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Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes officeBjoern Wylezich Introduction We last covered iShares Emerging Markets Dividend ETF ( NYSEARCA: DVYE ) back in March 2023. At that time, we noted DVYE’s attractive dividend but also pointed out the fund’s downside risk in economic turmoil. However, it has been over one and Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
Chad Jones died earlier this year, prompting a huge outpouring of grief from those who knew him The family and friends of a little boy who touched the hearts of many in his short life are coming together to remember him. Chad Jones - known affectionately as 'Chaddy the Baddy' to his loved ones - died on Sunday, May 26, two and half years after he was diagnosed with cancer . He was just seven-years-old. His heartbroken mum Kelly told the ECHO in June: "Chad wasn’t your average seven-year-old. He was like a teenage lad in a young kid's body. He was a loveable rogue - a proper cheeky chap. He stole the hearts of everyone he met." Chad's friends and family are set to gather at the Seacombe Ferry Terminal on Sunday, December 8 and run to the Derby Pool dressed as Santa and his reindeers. The Santa sleigh run will be held in memory of Chad, and will raise funds for a charity which helps children suffering with cancer on Merseyside to create memories with their families. According to Kelly, the Owen McVeigh Foundation "played a huge part" in her family's journey, and "helped create life-long memories for us" with Chad. Thanks to the charity, Chad was able to meet Liverpool FC players, go to Liverpool matches, watch Paw Patrol shows, see Disney on Ice and spend the weekend in a log cabin with his family. Kelly says he also went to the "most amazing Christmas parties and pantos". Speaking to the ECHO earlier this week, Kelly said: "They're a charity which will always be close to our hearts and we are just happy we can give something back to say thank you and appreciation to the foundation in Chad's name." Chad, who was a pupil at Kingsway Primary School in Wallasey , was a very active little boy and had a passion for "anything with an engine". Home videos show him full of joy and excitement on bike rides out with family and friends. Kelly said: "Chad loved motorbikes, quads, buggies and fast cars. He was so good at riding them, even from a young age. He loved being outdoors and causing chaos." Chad also enjoyed watching sports. He loved MMA fighter Paddy the Baddy - whose name inspired his nickname - and was a big Liverpool fan. There is a Reds-themed mural of Chad on Rankin Street in Wallasey, which was widely shared on social media following his death. The photo shows Chad proudly posing next to the mural, which has 'Chaddy the Baddy YNWA' written on it. In November 2021, three weeks after his fifth birthday, Chad was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. According to the NHS, around 30 children develop Ewing’s sarcoma in the UK each year. It is a type of cancer that can develop anywhere in the body but usually starts in the bone. Chad underwent chemotherapy at Alder Hey Children's Hospital and later had proton therapy at the Christie Hospital in Manchester, as well as 10 sessions of radiotherapy at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Sadly, the disease progressed rapidly, and treatment wasn't successful. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Following Chad's death, there was a huge outpouring of love for him and his family online. Many people wrote touching messages of condolence. One of Chad's teachers said: "I had the absolute pleasure and privilege of working with this incredible, inspiring, courageous cheeky chappy. Chad always charmed me with his eyes and smiles." The Santa Sleigh Run for Chad will start at Seacombe Ferry Terminal at 12pm on Sunday, December 8. Family friend Meisha Baker is helping to organise the event. Speaking to the ECHO, Meisha said: "Chad was the strongest little boy I've ever met. He instantly lit the room up no matter where he went. He was forever making everyone laugh and smile from a young age and still continued to do so even when he was going through a tough time battling his illness." Meisha wanted to use the Santa Sleigh Run to highlight the incredible work done by the Owen McVeigh Foundation. She explained: "Me, my family and a lot of others in our local area had never heard of the foundation until we saw what they did for Chad and his family, so we thought this would be our perfect opportunity to raise as much as we can so they are able to continue doing what they do." To find out more about the Owen McVeigh Foundation or donate to the appeal, visit the charity's website . If you wish to donate in Chad's memory, please use CHAD as a reference.A chorus of support is growing behind actress Blake Lively after she filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment and a smear campaign against "It