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☆ The UK Election Puts Britain in New Political Territory - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Rory Stewart | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The British Labour Party has won its largest majority since the founding of the party over a century ago, securing at least 412 of the House of Commons’s 650 seats. And in an age of populism and polarization, it has done so on a moderate, centrist platform. There is no clear sign that British voters are any more enthusiastic than voters anywhere else for the socially liberal, fiscally conservative politics that this incarnation of the Labour Party represents. The Conservative Party has been reduced to 121 seats, with two seats left to declare, the worst defeat in its 190-year history. It lost vote share not only to Labour and the centrist, pro-European Liberal Democrats, but also to the hard-right, anti-immigrant Reform U.K., led by Nigel Farage, an ally of Donald Trump.

Persons: Labour —, Keir Starmer, Bill Clinton, Tony Blair, Nigel Farage, Donald Trump Organizations: British Labour Party, Labour, Crown, Labour Party, Conservative Party, European Liberal Democrats, U.K

☆ Semiconductor stocks just capped off a strong start to 2024. What to expect in the second half
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Wall Street is sticking with semiconductor stocks after its hot start to the year. SMH YTD mountain Share performance in 2024 That said, many investors and analysts expect another strong glide path for the industry in the second half. "The AI theme continues to remain very strong," said CFRA Research analyst Angelo Zino, who holds a buy rating on Nvidia. Many on Wall Street view this upcycle as a significant tail wind for Micron Technology as the industry edges out of its trough. But many on Wall Street viewed the sell-off as a buying opportunity , with Goldman Sachs analyst Toshiya Hari expecting market share gains in high-bandwidth memory.

Persons: frothiness, Angelo Zino, you've, Ken Mahoney, John Belton, we're, Management's Paul Meeks, that's, Harlan Sur, Baird, Ted Mortonson, Jeff deGraaf, CNBC's, Gabelli's Belton, Belton, Meeks, Goldman Sachs, Toshiya Hari, Hari, CFRA, Zino, Baird's Mortonson Organizations: VanEck Semiconductor, Nvidia, Devices, CFRA, Gabelli Funds, Broadcom, JPMorgan, KLA Corp, Cadence Design Systems, Micron Technology, Micron, Qualcomm, Apple Locations: unchartered

☆ A low-cost way to bet on the Tesla comeback using options
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Jeff Kilburg | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

I believe Tesla (TSLA) remains one of the purest AI plays available to investors and has even more room to go higher as shorts cover their positions and investor enthusiasm reignites. The recent surge in TSLA's stock price has changed sentiment as Tesla seemingly has regained its mojo. Another key milestone event lays ahead at the August robotaxi event. However, I do have concerns that the robotaxi event could disappoint and I suggest traders to manage any and all Tesla risk prior to that event. Also, I chose an end of July expiration date for this spread which is about a week before the much anticipated robotaxi event.

Persons: reignites, Elon Musk, Tesla, TSLA Organizations: mojo, Tesla, CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL Locations: China

☆ European markets open higher with UK election results in focus
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, campaigns ahead of the general election, in Redditch, UK, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024. LONDON — European stocks opened mostly higher on Friday as the U.K.'s general election draws focus in the region. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index rose 0.3% higher in early morning deals. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index climbed more than 0.2% as investors reacted to election results. Travel and leisure stocks were the standout gainers Friday, climbing 0.6%, as most sectors traded in positive territory.

Persons: Keir Starmer Organizations: Labour Party, LONDON Locations: Redditch, UK

☆ The West is finally giving Ukraine a shot at 'cutting the head off the snake' rather than making it wait for Russia to strike
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Russia launches many of its drone and missile attacks from within its own borders, and it amasses troops and equipment at home for offensive pushes into Ukraine. But for a long time, Ukraine could only turn to options like long-range drones to go after targets in Russia. De Bretton-Gordon noted that many Russian missile and drone attacks are launched from Russia itself. Russia initiated a new offensive against Kharkiv on May 10, launching deadly missile attacks and slowly pushing its military forward. Ingram agreed, saying that in Kharkiv, Ukraine's new permissions have "made a huge difference.

