycle, and markets are betting central bankers will begin easing policy soon. Tom Barkin, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond president, November 29: "If inflation comes down naturally and smoothly, awesome. Mary Daly, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco president, November 30: "I'm not thinking about rate cuts at all right now. John Williams, Federal Reserve Bank of New York president, November 30: "My assessment is that we are at, or near, the peak level of the target range of the federal funds rate."

Persons: Jerome Powell, —, CME's, Christopher Waller, Tom Barkin, Raphael Bostic, Mary Daly, John Williams, Williams Organizations: Federal Reserve, Service, ING, Barclays, Federal Reserve Bank, Richmond, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Federal

☆ Walmart and Target borrowing ideas from each other shows we're in a new economic landscape
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

In today's big story, we're looking at the rising similarities between Target and Walmart. Dominick Reuter/Business InsiderIf imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Walmart and Target are embarking on some serious tributes to each other. AdvertisementTwo of the country's largest retailers are taking pages from each other's playbooks as they adjust to a changing economic landscape. And Walmart founder Sam Walton openly admitted he stole borrowed plenty of ideas from Sol Price, the originator of the wholesale club model. That's led Walmart to see an increase in higher-income clientele, a trend they're leaning into.

Persons: —, Dominick Reuter, Insider's Dominick Reuter, Dominick, Christina Hennington, it's, Sam Walton, Sol Price, That's, Charlie Flanagan, Management's Bryan Kelly, Li Deng, Mike Schuster, Sam Altman Andrew Caballero, Reynolds, Daniel Ek, Slaven Vlasic, Rebecca Zisser, Elon, Zers, Xochitl Gomez, Alyson Hannigan, Jason Mraz, Charity Lawson, Ariana Madix, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Target, Walmart, AQR, Investments, AQR Capital Management, Vatic Investments, Sigma, Investment, Barclays, ING, MSCI Israel, Tel, Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Israel Securities Authority, Reuters, Broadcom, VMware, The New York Times, Inc, Adobe, ABC, Major, Baseball, MLB Network Locations: Israel, Tel Aviv, New York City, San Diego, London, New York

☆ The kind of 'free speech' Elon Musk says he wants would be terrible
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Henry Blodget | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementEveryone has theories about why Elon Musk publicly insulted and threatened Twitter/X advertisers last week. (And anyone who works there — or at any other company — would be fired for saying what Elon said last week). I also think Elon wants to suggest that we should be able to say whatever we want without any consequences—and even that there is a Constitutional right for us to do this. I also, respectfully, don't think Elon really thinks that. I don't think even Elon would enjoy that!

Persons: —, Elon Musk, Katie Notopoulos, Katie doesn't, Elon, Tesla Organizations: Service, Elon, Twitter, Business, Tesla

☆ The Fed will likely cut interest rates 4 times next year as the economy remains resilient
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

US economic growth will remain resilient next year, making the Fed cautious about rate cuts, Barclays said. The central bank will likely cut by 100 basis points in 2024 and another 100 points in 2025. AdvertisementUS economy will remain resilient next year, making the Federal Reserve cautious about rate cuts, Barclays said in a Monday note. AdvertisementThat implies the Fed will make four 25-basis-point rate cuts next year. Meanwhile, analysts at ING have predicted the Fed will deliver six rate cuts next year as the economy slows, amounting to 150 basis points.

Persons: —, they're Organizations: Barclays, Service, Federal Reserve, ING, UBS, White House, Congress

☆ Think of what happened to Hong Kong when you vote, Taiwan president says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen appealed to voters on Sunday to think of what had happened to Chinese-controlled Hong Kong when they cast their ballots next month, saying peace must be backed up with a commitment to boost defences. China and Taiwan's main opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), have cast the election as a choice between war and peace. China detests Taiwan's ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and its presidential candidate, Vice President Lai Ching-te, calling them dangerous separatists. "Look at Hong Kong and think of Taiwan. Beijing in 2020 imposed a tough national security law on Hong Kong, which it said was vital to restore stability after the city, a global financial hub, was rocked for months by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests in 2019.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Lai Ching, Lai, Tsai, Hou Yu, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard Organizations: Kuomintang, KMT, Democratic Progressive Party, ih, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Taipei, British, Beijing

☆ Tesla is selling a $55 Cybertruck decal inspired by Elon Musk's famous window smashing mishap
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tesla is selling a $55 Cybertruck decal inspired by Elon Musk's infamous window smashing incident. "OMFG decal" references moment a Tesla engineer smashed the Cybertruck's windows with a steel ball. AdvertisementTesla is selling a Cybertruck decal inspired by the windows that famously smashed during a demonstration at the futuristic pickup's unveiling. Elon Musk was left red-faced after the Cybertruck's windows failed in a demonstration. That means it still remains unclear whether the Cybertruck's windows are actually as unbreakable as Musk initially suggested.