Ends With Us" co-star Justin Baldoni. Actress Amber Heard on Monday became the latest celebrity to speak out on behalf of the "Gossip Girl" alum over what she says was a coordinated social media effort to tarnish her name. Over the weekend, Lively filed a complaint claiming that Baldoni and a lead producer had behaved unacceptably during the filming of box office hit "It Ends With Us." The allegations included that Baldoni -- who also directed the film -- had spoken inappropriately about his sex life, and had sought to alter the film to include sex scenes that were not in the script and had not been agreed to. They also detailed how lead producer Jamey Heath had watched Lively while she was topless, despite having been asked to turn away. But the complaint goes into great detail -- including with texts and emails -- on a PR campaign to wreck her reputation and to divert attention from any public comments she might make about the men's alleged misbehavior. This was "a carefully crafted, coordinated, and resourced retaliatory scheme to silence her, and others from speaking out about the hostile environment that Mr Baldoni and Mr Heath created," the complaint says. It includes allegations that the two men hired a crisis PR team that amplified or planted negative stories about Lively on social media platforms. "You know we can bury anyone," Melissa Nathan, a member of the team, is alleged to have said, according to messages contained in the complaint. Heard's ex-husband Johnny Depp hired the same PR team during the high-profile defamation trial between the couple in 2022, in which a jury unanimously found that Heard defamed Depp over allegations he abused her. "Social media is the absolute personification of the classic saying 'A lie travels halfway around the world before truth can get its boots on,'" Heard said in a statement carried by NBC News. "I saw this firsthand and up close. It's as horrifying as it is destructive." Heard's support came on the heels of a joint statement by America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel, who starred with Lively in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." "As Blake's friends and sisters for over 20 years, we stand with her in solidarity as she fights back against the reported campaign waged to destroy her reputation," they wrote on Instagram. "Throughout the filming of 'It Ends with Us', we saw her summon the courage to ask for a safe workplace for herself and colleagues on set, and we are appalled to read the evidence of a premeditated and vindictive effort that ensued to discredit her voice." A lawyer for Wayfarer, the studio behind the film, said in a statement released to the New York Times that neither the studio, its executives, nor its PR team did anything to retaliate against Lively. "These claims are completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious with an intent to publicly hurt and rehash a narrative in the media," lawyer Bryan Freedman wrote. The complaint was lodged with the California Civil Rights Department, and is a precursor to a lawsuit. Major Hollywood talent agency WME -- which represents Lively -- has reportedly dropped Baldoni as a client.
NoneFans of Strictly Come Dancing were stunned to see Wallace and Gromit make a cameo on the BBC dance contest. The good-natured, eccentric, cheese-loving inventor and his pet pooch made a surprise appearance ahead of their BBC takeover this month. The much-loved comedy is ready to release its new feature length adventure, Vengeance Most Fowl , and made their Strictly debut on Saturday's semi-final. The pair appeared as this week's celebrity guests to read out the show's Terms and Conditions for voting. And viewers watched as co-host Claudia Winkleman went 'live' to the duo's home on West Wallaby Street. However, the appearance seemed to take Wallace by surprise, who was still getting ready for his role. Gromit was forced to step in and once again save the day. The stop motion character had been heard humming along to the BBC One show’s theme tune, while having a wash, before peeking out from behind the shower curtain to tell Winkleman: “I’ll be two ticks.” Fans quickly took to social media to share their thoughts on the duo's appearance. One user on Twitter /X gushed: "Wallace & Gromit doing the T&C’s? Possibly the best thing I’ve ever seen #strictly." Another seemingly agreed, echoing the statement and adding. "Wallace and gromit doing the t&c’s is actually iconic i fear they should do it every week #strictly." A third beamed: "I am obsessed with Wallace & Gromit doing the T&C’s. Roll on Christmas Day x #Strictly," and a fourth said: "How lovely to see Wallace and Gromit on #StrictlyComeDancing! #Strictly." With a funny jibe at Wallace's antics, another said: "Typical that Gromit had to hold the fort while Wallace busied himself with his usual muppetry - how he got them both to the moon I'll never know. Well done, lad! #StrictlyComeDancing." Wallace and Gromit's latest adventure will be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC One at 6.10pm on Christmas Day. Tonight's exclusive minute-long animation was created by the Aardman team at their studios in Bristol for Strictly Come Dancing . In the film, comedian Peter Kay returns as PC Mackintosh, a character who was also in The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit, while Everybody’s Talking About Jamie actress Lauren Patel joins the cast. There will also be cameos from Motherland actress and comedian Diane Morgan, Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh and comedian and actor Sir Lenny Henry. Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