Persons: —, It's, Hamish de Bretton, Gordon, de Bretton, Bretton, George Barros, it's, Barros, Philip Ingram, weren't, Michael Clarke, John Hamilton, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, ISW, Kostiantyn Liberov, Ingram, Cancian Organizations: Service, Business, NATO Chemical, Nuclear, Army Tactical Missile Systems, Russian, Getty, Russian Defense Ministry, British Army, Army Tactical Missile System, Kharkiv, Associated Press, Artillery Rocket Systems Locations: Ukraine, Russia, West, Kharkiv, Russian, Anadolu, British, Belgorod, Russia's, Crimea, Ukrainian

☆ Remains found in search for 12-year-old following reported crocodile attack in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Australian police believe they have found the remains of a 12-year-old child reportedly attacked by a crocodile while swimming in a creek in the Northern Territory, they said on Thursday. “This is devastating news for the family, the community and everyone involved in the search,” senior sergeant Erica Gibson said in a statement. A search and rescue operation with community assistance was launched to find the child, and police scoured a large section of the creek by boat, they said on Wednesday. The search team was authorized to “remove the crocodile from the area,” Northern Territory police minister Brent Potter said, according to CNN affiliate 7news. There are more than 100,000 crocodiles – which can grow up to six meters (20 feet) long – in the Northern Territory, though fatal attacks are relatively rare.

Persons: ”, Erica Gibson, Brent Potter, Gibson, Palumpa, 7news Organizations: CNN, “ Police, Northern, 7news, Associated Press Locations: Northern Territory, Palumpa, Northern, Darwin, Australia

☆ I've been to over 80 countries. These 5 underrated destinations are absolutely worth visiting.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Latifah Al-Hazza | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Flying into the Caribbean Island of Dominica felt like a scene out of "Jurassic Park." Trafalgar Falls in Dominica was absolutely breathtaking. Latifah Al-HazzaThe lush and mountainous island of Dominica is home to a plethora of waterfalls, natural hot springs, beaches, and adventures. I loved staying at the cliffside villas of Jungle Bay Resort — my tropical room had stunning views of Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve. The twin waterfalls at Trafalgar Falls are one of the most breathtaking views on the island.

Persons: Latifah Al Organizations: Scotts, Marine Locations: Dominica, Trafalgar, Soufriere, Sulphur, Kalinago Territory, Pool

☆ Putin and Kim Jong Un are getting alarmingly close, and it's put US ally South Korea in a predicament
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewRussia and North Korea's newfound friendship has left key US ally South Korea in a predicament with few good options. Last month, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang, where he and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un further strengthened their partnership. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: A TV at Yongsan Railway Station shows North Korea's fired Hwasong-18 solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un drive a Russian Aurus limousine during their meeting in Pyongyang, North Korea. With Putin supporting North Korea, tensions are higher between Pyongyang and Seoul, and the two could find themselves on the brink.

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong, Korea's, KIM Jae, Sue Mi Terry, Putin, he's, Victor Cha, they've, Cha, Terry, what's, Caesar, LIONEL BONAVENTURE, Kim Organizations: Service, North, Business, SOUTH, Getty, Council, Foreign Relations, South Korean, Ukraine, KCNA, Reuters, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Putin Locations: Russia, North, South Korea, Seoul, Ukraine, North Korea, Russian, Pyongyang, SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, Yongsan, Korea, North Korean, Moscow, Asia, Poland, Ukrainian, Tarbes, France, Kyiv, China, United States

CNN —Israel’s government has approved a large land seizure in the occupied West Bank – the biggest since the 1993 Oslo Accords set out a path for peace between Israel and the Palestinians, according to the Israeli rights group Peace Now. The declaration covers a 1,270 hectare (3,138 acre) section of the Jordan Valley in the eastern West Bank near Jericho, the document from the Civil Administration shows. Once land is designated as state land, Israel no longer recognizes it as privately owned by Palestinians. Smotrich spoke about preventing the occupied West Bank from becoming a part of an independent Palestinian state, according to leaked audio of a speech he gave in June. On Sunday, Israel sparked condemnation after the finance minister announced plans to legally recognize five unauthorized Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Persons: CNN —, wasn’t, ”, Bezalel Smotrich, Smotrich, Israel Organizations: CNN, West Bank, Civil Administration, Israel, Israel’s Civil Administration, Peace, Planning, Israel’s, Defense Ministry, Higher Planning Locations: Oslo, Israel, Jordan, West Bank, Jericho, Palestinian

