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☆ Investors flock to US natural gas ETF despite price slump
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Suzanne Mcgee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Storage tanks and gas-chilling units are seen at Freeport LNG, the second largest exporter of U.S. liquified natural gas, near Freeport, Texas, U.S., February 11, 2023. Reuters/Arathy Somasekhar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Investors have been piling into an exchange-traded fund (ETF) designed to track U.S. natural gas prices, in spite of the commodity's dismal performance in 2023. The U.S. Natural Gas Fund's (UNG) (UNG.P) price, tied to the performance of futures contracts on the commodity, has plunged 60.7% so far this year, falling 27% in November alone. Analysts said the drop in the ETF's price came alongside a fall in the price of natural gas sparked by milder than usual weather across the United States in recent weeks. Natural gas prices fell about 22% in November, the single largest monthly percentage drop since a 40% decline in January.

Persons: Arathy, Stacey Morris, Morris, UNG, Suzanne McGee, Ira Iosebashvili, Emelia Organizations: Reuters, Natural, Analysts, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Thomson Locations: Freeport, U.S, Freeport , Texas, United States

☆ JPMorgan is out with its global commodities outlook. Here's where it sees opportunity
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Investors will need to be tactical to harvest returns from commodities next year but there is an area where J.P. Morgan is making a broadly bullish call — precious metals. The firm expects a breakout rally the middle of 2024 with gold prices hitting a targeted peak of $2,300 an ounce, according to the investment bank's commodities outlook. Silver, meanwhile, will push above $30 per ounce on the rate cutting cycle, according to J.P. Morgan. The global economy is expected to slow, but will avoid a recession from 2024 to 2025, making it difficult to provide an overarching bullish or bearish call on commodities, according to the bank. There is value in oil and gas but how investors time their entry and exits will be critical, according to J.P. Morgan.

Persons: Morgan, Gold, Brent, J.P Organizations: Federal, Bloomberg, Precious Metals, Commodities, Morgan, New York Mercantile Exchange, Livestock Locations: Agriculture, China

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares declined on Friday even after Wall Street closed out its best month of the year with big gains in November. Thursday on Wall Street, the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 4,567.80. Cloud-computing company Snowflake rose 7% after also giving Wall Street an encouraging financial forecast. Compared with a year ago, consumer prices rose 3% in October, below the 3.4% annual rate in September. That was the lowest year-over-year inflation rate in more than 2 1/2 years.

Persons: Brent, Hang Seng, Caixin, Korea’s Kospi, Australia’s, India’s Sensex, Dow Organizations: New York Mercantile Exchange, Nikkei, Nasdaq, Dow, Federal Reserve, Commerce Department, Labor Department, Fed, Treasury Locations: HONG KONG, Shanghai

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Thursday ahead of an update on U.S. consumer inflation and a meeting of oil producers in Vienna. Consumer spending, the lifeblood of the economy, rose at a 3.6% annual rate from July through September. In Bangkok, the SET fell 0.5%. Facebook parent company Meta fell 2%, Google’s parent company Alphabet gave up 1.6% and Microsoft dropped 1%. Las Vegas Sands slid 4.9% after Miriam Adelson, the casino operator’s controlling shareholder, sold some $2 billion in stock.

Persons: That’s, Yue, India's Sensex, Taiwan's Taiex, Brent, gainers, Miriam Adelson Organizations: Federal, Consumer, U.S ., Bank, Nikkei, Capital Economics, OPEC, Sunday, New York Mercantile Exchange, Big Tech, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Facebook, Meta, Microsoft, New York Stock Exchange, General Motors, GM, United Auto Workers, Canadian, Treasury, Sands Locations: BANGKOK, Vienna . U.S, U.S, Asia, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Australia, Bangkok, Sunday .

“Despite the challenges, we still expect OPEC+ to reach an agreement to reduce production," he said in an analyst note. Lower oil prices have allowed U.S. gas prices to fall or stay steady since Sept. 19, AAA said. White House national security spokesman John Kirby declined to address the possibility of OPEC+ reducing oil production. U.S. oil production has hit records as OPEC+ has cut back, with producers outside the group expected to keep leading global growth in oil supply next year, the International Energy Agency said in its November oil report. Now, the risk is growing that Saudi Arabia’s production cuts could reduce OPEC’s influence over oil supplies as other countries boost their output.