2025 predictions: How creators will beat the algorithmPresident Joe Biden on Monday vetoed a once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal district judgeships, saying “hurried action” by the House left important questions unanswered about the life-tenured positions. The legislation would have spread the establishment of the new trial court judgeships over more than a decade to give three presidential administrations and six Congresses the chance to appoint the new judges. The bipartisan effort was carefully designed so that lawmakers would not knowingly give an advantage to either political party in shaping the federal judiciary. > 24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are The Democratic-controlled Senate passed the measure unanimously in August. But the Republican-led House brought it to the floor only after Republican Donald Trump was reelected to a second term in November, adding the veneer of political gamesmanship to the process. The White House had said at the time that Biden would veto the bill. “The House of Representative's hurried action fails to resolve key questions in the legislation, especially regarding how the new judgeships are allocated, and neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate explored fully how the work of senior status judges and magistrate judges affects the need for new judgeships,” the president said in a statement. “The efficient and effective administration of justice requires that these questions about need and allocation be further studied and answered before we create permanent judgeships for life-tenured judges,” Biden said. He said the bill would also have created new judgeships in states where senators have not filled existing judicial vacancies and that those efforts "suggest that concerns about judicial economy and caseload are not the true motivating force behind passage of this bill now. U.S. & World Biden signs defense bill despite objections to ban on transgender health care for military children Famed Colombian drug lord Fabio Ochoa released from US prison and deported “Therefore, I am vetoing this bill,” Biden said, essentially dooming the legislation for the current Congress. Overturning Biden's veto would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate, and the House vote fell well short of that margin. Organizations representing judges and attorneys had urged Congress to vote for the bill. They argued that the lack of new federal judgeships had contributed to profound delays in the resolution of cases and serious concerns about access to justice. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., reacted swiftly, calling the veto a “misguided decision” and “another example of why Americans are counting down the days until President Biden leaves the White House.” He alluded to a full pardon that Biden recently granted his son Hunter on federal gun and tax charges. “The President is more enthusiastic about using his office to provide relief to his family members who received due process than he is about giving relief to the millions of regular Americans who are waiting years for their due process," Young said. "Biden’s legacy will be ‘pardons for me, no justice for thee.’” —-- Associated Press writer Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
Prediction: This Spectacular Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Will Be Worth More Than Palantir by 2030
A.O. Smith Corp. stock falls Wednesday, underperforms market
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes rose to more records Wednesday after tech companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to add to what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium. It’s the 56th time the index has hit an all-time high this year after climbing in 11 of the last 12 days . The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 308 points, or 0.7%, while the Nasdaq composite added 1.3% to its own record. Salesforce helped pull the market higher after delivering stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell just short. CEO Mark Benioff highlighted the company’s artificial-intelligence offering for customers, saying “the rise of autonomous AI agents is revolutionizing global labor, reshaping how industries operate and scale.” The stock price