☆ Israel sends delegation to negotiate hostage release deal with Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday he has decided to send a delegation to resume stalled negotiations on a hostage release deal with Hamas, Netanyahu's office said in a statement. Netanyahu is scheduled later on Thursday to have consultations with his negotiating team, and then discuss the hostage release talks with his security cabinet. Prior efforts to end the Gaza conflict were mediated by Egypt and Qatar, with talks held in both locations. Hamas has said any deal must end the war and bring a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. The plan entails the gradual release of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza and the pullback of Israeli forces over the first two phases, and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Israel, Biden Organizations: Hamas, U.S Locations: Bureij, Gaza, Israel, Israeli, Egypt, Qatar

☆ Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps gets powerful ships to confront adversaries well beyond the Persian Gulf
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-04 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +17 min

Read previewIn the last three years, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy has commissioned hundreds of new vessels. AdvertisementThe Shahid Hassan Bagheri is one of three new Soleimani-class missile corvettes that are the most heavily armed warships in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy's fleet. Despite being lightly armed, it has a record of harassing US vessels and civilian ships in the Persian Gulf. AdvertisementThree Soleimani-class corvettes, Shahid Soleimani, Shahid Hassan Bagheri, and Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, have been commissioned, while a fourth, Shahid Ra'is-Ali Delvari, is under construction. AdvertisementMahdavi will eventually be joined by another converted container ship, the Shahid Bagheri.

Persons: —, Shahid Hassan Bagheri, Morteza Nikoubazl, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Shahid Soleimani, Nazeri, Shahid Nazeri, SAMs, Shahid Sayyad Shirazi, Shahid Ra'is, Ali Delvari, Hassan Bagheri, Abu Mahdi al, Shahid, Alireza Tangsiri, Shahid Mahdavi, 400Y8DYPlr — Mehdi H, Shahid Roudaki, Roudaki, Mahdavi, Lewis B, Puller, Shahid Bagheri, Bagheri, Tangsiri, IRGCN, Ayatollah Khamenei, Nadimi, Saviz, Diego Garcia, Benjamin Brimelow Organizations: Service, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, Business, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy's, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, US, Quds Force, Guard, Southern Hemisphere, American, British, Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Global Affairs, Fletcher School of Law, Diplomacy, Modern, Institute Locations: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Persian, Gulf of Oman, Hormuz, China, Russia, Taiwan, Norway, Yemen, Makran, Morteza, Israel, Lebanon, Hamas, Gaza, Syria, Mahdavi, West

☆ China coast guard detains Taiwanese fishing boat near frontline islands, Taiwan says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Eric Cheung | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Taipei, Taiwan CNN —China’s coast guard detained a Taiwanese fishing vessel and its five-member crew near the mainland’s southeast coast on Tuesday night, according to Taiwan authorities, in the latest flare-up of tensions in waters around a group of frontline islands controlled by Taipei. In a statement, Taiwan’s coast guard said the fishing boat, Tachinman 88, was intercepted by two Chinese coast guard vessels near the Kinmen islands, which lie just miles from the Chinese city of Xiamen. China coast guard officers boarded the fishing boat and then escorted it to a nearby Chinese port, the statement said, adding that three Taiwan coast guard vessels answered a call for help but retreated to avoid conflict when they were outnumbered by their Chinese counterparts. The Taiwan coast guard demanded the immediate release of the boat and crew members. In late February, Chinese coast guard officers intercepted and boarded a Taiwanese tourist boat for inspection, an unprecedented move that startled Taiwanese passengers.

Persons: Hsieh Ching, China’s, Lai Ching, ”, Chen Yu, jen Organizations: Taiwan CNN, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration, Coast Guard Administration, Communist Party, Democratic Progressive Party, Kuomintang, CNN, Taiwan’s Ministry, Agriculture Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Xiamen, China, Beijing, Kinmen, China’s

☆ Should Biden Quit? Democrats Weigh Potential Rewards and Steep Risks
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Adam Nagourney | Jim Rutenberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

With President Biden under pressure to drop his bid for a second term, his party has been thrust into uncharted territory, struggling with a long list of risks and rewards as it faces the prospect of replacing Mr. Biden less than two months before the party convention. No presumptive nominee has withdrawn this late in the process. All of this has left Democrats struggling with critical questions: Is it easier to defeat Mr. Trump with or without Mr. Biden at the top of the ticket? Is it riskier to go with a new candidate or stick with a president who appears headed for defeat? On Wednesday, a New York Times/Siena College poll found that Mr. Trump’s lead over Mr. Biden among likely voters had grown to six percentage points after the president’s halting debate performance last week.

