NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted amid mixed trading Monday, ahead of this week’s upcoming meeting by the Federal Reserve that could set Wall Street’s direction into next year. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, coming off its first losing week in the last four . The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.2% to a record, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was a laggard and fell 110 points, or 0.3%. Broadcom leaped 11.2% to help lead the S&P 500 for a second straight day after delivering a profit report last week that beat analysts’ expectations. The technology company is riding a wave of enthusiasm about its artificial-intelligence offerings in particular. The market’s main event, though, will arrive on Wednesday when the Federal Reserve will announce its last move on interest rates for the year. The widespread expectation is that it will cut its main rate for a third straight time, as it tries to boost the slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its target of 2%. The question is how much more it will cut rates next year, and Fed officials will release projections for where they see the federal funds rate ending 2025, along with other economic indicators, once their meeting concludes. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will also answer questions in a press conference following the meeting. For now, the general expectation among traders is that the Fed may cut a couple more times in 2025, according to data from CME Group. But such expectations have been shrinking following reports suggesting inflation may be tougher to get all the way down to 2% from here. Besides last month’s slight acceleration in inflation, another worry is that President-elect Donald Trump’s preferences for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation down the line. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle has dropped his earlier forecast of a cut by the Fed in January, for example. Beyond the possibility of tariffs, he said Fed officials may also want to slow their cuts because of uncertainty about exactly how low rates need to go so that they no longer press the brakes on the economy. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year and is heading for one of its best years of the millennium . The economy has held up better than many feared, continuing to grow even after the Fed hiked the federal funds rate to a two-decade high in hopes of grinding down on inflation, which topped 9% two summers ago. On Wall Street, MicroStrategy jumped as much as 7% during the day as it continues to benefit from the surging price for bitcoin , which set another all-time high. But its stock ended the day down by les than 0.1% after bitcoin’s price pulled back below $106,000 after setting a record above $107,700, according to CoinDesk. The software company has been building its hoard of the cryptocurrency, and its stock price has more than sextupled this year. It will also soon join the Nasdaq 100 index. Bitcoin’s price has catapulted from roughly $44,000 at the start of the year, riding a recent wave of enthusiasm that Trump will create a system that’s more favorable to digital currencies . Honeywell rose 3.7% after saying it’s still considering a spin-off or sale of its aerospace business, as part of a review of its overall business. It said it plans to give an update with the release of its fourth-quarter results. They helped offset a drop for Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI. Its stock fell 1.7%. Because it’s grown so massive, with a total value topping $3 trillion, it was the single heaviest weight on the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 22.99 points to 6,074.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 110.58 to 43,717.48, and the Nasdaq composite rose 247.17 to 20,173.89. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.39% from 4.40% late Friday. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, eased to 4.24% from 4.25%. In stock markets abroad, indexes fell modestly across much of Europe and Asia. They sank 0.9% in Hong Kong and 0.2% in Shanghai after China reported lackluster economic indicators for November despite attempts to strengthen the world’s second-largest economy. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.2% as law enforcement authorities pushed to summon impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his short-lived martial law decree, and the Constitutional Court met to discuss whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.‘When the good times turned dark’: Behind the scenes of an 80s Miami cocaine cartel(Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron shared an intense series of handshakes on Saturday, reminiscent of the white-knuckled grip-off that marked a meeting between the two leaders more than seven years ago. Visiting Paris to attend the reopening of the Notre-Dame cathedral, Trump was greeted by Macron at the steps of the Elysee Palace. It was Trump’s first foreign trip since winning the Nov. 5 U.S. election. Exiting his vehicle, Trump pulled Macron’s right hand towards his body as the two hugged and gripped each other with clenched fists, shaking firmly back and forth. While friendly, it appeared both men were holding on tight. As they ascended the steps of the palace and turned again towards the cameras, Trump positioned his hand above Macron’s and pushed down firmly as they locked hands for a second time. The sequence triggered approval from some Trump supporters online, who saw in the president-elect’s actions a concerted attempt to intimidate Macron. “President Trump is back to dominating world leaders with his handshake,” an account who goes by the username @BehizyTweets posted on the social media platform X. “Macron is going to need a hand massage after all that twisting and pulling Trump did to him.” The two men have a history of intense handshakes. When they met for the first time in May 2017 ahead of a NATO summit in Brussels, each man gripped each other’s right hand so firmly that their knuckles turned white and their jaws seemed to clench as they sat for a face-to-face meeting. Macron told a newspaper in 2017 that the white-knuckle handshake was “not innocent” and “a moment of truth” aimed at showing his U.S. counterpart, whose first term ended in January 2021, that he would not be intimidated. Trump and Macron were joined later on Saturday by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. The meeting occurred with world leaders in Paris to celebrate Notre-Dame’s restoration five years after it was ravaged by fire. Trump and Macron shared another firm and prolonged handshake outside the cathedral, though it fell short of the intensity of the 2017 grip-off, according to social media influencer Collin Rugg. “The handshake battle between Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron continues,” Rugg posted on X. “Their handshake at the Notre Dame Cathedral lasted for 17 seconds, coming short of their previous record of 29 seconds.”