of the company, which helps businesses manage their customers, jumped 11%. Marvell Technology leaped even more after delivering better results than expected, up 23.2%. CEO Matt Murphy said the semiconductor supplier is seeing strong demand from AI and gave a forecast for profit in the upcoming quarter that topped analysts’ expectations. All the optimistic talk helped Nvidia , the company whose chips are powering much of the move into AI, rally 3.5%. It was the strongest force pushing upward on the S&P 500 by far. They helped offset an 8.9% drop for Foot Locker, which reported profit and revenue that fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Mary Dillon said the company is taking a more cautious view, and it cut its forecasts for sales and profit this year. Dillon pointed to how keen customers are for discounts and how soft demand has been outside of Thanksgiving week and other key selling periods. Retailers overall have offered mixed signals about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Their spending has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A narrower report released Wednesday morning suggested employers in the private sector increased their payrolls by less last month than economists expected. Hiring in manufacturing was the weakest since the spring, according to Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP. The report strengthened traders’ expectations that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. The central bank had appeared set to continue cutting rates into next year, but the election of Donald Trump has scrambled Wall Street’s expectations somewhat. Trump’s preference for higher tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation , which could alter the Fed’s plans . Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the central bank can afford to cut rates cautiously because inflation has slowed from its peak two years ago and the economy remains sturdy. A separate report on Wednesday said health care, finance and other businesses in the U.S. services sector are continuing to grow, but not by as much as before and not by as much as economists expected. One respondent from the construction industry told the survey from the Institute for Supply Management that the Fed’s rate cuts haven't pulled down mortgage rates as much as hoped. Plus, “the unknown effect of tariffs clouds the future.” In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.18% from 4.23% late Tuesday. On Wall Street, Campbell’s sank 6.2% for one of the S&P 500’s sharper losses despite increasing its dividend and reporting a stronger profit than analysts expected. Its revenue fell short of Wall Street’s expectations, and the National Football League’s Washington Commanders hired Campbell’s CEO Mark Clouse as its team president. Gains for airline stocks helped offset that drop after JetBlue Airways said it saw stronger bookings for travel in November and December following the presidential election. It also said it’s benefiting from lower fuel prices, as well as lower costs due to improved on-time performance. JetBlue jumped 8.3%, while Southwest Airlines climbed 3.5%. All told, the S&P 500 rose 36.61 points to 6,086.49. The Dow climbed 308.51 to 45,014.04, and the Nasdaq composite rallied 254.21 to 19,735.12. In stock markets abroad, South Korea’s Kospi sank 1.4% following a night full of drama in Seoul. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night, prompting troops to surround the parliament. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. In the crypto market , bitcoin climbed near $99,000 after Trump said he would nominate Paul Atkins , a cryptocurrency advocate, to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Ethereum Classic (ETC) & Bittensor Price Gain Significant Interest, but BlockDAG Steals the Spotlight with a Limited-Time 250% Bonus Offer
Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office
French government toppled in deepening political crisisTech sector gains lift US stock markets
World number one Luke Humphries continued his bid for back-to-back World Championship titles after easing through to the last 16. While there was high drama in Alexandra Palace on the first day back after the Christmas break, where Damon Heta threw a nine-dart finish, Humphries enjoyed a serene evening. He beat Nick Kenny 4-0 to set up a mouth-watering fourth-round meeting with two-time champion Peter Wright. THE WORLD NUMBER ONE KICKS ON! Luke Humphries comfortably books his spot in the Last 16 with a 4-0 whitewash victory over Nick Kenny, averaging 98.59! 