Persons: That's, Jorge Leon, Brent, Joe Biden, Biden, John Kirby, “, ” Kirby, ” Leon, ” ___ Boak Organizations: OPEC, United Arab, Rystad Energy, International Monetary Fund, Brent, New York Mercantile Exchange, AAA, Gas, White House, International Energy Agency, U.S, U.S . Energy Information Administration, Saudi Locations: Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Vienna, Ukraine, United States, U.S, Washington

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares mostly fell Wednesday although a strong report on U.S. consumer confidence and hopes the Federal Reserve is finished with its aggressive interest rate hikes sent shares higher on Wall Street. Food delivery company Meituan's Hong Kong-traded shares dropped 11% after it forecast its revenue will fall in the current quarter. The loosening grip from inflation and a resilient economy have raised hopes that the Fed might finally be finished with raising its benchmark interest rate. Hopes that the Fed will keep its benchmark interest rate steady were reaffirmed Tuesday by Christopher Waller, a member of the Fed’s Board of Governors. The Fed will meet again in December to update its interest rate policy.

Persons: Australia's, Hang Seng, Matthew Weller, Forex.com, Brent, Tesla, Christopher Waller, “, ” Waller, Damian J, Troise, Alex Veiga Organizations: TOKYO, Reserve, Nikkei, China Evergrande, Benchmark, New York Mercantile Exchange, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Microsoft, GE Healthcare Technologies, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Fed’s, Governors, American Enterprise Institute, U.S ., AP Business Locations: Hong, Shanghai, Hong Kong, China, OPEC, Washington

Tokyo and Hong Kong fell while Shanghai, Seoul and Sydney gained. U.S. futures and oil prices edged higher. Meanwhile, the broader economy has remained strong enough in the face of rising interest rates and inflation to avoid a recession. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong slipped 0.8% to 17,381.14. The yield on the 10-year Treasury, which influences interest rates on mortgages and other loans, fell to 4.38% from 4.47% late Friday.

Persons: ” Robert Carnell, Min Joo Kang, Sensetime, Grizzly, Kospi, Australia's Organizations: Sydney, Conference, FactSet, Federal, Federal Reserve, U.S, ING Economics, Nikkei, Grizzly Research, Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Treasury, New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent, Investors, U.S . Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, China

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares retreated Monday as investors awaited updates on consumer spending and inflation in the U.S. and other nations. While analysts expect them to stand pat on policy, attention remains relatively high, given concerns about inflation. Wall Street ended last week mixed with a half-day trading session that capped a fourth straight winning week. The holiday shopping season kicked off with Black Friday amid concerns that spending may slow under pressure from dwindling savings, rising credit card debt and inflation. The major stock indexes’ latest weekly gains reflect a turnaround in the market’s sentiment in November following a three-month slide.

Persons: ” Yeap Jun Rong, Hong, Hang Seng, Brent, Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Nikkei, IG, Shanghai, Reserve Bank of New, Bank of Korea, Bank of, Black, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Nvidia, Google, CF Industries, Federal Reserve, Treasury, Benchmark, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: U.S, China, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Bank of Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares declined Friday in Asia, with Hong Kong's benchmark retreating on selling of property shares following recent gains. Japan reported its consumer inflation rose for the first time in four months, with big gains in food prices and hotel rates as tourism has soared. Political Cartoons View All 1265 ImagesChinese shares fell back after recent gains driven by expectations of more government support for debt-burdened property developers. On Thursday, European shares edged higher in thin trading. Britain’s FTSE 100 edged 0.2% higher to 7,483.58.

Persons: ” Robert Carnell, Min Joo Kang, Korea's, Germany’s DAX Organizations: —, Bank of, ING Economics, Nikkei, CAC, Dow, Nasdaq, Black, Walmart, Saks Fifth, Federal, New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Australia, Bangkok, Paris

Oil prices fell about $1 a barrel after OPEC postponed until next week a meeting to discuss production cuts. The oil cartel has been maintaining a tight market for crude oil with production cuts. It is expected to extend those cuts after oil prices have fallen after a spike in the summer to almost $100 a barrel. Markets in Greater China have been swaying in reaction to moves by Chinese regulators to prop up the ailing property market. A 0.9% drop in oil prices weighed on energy companies.

