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Traders cheered the expected end of rate hikes that have raised borrowing costs from minus 0.5% in just over a year. That sent euro zone government bond yields tumbling, the euro down and stocks (.STOXX) higher. The ECB cut its outlook for euro area growth this year to 0.7%, while economists polled by Reuters expect growth of 0.6%. A market rally is also likely unwelcome to the ECB. Hawkish policymakers have started calling for an earlier end to PEPP reinvestments, and the ECB is likely to begin a debate on furthering its balance-sheet runoff with rate hikes likely done.

Persons: Charles Diebel, Simon Bell, Jason Simpson, Anna Stupnytska, reinvesting, Mediolanum's Diebel, reinvestments, Divyang Shah, Christine Lagarde, Shah, Yoruk Bahceli, Naomi Rovnick, Dhara, Dhara Ranasinghe, Hugh Lawson Organizations: European Central Bank, Traders, Reuters Graphics, Mediolanum Asset Management, ECB, Reuters, Legal, General Investment Management, State, Fidelity International, Thomson Locations: Italy, Germany

☆ Ukraine stopped Russian cruise missiles from taking out a cargo ship in the Black Sea as Putin tries to 'weaponize food,' UK says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian forces fired two Kalibr cruise missiles at a cargo ship in the Black Sea last month. Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, transits Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey July 18, 2023. AdvertisementAdvertisementUkraine has tried to remedy the threat by establishing a protected shipping corridor to allow for safe transit through dangerous Black Sea waters. But news of the attempt to deliberately attack the Liberian-flagged cargo ship represents a deadly escalation. Emergency service personnel work at the site of a destroyed building after a Russian attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Thursday, July 20, 2023.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Yoruk Isik, Vladimir Putin, James, Putin's Organizations: Service, Sea Fleet, Liberian, REUTERS, Russia, AP, Royal Air Force Locations: Moscow, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Ukrainian, Odesa, Samsun, Istanbul, Turkey, Palau

European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde speaks to the media following the Governing Council's monetary policy meeting at the ECB headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, July 27, 2023. "It's such a close call between the pause and the rate hike," said ING's global head of macro Carsten Brzeski. Traders are torn but favour an ECB pause, pricing in around a 40% chance of a hike. For many economists, one thing is clear: if the ECB has further tightening to deliver, September is likely its last chance. Even the hawks, keeping a hike on the table, say fresh ECB projections on Thursday are key to the decision.

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Kai Pfaffenbach, Reinhard Cluse, Mario Centeno, Isabel Schnabel, Austria's Robert Holzmann, Iain Stealey, Philip Lane, Kaspar Hense, Yoruk Bahceli, Stefano Rebaudo, Dhara Ranasinghe, Susan Fenton Organizations: European Central Bank, ECB, REUTERS, Central Bank, Traders, UBS, JPMorgan Asset Management, Reuters, ING, BlueBay Asset Management, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Italy

☆ Take Five: Doves versus hawks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Key UK jobs data and a G20 summit, marked by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, are also in focus. The doves urge caution; the most hawkish hawks say a pause is not a done deal, but haven't explicitly called for a hike either. Wednesday's August U.S. inflation data, followed by producer price and retail sales numbers a day later, are the next test. Next up are consumer and factory price data this weekend, with industrial output and retail sales out on the 15th. The unemployment rate has been edging above last year's 48-year low, indicating some softening in the jobs market, while basic earnings are rising at record pace.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, China's Xi, Ira Iosebashvili, Kevin Buckland, Li Gu, Amanda Cooper, Ahmad Ghaddar, haven't, Goldman Sachs, Xi Jinping, He's, BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, BoE, RUSH Brent, Dhara, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: Financial, of, REUTERS, European Central Bank, United States, Key, Yoruk Bahceli, ECB, Reuters, Huawei, SMIC, West, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: of Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Yoruk, Amsterdam, New York, Tokyo, Shanghai, London, China, United States, Washington, Beijing, India, Britain, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Libya