Persons: Tesla, Elon Musk's, —, Franz von Holzhausen, Elon Musk, Frederic J . Brown, Holzhausen, Austin — Organizations: Service, Elon Locations: Austin

☆ Asia shares start Dec on cautious note, oil nurses losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Stella Qiu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) fell 0.5% after a surge of 7.3% last month, the most since January. The Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of inflation - the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index - stood unchanged for October, while consumer spending also pulled back. Fed funds futures imply rate cuts of 115 basis points. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes slipped 3 basis points in Asia to 4.3264%, on top of a plunge of 52.2 basis points for the month. Two-year Treasury yields fell 4 basis points to 4.674%.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, sharemarkets, HSI, Rodrigo Catril, Jerome Powell's Q, Waller, Robert Carnell, Christopher Waller, Treasuries, Stella Qiu, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Tyrone, Rights, Japan's Nikkei, National Australia Bank . Regional, Federal, Traders, ING, Fed, South Korean, Philippine, Brent, West Texas, Thomson Locations: Exchange, Hong Kong, China, Europe, U.S, Asia, Pacific, Japan, South

☆ Exclusive: China lures hundreds of Taiwan politicians with cheap trips before election
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Yimou Lee | Thomson Reuters | Yimou Lee Is A Senior Correspondent For Reuters Covering Everything Taiwan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Across Taiwan security agencies are looking into more than 400 visits to China in the past month, most led by local opinion leaders such as borough chiefs and village heads, a Taiwan security official looking into China's activities told Reuters. He said it was "self-evident" Beijing was trying to sway Taiwan elections through means including free trips for politicians. More than 300 borough chiefs or village heads from populous central Taiwan alone have participated in such trips to China in the past few months, this person said. "Certain borough chiefs have become the window of contacts in Taiwan for some Chinese units." Chinese officials allegedly asked participants to support certain political parties and "oppose Taiwan independence", the prosecutors said in a statement.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Chiu Tai, Hsing Tai, chao, Yimou Lee, Ben Blanchard, William Mallard Organizations: Beijing, Reuters, China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Mainland Affairs Council, Chinese Communist Party, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, Beijing, China, Taiwan, Taipei, Shanghai, New Taipei City, Kaohsiung

☆ The Federal Reserve will cut interest rates 6 times in 2024 as the economy shows clear signs of cooling down, ING says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Federal Reserve is poised to cut interest rates six times in 2024, according to ING Economics. AdvertisementAn economy that is showing clear signs of decelerating means the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at least six times in 2024, according to a Thursday note from ING Economics. Knightley expects the interest rate cuts to extend into 2025 with at least four 25 basis point interest rate cuts. And it might not break if the Fed can successfully ease interest rates lower before the economy enters a recession. UBS expects the Fed to cut interest rates by a whopping 275 basis points next year in response to a recession.

Persons: —, James Knightley, Knightley Organizations: Federal, ING Economics, Service, Reserve, ING, Fed, UBS Locations: 1,841k

☆ Taiwan president: China too 'overwhelmed' to consider invasion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTAIPEI, Nov 30 (Reuters) - China's leadership is too "overwhelmed" with its internal problems to consider an invasion of Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen said in an interview with the New York Times. But Tsai, in a transcript of the interview her office published on Thursday, said China had too many issues at the moment. And my thought is that perhaps this is not a time for them to consider a major invasion of Taiwan," she said. Tsai and her government have repeatedly called for talks with China but been rebuffed, as Beijing views Tsai and the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) as separatists. The DPP's Lai Ching-te, currently vice president, is the frontrunner to be Taiwan's next president according to opinion polls.

Persons: Tsai Ing, Ann Wang, Tsai, Lai Ching, Lai, Hsiao Bi, Chen Binhua, Chiu Tai, Chiu, Ben Blanchard, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, New York Times, Democratic Progressive Party, Taiwan Affairs Office, Mainland Affairs Council, Thomson Locations: Taichung, Taiwan, Rights TAIPEI, China, Beijing, United States, Taipei, Lincoln

☆ Euro zone inflation sinks to 2.4%, below expectations
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

(Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Annual inflation in the euro zone cooled to 2.4% in November from 2.9% in October, flash figures showed Thursday. Inflation in the euro zone's largest economies, Germany and France, has dropped to 2.3% and 3.8%, respectively. ECB officials have repeatedly stressed that it is too early to declare victory over price rises in the 20-member euro zone bloc, as they monitor potential pressures from wage increases and energy markets. Separate data released by statistics agency Eurostat on Thursday showed that unemployment in the euro area remained at a record low of 6.5% in October, despite a contraction in the euro zone economy in the third quarter. "For the ECB, signs of an imminent victory on inflation are mounting," Bert Colijn, senior euro zone economist at ING, said in a note, adding that some of the impact from existing monetary tightening was yet to be felt.

