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☆ The year in review: What happened -- and what did not
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Simon Robinson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With distant artillery fire booming across the capital, Ukraine's defence ministry urged residents to build petrol bombs to repel the invaders. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy filmed himself with aides on the streets of the city, vowing to defend his country's independence. Many in Moscow had expected Russia's military to sweep to victory, oust Zelenskiy's government and install a Russia-friendly regime. The big exception was China, whose zero-COVID policy has sparked protests and unrest in the past few weeks. Over the coming few weeks we'll recap the biggest, dig into why they mattered, and ask where they may be headed.

☆ Analysis: Europe's inflation problem will linger for years to come
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Government stimulus measures are working against the ECB's policy tightening, and too much of the energy price rise has seeped into the broader economy through second-round effects, fuelling underlying price growth. "The core inflation rate is unlikely to peak until mid-2023 and will only fall slowly thereafter," Commerzbank economist Christoph Weil said. "Against this backdrop, the ECB's goal of pushing the inflation rate back to just under 2% on a sustainable basis seems a long way off." The ECB's new projections, due out next week, are set to show inflation above target through 2024 and only falling to 2% in 2025. But it is not evident that after a few years of above-trend growth, wage-setting will fall back in line with the ECB's target.

☆ An assassination, a feud and the fight for power in Iraq's Kurdistan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Amina Ismail | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

TENSE STANDOFFAfter Rasoul's death, the KDP-dominated Regional Security Council accused a PUK security agency of the killing. It detained six men it identified as operatives involved and issued arrest warrants for another four senior PUK security officials, according to security council statement a week after the attack. Long-simmering mistrust between the two sides had already deepened this year due to a wave of defections from PUK security agencies. The senior PUK official told Reuters there had been eight. "It could've easily turned ugly," the senior PUK official said.

☆ Putin's war in Ukraine looks more and more like a failure. Past Russian leaders haven't survived similar mistakes.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Joy Neumeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Instead, Russia's failing war effort has raised doubts about Putin's hold on power. For now, Putin looks secure, but past Russian leaders have suffered at home for blunders abroad. By the following summer, the Germans had taken huge swathes of Russian-controlled territory and a million Russian soldiers were dead. Captured Russian soldiers after the defeat at Tannenberg, in present-day Poland, on August 30, 1914. After an ineffectual troop surge, Gorbachev gave up on trying to improve the situation, and the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989.

☆ Wall Street experts are warning that stocks are in for more trouble as a robust November jobs report is crushing investor hopes of a dovish Fed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( William Edwards | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Stocks fell on Friday after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a robust November jobs report. But with the economy resilient, the Fed could continue to cause more pain for stocks going forward. November's jobs report, however, puts a pin the hopes of those anticipating easier policy sooner. He added: "Chairman Powell's speech earlier in the week was interpreted with a dovish lens, but that spin is likely to be reassessed based on the jobs report. Even before Friday's jobs report, some Wall Street strategists and money managers have been warning of further trouble ahead.

[1/3] South African president Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at the Green Hydrogen Summit at Century City in Cape Town, South Africa, November 29, 2022. The inquiry centred on the theft of a millions of dollars of cash from the billionaire president's farm in 2020, which came to light in June. The country's biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has called for an early election and the report has plunged the governing African National Congress (ANC) into crisis. The ANC's executive committee is due to meet to discuss the panel report on Thursday evening. Asked by Reuters about a local media report that Ramaphosa was due to address the nation on Thursday, Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya said: "An announcement is imminent.

The war on inflation is far from won, with the Fed's preferred measure of price increases still running at roughly three times the central bank's 2% target. That's the biggest ramp-up in U.S. rates over a nine-month period since Volcker battled even higher inflation in the early 1980s. Powell, who this year marked a decade since his appointment as a Fed governor and whose second term as Fed chief extends to 2026, has overseen some divided decisions. In a best-case scenario, inflation continues to fall and Fed officials, whether hawk or dove, align around a stopping point for the policy rate that doesn't lead to a sharp rise in unemployment. Reporting by Howard Schneider; Additional reporting by Ann Saphir; Editing by Paul SimaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Biden’s not the first US President to face a tug of war over China protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Going further could imperil US President Joe Biden’s effort to improve relations between the two countries, after he met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Bali. It’s a strategically defensible position, given the need to avoid a clash with China that could spiral into a superpower clash in Asia. In the run-up to Beijing’s suppression of pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989, then-President George H.W. China is unrecognizable since 1989, and recent protests – this time arising out of frustration with Covid-19 lockdowns but expressing some dissent towards Xi – are not fully analogous. Biden would be likely to show far less deference to Beijing given today’s broad, bipartisan anti-China feeling in Washington.