☆ Belgium raises record 22 billion euros from savers in 'clear signal' for higher bank rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

It marks the biggest funding drive from households in Belgium's history and is likely Europe's biggest retail bond sale, the country's debt agency said on Monday. Equivalent to around 5% of Belgian deposits, it eclipses the 5.7 billion euros raised from savers at the height of the euro zone debt crisis in 2011 and beats the 18 billion euros Italy raised from savers earlier this year. European lenders awash with cash have resisted raising savings rates while market interest rates have surged as central banks fight inflation, prompting withdrawals by households looking for better returns. While demand for the bond is high, the country's biggest lenders are yet to raise rates paid on savings accounts. "This will be different for every bank, but the financial stability of every bank needs to be monitored closely."

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Bonds, Vincent Van Peteghem, Jean Deboutte, Isabelle Marchand, Van Peteghem, Marchand, Febelfin, Yoruk Bahceli, Bart Meijer, Sudip Kar, Dhara Ranasinghe, Ed Osmond Organizations: REUTERS, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Europe, Belgium, BRUSSELS, Italy, Portugal, Belgian

☆ For traders, September's ECB move is far from clear cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File PhotoData on Thursday showed euro zone inflation held at 5.3% in August rather than dropping. Overall money supply in the bloc contracted in July for the first time since 2010, demonstrating the extent to which ECB policy has tightened financial conditions. And even if investors are divided on September’s decision, the consensus is that the ECB will be done raising rates soon. Longer-term, markets expect the ECB to start cutting rates by the second quarter of 2024. (This story has been corrected to clarify that Aviva favours a small overweight in European bonds, not longer-dated euro zone bonds, in paragraph 19)

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Kai Pfaffenbach, Piet Christiansen, ’ indecisiveness, ” Christiansen, Isabel Schnabel, Robert Holzmann, ”, Mauro Valle, Valle, Edward Hutchings, Frederik Ducrozet, ” Aviva’s Hutchings, ” Pictet’s Ducrozet Organizations: Reuters, European Central Bank, Central Bank, ECB, REUTERS, Danske Bank, Generali Investments, Treasury, Aviva Investors, Pictet Wealth Management, Aviva Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Austrian

☆ Analysis-For traders, September's ECB move is far from clear cut
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/File PhotoData on Thursday showed euro zone inflation held at 5.3% in August rather than dropping. Another inflation hawk, Austrian central bank chief Robert Holzmann, said the ECB could deliver “another hike or two”. Overall money supply in the bloc contracted in July for the first time since 2010, demonstrating the extent to which ECB policy has tightened financial conditions. And even if investors are divided on September’s decision, the consensus is that the ECB will be done raising rates soon. Longer-term, markets expect the ECB to start cutting rates by the second quarter of 2024.

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Kai Pfaffenbach, Piet Christiansen, ’ indecisiveness, ” Christiansen, Isabel Schnabel, Robert Holzmann, ”, Mauro Valle, Valle, Edward Hutchings, Frederik Ducrozet, Aviva’s Hutchinson, ” Pictet’s Ducrozet Organizations: Reuters, European Central Bank, Central Bank, ECB, REUTERS, Danske Bank, Generali Investments, Treasury, Aviva Investors, Pictet Wealth Management Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Austrian

☆ UN chief sends Russia bid to revive Black Sea grain deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, is pictured in the Black Sea, north of Bosphorus Strait, off Istanbul, Turkey July 17, 2023. Two Turkish sources told Reuters the pair will meet on Monday and primarily discuss Black Sea grain exports. The Black Sea grain deal was intended to combat a global food crisis that the United Nations said had been worsened by Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. "We cannot have a Black Sea initiative that moves from crisis to crisis, from suspension to suspension. Russia has said that if demands to improve its own exports of grain and fertilizer were met, it would consider resurrecting the Black Sea agreement.