📺 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) Kenny was unable to produce the form that saw him beat Raymond van Barneveld in the previous round and Humphries did not need to be anywhere near his best. “It was one of those games I didn’t want to take for granted,” he said. “I expected a tough game and I wasn’t firing, I felt there is so much more to give, I felt there was more to come out of me. “I didn’t want to give anyone an inch because they can take a mile. “I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight, I wasn’t at my best but when someone pushes me I know I can come up with the goods.” Earlier in the day Heta set the tournament alight on its resumption with a stunning nine-dart finish before bowing out. The Australian, seeded ninth, achieved darting perfection in the second set of his match with Luke Woodhouse to earn a cool £60,000 payday. However, his joy was short-lived as Woodhouse won a thrilling battle 4-3, having trailed 3-1. HEROIC HETA HITS THE NINE! 🔥 UNBELIEVABLE SCENES! 🤯 Damon Heta lands the second nine-darter of the tournament to raise the roof at Alexandra Palace! — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) Heta was millimetres away from throwing a nine-darter in the previous round when he missed the double 12, but he made no mistake this time in the first match after the Christmas break. Heta’s feat was the second time a nine-darter has been thrown in the 2025 tournament and the 16th of all time at the World Championship, following Christian Kist’s effort before Christmas. As well as landing the Australian a hefty payday, it also saw a lucky fan in Ally Pally win a £60,000, with £60,000 also being donated to Prostate Cancer UK. There were several other titanic battles, none better than Gerwyn Price’s sudden-death leg victory over Joe Cullen. Price looked like he was going to have an easy night when he coasted into a 3-0 lead, but Cullen hit back to send it to a decider, which went all the way. Cullen landed a ‘Big Fish’ 170 checkout to send the tie to a sudden-death leg on his throw but Price hit some big numbers to steal victory. “That was tough, I just wanted to get over the winning line,” he said during his on-stage interview. PRICE WINS A THRILLER! That might just be the game of the tournament so far! 💥 Gerwyn Price manages to break the Rockstars throw in the final leg of the game, and beats Joe Cullen 4-3 and books his place in the Last 16! 📺 — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) “He kept coming back, the crowd were way behind him. “I thought I was going to lose, but I kept in there right to the end and got the win. “He played some good darts at the right times. I put myself in that position, I got myself out of it and I’m still in.” Seventh seed Jonny Clayton also battled to victory after squandering a 3-0 lead against Daryl Gurney. Gurney then had six darts to send the decider to a tiebreaker but lost his nerve and Clayton stole a 4-3 win. Stephen Bunting and Peter Wright, who was suffering from a chest infection, enjoyed much more safe passages with routine wins over Madars Razma and Jermaine Wattimena respectively.
Mbappé enduring 'difficult moment' as he misses another penalty kick and Madrid loses to Athletic MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé admitted he is going through a difficult moment as he missed another penalty kick and Real Madrid lost ground to Barcelona in the Spanish league after a 2-1 loss at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press Dec 4, 2024 3:23 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe fails to score a penalty during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao, Spain, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Miguel Oses) MADRID (AP) — Kylian Mbappé admitted he is going through a difficult moment as he missed another penalty kick and Real Madrid lost ground to Barcelona in the Spanish league after a 2-1 loss at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Mbappé had his penalty saved by Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala in the 68th minute, and later Federico Valverde gifted a late goal by losing possession on defense to allow an easy winner by Gorka Guruzeta in the 80th. “Bad result,” Mbappé posted on Instagram. “A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it's the best time to change this situation and show who I am.” Mbappé sent the penalty shot to his right and Agirrezabala dived that way to make the stop. “We knew that he is a good penalty taker,” Agirrezabala said. “He missed the last one and I believed that he was going to choose the same side and luckily that’s what happened.” Mbappé, who had a goal disallowed for offside in the 13th, had also missed a penalty in Madrid’s 2-0 loss at Liverpool in the Champions League last week. He didn’t take the one for the club in a Spanish league match on Sunday, but he scored in the 2-0 win over Getafe to ease some of the pressure on him and the club. But it was another lackluster outing for the France star, who continues to struggle in his first season since finally joining the Spanish powerhouse. “I won’t evaluate the performance of a player because of a missed penalty. Obviously he is sad and disappointed, but you have to move on,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said about Mbappé. “He is not at his best level, but