Persons: Ying Tang, —, Mathieu Savary, Bert Colijn Organizations: Aachen, Getty, Reuters, European Central Bank, Energy, ECB, BCA Research, Eurostat, ING Locations: Aachen, Germany, France, European

It's a far cry from the peak of 10.6% in October 2022 as an energy crisis left Europe's households and businesses struggling to make ends meet. The new figure is close to the European Central Bank's inflation target of 2% following a rapid series of interest rate hikes dating to summer 2022. Energy prices plunged 11.5% from November 2022. Meanwhile, the larger eurozone economy has stalled this year, even shrinking 0.1% in the July-to-September quarter, according to Eurostat. ___This story has been corrected to show that the eurozone economy shrank 0.1% in the third quarter, not grew by that amount.

Persons: ”, Andrew Kenningham, Christine Lagarde, ” Lagarde, That's, upended, ” Carsten Brzeski Organizations: Eurostat, ECB, Capital Economics, Energy, OECD, ING Locations: Europe, Germany, Europe's, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine

☆ Eurozone Inflation Falls Faster Than Expected
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Liz Alderman | More About Liz Alderman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Excluding food and energy prices, so-called core inflation rose 3.6 percent, a sharply slower pace than previous months. “The price to pay is higher interest rates, more difficult financing and therefore an economic slowdown,” he added. Interest rates were raised from below zero and are now at the highest level in the central bank’s two-decade history. But Europe is facing a drawn-out economic slowdown as high interest rates and the lingering impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine continue to curb activity. to start lowering interest rates next year, possibly before the summer.

Persons: ” Bert Colijn, ” Bruno Le Maire, Christine Lagarde, Colijn Organizations: ING Bank, European Central Bank, ”, Eurostat, France Inter Locations: Ukraine, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Europe, United States

☆ Euro zone inflation tumble pits ECB against markets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Inflation has dropped quickly towards the ECB's 2% target from levels above 10% just a year ago but policymakers have cautioned against excessive optimism. The rapid inflation slowdown puts the euro zone central bank and investors on a collision course as the two appear to see greatly different paths ahead, both for consumer prices and ECB interest rates. "And if the recent trends in inflation and growth continue then 2024 will be the year when the ECB implements a pirouette in monetary policy." "The market is therefore right to start looking at rate cuts for 2024. Some economists argue that modelling current inflation is exceptionally difficult because corporate profits are the main driver, not wages as in normal bouts of rapid inflation.

Persons: Sarah Meyssonnier, Kamil Kovar, Yannis Stournaras, Fabio Panetta, Panetta, Christine Lagarde's, Bert Colijn, Balazs Koranyi, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, ECB, Moody's, Bank of Italy, ING, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, FRANKFURT

☆ Goldman Sach's David Solomon says he still DJs as a 'hobby' — but won't let his 'passion' distract from his day job
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Tom Carter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Goldman Sachs boss David Solomon told the Financial Times that DJing was still his "passion." His gigs at music festivals sparked internal unrest at the Wall Street bank. "But if my doing it publicly in any way is distracting to Goldman Sachs, my number one focus is Goldman Sachs," he added. Solomon's decision to stop came amid increasing discontent at the Wall Street giant over a number of issues, including his high-profile gigs. Goldman Sachs declined to comment when contacted by Insider.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, —, Goldman, It's, Solomon, DJ'ing Organizations: Financial Times, Service, Hamptons, New York Times, Wall

☆ Exclusive: Four banks quit initiative assessing climate targets
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Tommy Wilkes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Four major banks, including Standard Chartered Plc (STAN.L) and HSBC Plc (HSBA.L), have quit a United Nations-backed initiative to scrutinise climate targets set by corporations, according to people familiar with the matter. Many lenders say they should finance fossil fuels as long as economies depend on them. The spokesperson added that Standard Chartered was seeking alternative third-party validation of its climate targets and that it was setting science-based targets through the NZBA. It will still require them to cease the financing of fossil fuel projects that would weigh on their longer-term emissions targets. Credit Agricole (CAGR.PA), ING (INGA.AS), BBVA (BBVA.MC) and Swedbank (SWEDa.ST) told Reuters they remained committed to SBTi validating their emissions targets.

Persons: SBTi, SBTi's, Pietro Rocco, haven't, it's, Rocco, Tommy Reggiori Wilkes, Simon Jessop, Josie Kao Organizations: Standard Chartered, HSBC Plc, United, Societe Generale SA, ABN Amro Bank, Zero Banking Alliance, HSBC, Societe Generale, ABN Amro, Reuters, Credit, ING, BBVA, NatWest, Commerzbank, BNP, Allianz, Alliance, Zero, Carbon Trust, Thomson Locations: United Nations, Nations, Paris, U.S, decarbonising, London

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