As widely expected, Japan Prime Minister Abe's ruling coalition is set for a sweeping victory in Sunday's general election, and may retain the two-thirds parliamentary majority needed to revise Japan's constitution, according to an NHK exit poll.
Shinzo Abe during an election campaign rally in Tokyo, on Oct. 21
Global stocks hit new all time highs overnight, with US stock-index futures, Asian and European stocks all rising overnight after the Senate adopted a fiscal 2018 budget resolution, paving the way for Trump's $1.5 trillion in tax cuts, while news that "dove" Jay Powell may be the next Fed chair added to the risk-on sentiment.
Labour leader, Jacinda Ardern, will be New Zealand’s next Prime Minister after winning the support of the New Zealand First Party to form a coalition government. Labour with NZ First and the Greens will have 63 of the 120 parliamentary seats versus the National Party with 56. At 37, Ardern joins a global wave (France, Austria) of young politicians being appointed to key leadership roles, and will be the country’s youngest Prime Minister and the third woman to hold the post.
World stocks stayed near peaks and currencies moved in tight ranges on Wednesday as China’s 19th Communist Party Congress opened while focus in Europe turned to speeches from top euro zone central bankers before next week’s key policy meeting, as well as Catalonia's ultimatum due on Thursday. S&P futures are solidly in the green as usual, with Dow futures jumping above 23,000, driven higher by IBM as investors looked for new reasons to extend gains after hitting new all-time highs Tuesday.
After the Clinton Foundation’s chief spokesman suggested as much in a tweet on Saturday, the Clinton Foundation has confirmed that it will not be returning a $250,000 donation from disgraced Hollywood studio chief Harvey Weinstein, Fox news reported.
The foundation said Sunday that donations, ranging from $100,000 to $250,000, have already been spent on projects.