Persons: Yoruk, António Guterres, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Tayyip Erdogan, Russia's, Guterres, Lavrov, Hakan Fidan, Michelle Nichols, Kanishka Singh, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, Russian, United, Reuters, Turkish, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, Thomson Locations: Samsun, Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, Russia, United Nations, Ukraine, Russian, Moscow, EU

☆ Europe's weaker economy limits fallout of US bond rout
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-30 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Last week, U.S. 10-year Treasury yields touched their highest relative to Germany's since December. For rate-sensitive short-dated German bond yields yields are even down 17 bps in August as weak data has raised expectations of a European Central Bank rate hike pause in September. SPILLOVERBofA, Goldman Sachs and Barclays expect Treasury yields to end the year slightly below current levels. Barclays's Khanna estimates German bond yields would have been 50-60 bps lower had they only been driven by domestic factors. The spillover from higher Treasury yields is more challenging elsewhere.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Mauro Valle, Valle, Salman Ahmed, Rohan Khanna, Fitch, Mondher, SPILLOVER BofA, Goldman Sachs, Jackson, Barclays's Khanna, Frederik Ducrozet, Ataru Okumura, Yoruk, Chiara Elisei, Junko Fujita, Kevin Buckland, Dhara Ranasinghe, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: REUTERS, Generali Investment Partners, European Central Bank, Fidelity International, U.S, Fitch, AAA, Vontel Asset Management, Barclays, Treasury, Federal Reserve, ECB, Pictet Wealth Management, of Japan, Nikko Securities, Yoruk Bahceli, Thomson Locations: U.S, United States, Europe, Germany, Britain, Germany's, It's, Italy, France, Japan, Amsterdam, London, Tokyo

Aug 25 (Reuters) - Strategists at BofA Global Research see second-half "trouble" for technology stocks even as the sector took in its largest inflow in 10 weeks, the firm said in a note on Friday. BofA pointed to the correlation between a surge in central bank liquidity and the Nasdaq over the past 15 years. "We say tech = H2 trouble rather than era of new AI rules," BofA said in the note. In the latest weekly data, the tech sector saw a $2.3 billion inflow, its largest inflow in 10 weeks, BofA said. Emerging markets debt meanwhile lost out, BofA said, seeing the largest weekly outflow since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in March.

Persons: Michael Hartnett, BofA, Lewis Krauskopf, Dhara Ranasinghe, Alistair Bell Organizations: BofA, Research, Nasdaq, U.S . Treasury, Silicon Valley Bank, Thomson Locations: U.S, Silicon, New York, Amsterdam

☆ Take Five: Farewell to a bruising August
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 14, 2023. Other data such as consumer confidence, the state of manufacturing, and inflation, with the latest personal consumption expenditures index is also due. Line chart with data from Refinitiv Datstreamn shows U.S. unemployment rate and federal funds target rate from January 2021 to July 2023. Yet Thursday's flash euro area August inflation number, which follows releases from some member states, could be the decider. The world's most populous country is already concerned about the threat to production of several basic commodities, including rice and sugar.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Lewis Krauskopf, Kevin Buckland, Nigel Hunt, Dhara, payrolls, Bundesbank, buybacks, Xi Jinping, Karin Strohecker, Sharon Singleton Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Treasury, Federal Reserve, ECB, Reuters, Nino, Climate, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, China, Lewis, New York, Tokyo, Amsterdam, London, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, Indonesia, Thailand

REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHONG KONG/AMSTERDAM, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Global investors fleeing China have one simple message for the country's leadership: put prudence aside for a short while, and start spending big. "At this point there is confusion and, as long as there is confusion, then there's lack of credibility and that means investors are more likely to stay away," said Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Global Investors in London. Prominent examples are heavy Chinese government spending during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and its swift intervention during the 2015 market crash. But the subsidies need to come from local governments, many of which are cash-strapped or even drowning in debt and unable to pay their civil servants. The lack of concrete stimulus measures now is prompting many China watchers to downgrade their growth estimates for the next few years.

