Author: Steven Sahiounie

MSCI’s index of global shares added 0.12% and headed for a monthly gain of 8.7% NEW YORK/LONDON – Major Wall Street indexes notched weekly gains on Friday, as global equities drifted toward their biggest one-month rally since November 2020 during a shortened, muted trading session following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. Oil futures traded steady ahead of next week’s OPEC+ meeting, which could bring some kind of agreement on output cuts in 2024. Gold futures finished higher as the dollar index slipped against a basket of currencies on Friday. Data showed U.S. business activity held steady in November, but employment in the…

MSCI’s index of global shares was flat, but still headed for a monthly gain of 8.5% LONDON/SYDNEY – Global shares drifted on Friday in the absence of guidance from Wall Street, which was closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, but were still on course for their best month since November 2020. An indecisive Asia session extended to Europe, with the Stoxx 600 share index flat in early dealings. Both S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were also little changed. In geopolitical news, Israel and Hamas started a four-day ceasefire on Friday and the militants were set to release 13 Israeli women and…

Omani-German relations were established on the basis of respect, good faith and mutual trust in dealing with many contemporary international issues MUSCAT: Bilateral relations between the Sultanate of Oman and the Federal Republic of Germany are witnessing remarkable development in all fields, as established diplomatic relations that extend back to more than 50 years have resulted in a fruitful economic partnership between the two countries. The visit of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the Federal Republic of Germany in July 2022 reflected the depth of bilateral relations binding the two friendly countries, and represented a new starting point…

Geopolitical tensions and supply challenges could have a direct impact on gas prices, according to an Oilprice report The start of the peak consumption season in the EU amid rising demand from Asia could drive up prices for natural gas on the continent despite ample supply of liquified natural gas (LNG) globally, Oilprice reported this week. According to the outlet, the situation has been worsened by a range of factors, such as geopolitical tensions, including the recent Houthi ship seizure. Supply-chain challenges, like the restrictions in the Panama Canal and risks in the Suez Canal, have also been causing concerns…

Three Greek shipping firms have reportedly refused to carry Russian crude as US targets price-cap violations Three leading Greek shipping companies have stopped carrying Russian seaborne oil in recent weeks to avoid US sanctions, Reuters reported on Thursday, citing oil traders and shipping data. The firms – Minerva Marine, Thenamaris, and TMS Tankers – actively shipped Russian oil up until September and October, when they started scaling down their involvement, Reuters has said. The three companies also declined requests for vessels to carry Russian crude loading in November and later, the agency said, citing traders who had previously used the…

In a breach of the temporary humanitarian pause in Gaza, seven Palestinian civilians were injured today by Israeli occupation forces’ gunfire in two separate incidents in front of the Al-Quds and Indonesian hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip. WAFA correspondent reported that Israeli occupation forces opened fire on a group of civilians who were inspecting their homes around the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Beit Lahiya, north of the Gaza Strip. The gunfire resulted in the injury of three individuals. He added that Israeli snipers also targeted several civilians as they inspected their homes and properties around Al-Quds Hospital…

Demonstrtors also take to streets in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria to support Palestine, despite challenging weather Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets Saturday in Europe to demand a permanent cease-fire in Gaza amid a temporary humanitarian pause in the fighting. The large crowd, who marched from Hyde Park to Parliament Square in London, carried Palestinian flags and chanted: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” and “Free Palestine.” They asked the UK government and politicians to end its support of Israel and call for an immediate cease-fire and the extension of the four-day humanitarian…

The American Conservative publishes a report about the dangers of keeping US forces in Syria and Iraq, stressing that “policy paralysis and lack of political courage” could cause a catastrophic loss of American lives and start a regional war. The American Conservative published a report by Greg Carlstrom entitled Our National Disgrace in Iraq and Syria, in which it said that US forces were risking their lives “needlessly” due to “policy paralysis and lack of political courage.” The magazine reported that when Carlstrom, an economist, interviewed an American diplomat last year, he asked him about the Biden administration’s policy in Syria, and…

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Leyva Duran discussed the latest development in Gaza, the Saudi foreign ministry said. The two sides discussed developments in the situation in the Palestinian enclave and its surroundings, and the harm to unarmed civilians, in addition to discussing the importance of the international community fulfilling its responsibility to stop all military actions and return to the path of just and comprehensive peace for the Palestinian issue, in a way that achieves international peace and security. The two ministers also discussed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen and develop…

Jordan’s minister of foreign affairs has labelled 2023 the bloodiest year for Palestinians in more than a decade. Ayman Safadi on Saturday pointed out the importance of continued work with the international community to stop the Israel-Hamas war, the Jordan News Agency (Petra) reported. He warned that the displacement of people in Gaza would not provide a solution but only aggravate the situation. His comments were made during a joint press conference with the foreign ministers of Slovenia and Portugal, Tanja Fajon and Joao Cravinho, respectively Source: Arab News