Persons: Biden, Donald J, Trump, Trump’s Organizations: Trump, New York Times, Siena College, Mr

☆ Belarus is building up its military on Ukraine's border and bragging about the 'high combat readiness' of its troops
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussian neighbor and ally Belarus said it is boosting its military presence along its border with Ukraine, with its president saying its troops are combat-ready. Thousands of Russian troops entered Ukraine from Belarus at the start of the invasion. This includes a high-ranking Belarusian military official saying in late June that Ukraine was "attempting to drag our country into the war." In response, Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said that all of Ukraine's activities near Belarus' border were just defensive, Euromaidan reported. It is unlikely that Belarus' troops would make a big impact even if they did enter the war.

Persons: —, Aleksander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin, Euromaidan, Mark Cancian Organizations: Service, Business, Russian, State Border Guard Service, Ukrainian Security, Defense Council's Center, US Marine Corps, Center for Strategic, International Studies, Ministry of Defence Locations: Belarus, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Russia, Russian, Belarusian

☆ Australian police hunt for missing child, feared attacked by crocodile
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-03 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Reuters —Police in Australia’s Northern Territory said on Wednesday that a missing 12-year-old child was reportedly attacked by a crocodile and a search and rescue operation was underway. The child was reported missing on Tuesday evening after swimming in a creek in Palumpa, also known by its Aboriginal name Nganmarriyanga, a remote town of around 350 people, seven hours by road from the territory capital, Darwin. “Local officers are on scene and our thoughts are with the family and the community,” senior sergeant Erica Gibson said in a statement. “Officers are currently searching a large section of the creek via boat and we thank the community for their ongoing assistance.”There are more than 100,000 crocodiles – which can grow up to six meters (20 feet) long – in the vast Northern Territory, though fatal attacks are relatively rare.

Persons: ”, Erica Gibson Organizations: Reuters — Police Locations: Australia’s Northern Territory, Palumpa, Darwin, “, Northern Territory

☆ ‘Kinds of Kindness:’ Playing a sex cult leader, Willem Dafoe dons a pair of bright orange Speedos
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Caitlin Chatterton | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

In the first, “The Death of R.M.F.,” Jesse Plemons plays Robert, the hapless puppet of his boss Raymond (Willem Dafoe). Eats a Sandwich,” Stone and a now-shaven headed Plemons are the disciples of a purity cult led by Dafoe, tasked with locating someone able to revive the dead. Emma Stone plays three characters across three stories in Yorgos Lanthimos's "Kinds of Kindness," and her wardrobe journey reflects that. “Willem is such a great example: you are a CEO, and then you’re (Stone’s) father, and now you’re a leader of a sex cult. Yorgos Lanthimos/Searchlight PicturesIn the third chapter Dafoe plays a cult leader, freed from Raymond’s designer suits and instead sporting little else besides eyeliner and orange Speedos.

Persons: darlings, He’s, —, ” Jesse Plemons, Robert, Raymond, Willem Dafoe, “, Emma Stone, Plemons, ”, Dafoe, Yorgos Stefanakos, Yorgos, ” Jennifer Johnson, ” Johnson, Gianni Agnelli, Italy’s, Agnelli, ” Dafoe, Emma Stone’s, Johnson, Atsushi Nishijima, “ Anna Karenina ”, — Plemons, Tom Ford turtleneck Robert’s, “ Willem, Jesse Plemmons, Margaret Qualley, Rebecca, Ruth, she’s, lambasting Robert, “ There’s, it’s, ‘ yup, Ken, Barbie, “ They’re, groans Organizations: CNN, Searchlight, Fiat Locations: Hong, Venice, New Orleans

☆ America has a serious ugly home problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( James Rodriguez | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Recently she posted a video on her YouTube channel in which she phrased the question more bluntly: "Why are homes so 'ugly' now?" Most people agree that America needs more houses, but nobody seems all that thrilled with the ones being built. Related storiesThe blame for America's architectural nightmare, however, doesn't stop at production builders, rising costs, or local codes. Homes look this way because they're not just places where we live — they're also supposed to help us get rich. As they stare down these rising costs, builders and architects have almost no choice but to streamline or opt for cheaper design elements.

