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A widely expected increase in the October Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index — commonly regarded as the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge — triggered fresh losses for the U.S. dollar, while Treasury yields and U.S. stocks also slid in tandem. By 11:10 a.m. ET in New York, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), tracked by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF UUP , was down 0.8%, reflecting broad weakness in the greenback. Meanwhile, 10-year Treasury yields fell by five basis points to 4.26%, and the S&P 500, replicated by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY , dropped 0.4%. Tech stocks were hit harder, with the Nasdaq 100 — tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 QQQ — plunging 1.3%. The headline PCE price index rose by 2.3% year-over-year in October, up from 2.1% in September, in line with forecasts. Core PCE inflation, which strips out volatile energy and food prices, also ticked higher, climbing from 2.7% to 2.8% annually, meeting economist predictions. In a positive twist, personal spending and income data slightly beat expectations. Meanwhile, the second estimate for third-quarter U.S. GDP growth remained unchanged at a solid 2.8% annualized rate. Joseph Brusuelas , economist at RSM US, highlighted the strength of household finances ahead of the critical holiday shopping season. “Strong personal spending and a 0.6% increase in personal income underscores just how robust the economy and households remain as we approach Black Friday and year-end 2024,” Brusuelas said. Despite inflationary signals, Brusuelas maintains that the Federal Reserve is likely to lower interest rates by 25 basis points during its Dec. 18 meeting. Market-implied probabilities echoed this sentiment, with a 70% chance of a rate cut priced into futures markets. Yet, while U.S. economic data took center stage, Wednesday's market action appeared more influenced by carry-trade unwinding and growing speculation around a potential Bank of Japan (BOJ) interest rate hike in December. The Japanese yen jumped 1.2% against the dollar, extending its winning streak to three consecutive sessions. Such a strong daily move by the yen certainly strides with statistics revealing an October U.S. inflation uptick. “Investors are betting on an interest-rate hike from the Bank of Japan next month,” noted BBVA forex strategist Alejandro Cuadrado in a client note on Tuesday. The interest rate futures curve now implies a 65% probability of a BOJ rate hike in December, compared to just 30% at the start of November . The yen's Wednesday outperformance has revived memories of the carry-trade turmoil from early August, when a sudden shift in yen-dollar dynamics sent shockwaves across global markets. Since that episode, the yen had depreciated by over 5% against the dollar, weighed down further by the victory of Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. Read Now: Amazon Dominates Holiday Shopping As Black Friday Spending Soars: Goldman Sachs Photo: Pixabay © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.I n the U.K., The Guardian newspaper announced earlier this month that it will no longer be posting on X , claiming that it is “a toxic media platform” and that its owner, Elon Musk, “has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.” Is social media a useful tool or is it becoming a threat to democratic societies? Alan Rusbridger and Pratik Sinha discuss the question in a conversation moderated by Priscilla Jebaraj . Edited excerpts: How much should a news outlet or even regular users be worried about the ownership of a social media platform in deciding where to post and where to consume news? Alan Rusbridger: It is a real dilemma because Twitter (now X) was for many years a really wonderful place for posting news, finding audiences, finding out news, and building relationships. In normal circumstances, who owns a media platform shouldn’t worry us too much. But Elon Musk has so dominated Twitter, the platform that he bought, and insisted that people follow him, that it is difficult to ignore the question of ownership. Pratik Sinha: We should be worried. One should think of online spaces just the way we think of offline spaces. Offline, we try to quit toxic spaces and some people have the privilege of being able to do so. When you are able to quit a toxic relationship, typically it is because you are financially independent. The Guardian is such a huge organisation that even if it doesn’t have traffic from X, it is okay for the newspaper. X is probably just a little more toxic than other platforms. So, it is a privilege that one is able to quit a more toxic platform and focus on others. Comment | No ‘X factor’ — reconciling freedom and accountability It is important to know who owns media organisations, but it is not the only factor. One also has to look at day-to-day reportage. Had Mr. Musk bought X and not used it as a political tool, it would have been a different matter. But not only did he buy it; he uses it as a personal tool and not just a political tool. The algorithm has been tweaked to ensure that everyone on X sees his posts. That is where the problem lies. How important is social media to disseminate content? Pratik Sinha: Very important, unfortunately. Our primary sources of information have become social media platforms which are controlled by multi-billion dollar companies. We have to use these platforms because, how else do we reach out to people? And that also makes censorship easy because the government only has to have a relationship