Persons: Aly, China's, Seema Shah, Chen Zhao, Zhao, hasn't, Frederik Ducrozet, Ducrozet, Principal's Shah, Yan Wang, Xi Jinping's, we’ve, Lorraine Tan, Dhara Ranasinghe, Davide Barbuscia, Yoruk, Xie Yu, Ankur Banerjee, Tom Westbrook, Li Gu, Vidya Ranganathan, Kim Coghill Organizations: REUTERS, Global, Global Investors, policymaking Politburo, Pictet Wealth Management, Local, UBS Bank, Federated Hermes, Foreigners, Asia, Morningstar, Thomson Locations: Huangpu, Shanghai, China, HONG KONG, AMSTERDAM, London, Beijing, Japan, United States, New York, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore

☆ Savers dash for Belgian bond aimed at pushing banks to raise deposit rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Aug 25 (Reuters) - Belgium saw 4 billion euros of demand from savers for a new bond it launched on Thursday, its debt agency said, a strong start for the sale aimed at pressuring banks to raise their deposit rates. European lenders awash with cash have been resisting raising savings rates despite a surge in market interest rates as central banks fight inflation, prompting withdrawals by households looking for better returns elsewhere. "We want to boost competition and encourage banks to raise interest rates." On Thursday, the first day of the sale, savers bought 2.098 billion euros ($2.27 billion) of the bond, the debt agency said, followed by at least another 1.902 billion euros so far on Friday. But Jean Deboutte, director at Belgium's debt agency, noted some banks in Belgium had already raised their rates following plans for the new bond.

Persons: Jean Deboutte, Yoruk, Sudip Kar, Susan Fenton, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Yoruk Bahceli, Gupta, Thomson Locations: Belgium, Amsterdam, Brussels

☆ Stocks, yields rise as traders balance China, oil supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

While disappointment sent Asian shares lower, European shares rose on Monday and U.S. stock futures also pointed to a recovery there. ,Europe's STOXX 600 (.STOXX) index was up 0.7% by 1207 GMT, following last week's 2.3% drop, with energy companies outperforming as oil prices rose with tightening supply from Saudi Arabia offsetting demand concerns. Oil prices rose as much as $1 after snapping a seven-week winning streak last week on concerns about Chinese demand. Bond yields move inversely with prices. The ascent of the dollar and yields was weighing on gold at $1,894 an ounce , after it touched a five-month low last week.

Persons: Fed's Jackson, Susannah Streeter, Hargreaves Lansdown, Europe's, Brent, Jerome, Powell, Seema Shah, Jackson, Nvidia, Yoruk Bahceli, Wayne Cole, Dhara Ranasinghe, David Evans, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Staff, Treasury, Hargreaves, Global, U.S . Federal, U.S ., Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, China, Saudi Arabia, U.S ., Atlanta

☆ Summer of angst as bond yields surge and global stocks wobble
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Meanwhile, U.S. real yields, which show what investors can expect to earn on government bonds after adjusting for inflation, stand near their highest point since 2009. Benchmark yields also guide other key economic rates, raising the cost of capital as they climb. In Europe, a key long-term gauge of market inflation expectations remains well above the European Central Bank's 2% inflation target . Reuters GraphicsHigher bond yields, falling equities and a rising dollar are all tightening financial conditions fast, adding to investor concerns. Property accounts for roughly a quarter of China's economy, which is already suffering from tepid domestic consumption, faltering factory activity, rising unemployment and weak overseas demand.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, Hong, Yoruk Bahceli, Alun John, Dhara Ranasinghe, Lewis Krauskopf, Vincent Flasseur, Ira Iosebashvili, Mark Potter Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Japan’s Nikkei, Reuters, Treasury, Central, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Europe, Britain, China's