Nov 29 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. The social unrest flaring up across China - and how Beijing responds to it - remains front and center for Asian markets, suggesting the sentiment driving trading on Tuesday will again be negative. Let's start with China, where the protests against strict zero-COVID policy and restrictions on freedoms are spreading. A little more surprising, however, given the scale of the unrest, is that the declines have been contained and orderly. If anyone was in any doubt, the hawks at the big central banks are not backing down.

Nov 29 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. The social unrest flaring up across China - and how Beijing responds to it - remains front and center for Asian markets, suggesting the sentiment driving trading on Tuesday will again be negative. Let's start with China, where the protests against strict zero-COVID policy and restrictions on freedoms are spreading. A little more surprising, however, given the scale of the unrest, is that the declines have been contained and orderly. Does the unrest accelerate a re-opening of the economy, or does it prompt President Xi Jingping to double down?

☆ Abandoned Greek airport to be transformed into a 600-acre coastal park
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Tegel Projekt GmbH/Atelier Loidl Kai Tak International Airport, Hong Kong -- With a runway that protruded into the sea, Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong once had one of the most arresting approaches in the world. PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/AFP via Getty Images Hellinikon International Airport, Athens, Greece -- Hellinikon was once the only international airport in Athens, Greece, before Hellinikon was once the only international airport in Athens, Greece, before closing down in 2001 . Developer LAMDA is looking to complete the first phase of construction in 2025 courtesy LAMDA Development Stapleton International Airport, Denver, Colorado -- A photo of Stapleton International Airport from 1963. The grounds of the old airport became the 125-hectare (309-acre) Quito replaced its main airport with another bearing the same name. RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/AFP via Getty Images Downsview Airport, Toronto -- Downsview Airport in north Toronto was once a Canadian Air Force base.

Persons: Sasaki, ”, Michael Grove, Eero Saarinen, Kai, Kok, FREDERIC J . BROWN, Kai Tak, PHILIPPE LOPEZ, Hellinikon, Milos Bicanski, Ken Tillis, Lisa Martine, Sean Gallup, Maja Hitij, RODRIGO BUENDIA, Eleni Myrivilli, …, Aleksandra Kazmierczak, it’s, we’re Organizations: CNN, Ellinikon International, Games, Charleston Waterfront Park, Newcastle University, Tegel Airport, Tegel Projekt, Kai Tak International Airport, Kai Tak International, Getty, Foster + Partners, AFP, Stapleton International Airport, Denver International Airport, Denver, Getty Images, Airport, CNN Galeville Army, Galeville, United States Military Academy, West, Wildlife Refuge, Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife, Nazi, Maja, Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Old Mariscal Sucre International, Downsview, Canadian Air Force, Downsview Airport, City, Resilience, European Environment Agency, Development, Ellinikon Locations: Athens, Greece, Ellinikon, Boston, Charleston, Beijing, American, Grove, Berlin, Hong Kong, AFP, Europe, Hellinikon, Denver , Colorado, Central, New York, Ulster County , New York, Germany, Quito, Ecuador, Toronto, Downsview Park, Canada, Downsview, City of Athens, ”

Market betting has been swinging between a 50- and a 75- basis-point increase when policymakers meet on Dec. 15. "It's extremely exciting but predicting the ECB for a market participant has become impossible," Carsten Brzeski, global head of macro at ING, said. That saves it from more painful changes of tack after ECB President Christine Lagarde went from all but ruling-out rate hikes this year to presiding over the steepest tightening cycle in the euro's history. But Lane said in a blog post on Friday it may "overstate" how persistent inflation may be. "Inflation is being driven by factors they can't control," he added, citing energy prices, geopolitical tensions and supply-chain disruptions as some of them.