with these two or three platforms, the kind of relationships that governments typically have with monopolies, to ensure that the information that should reach citizens is censored. We are in a tricky space because we have no free platforms where information can reach citizens without many layers of filters. Also read | Bluesky attracts millions as users leave Musk’s X after Trump win Alan Rusbridger: It used to be really important. There are about 350 million people on X, so that is a considerable audience. In the digital world, for a long time, it was really important to be able to amplify journalism through that platform. But people who analyse these things say that the number of referrals from social media, and to some extent from search engines, has declined. Are some platforms worse than others? Alan Rusbridger: I think the problem is that there is a huge mismatch between the editorial standards and values that the best news organisations represent and the editorial standards of Mr. Musk. He has none. He has abandoned all the trust and safety teams. He doesn’t believe in content moderation; he sees it as censorship. The attempts by regulators and advertisers to try and clean up X have been met with the most foul-mouthed rejection. He also holds contempt for the free press. He is constantly telling people that they shouldn’t believe anything on the legacy media and that the only place you can find the truth nowadays is X. So it is an act of peculiar masochism to keep appearing on his platform when he despises us. That is why people are thinking, well, let’s go somewhere where we are valued and where facts and truth and journalism still count for something. What alternatives do you think are better? Alan Rusbridger: There is Mastodon, which everyone found extremely hard to use, so it has not really worked. There is Threads, which has become quite popular quite quickly. And there is Bluesky, which a lot of journalists are now fleeing to. There is a view that you shouldn’t moderate anything. That is not a view that has widely brought favour in the world apart from the U.S. under Donald Trump. Most people feel that there is a lot of illegal, harmful content which should be moderated in some way. Also read | X rival Bluesky fights a flood of spam, scams, and harmful content as millions join Pratik Sinha: The problem is centralisation of information. What I consider as true alternatives are decentralised systems. Mastodon and Bluesky have been designed to be decentralised. I don’t consider Threads as an alternative because it is just another product by a monopoly which is not decentralised, though it is attempting to include some decentralisation features. Alternatives will not be as convenient to use and we should be okay with that because it is the only way that these platforms will have the opportunity to improve. Misinformation is platform-agnostic. Quantitatively, it is very difficult to say whether there is more on one platform, because it also depends on usage. For instance, in India, there is more misinformation on WhatsApp simply because the usage of WhatsApp is high in India. What is different is the amount of hate speech that is being put out on different platforms. All platforms have a policy vis-a-vis hate speech, but the question is whether these policies are being implemented or not. I don’t think there is a single X employee dedicated to moderating Indian content on the platform. Everyone was fired. So, maybe in that particular aspect, Facebook might be slightly better than X because people are moderating content there. What kind of checks should platforms be putting in place to reduce such toxicity? Pratik Sinha: They need to invest money in people to moderate content. When riots had happened in Sri Lanka, Facebook did not have a single moderator in Sri Lanka. There were a few sitting in an office in Hyderabad. When the Rohingya exodus happened, there was no moderator in a local language. If you look at the number of moderators per million of population, India would be one of the lowest in the world. In India, there are many languages and nuance. Dog whistling is different in every language. None of these platforms are able to do that because they don’t want to invest the money. Also read | X feeds monetisation of misinformation in a time of war Alan Rusbridger: The best platforms are developing systems and it is bound to involve a lot of AI to try and identify people who are trying to cause real harm. During the recent Southport riots in England, Mr. Musk himself was re-posting really dangerous stuff. You can’t have social media being used to organise murder. That should be obvious. So, whether it is human fact-checkers and moderators or AI systems and content management moderation systems, most people think that you have got to have some systems to catch the worst behaviour. Otherwise, this technology can be used to cause immense harm. What role do you think social media can play in building democracy? Pratik Sinha: We confuse a communication system with a communication system controlled by monopolies. Any communication system which works well is great for citizens and for democracy; it will be used by people to put their voice out. We know what is happening in Palestine because it is being broadcast. The number of people who died in the Iraq war was much higher than the number of people who have died in Palestine. But Iraq happened when there was no social media. But when that same communication system is subsumed by the system committing the atrocity, it is a problem. Also read | Elon Musk calls Australian government ‘fascists’ over misinformation law Alan Rusbridger: Social media at its best is marvellous. On a platform like Facebook, there are, I think, three billion people who have the ability to publish and connect with each other. They are mostly using it for good purposes to organise, or for innocent purposes. So, it would be terrible to blacken all social media, abandon it or clamp down on it. But I think it is possible to stamp out the dangerous way of using social media. Also read | X’s fact checking feature falters in India during polls, amid automation and polarisation We [news outlets] need to start by choosing a platform which is run on ethical lines and recreate the kind of reasonably civilised discourse which was good for journalism. From what I have seen of Bluesky, people are rejoicing in the fact that it feels purer. Pratik Sinha: We have to have media and information literacy classes in schools where children learn how to look at different sources of information and process them. We need to think about decentralised communication systems. There will be challenges, but those aren’t insurmountable. Listen to the conversation in The Hindu Parley podcast Published - November 22, 2024 01:31 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit technology (general) / social networkingEarlier this month, the Orioles chose to part ways with one of their best relievers. They did so again Friday. The Orioles are planning to non-tender reliever Jacob Webb, two sources with direct knowledge confirmed to The Baltimore Sun ahead of Friday’s 8 p.m. arbitration tender deadline. The move makes Webb, who posted a 3.09 ERA in 78 2/3 innings in two seasons with Baltimore, a free agent. The decision comes a few weeks after the ballclub for 2025. In 81 innings over the past two years, Coulombe posted a 2.56 ERA and a sparkling 0.951 WHIP. Webb and Coulombe both missed time with elbow injuries in 2024 but managed to put up perhaps career-best performances on the mound. Manager Brandon Hyde frequently used both relievers because both pitchers have platoon-neutral profiles that allow them to succeed versus both right- and left-handed hitters. Webb joined the Orioles as a waiver claim in 2023 and experienced immediate success. Despite struggling in the 2023 postseason, he won a roster spot out of spring training in 2024 and was a consistent performer out of the bullpen. Webb was entering his second season of arbitration and was projected by MLB Trade Rumors for a modest pay raise from $1 million in 2024 to $1.7 million in 2025. Instead, the Orioles are choosing to go in a different direction. The Orioles still have to decide on their 12 other arbitration-eligible players ahead of Friday’s deadline. The club will need to tender contracts to the following players to keep them for 2025: outfielder Cedric Mullins; first baseman Ryan Mountcastle; catcher Adley Rutschman; infielders Jorge Mateo, Ramón Urías and Emmanuel Rivera; right-handers Dean Kremer, Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells; and left-handers Gregory Soto, Trevor Rogers and Keegan Akin. for players who have established themselves as big leaguers but have yet to spend enough time in the major leagues to become free agents. Eligible players have at least three years of MLB service time but fewer than the six necessary to hit free agency. The only exceptions are for players who already have a set salary through a guaranteed contract, such as left-handed reliever Cionel Pérez, whose $2.2 million team option was picked up by the club earlier this month. Tendering a contract to an arbitration-eligible player does not mean the sides have agreed to a 2025 salary yet, but rather the club has decided to keep the player under contract for the upcoming season. Non-tendered players such as Webb become free agents. The main reason a player is non-tendered is because the salary they’d garner through arbitration is higher than what the club wants to pay them, and the sides couldn’t agree before the deadline. After Friday’s deadline, teams and their tendered players have until Jan. 9 to agree on a 2025 salary. If they’re unable to do so, the sides will exchange proposed salary figures for the player. If the team and player remain at an impasse, a panel of arbitrators will hold a hearing and pick one of the two suggested salary figures. No other contract value can be chosen by the arbitrators. Hearings typically take place in February. Baltimore’s bullpen survived in 2024 without closer Félix Bautista, but it worsened as the season progressed. Bautista is expected back for the start of 2025, and setup men Yennier Cano, Seranthony Domínguez and Pérez will return as well to round out the back end of Hyde’s bullpen. Soto and Akin are also expected to return, though it’s yet to be announced whether the Orioles will tender them contracts ahead of the deadline. Related Articles The absences of Coulombe and Webb, though, do leave holes in the heart of the bullpen. They could be filled internally by pitchers like Bryan Baker or Colin Selby; or executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias could dip into the free-agent market to bolster his bullpen. “We do have a good bullpen to start the offseason with,” Elias said during a news conference last week. “You look at the returning guys and names and there’s a lot of above average relievers in there. I thought Seranthony Domínguez, who is coming back, did a great job after the deadline pitching at the end of games for us. It’s really nice to have him back. Cano’s been a mainstay and a rock out there, and we have the lefties. So we have a good start.” The Baltimore Banner was first to report the club is planning to non-tender Webb.