Persons: Bailey McInnes, McInnes, they're, James Wentling, John Burns, Peter Dennehy, They're, Dan Reynolds, Horton, Lennar, Kate Wagner, she's, —, Wagner, Marcia Straub, William Morgan, it's, Queen Anne Organizations: HGTV, YouTube, Facebook, Builders, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Association of Home Builders, John Burns Research, Consulting, Harvard's, for Housing Studies, Harvard, The Locations: Northern Virginia, America, homebuilding, Providence , Rhode Island

☆ Ukraine says it destroyed almost 60 Russian air defense systems in June, the second-highest number of monthly kills since the war began
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewUkraine's defense ministry said Monday that the country's military inflicted substantial damage on Russian air defense systems last month. June was a bad month for russian air defense. Ukrainian defenders destroyed 59 russian air defense systems. Without these restrictions, Ukraine could "in principle" replicate its success at taking out Russian air defense systems in Russian territory, ISW has said. With fewer defensive systems threatening its aircraft, Ukraine could have more freedom of movement for conducting air operations.

Persons: —, couldn't, ISW Organizations: Service, Business, —, General Staff of, Armed Forces, Institute for, Washington DC, Army Tactical Missile Systems, General Staff, Ukrainian Armed Forces Locations: Ukraine, Crimea, Russia, Washington, Ukrainian

☆ Taiwan tops Asia's best-performing stock markets so far in 2024 — Japan is No. 2
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A screen displays stock figures at the Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp. headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, on Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. The Taiwan Weighted Index has surged 28% so far this year, powered by stocks along the AI value chain. While Taiwan may lead Asian markets, Japan seems to be the favored market going forward, among analysts who spoke to CNBC. While most Asian markets are in positive territory year-to-date, three stock markets — Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines — fell into negative territory. The CME FedWatch tool indicates that 61% of traders expect the Fed to cut rates by 25 basis points in the September meeting.

Persons: Foxconn —, Hai Precision Industry —, Rahul Ghosh, Rowe Price, Ghosh, Ben Powell, Powell, Neel Kashkari, Ken Orchard Organizations: Taiwan Stock Exchange Corp, Bloomberg, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, Hai Precision Industry, Intelligence, Nikkei, CNBC, BlackRock Investment Institute, Bank of Japan, Federal, U.S, Fed, Minneapolis Federal Locations: Taipei, Taiwan, Asia, Pacific, Japan, BlackRock, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Jakarta, Philippine, U.S

☆ Palestinian Fighters in West Bank Seek to Emulate Hamas in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Steven Erlanger | Sergey Ponomarev | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The alleys are cast in permanent semidarkness, covered by black nylon tarpaulins to hide the Palestinian fighters there from Israeli drones overhead. This is not Gaza or a traditional Hamas stronghold. It is a refugee camp in Tulkarm, a town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where the relatively moderate Palestinian faction of Fatah had long held sway. One of Israel’s most wanted men, he and other fighters like him say they have switched allegiances from the relatively moderate Fatah faction, which dominates the Israeli-occupied West Bank, to more radical groups like Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Asked what lesson he had taken from the war in Gaza, Mr. Jaber paused for a moment to think.

Persons: Fatah, Muhammad Jaber, Jaber, Patience, ” Organizations: Hamas, West Bank, Fatah Locations: Gaza, Tulkarm, Jihad, Israel

☆ Russian glide bombs' faulty guidance systems may have led to dozens being dropped on its own territory, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Thibault Spirlet | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewFaulty guidance systems on Russian glide bombs may have led to dozens of the bombs being dropped on its own territory, experts said, per The Washington Post. Cheap guidance systems could be to blameGlide bombs are older munitions retrofitted with guidance systems that allow them to be launched at a distance. In June, Russian opposition media channel Asta estimated that Russia had dropped a total of 103 bombs on its own territories over the past four months. In March, Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba said that Russia had dropped 700 glide bombs on Ukraine in just one six-day period between March 18 and March 24. Ukraine is now developing its own glide bombs and is continuing to request further air defense systems from its NATO allies.

