Reuters

A look at the day ahead in U.S. and global markets by Samuel Indyk

The expected rightward shift in the European Parliament after a four-day election has still managed to jolt European markets as gains for the far-right in France prompted French President Emmanuel Macron to call a snap parliamentary election.

French bonds and stocks were sold off while the euro dropped as political uncertainty had investors heading for the exits.

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Daphne Psaledakis

CAIRO (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visits Egypt and Israel on Monday hoping to deliver the ceasefire that President Joe Biden proposed last month, in an all-out push by Washington to secure an end to the Gaza war.

Ahead of his arrival, both sides doubled down on hardline positions that have scuppered all previous attempts to end the fighting, while Israel pressed on with... (continue reading...)

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures inched lower on Monday as investors were cautious ahead of key inflation data and a central bank policy meeting scheduled for this week.

Investors grappled with conflicting data last week, with indexes closing slightly lower on Friday after Nonfarm Payrolls data was much stronger than expected, but the unemployment rate ticked higher and household surveys showed signs of weakness.

Markets dialed back... (continue reading...)

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Belarus said on Monday its army was taking part in the second stage of Russian exercises ordered by President Vladimir Putin to practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons.

The first phase of the drills took place in southern Russia last month, in what nuclear analysts said was a warning signal by Putin to deter the West from wading more deeply into the war in Ukraine.

Belarusian Defence Minister Lieutenant... (continue reading...)

By Belén Carreño and Charlie Devereux

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's centrist parties contained a far-right surge in Sunday's European Parliament elections that is shaking governments in neighbouring countries, helping to bolster Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez standing as one of Europe centre-left's leading figures.

The centre-right People's Party (PP) and Sanchez's Socialists (PSOE) gained two-thirds of the vote, up from about half of the... (continue reading...)