Sacramento State knocks off Air Force 63-61

Warren Buffett's Berkshire hits near six month highThe AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — EJ Neal had 12 points in Sacramento State’s 63-61 win against Air Force on Wednesday night. Neal had five rebounds for the Hornets (2-4). Julian Vaughns shot 5 for 8, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc to add 12 points. Jacob Holt had 10 points and shot 3 of 5 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. The Falcons (2-5) were led by Jeffrey Mills, who posted 19 points. Ethan Taylor added 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals for Air Force. Vaughns scored eight points in the first half and Sacramento State went into halftime trailing 33-22. Sacramento State used a 12-0 second-half run to take the lead at 34-33. Lachlan Brewer scored 10 second-half points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Georgia quarterback Carson Beck announced Saturday that he will forgo his final year of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft. Beck, 22, led the Southeastern Conference with 28 touchdown passes and finished third in the SEC with 3,485 passing yards. He also led the conference in interceptions, however. Beck will be a spectator for the Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff after undergoing surgery Monday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right (throwing) elbow. Gunner Stockton is in line to guide No. 2 seed Georgia into the CFP, starting with the Bulldogs' quarterfinal game against No. 7 seed Notre Dame at the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday in New Orleans. "There's unfinished business still this season and I'll be here to support however I can, finish strong!" Beck said in a statement posted on social media. Beck, a fifth-year senior, finished with a 24-3 record in his career with Georgia. "The past five years at the University of Georgia have been nothing short of a dream come true and I will forever cherish the memories that have been made. Thank you Dawg Nation for the time I've been here and to those who've supported and believed in me, thank you," Beck wrote on social media. "It's been an incredible journey and all these moments have ultimately led me to take the next step in my football career. With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft. Go Dawgs!" Beck, the Bulldogs' starter all year, was replaced in the second half of the SEC title game with the injury. Stockton helped to guide the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime win over Texas and clinch a first-round bye in the first 12-team playoff. --Field Level MediaBy COLLEEN SLEVIN DENVER (AP) — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family’s home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note had been left behind. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet’s killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. “What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come into detectives,” he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the “media circus” surrounding the case. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet’s clothing that pointed to the involvement of an “unexplained third party” in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys “victims of this crime.” Related Articles National News | Massive balloons take shape ahead of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade National News | Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs denied bail a third time as he awaits sex trafficking trial National News | Ex-US Sen. Bob Menendez seeks new trial, citing prosecutors’ recently admitted error National News | Federal court dismisses defamation lawsuit against Fox News for Jan. 6 conspiracy theory National News | Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the US this Thanksgiving John Ramsey has continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado’s governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he has been advocating for several items that have not been prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators have identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn’t been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be “consumed” if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review had ended but that police continue to work through and evaluate a “lengthy list of recommendations” from the panel. Amy Beth Hanson contributed to this report from Helena, Montana.Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia

Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey’s killing

Suddenly defensive Alabama looks to keep rolling against South Dakota StateDC Shopian inspects essential services restoration SHOPIAN: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shopian, Mohammad Shahid Saleem Dar along with SSP, Anayat Ali on Saturday conducted an extensive visit to the town, overseeing the restoration of essential services, snow clearance operations, and rescue efforts. This proactive approach ensures that the district administration is well-prepared to tackle the challenges posed by the snowfall. During the visit, the DC took stock of the snow clearance operations, reviewing the progress and directing the concerned agencies to expedite the process. The focus was on clearing major roads to restore connectivity and facilitate the movement of people and essential services. He also assessed the restoration of essential services, including power, water supply and healthcare facilities. In addition to overseeing the restoration efforts, the DC also reviewed the rescue operations, ensuring that the necessary resources and personnel are deployed to assist those in need in view of slippery roads in town. Officers of district and police administration and local authorities accompanied the DC during the visit.

