Good afternoon, friends. The holiday slowdown remains in full effect as we inch closer to New Year’s Eve. Headlines both at home and abroad remain calm, making it the perfect time to pick up a book or plug into a podcast during the downtime.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

🌐 There’s next to no news grabbing headlines today; the only notable story is a rebound spike in oil prices today after prices dropped last Friday. Oil prices jumped 2% earlier this afternoon on the back of tensions in our region and peace talks between Russia and Ukraine hanging in the balance. Brent crude jumped to over USD 61 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose above USD 57. The price increase comes as China pledges to support fiscal spending next year.

** Read more on Bloomberg and Reuters.

☀️ TOMORROW’S WEATHER- We’re in for more of the same chilly weather tomorrow, with the mercury set to peak at just 20°C before dropping down to 10°C, according to our favorite weather app.

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