MELBOURNE, Australia , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As we move into 2025, the potential of AI is reshaping how sales teams operate, engage, and deliver value. Sales teams that fail to leverage AI risk being left behind – similar to the cloud and mobile technology transformations over the last decade. B2B sales productivity has always hinged on effective engagement, efficient processes, and timely decision-making, which AI sales tools are set to revolutionise. By capturing activity data and providing sales-focused playbooks, AI can optimise daily sales activities with new efficiencies. The quality of this AI driven decision making is underpinned by the underlying quality of the data sets used, enabling sales teams to orchestrate the highest value tasks across their team's activities. Gartner predicts that by 2026, 75% of B2B sales organisations will augment traditional playbooks with AI-guided selling solutions, making AI the primary system of action for sales. This isn't just about automation; it's about versatility – from multichannel engagement to workflow execution – all within a single interface. These tools can reduce time spent on tasks like prospecting and meeting preparation by over 50%, enabling teams to focus on building relationships and closing deals. At Firmable, we see AI as the engine room of modern sales. Firmable deeply integrates Australia's highest quality external business data to deliver the most useful AI toolkit to lift sales team productivity. For 2025 we're building AI agents that not only automate tasks but also continuously learn and improve. Imagine AI generating and prioritising sales tasks based on real-time signals – updating CRM records, enriching account information, managing prospect outreach, and tracking outcomes. Leveraging large language models (LLMs) and customer-specific data, these agents refine processes with every interaction, enhancing the quality and relevance of engagements over time. This isn't just layering AI on top; it's fundamentally rethinking how sales teams operate. The evolution of AI also brings higher expectations from B2B customers. Sales teams must now deliver deeply personalised outreach and seamless user experiences. Efficiency isn't just about saving time; it's about creating meaningful connections and addressing customer needs more effectively. As AI drives process efficiency, sales professionals will need to balance automation with a human touch. The message is clear: businesses that fail to adopt AI risk being left behind – not just in speed and scale but in their ability to meet evolving customer demands. AI isn't just a tool; it's a foundational layer transforming how we build products, engage markets, and drive growth. At Firmable, we're committed to leading this transformation, deeply integrating the highest quality data into our AI agents, to ensure our customers have the tools they need to thrive in the AI era. As we look to 2025, AI will continue to redefine the B2B sales landscape and accelerate growth, for those ready to embrace its potential. About Firmable Firmable is Australia's definitive B2B database platform, helping businesses drive smarter decisions and outperform by knowing more about their leads, customers, and candidates than ever before. The platform provides access to the largest database of companies in one place with a rich set of attributes, allowing sales and marketing teams to accelerate growth, better engage with their customers, and save time by leveraging reliable market intelligence. SOURCE Firmable Pty Ltd.