Persons: Seng, Nordstrom, Swissquote, they’ll, Brent Organizations: Garden, Dow, Nasdaq, . Technology, Microsoft, Google, Broadcom, VMWare, Energy, Exxon Mobil, Halliburton, Nvidia, Department, University of Michigan, Federal, ” Fed, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Japan, U.S, Shanghai, Greater China, South Korea, Taiwan, Mumbai, China, Turkey

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares slipped in Asia on Wednesday, tracking a decline on Wall Street a day after stocks there hit their highest level since the start of August. Troubled property developer Sunac China Holding's shares rose 2.3% as state media reported it had completed a restructuring of its $90 billion in debts. Retailers were mixed after several reported their earnings for the latest quarter and, more importantly, their forecasts for the upcoming holiday shopping season. Lowe’s sank 3.1% despite reporting better profit for the latest quarter. Best Buy dipped 0.7% after likewise beating analysts’ expectations for profit in the latest quarter but falling short on revenue and cutting its forecast for the full year.

Persons: OpenAI's, Sam Altman, Altman, Satya Nadella, OpenAI, “, ”, Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, Adam D’Angelo, Australia's, Stocks, Brent Organizations: Microsoft, U.S ., Federal Reserve, University of Michigan, Nikkei, China, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Lowe’s, Dick’s, Goods, Federal, Deutsche Bank, Fed, Treasury, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Tokyo, Mumbai, U.S, Japan, OpenAI, Francisco, Adam D’Angelo ., Seoul, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan, Thailand

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares traded mixed Tuesday after a rally on Wall Street that was led by gains in Microsoft following its announcement that it was hiring Sam Altman, former CEO of OpenAI, the ChatGPT maker. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 gained 0.7% to 4,547.38, coming off its third straight winning week. Microsoft said it will also continue its partnership with OpenAI, as fervor around artificial-intelligence technology and the huge profits it’s expected to create wow Wall Street. This week is relatively light on reports that could sway the hopes on Wall Street that have underpinned that drop in Treasury yields. In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude fell 61 cents to $77.22 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Persons: Sam Altman, Seng, ” Tan Boon Heng, Australia's, Kospi, Lowe’s, Brent, Stan Choe Organizations: TOKYO, Microsoft, OpenAI, Mizuho Bank, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Traders, Nvidia, Deere, HP, Treasury, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S ., AP Locations: Shanghai, Beijing, U.S

BANGKOK (AP) — Asian shares have retreated after Wall Street added a bit more to its big rally from a day before, while U.S. futures and oil prices were lower. Biden and Xi emerged from their first face-to-face meeting in a year vowing to stabilize the fraught relationship between the world's two biggest economies. Target helped lead the market with a 17.8% jump after it reported much stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Prices at the wholesale level were 1.3% higher in October than a year earlier, and they surprisingly fell from September’s levels. That breathed more life into hopes that inflation is indeed cooling enough for the Fed to halt its barrage of rate hikes.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Xi, ” Biden, Hang Seng, ’, retracing, Goldman Sachs, Praveen, Brent Organizations: Nikkei, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Federal Reserve, Fed, U.S, Traders, New York Mercantile Exchange Locations: BANGKOK, Shanghai, Seoul, Australia, Japan, India, Bangkok, U.S

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares surged higher on Wednesday, cheered by a rally on Wall Street that was one of the best days of the year following a surprisingly encouraging report on inflation. “Accordingly, we expect GDP growth to slow from 1.7% this year to 0.5% in 2024,” he said in a commentary. Tuesday on Wall Street, the S&P 500 jumped 1.9% for its best day since April and hit a two-month high, closing at 4,495.70. On Wall Street, real-estate stocks and others beaten down particularly hard by higher rates soared to some of the market's biggest gains. Elsewhere on Wall Street, Home Depot rallied 5.4% after reporting stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Persons: Marcel Thieliant, ”, Hong, Seng, Australia's, Korea's Kospi, Russell, Brent Organizations: TOKYO, Nikkei, Capital Economics, Shanghai, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Federal, Technology, Amazon, Nvidia, Treasury, U.S ., Alexandria Real, Bank, Zions Bancorp, Comerica, Valley Bank, Home Depot, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: Alexandria, REITs, Wall

TOKYO (AP) — Asian shares were mostly higher Tuesday ahead of potentially market-moving developments, including a U.S.-China summit and data releases from the U.S., Japan and China. “Asian stocks gained ground as investors awaited U.S. inflation figures, hoping to confirm that interest rates have peaked. But worries remain about whether it can stay solid as the full effects of rate hikes make their way through the system. Economists expect the report to show that consumers paid prices that were 3.3% higher in October than a year earlier, down from September’s inflation rate of 3.7%. General worries about big deficits and the inability of the two parties to work together have helped push Treasury yields higher.

