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(Updates headline with no change to text) By Yoruk Bahceli LONDON, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Jews suffered the highest rate of religious hate crimes in England and Wales in the year to March, interior ministry data showed on Thursday. Muslims experienced the highest outright level of such crimes, but with them making up a larger proportion of the population, the rate was lower in the data that shows how social tensions, elevated by the war in Gaza, have remained high. A total of 2,873 religious hate crimes were recorded against victims perceived to be Jewish, equivalent to 106 crimes per 10,000 Jews. For people perceived to be Muslim the total was 4,478, or 12 per 10,000 Muslims. An attack against a synagogue in northern England last week led to the deaths of two Jewish men. The data showed a spike in offences against Muslims after the murder of three young girls at a dance event in Southport in July 2024 that led to violent anti-Muslim protests. "Today's hate crime statistics show that too many people are living in fear because of who they are, what they believe, or where they come from," said Britain's interior minister Shabana Mahmood. "I will not tolerate British people being targeted simply because of their religion, race, or identity," she said, noting police patrols have been stepped up at synagogues and mosques since last week's attack. Thursday's data was skewed by the exclusion of crimes recorded by police in London due to a change in its methodology designed to prevent overcounting. As a result, Thursday's figures were not directly comparable to previous years, but were broadly consistent with a pattern of increased religious hate crimes in Britain. ($1 = 0.7479 pounds) (Reporting by Yoruk Bahceli; Editing by Alison Williams)

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* EIA reports 80 bcf gas storage build, higher than expected * Waha Hub prices turn negative again on pipeline constraints * Tropical Storm Jerry not expected to hit US mainland (Adds EIA storage report, latest prices) By Scott DiSavino Oct 9 (Reuters) – U.S. natural gas futures eased about 1% to a one-week low on Thursday on a slightly bigger than expected storage build and a smaller decline in daily output than previously expected. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said energy firms injected 80 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas into storage during the week ended October 3. That was slightly higher than the 77-bcf build analysts forecast in a Reuters poll and compares with an increase of 78 bcf during the same week last year and an average build of 94 bcf over the past five years. Front-month gas futures for November delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 2.1 cents, or -0.6%, to $3.312 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) at 10:34 a.m. EDT (1434 GMT), putting the contract on track for its lowest close since September 30. That decline came despite forecasts for cooler, more near-normal weather and higher demand over the next two weeks than previously projected. In the cash market, average prices at the Waha Hub in the Permian Shale in West Texas fell back into negative territory on Wednesday for the 11th time in the last 12 days as ongoing pipeline maintenance, like work on Kinder Morgan's Permian Highway, trapped gas in the nation's biggest oil-producing basin. That was the 20th time Waha prices have dropped below zero so far this year and compares with an average of $1.40 per mmBtu so far in 2025, 77 cents in 2024, and $2.91 over the previous five years (2019-2023). Waha first averaged below zero in 2019. It happened 17 times in 2019, six times in 2020, once in 2023, and a record 49 times in 2024. In the tropics, the U.S. National Hurricane Center projected Tropical Storm Jerry would strengthen into a hurricane on Friday after passing the northern Caribbean Islands and then turning northeast toward the open Atlantic Ocean by early next week. Jerry is not expected to hit the U.S. mainland. SUPPLY AND DEMAND Financial firm LSEG said average gas output in the Lower 48 states fell to 106.3 billion cubic feet per day so far in