☆ Take Five: Summer at Jackson Hole
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Jason Reed Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - It's summer camp season and not to be left out, U.S. rate setters and overseas pals gather in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to talk central banking. U.S. Federal Reserve officials (plus friends from the ECB, BoE and BOJ) descend on Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Aug. 24-26 for their annual central bank confab. Inflation remains sticky in places and investors want to know how long it will take for central banks to switch to easing. European PMIs could provide a bigger signal on whether the European Central Bank will hike again in September and if the Bank of England opts for a big rate increase. Turkey's central bank is poised to raise rates on Thursday for the third time in a row since Hafize Gaye Erkan was appointed as governor in early June.

Persons: Jason Reed, Ira Iosebashvili, Li Gu, Yoruk, Rosario, Marc Jones, Rachel Savage, BoE, Jackson, Vladimir Putin, Hafize Gaye Erkan, Erkan, Tayyip Erdogan, Dhara Ranasinghe, Stephen Coates Organizations: U.S . Federal, REUTERS, U.S . Federal Reserve, ECB, Nvidia, CARE, HK, China, European Central Bank, Bank of England, West, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Washington, U.S, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, China, Ira, New York, Shanghai, Amsterdam, Jorgelina, London, Johannesburg, confab, CHINA, Beijing, United States, European, Brazil, Russia, India, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Turkey

Analysts said it tests President Tayyip Erdogan's resolve to maintain good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whom he has invited to Turkey this month to discuss resuming the UN-brokered deal that had protected grain exports from Ukraine. "Ankara's silence is strange but shows it is still counting on Putin to visit and return to the grain deal." It wants the West to accept some Russian demands, and for Russia to drop others, to restart Ukraine grain exports under UN and Turkish oversight. A Turkish defence ministry official, requesting anonymity, said Ankara was looking into the Black Sea raid but gave no more details. "Therefore Erdogan should negotiate and try to convince Western countries, not Putin, for the reinstatement of the grain deal," he said.

Persons: Mehmet Bey, Umit, Erdogan, Putin, NATO's, Tayyip Erdogan's, Vladimir Putin, Yoruk Isik, Grynspan, Sezer, Huseyin Hayatsever, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Coordination Centre, REUTERS, Ankara, Analysts, UN, Bosphorus Observer, United Nations Conference, Trade, Development, Thomson Locations: Yenikapi, Istanbul, Turkey, ISTANBUL, Ukraine, NATO, Moscow, Russia, Ankara, Odesa, Turkish, Palau, Russian

☆ US loss of AAA badge a reminder of 'regime shift' for government debt
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Yoruk Bahceli | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

"I think it really brings home that shift being a regime shift rather than a cyclical one," Katimbo-Mugwanya said. S&P said the assumption that governments would prioritise servicing debt over spending promises had rarely been tested at such high debt levels. For now, despite the steepest increases in borrowing costs in decades, investors still see little risk in holding governments' longer-term debt. POLICY WATCHGreater focus on longer-term risks should bring scrutiny of government policies. Still, with higher debt an economic reality, few governments are left with the coveted AAA rating.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Fitch, David Katimbo, Mugwanya, Bill Ackman, Moritz Kraemer, Fichan, Kraemer, Kshitij Sinha, Martin Lenz, LBBW's Kraemer, Yoruk Bahceli, Davide Barbuscia, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, AAA, Financial, Fitch, EdenTree Investment Management, P Global, LBBW, European Union, European Commission, European Central Bank, Syz, New York Fed, Life Asset, Union Investment, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, United States, Japan

