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Wall Street Futures Climb on Fed Cut Hopes as Bitcoin Extends Steep Decline

US markets staged a rebound Friday morning, with futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all moving higher after a turbulent week. The rally was fueled by growing bets that the Federal Reserve could cut interest rates at its upcoming December meeting, following dovish comments from New York Fed President John Williams. His remarks shifted sentiment sharply, with nearly 70% of traders now expecting a rate cut. Dow futures gained 0.7% , leading the advance. S&P 500 futures rose 0.5% , while Nasdaq futures added 0.4% . The optimism comes after Thursday’s sharp sell-off, underscoring the volatility gripping markets as investors weigh AI-driven risks and Fed policy divisions. Meanwhile, cryptocurrencies continued to struggle. Bitcoin plunged to around $82,000 , marking its worst month since the 2022 crypto collapse. The decline reflects heavy institutional outflows, miner sell-offs, and broader risk-off sentiment across digital assets.

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LCBO Stores Set to Reopen Tuesday After Resolving Last-Minute Dispute

 

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have resolved a last-minute dispute, paving the way for LCBO stores to reopen on Tuesday. This resolution comes after a two-week strike that saw over 9,000 workers walk off the job.

The tentative agreement, reached on Friday, initially hit a snag when the union and the LCBO disagreed over the return-to-work protocol. The LCBO accused the union of introducing new monetary demands, while the union maintained that their demands were standard and had been used in previous strikes.

Despite the initial impasse, both parties confirmed on Saturday morning that the dispute had been resolved. Voting on the tentative deal is set to occur over the weekend, and if ratified, unionized workers will return to work on Monday, with stores reopening to the public on Tuesday.

The agreement includes an eight-percent pay raise over three years, the conversion of 1,000 casual employees to permanent part-time status, and the hiring of 60 additional full-time employees in warehouse operations. Additionally, there will be no store closures for the duration of the deal.

A significant point of contention was the expansion of ready-to-drink beverages into grocery and convenience stores. The Ford government expedited this timeline, allowing licensed Ontario grocery stores to sell these beverages ahead of schedule. A non-binding committee will be formed to determine the best way to implement these plans.

With the resolution of this dispute, Ontarians can look forward to shopping at LCBO stores again, knowing that their purchases support public services.


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