☆ Mexico core inflation higher than expected in early Nov, rate hikes to continue
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Gabriel Araujo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, Nov 24 (Reuters) - Mexico's annual consumer prices slowed more than expected during the first half of November, but the core inflation index - which remains a main concern in the country as it grapples with high costs - came in above market forecasts. Data from national statistics agency INEGI showed on Thursday that annual headline inflation in Mexico hit 8.14% in the period, down from 8.53% a month ago and also below consensus of 8.24% in a Reuters poll of economists. The latest inflation figures backed expectations that the local central bank, known as Banxico, would keep hiking interest rates. "Overall, headline inflation continues to edge down in Mexico, but core inflation remains sticky, which will continue to keep policymakers uneasy," said Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief Latin America economist, Andres Abadia. On a monthly basis, Mexico's headline inflation rose 0.56% while the core index was up by 0.34% in mid-November, the statistics agency said.

☆ ECB's Nagel opens door to smaller hikes but sees long way to go
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FRANKFURT, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel opened the door on Tuesday to smaller interest rate increases by the European Central Bank but said there was still a long way to go in raising borrowing costs. With euro zone inflation running in double digits, the ECB has been raising rates in record 75 basis-point steps but a number of policymakers have called for smaller hikes from December. "Even 50 basis points is a strong rate move," Nagel said. "I didn't participate in this 75-or-50 discussion because I didn't think that was really helpful." "Regardless of how the numbers come in, I think the inflation picture will continue to be strong for 2023, Nagel said in his conversation with reporters in Frankfurt.

Sergei Surovikin, nicknamed "General Armageddon" by the Russian media for his reputed ruthlessness, on Nov. 9 recommended Moscow's forces quit Kherson and the west bank of the River Dnipro where they were dangerously exposed. Simonyan urged Surovikin, a hulking shaven-headed figure who has been shown on TV speaking in clipped Russian military language, to ignore "nonsense" from critics, a reference to influential military bloggers unhappy about his retreat. Nor is taking new ground in the east against a highly motivated and Western-equipped Ukrainian military an easy task, especially in the winter. The appointment of Surovikin on Oct. 8 was the first time Russia had publicly named an overall commander for its forces in Ukraine. With the exception of the city of Lysychansk, in eastern Ukraine, he said all the territory Russia held looked defensible.

Nov 21 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets from Jamie McGeever. World stocks have rebounded strongly, bond yields and the dollar have fallen, and financial conditions eased significantly over the last month as investors bet that the Fed is preparing the ground for the much-vaunted 'pivot'. This deepens the problems that Asian markets and policymakers have been facing all year - historically low exchange rates, FX market intervention, rising inflationary pressures, and raising domestic interest rates into weak growth. Asia's powerhouses Japan and China are loosening policy, of course, and their currencies and FX reserves are taking a hit. But if Fed hawks and dollar bulls set the market tone, they may have to tighten more than they had envisaged.

☆ Here's why the Fed may have won already but is still acting like nothing has improved
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

We can bet that they will be one-upping each other about how high they want to take fed funds, the overnight bank lending rate. They seem to want to ignore anything that's succeeded since the Fed's rate increase cycle began back in March. I think that, again, if the Fed were to wait through Christmas they would see the layoffs and the corporate failures. One thing that's for certain, the buyers of the 2-year may be more sensitive to the data than the Fed. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ Republican U.S. House will sharpen China focus, monitor Ukraine aid
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Representative Michael McCaul, the Republican in line to head the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said his top priority will be competing with a rising China, including monitoring high-tech exports. To become law, any bills must be passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden. McCaul said he expected the aid to keep flowing, noting bipartisan support for the Kyiv government. The House Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees also plan a joint investigation of business dealings that Hunter Biden had with a Chinese energy firm in 2017. The Democratic-led House impeached Trump in 2019 on charges that he withheld military aid to Ukraine to put pressure on President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to launch an investigation of Hunter Biden.