☆ Ukraine condemns 'provocative' Russian actions in Black Sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Palau-flagged vessel Sukru Okan transits Bosphorus on its way to the Black Sea in Istanbul, Turkey August 13, 2023 this screen grab from a video. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik/File PhotoKYIV, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Ukraine on Monday condemned what it called "provocative" Russian actions and called for decisive countermeasures by the international community, a day after Moscow said one of its warships had fired warning shots at a cargo vessel in the Black Sea. Moscow said in a statement on Sunday that its Vasily Bykov patrol ship fired automatic weapons on the Palau-flagged Sukru Okan vessel after the ship's captain failed to respond to a request to halt for an inspection. "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the provocative actions carried out by the Russian Federation on August 13 in the Black Sea in relation to the Turkish dry cargo vessel 'Sukru Okan,' which was en route to the port of Izmail," the ministry said in a statement. Kyiv said the incident was a gross violation of international law and "exemplified Russia's deliberate policy of endangering the freedom of navigation and safety of commercial shipping in the Black Sea".

Persons: Yoruk, Vasily Bykov, Türkiye, Dan Peleschuk, Philippa Fletcher, Angus MacSwan Organizations: REUTERS, of Foreign Affairs, Russian Federation, Thomson Locations: Palau, Istanbul, Turkey, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Izmail

☆ Ships backed up in Black Sea lanes as Russia warning shots raise tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-14 | by ( Jonathan Saul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Merchant ships remained backed up in lanes around the Black Sea on Monday as ports struggled to clear backlogs amid growing unease among insurers and shipping companies a day after a Russian warship fired warning shots at a cargo vessel. After an inspection, the vessel continued its journey towards the Ukrainian port of Izmail along the Danube river, Russia said. Palau-flagged vessel Sukru Okan transits Bosphorus on its way to the Black Sea in Istanbul, Turkey August 13, 2023 this screen grab from a video. Romania on Monday said that it aimed to double the monthly transit capacity of Ukrainian grain to Constanta to 4 million tonnes in the coming months. Sunday's incident cast a pall over plans announced by Ukraine last week for a "humanitarian corridor" in the Black Sea to release cargo ships trapped in Ukraine's ports since the outbreak of war.

Persons: Vasily Bykov, Kviv, Izmail, Gard, Tayyip Erdogan, Vladimir Putin, Joseph Schulte, BSM, Jonathan Saul, Conor Humphries Organizations: Merchant, Insurance, REUTERS, UN, Group, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Russia, Palau, Izmail, Musura, Romanian, Constanta, Istanbul, Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Moscow, Ukrainian, Norwegian, Odesa

Fifteen employees have been put on leave in Portugal, France and the United States since news broke about the probe, which is currently limited to Portugal, said Drahi. Pressed by analysts on the call to lay out the role and extent of Pereira's involvement within the Altice group, Drahi said Pereira, whom he hired in 2003, had not held any stake in any Altice entity since 2005. Altice International, the entity that owns telecoms firm PT Portugal, is owned by Drahi's personal holding Next. The other two entities are Altice USA and Altice France, home to France's second biggest telecoms firm SFR. The debt has come under further pressure since Pereira's July detention, with longer-term debt issued by Altice France trading around 80 cents to the euro while those of Altice France Holding trade around 40 cents to the euro.

Persons: Patrick Drahi, Violeta Santos Moura, Drahi, Armando Pereira, Pereira, Altice, Mathieu Rosemain, Yoruk Bahceli, Ingrid Melander, Silvia Aloisi, Conor Humphries Organizations: French, REUTERS, Altice, PT Portugal, Altice International, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Portugal, United States, Altice France

☆ Morning Bid: Next up, payrolls
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. markets are reeling this week from surging funding needs, the loss of the government's prized triple-A credit rating and a still-hot labour market. Longer-dated U.S. Treasuries have taken a beating this week, with 10-year and 30-year yields surging over 20 basis points, heading for their biggest weekly jump since late December. On Friday, if economists polled by Reuters are right, non-farm payrolls will have risen by 200,000 in July -- pretty much unchanged from June. Just last month, another stronger-than-expected ADP report sent yields surging, only to be followed by a weaker-than-expected nonfarm payrolls report, stoking yield swings. Key developments that should provide more direction to U.S. markets later on Friday:* U.S. July non-farm payrolls* Canada July employment data* Goodyear Tire earningsReporting by Yoruk Bahceli; Editing by Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elizabeth Frantz, Yoruk Bahceli, Fitch, Jerome Powell, nonfarm, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Yoruk, Markets, Treasury, Reuters, Citi, Traders, Goodyear, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Yoruk Bahceli . U.S, United States, Canada