Top 10 Picks of the Day – Sunday 5 JanuaryLongtime SF Giant Brandon Crawford announces retirement

The Tech Whisperer: Unveiling the Future of Innovation In the fast-paced world of technology investments, having an edge is crucial. Joe Albano, an expert with a solid foundation in electrical and software engineering, has positioned himself at the heart of tech innovation and investment strategies. Known for his remarkable insights into emerging trends, Joe has accurately predicted the trajectory of industries like AI for several years. Inside the Tech Cache Joe leads the well-regarded group, Tech Cache, where he provides invaluable insights into the dynamics of tech and growth stocks. Members gain access to Joe’s carefully curated personal portfolio, which is updated with 2-3 investment ideas weekly. They benefit from a comprehensive newsletter, a watchlist of trending stocks, and an automated stock rating system. The platform also allows for real-time discussions through a live chat feature. 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Cons: – Exclusive reliance on Joe’s insights without individual research could pose risks. – Not knowing the exact timing of market moves can result in market volatility influencing investments unexpectedly. Joe’s expertise is especially significant in witnessing the burgeoning trends within AI and semiconductor markets. His predictions and insights provide a roadmap to future growth, spotlighting opportunities in companies like AVGO (Broadcom Inc.) and NVDA (NVIDIA Corporation). Joe’s techniques captivate investors eager for long-term success through meticulous analysis of market shifts. – Conduct thorough personal research alongside leveraging expert insight from platforms like Tech Cache. – Regularly update your knowledge base with newsletters and stock lists from credible tech analysts. – Stay engaged with real-time market discussions to recalibrate strategies in response to dynamic market movements. Joe Albano’s perspectives hint at transformational shifts within technology investments, particularly in AI’s expansion into everyday sectors and the increasing demand for semiconductors. By providing valuable insights, Joe allows investors to see beyond present market conditions into potential future opportunities. For more insights into the world of tech investments, strategies, and market dynamics, you can explore more at Seeking Alpha.( MENAFN - Jordan Times) By In 2024, Jordan's Economy witnessed several developments that highlighted a delicate balance between relative stability in certain indicators and the persistent structural challenges hindering sustainable economic growth. Despite the government's efforts to improve economic performance, local and regional conditions, coupled with global pressures, continued to constrain growth and development prospects. Economic growth in Jordan recorded a rate of 2.4per cent, according to estimates from the World Bank. Although this rate fell short of ambitious expectations, it reflects relative stability in a turbulent economic environment. The performance was supported by improvements in specific sectors, such as manufacturing and services. However, the slow pace of both local and foreign investment hindered a significant leap in overall economic performance. In the first half of the year, real growth reached 2.2 per cent, indicating a relative slowdown compared to the same period last year. Tourism played a crucial role in supporting the economy, with tourism revenue in June growing by 2.1per cent compared to 2023, reaching 455.8 million Jordanian dinars ($642.9 million). However, the first half of the year witnessed a 4.9per cent decrease in tourism revenue, dropping to 2.3 billion Jordanian dinars ($3.3 billion), due to a 7.9 per cent drop in tourist numbers. This decline highlights the need for greater efforts to diversify tourist markets and enhance the travel experience. Inflation remained relatively stable, with an annual rate of 1.54 per cent from January to November 2024. This stability was driven by the steady prices of key essential goods, despite the volatility in global energy prices. In November, inflation was recorded at 1.3 per cent, reflecting a balance between price pressures and government efforts to mitigate the impact of price fluctuations on the local market. Regarding public finances, the budget deficit continued to put pressure on economic performance, reaching -5.2 per cent of GDP from January to September. Public debt stood at 43.75 billion Jordanian dinars by the end of September, presenting a significant challenge for the government as it strives to balance expenditure funding while reducing debt levels. However, foreign reserves remained stable at $20.144 billion in November, reflecting the central bank's effective management of monetary challenges. The unemployment rate remained high at 21.5 per cent in the third quarter of 2024. This indicator reflects the ongoing structural challenges in creating job opportunities for youth and graduates, despite government initiatives aimed at encouraging employment. In the business environment, the banking sector performed positively, with bank deposits rising by 4.5 per cent year-on-year to reach 44.3 billion Jordanian Dinars. Foreign direct investment (FDI), however, remained below expectations, highlighting the need to enhance the investment environment by simplifying procedures and attracting more investors. In the first half of 2024, Jordan experienced a 4 per cent increase in FDI, reaching 413 million Jordanian dinars compared to 396 million in the same period of 2023. Despite this modest rise, foreign investment continues to pose a challenge. The data shows that Jordan's International Investment Position, which reflects the kingdom's net assets and liabilities, recorded a slight increase in external obligations, rising by 30 million dinars to reach 38.107 billion dinars by the end of the first half of 2024, compared to 38.077 billion dinars at the close of 2023. This suggests a marginal rise in Jordan's financial commitments abroad. It also indicates that Jordan continues to rely heavily on external obligations, with a significant gap remaining in efforts to reduce debt or improve its international financial standing. This could potentially impact the government's ability to sustain economic growth and attract more foreign investment. In the energy sector, the kingdom continued to expand its renewable energy projects to enhance independence and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. This direction will not only help reduce energy costs but also strengthen national efforts towards environmental sustainability. However, the import bill remains a burden on the current account, which recorded a deficit of -6.8per cent of GDP during the first half of the year. Despite some partial achievements, 2024 remains a year of challenges for Jordan's economy. Key challenges include reducing unemployment rates, improving living standards, and increasing growth rates by attracting more investments. As 2025 approaches, Jordan appears to have a significant opportunity to accelerate economic reforms and achieve a better balance between growth and social development. MENAFN28122024000028011005ID1109038313 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.