Two Sigma, Hillhouse Risk Losing Texas Cash on New China CurbsJERUSALEM — Israel approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon's Hezbollah militants on Tuesday that would end nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire, starting at 4 a.m. local time Wednesday, would mark the first major step toward ending the regionwide unrest triggered by Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. But it does not address the devastating war in Gaza , where Hamas is still holding dozens of hostages and the conflict is more intractable. Hours before the ceasefire with Hezbollah was to take effect, Israel carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict and issued a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across the country, according to local authorities. Another huge airstrike shook Beirut shortly after the ceasefire was announced. Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. There appeared to be lingering disagreement over whether Israel would have the right to strike Hezbollah if it believed the militants had violated the agreement, something Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted was part of the deal but which Lebanese and Hezbollah officials have rejected. Israel's security Cabinet approved the U.S.-France-brokered ceasefire agreement after Netanyahu presented it, his office said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, called the agreement “good news” and said his administration would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. The Biden administration spent much of this year trying to broker a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza but the talks repeatedly sputtered to a halt . President-elect Donald Trump vowed to bring peace to the Middle East without saying how. Still, any halt to the fighting in Lebanon is expected to reduce the likelihood of war between Israel and Iran, which backs both Hezbollah and Hamas and exchanged direct fire with Israel on two occasions earlier this year. In this screen grab image from video provide by the Israeli Government Press Office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes a televised statement Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem, Israel. Netanyahu presented the ceasefire proposal to Cabinet ministers after a televised address in which he listed accomplishments against Israel’s enemies across the region. He said a ceasefire with Hezbollah would further isolate Hamas in Gaza and allow Israel to focus on its main enemy, Iran. “If Hezbollah breaks the agreement and tries to rearm, we will attack,” he said. “For every violation, we will attack with might.” The ceasefire deal calls for a two-month initial halt in fighting and would require Hezbollah to end its armed presence in a broad swath of southern Lebanon, while Israeli troops would return to their side of the border. Thousands of additional Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers would deploy in the south, and an international panel headed by the United States would monitor compliance. Biden said Israel reserved the right to quickly resume operations in Lebanon if Hezbollah breaks the terms of the truce, but that the deal "was designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities.” A police bomb squad officer inspects the site where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel, Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024. Netanyahu’s office said Israel appreciated the U.S. efforts in securing the deal but “reserves the right to act against every threat to its security.” Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati welcomed the ceasefire and described it as a crucial step toward stability and the return of displaced people. Hezbollah has said it accepts the proposal, but a senior official with the group said Tuesday it had not seen the agreement in its final form. “After reviewing the agreement signed by the enemy government, we will see if there is a match between what we stated and what was agreed upon by the Lebanese officials,” Mahmoud Qamati, deputy chair of Hezbollah’s political council, told the Al Jazeera news network. “We want an end to the aggression, of course, but not at the expense of the sovereignty of the state," he said, referring to Israel's demand for freedom of action. “Any violation of sovereignty is refused.” Rescuers and residents search for victims Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Beirut, Lebanon. Even as ceasefire efforts gained momentum in recent days, Israel continued to strike what it called Hezbollah targets across Lebanon while the militants fired rockets, missiles and drones across the border. An Israeli strike on Tuesday leveled a residential building in central Beirut — the second time in recent days warplanes have hit the crowded area near downtown. At least seven people were killed and 37 wounded, according to Lebanon's Health Ministry. Israel also struck a building in Beirut's bustling commercial district of Hamra for the first time, hitting a site around 400 meters (yards) from Lebanon’s Central Bank. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli military said it struck targets linked to Hezbollah's financial arm. The evacuation warnings covered many areas, including parts of Beirut that previously were not targeted. The warnings sent residents fleeing. Traffic was gridlocked, with mattresses tied to some cars. Dozens of people, some wearing pajamas, gathered in a central square, huddling under blankets or standing around fires as Israeli drones buzzed overhead. Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings for 20 buildings in Beirut's southern suburbs, where Hezbollah has a major presence, as well as a warning for the southern town of Naqoura where the U.N. peacekeeping mission, UNIFIL, is headquartered. UNIFIL spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said peacekeepers will not evacuate. Israeli soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. The Israeli military also said its ground troops clashed with Hezbollah forces and destroyed rocket launchers in the Slouqi area on the eastern end of the Litani River, a few miles from the Israeli border. Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah would be required to move its forces north of the Litani, which in some places is about 20 miles north of the border. Hezbollah began firing into northern Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, saying it was showing support for the Palestinians, a day after Hamas carried out its attack on southern Israel, triggering the Gaza war. Israel returned fire on Hezbollah, and the two sides have exchanged barrages ever since. Israeli security officers and army soldiers inspect the site Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024, where a rocket fired from Lebanon landed in a backyard in Kiryat Shmona, northern Israel. Israel escalated its bombardment in mid-September and later sent troops into Lebanon, vowing to put an end to Hezbollah fire so tens of thousands of evacuated Israelis could return to their homes. More than 3,760 people have been killed by Israeli fire in Lebanon the past 13 months, many of them civilians, according to Lebanese health officials. The bombardment has driven 1.2 million people from their homes. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Hezbollah fire has forced some 50,000 Israelis to evacuate in the country’s north, and its rockets have reached as far south in Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers have died in the ground offensive in Lebanon. Chehayeb and Mroue reported from Beirut and Federman from Jerusalem. Associated Press reporters Lujain Jo and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