you have to give him time to adapt. You have to give him time to be able to do better.” Ancelotti also downplayed the bad play by Valverde, saying that mistakes can happen to anyone. Valverde had control of the ball but gave it away while trying to get past a couple of Athletic players instead of passing it to a teammate, leaving Guruzeta with an easy run into the area for his goal. Álex Berenguer had put the hosts ahead in the 53td and Jude Bellingham equalized for Madrid in the 78th. The defeat left Madrid four points behind Barcelona, which on Tuesday ended a three-match winless streak in the league with a 5-1 rout at Mallorca. Madrid, which has a game in hand, had won three consecutive league games since a 4-0 loss at home in the “clasico” against Barcelona. Madrid has lost five of its last 11 matches in all competitions. Athletic moved to fourth place with the victory, its fourth consecutive across all competitions. Both matches on Tuesday and Wednesday were moved forward in the schedule because the clubs will be playing in the Spanish Super Cup in January. Copa del Rey In the Copa del Rey, first-division clubs Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Real Betis all advanced over lower-division teams in the second round, but Villarreal lost 1-0 to fourth-division club Pontevedra and Girona fell on penalties to fourth-tier team Logrones. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Soccer The draw for the FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup is coming up. Here’s what to know Dec 4, 2024 3:33 PM Liverpool's lead cut in Premier League and Man City ends slump. Chelsea and Arsenal win Dec 4, 2024 3:18 PM Frankfurt follows Bayern with early exit from German Cup in 3-0 loss at Leipzig Dec 4, 2024 2:57 PM
TransMedics to Participate in the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare ConferenceCeribell to Participate in the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare ConferenceMbappé enduring 'difficult moment' as he misses another penalty kick and Madrid loses to Athletic
TORONTO — Canada's main stock index moved lower Monday, led by losses in technology and utilities stocks, while U.S. stock markets were also down. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 66.38 points at 25,625.42. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 240.59 points at 44,401.93. The S&P 500 index was down 37.42 points at 6,052.85, while the Nasdaq composite was down 123.08 points at 19,736.69. “It started pretty positive in the morning. It's just been slowly, slowly grinding down ever since,” said Michael Currie, senior investment adviser at TD Wealth. Some of the market direction Monday was driven by two separate news stories out of China, he said. “The (Chinese) central bank says they're starting to buy gold again, and they're looking to loosen their monetary policy a bit. So that helped oil a lot, helped gold a lot,” said Currie. China also said it’s investigating semiconductor giant Nvidia over suspected violations of anti-monopoly laws, which sent the company’s stock lower. Nvidia’s share price was down 2.6 per cent Monday at US$138.81. Otherwise, “it’s all about interest rates today,” said Currie. In the U.S., investors are awaiting the latest update on inflation later in the week. However, given that the slowing job market is more of a concern for the U.S. Federal Reserve at this point, the data is unlikely to change what investors currently expect from the Fed next week, said Currie: a quarter-percentage-point cut. “Unless there's something really crazy out of the inflation numbers, there’s no reason to expect anything different is going to happen next week,” he said. In Canada, where the central bank is gearing up for a rate decision Wednesday, a larger half-point cut is more likely, he said. Expectations for a bigger cut rose after last week’s jobs report, which saw the unemployment rate jump to 6.8 per cent in November. “The more we're cutting rates, especially the accelerated rate compared to the States, the more that just keeps beating up our dollar,” said Currie. He expects more buzz in the coming months about the divergence between interest rates in Canada and the U.S. as the loonie continues to weaken. “We're seeing it already, and as the gap gets bigger, it'll become more of a story.” However, Currie noted the TSX briefly touched an all-time high earlier in the day. “Basically since the US election, it's just been a non-stop rally,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.77 cents US compared with 70.74 cents US on Friday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.17 at US$68.37 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up 11 cents at US$3.18 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$26.20 at US$2,685.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was up eight cents at US$4.28 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian PressMexico, the 51st US state? Trump says maybe it should be