Persons: Australia's, Seng, ” Stephen Innes, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Jerome Powell, Powell, It's, it's, Moody’s, Brent Organizations: TOKYO, Nikkei, U.S, Management, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Walmart, Federal Reserve, Big Tech, Apple, Microsoft, AAA, New York Mercantile Exchange Locations: U.S, China, Japan, Hong, Shanghai, California

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares retreated Friday after rising bond market yields once again weighed on Wall Street, ending a lull in wider swings in prices during a brief respite from market moving data releases. A financial services business of China’s biggest bank, ICBC, said it was it by a ransomware attack that reportedly disrupted trading in the U.S. Treasury market. It was unclear how much of an impact the attack had on Treasury market trading. But it quickly sagged as Treasury yields rose following a report that suggested the U.S. job market remains remarkably solid. Topgolf Callaway Brands was another weight on the market and sank 16.9% despite beating analysts’ expectations for profit during the summer.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Australia’s, Taiwan’s Taiex, Stocks, sagged, Becton Dickinson, Brent Organizations: Investors, U.S . Federal, U.S . Treasury, Commercial Bank of China Financial Services, Treasury, Nikkei, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Federal, Walt Disney Co, Wall, Topgolf Callaway Brands, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: HONG KONG, Asia, Hong Kong, South Korea, Shanghai, China’s, U.S, York, Bangkok

Stock prices fell in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Mumbai and rose in Tokyo, Seoul and Shanghai. U.S. futures slipped and oil prices edged higher. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were also toward the front of the market, each gaining more than 2% as oil prices continued to drop and ease the pressure on fuel costs. A recent sharp drop in oil prices has relieved some inflationary pressure, raising the likelihood the Fed might hold rates steady instead of raising them further. The price for a barrel of U.S. crude oil has fallen from above $90 to back to where it was in July, and it dropped another $2.04 to settle at $75.33 on Wednesday.

Persons: ” Robert Carnell, disinflation, ”, Hang Seng, Fumio Kishida, Eli Lilly, Jerome Powell, Brent Organizations: ING Economics, Nikkei, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Warner Brothers Discovery, Federal, New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Mumbai, Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai . U.S, China, Shanghai, Australia, Israel

Gloom over worse-than-expected export data offset any positive momentum from an upgrade to China's growth forecast by the International Monetary Fund. It raised its GDP growth forecast for 2023 to 5.4% from 5% but forecast that growth will slow next year. Earlier in the summer, a swift rise in Treasury yields sent the stock market reeling. High rates and yields hurt stock prices, slow the economy and raise the pressure on the entire financial system. In currency trading, the U.S. dollar edged up to 150.69 Japanese yen from 150.37 yen.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Janet Yellen, Korea’s Kospi, Australia's, TripAdvisor Organizations: TOKYO, Economic Cooperation, White, Treasury, APEC, International Monetary Fund, Nikkei, Moody’s, Service, Big Tech, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Emerson, Federal, Federal Reserve, New York Mercantile Exchange, Brent, U.S Locations: China, U.S, Asia, San Francisco, Shanghai, Japan, Israel

The company's shares cost more than $400 two years ago but now cost less than $1. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.3% to 6,977.10 after the central bank raised its key interest rate by 0.25 percentage points, to 4.35%. Elsewhere in Asia, shares rose in Taiwan but fell in Bangkok and Mumbai. Last week, the Federal Reserve held its main interest rate steady for a second straight time, leaving it at its highest level since 2001. It’s jacked up its federal funds rate from nearly zero in hopes of getting high inflation under control.

Persons: Korea’s Kospi, WeWork, Australia's, RBA, It’s, Brent Organizations: —, Tokyo's Nikkei, Reserve Bank of Australia, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Fed, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, Asia, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai, China, it's, Seoul, Taiwan, Bangkok, Mumbai, U.S, Saudi Arabia, Russia

☆ US natgas prices drop 7% on record output, mild weather
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Front-month gas futures for December delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 25.1 cents, or 7.1%, to settle at $3.264 per million British thermal units (mmBtu), their lowest close since Oct. 27. One bearish factor that has weighed on the futures market for most of this year has been lower spot or next-day prices at the Henry Hub benchmark in Louisiana. The spot market has traded below front-month futures for 176 out of 212 trading days so far this year, according to data from financial firm LSEG. That premium could encourage some speculators to leave gas in storage for longer in hopes of higher prices later in the winter. With seasonally colder weather coming, LSEG forecast U.S. gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would jump from 101.5 bcfd this week to 109.2 bcfd next week.