☆ Russia says JPMorgan stops processing its grain payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, is pictured in the Black Sea, north of Bosphorus Strait, off Istanbul, Turkey July 17, 2023. REUTERS/Yoruk Isik/File PhotoUNITED NATIONS, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday that U.S. bank JPMorgan (JPM.N) had this week stopped processing payments for the Russian Agricultural Bank as Moscow demanded action, not promises, from Washington to help Russian grain and fertilizer reach global markets. Under a related pact - also brokered in July 2022 - U.N. officials agreed to help facilitate Russian food and fertilizer exports. As a workaround to that demand, JPMorgan had been processing some Russian grain export payments with reassurances from Washington. Russia may export at least 55 million tonnes of grain in the 2023/24 marketing season, slightly less than the estimated record-breaking 57 million tonnes in the 2022/23 season, Russia's Grain Union said last month.

Persons: Yoruk, Dmitry Peskov, Antony Blinken, Maria Zakharova, James O'Brien, O'Brien, Michelle Nichols, Daphne Psaledakis, Simon Lewis, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, JPMorgan, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, European Union, United Nations, U.S . State Department, Russia's, Ministry, Thomson Locations: Samsun, Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, Russia, Moscow, Washington, Ukraine

Sterling initially dropped, reflecting disappointment after traders had priced in a 30% chance of another 50 bp hike. Longer-term gilt yields, more responsive to investors' perceptions about the economic growth trajectory, rose by the most in a month. Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey attends a press conference for the Monetary Policy Report August 2023, at the Bank of England in London, Britain, August 3, 2023. Two-year gilt yields have risen by more than 120 basis points this year, more than double the increase of their U.S. equivalent. On Thursday, two-year gilt yields were down 5 bps in late trade, while those on 30-year debt rose 10 bps, the most in a month, to 4.66%.

Persons: BoE, Andy Burgess, Andrew Bailey, Sterling, we've, Bank of England Andrew Bailey, Alastair Grant, Jeremy Hunt, Carl Shepherd, they'll, juicier, Peter Goves, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Bank, Bank of England, Monetary, REUTERS, Conservative, Newton Investment Management, Swiss, MFS Investment Management, Reuters Graphics, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, LGIM, London, Britain, U.S

☆ EU warns that Russia aims to create new dependencies with cheap grain
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Turkish-flagged bulker TQ Samsun, carrying grain under UN's Black Sea Grain Initiative, is pictured in the Black Sea, north of Bosphorus Strait, off Istanbul, Turkey July 17, 2023. After Russia quit last month it began targeting Ukrainian ports and grain infrastructure on the Black Sea and Danube River and global grain prices spiked. "This is a cynical policy of deliberately using food as a weapon to create new dependencies by exacerbating economic vulnerabilities and global food insecurity," he added. He said the EU would "continue to support the tireless efforts" of the United Nations and Turkey to revive the Black Sea grain deal. Borrell shared the July 31 letter with his EU counterparts on Wednesday, saying it aimed "to counter Russian disinformation around global food security and the impact of EU sanctions."

Persons: Yoruk, Josep Borrell, Russia, Borrell, Vladimir Putin, Antonio Guterres, Antony Blinken, Michelle Nichols, Grant McCool Organizations: REUTERS, UNITED NATIONS, European, Reuters, United, Russian Agricultural Bank, SWIFT, EU, European Commission, United Nations, Security, Thomson Locations: Samsun, Bosphorus, Istanbul, Turkey, Russia, EU, Moscow, Ukraine, United Nations, Russian, Africa, New York

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