☆ How Silicon Valley could be impacted by a Republican-controlled House
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Democrats have hammered away at online platforms’ handling of hate speech and white nationalism, while promoting legislation that could drastically affect the business models of big tech companies. The return of heated tech CEO hearingsIn general, tech companies may face more political noise with a Republican House but potentially less policy risk. With Republicans likely to take control of the House, tech companies could face more hearings, but not necessarily more legislation. Privacy legislationMultiple Congress-watchers told CNN that support for federal privacy legislation is still bipartisan and the area remains one of a handful where lawmakers could make progress in the next Congress. It was approved by a key House committee this year and policy analysts say it could see more opportunities to advance next year.

☆ NBA roundup: Late trey lifts Thunder over Wizards
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Mark Gleeson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Jalen Suggs added 23 points and six assists. Fred VanVleet added 23 points, 13 of them in the third quarter, to help the Raptors win their second game in a row. Kyle Lowry added 19 points, and Gabe Vincent had 16 points. Dejounte Murray added 19 points for the Hawks, who scored the game's first basket then didn't have the lead after that. Donovan Mitchell returned from a one-game absence caused by a sprained ankle and finished with 23 points for the Cavaliers, matching the point total of teammate Darius Garland.

☆ NBA roundup: Heat storm back to defeat Suns
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Butler produced a double-double for the second time in three games, posting 16 points and 13 rebounds. The Suns' Deandre Ayton had a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. That reserve unit also featured Damion Lee, who scored 14 points. Luguentz Dort had 21 with three 3-pointers, and Aleksej Pokusevski logged a double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. The Clippers turned 11 Houston turnovers into 16 points before the break while the Rockets missed 10 of 13 3-pointers.

☆ Factbox: Deadly Istanbul blast echoes past attacks in Turkey
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Dec 31, 2016 - Islamic State claimed responsibility for a New Year's Day mass shooting in which 39 people were killed after a lone gunman opened fire in a packed Istanbul nightclub. View of ambulances and police at the scene after an explosion on busy pedestrian Istiklal street in Istanbul, Turkey, November 13, 2022. March 19, 2016 - A suicide bomber killed four people in a busy shopping district of Istiklal Street in the heart of Istanbul. Jan 12, 2016 - A suicide bomber killed at least 10 people, most of them German tourists, in Istanbul's historic heart in an attack then authorities blamed on Islamic State. Sept 8, 2015 - Kurdish militants killed 15 police officers in two bombings in eastern Turkish provinces of Mardin and Igdir.

☆ Sixers vs Jazz: Joel Embiid makes history and scores 59 points to power Philadelphia past Utah
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Joel Embiid produced arguably the greatest performance of his career to inspire the Philadelphia 76ers to a 105-98 victory over the surprising Utah Jazz on Sunday. His astonishing performance also marked the fifth best scoring performance in 76ers franchise history, behind only Wilt Chamberlain – who holds the top three spots – and Allen Iverson. “Those are two legends that played here and that I respect a lot,” Embiid told reporters after the game. “I’ve never seen a more dominating performance when you combine defense and offense,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers told reporters. “Joel Embiid is very good at basketball,” he told reporters after Sunday’s game.

☆ Fed hopes buoy shares, China COVID easing boosts oil
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Oil prices jumped after health authorities in top global crude importer China eased some of the country's heavy COVID curbs. The S&P 500 (.SPX) and Nasdaq (.IXIC) racked up their biggest daily percentage gains in over 2-1/2 years on Thursday after U.S. data showed prices rose less-than-expected in October. Market bets on the Fed raising rates by 50 basis points instead of 75 basis points increased. US inflation, Fed rates and marketsDOLLAR DIVEInvestors poured into risky assets after the U.S. data, with the dollar suffering its biggest daily drop in 13 years on Thursday. Meanwhile, oil prices rose on Friday after the U.S. inflation data but were on track for weekly declines of more than 4% due to COVID-related worries in China.

☆ Take Five: A UK budget and trouble in crypto land
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

LONDON, Nov 11 (Reuters) - The long-awaited UK fiscal plan is (almost) here and after the ructions unleashed by September's mini-budget, markets are paying close attention. UK markets have recouped most of the maxi-losses from the mini-budget, but the outlook is grim. Reuters Graphics2/ CRYPTO CHAOSThe crypto world has been thrown into fresh chaos by a meltdown at FTX. Big banks too are starting to pare back staffing levels. September data showed a measure of underlying retail sales rising thanks to strong wage gains and savings, even as the broader number came in flat.

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