Persons: —, Ruslan Leviev, Leviev, Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Joe Biden Organizations: Service, Washington Post, Business, Ukraine, Russian, Intelligence, Air Force, Asta, Foreign Affairs, NATO, Philadelphia Inquirer Locations: Belgorod, Ukraine, Russia, Russian, Ukrainian, Kharkiv

☆ Asia markets mixed as China manufacturing contracts again, Japan business confidence at 2-year high
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

SHANGHAI, CHINA - JANUARY 01: Sun rises over the Oriental Pearl Tower on New Year's Day on January 1, 2023 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)Asia-Pacific markets started the second half of the year mixed as investors assessed official June business activity data from China and Japan's business confidence readings. China released its official PMI figures on the weekend, with its manufacturing PMI coming in at 49.5, unchanged from May and marking its second straight month in contraction territory. Confidence among big Japanese manufacturers improved in the second quarter to a two-month high, with the Tankan survey at +13 compared to +11 in the first quarter. Separately, S&P Global purchasing managers' index readings will be out for several Asian economies, including China, Japan and South Korea.

Organizations: Getty Images, PMI, Reuters, P Global Locations: SHANGHAI, CHINA, Shanghai, China, Asia, Pacific, Japan, South Korea

☆ Changed rules for Ukraine mean its F-16s will arrive when they can make a far bigger impact, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Read previewNew rules from Ukraine's allies about how it can use weapons they've supplied could have a strong impact on its long-awaited F-16s. That's because Ukraine now has permission to use weaponry given by its allies to hit targets on Russian soil. George Barros, a Russian military expert at the US-based Institute for the Study of War, said this will make the F-16s more effective. AdvertisementEven so, the experts said that the F-16s will make a difference for Ukraine, without being a total game changer on their own. The jets will help replenish lost aircraft, deter Russian jets, and act as air defenses.

Persons: —, George Barros, I'm, Barros, Peter Layton, it's, Layton, didn't, Russian Su, YURI KADOBNOV, Michael Clarke, Mark Cancian, there's, Clarke, Tim Robinson Organizations: Service, Russia, Business, Wing Public Affairs, Griffith Asia Institute, Royal Australian Air Force, Ukraine, Republicans, Getty, Marine, Center for Strategic, International Studies, UK's Royal Aeronautical Society Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Russia, AFP, British, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Belgium

☆ Here’s What to Know About France’s Snap Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Aurelien Breeden | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

President Emmanuel Macron’s risky decision to call snap legislative elections in France has backfired badly, enabling the far right to dominate the first round of voting held on Sunday. France is in unpredictable territory, with the future of Mr. Macron’s second term at stake. Why did Macron call for snap elections? When Mr. Macron was elected to a second term in 2022, his party failed to win an outright majority. The centrist coalition he formed has since governed with a slim majority, but it has struggled to pass certain bills.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron’s, Macron’s, Jordan Bardella, Macron Organizations: National Assembly Locations: France

☆ A market hedge if this atypical election run-up causes an S&P 500 correction
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-01 | by ( Michael Khouw | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The S & P 500 has yielded an average return of 7.9% since 1928, the year Herbert Hoover was elected. LBJ's presidency was also notable because he chose not to seek reelection in 1968, a year with a modest S & P return of 7.7%. A market correction could be more likely now than it seemed two weeks ago, as suggested by the current pricing of S & P options. Options such as SPDR S & P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) August $535 puts are currently priced around $5.50, about 1% of SPY's price, while S & P 500 5350 puts are around $50. SPY YTD mountain SPDR S & P 500 ETF Trust If a correction does occur, investors could monetize, roll, or spread the hedge.

Persons: Herbert Hoover, Hoover, Carter, George H.W, George H.W . Bush, LBJ's, Trump Organizations: Trump, JFK, FDR, Nvidia, Trust, Democratic National Convention, CNBC, NBC UNIVERSAL Locations: George H.W .

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