Persons: El, Gelber, LSEG, Scott DiSavino, Bernadette Baum, Josie Kao Organizations: El Nino, Associates, U.S . Energy Information Administration, New York Mercantile Exchange, Henry, Thomson Locations: Louisiana, contango, U.S

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares advanced Monday following Wall Street gains last week that were buoyed by hopes for early interest rate cuts. Wall Street steamrolled higher Friday as it closed out its best week in nearly a year. Stock have struggled under the weight of rapidly rising Treasury yields. In the bond market, Treasury yields tumbled just after the jobs report, releasing more of the pressure that had built up on Wall Street. Despite reporting stronger-than-expected profits, Apple, the most influential stock on Wall Street, fell 0.5%.

Persons: ’, Australia’s, Sensex, Stocks, Brent Organizations: Nikkei, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Reserve, Expedia Group, Stock, Treasury, Apple, Analysts, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: HONG KONG, Gaza City, South, Hong Kong, Shanghai

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares advanced on Friday after Wall Street roared higher on bets that market-rattling interest rate hikes are coming to an end. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 leaped 1.9% Thursday to 4,317.78 for its fourth straight winning day. Starbucks jumped 9.5% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than Wall Street forecast. On the losing end of Wall Street was Moderna, which sank 6.5% after reporting a much worse loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. More swings could be coming for Wall Street.

Persons: Seng, Australia’s, Korea’s Kospi, Sensex, It’s, Jerome Powell, Eli Lilly's, Brent Organizations: Shanghai, Federal Reserve, Dow Jones Industrial, Nasdaq, Big U.S, Starbucks, Fair, Moderna, Wall, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S . Locations: HONG KONG, Tokyo, China, U.S

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares were mixed on Monday ahead of a Federal Reserve decision this week on interest rates. U.S. futures gained while oil prices fell more than $1 a barrel. That’s particularly concerning for the Fed, which fears such expectations could lead to a vicious cycle that worsens high inflation. The Shanghai Composite index rose 0.3% to 3,025.76. As one of the most massive companies on Wall Street, Amazon’s stock movements carry huge weight on the S&P 500 and other indexes.

Persons: Netanyahu, Australia’s, Stocks, Russell, Ford, Brent Organizations: Federal, Federal Reserve, U.S, Nikkei, Bank of Japan, China, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Wall, Intel, United Auto Workers, Treasury, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S . Locations: HONG KONG, Israel, Israeli, Gaza, China, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Bangkok

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian shares advanced Friday after the latest tumble on Wall Street, where the S&P 500 fell to its lowest level in five months. But investors are more concerned about what will happen rather than what has passed, and worry that a solid economy could continue to push prices higher. That could push the Fed to keep rates high for a long time to curb inflation. Higher interest rates could mean eventual weakness for the economy and corporate profits. And high bond yields make investors less willing to pay high prices for stocks and other investments.

Persons: Australia’s, Taiex, haven’t, Wall, Brent Organizations: Nikkei, Statistics, Big Tech, Nasdaq, Dow Jones, Facebook, Treasury, Federal Reserve, New York Mercantile Exchange Locations: HONG KONG, Gaza, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul, Israel, U.S

BANGKOK (AP) — World shares and crude oil prices have slipped ahead of an update on the state of the U.S. economy in the last quarter. Uncertainty over the U.S. economic outlook, the war in the Middle East and other hazards is rippling through world markets. High yields whittle away at prices for stocks and other investments while slowing borrowing and adding pressure to the financial system. In the oil market, U.S. benchmark crude oil sank $1.23 to $84.16 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. However, escalations in the conflict do not necessarily cause oil prices to surge.

Persons: Germany's DAX, Hang Seng, Sydney's, Taiwan's Taiex, whittle, Brent, it’s Organizations: CAC, Dow Jones, Treasury, Tokyo’s Nikkei, Federal, New York Mercantile Exchange, U.S Locations: BANGKOK, U.S, Paris, Seoul, Hong, Shanghai, Bangkok, . U.S, Israel, Iran, escalations, Gaza

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