October, down from 107.4 bcfd in September and a record monthly high of 108.0 bcfd in August. On a daily basis, output was on track to drop to a preliminary three-month low of 104.9 bcfd on Thursday. Preliminary data, however, is often revised later in the day. Thursday's projected daily output was higher than forecast on Wednesday and compares with a daily record high of 109.2 bcfd on July 28. Record output earlier this year allowed energy companies to inject more gas into storage than usual so far this summer. There was about 5% more gas in storage than normal for this time of year. Meteorologists forecast the weather will remain mostly near normal through October 24. LSEG projected average gas demand in the Lower 48 states, including exports, would slide from 100.4 bcfd this week to 99.7 bcfd next week. Those forecasts were higher than LSEG's outlook on Wednesday. The average amount of gas flowing to the eight big U.S. LNG export plants rose to 16.1 bcfd so far in October, up from 15.7 bcfd in September and a monthly record high of 16.0 bcfd in April. Week Wee Year Five ende k ago -yea d end Oct r Oct ed 3 aver 3 Sep age Actu 26 Oct al Act 3 ual U.S. weekly +80 +53 +78 +94 natgas storage change (bcf): U.S. total 3,64 3,5 3,61 3,48 natgas in 1 61 8 4 storage (bcf): U.S. total +4.5 +5. storage versus % 0% 5-year average Global Gas Curr Pri This Prio Five Benchmark ent or Mont r -Yea Futures ($ per Day Day h Year r mmBtu) Last Aver Aver Year age age 2024 (201 9-20 23) Henry Hub 3.34 3.3 2.58 2.41 3.52 3 Title Transfer 10.9 11. 12.8 10.9 15.4 Facility (TTF) 4 24 9 5 7 Japan Korea 11.1 11. 13.3 11.8 15.2 Marker (JKM) 2 14 5 9 3 LSEG Heating (HDD), Cooling (CDD) and Total (TDD) Degree Days Two-Week Total Curr Pri Prio 10-Y 30-Y Forecast ent or r ear ear Day Day Year Norm Norm U.S. GFS HDDs 116 98 89 105 131 U.S. GFS CDDs 54 62 59 58 40 U.S. GFS TDDs 170 160 148 163 171 LSEG U.S. Weekly GFS Supply and Demand Forecasts Prio Cur Next This Five r ren Week Week -Yea Week t Last r Wee Year (202 k 0-20 24) Aver age For Mont h U.S. Supply (bcfd) U.S. Lower 48 107. 106 106. 101. 98.1 Dry Production 3 .2 5 7 U.S. Imports 6.8 6.9 7.1 N/A 7.4 from Canada U.S. LNG 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Imports Total U.S. 114. 113 113. N/A 105. Supply 2 .1 6 5 U.S. Demand (bcfd) U.S. Exports 2.1 2.4 2.4 N/A 2.2 to Canada U.S. Exports 6.8 6.5 6.7 N/A 6.1 to Mexico U.S. LNG 16.2 16. 16.5 12.6 11.3 Export Feedgas 2 U.S. 4.9 5.3 6.0 5.4 6.9 Commercial U.S. 4.0 4.8 6.4 4.9 7.1 Residential U.S. Power 38.4 35. 32.0 36.6 31.7 Plant 7 U.S. 21.9 22. 22.3 22.1 22.4 Industrial 1 U.S. Plant 5.3 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.2 Fuel U.S. Pipe 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.8 Distribution U.S. Vehicle 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 Fuel Total U.S. 76.6 75. 74.1 76.4 76.3 Consumption 3 Total U.S. 101. 100 99.7 N/A 95.9 Demand 6 .4 N/A is Not Available U.S. Northwest 2026 202 2025 2024 2023 River Forecast Curr 6 % of % of % of Center (NWRFC) ent Pr Norm Norm Norm at The Dalles Day ior al al al Dam (Fiscal % of Day Actu Actu Actu year ending Norm % al al al Sep 30) al of Fore Nor cast mal For eca st Apr-Sep 93 94 76 74 83 Jan-Jul 87 87 78 76 77 Oct-Sep 88 88 80 77 76 U.S. weekly power generation percent by fuel – EIA Week Wee 2024 2023 2022 ende k d end Oct ed 10 Oct 3 Wind 10 8 11 10 11 Solar 7 7 5 4 3 Hydro 4 4 6 6 6 Other 1 1 1 2 2 Petroleum 0 0 0 0 0 Natural Gas 42 44 42 41 38 Coal 18 17 16 17 21 Nuclear 18 18 19 19 19 SNL U.S. Natural Gas Next-Day Prices ($ per mmBtu) Hub Curr Pri ent or Day Day Henry Hub 3.35 3.3 2 Transco Z6 New 1.9 1.8 York 1 0 PG&E Citygate 3.8 3.7 Eastern Gas 1.7 1.6 (old Dominion 1 6 South) Chicago 3.0 2.9 Citygate 1 7 Algonquin 2.2 1.8 Citygate 5 9 SoCal Citygate 3.5 3.3 Waha Hub -0.5 0.8 AECO 0.63 0.6 ICE U.S. Power Next-Day Prices ($ per megawatt-hour) Hub Curr Pri ent or Day Day New England 35.4 43. PJM West 50.9 54. Mid C 46.6 36. 7 14 Palo Verde 53.5 31. 9 40 SP-15 41.2 28. 7 80 (Reporting by Scott DiSavino in New York Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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NEW LONGER RANGE VARIANT OF TESLA MODEL Y REGISTERED WITH CHINA'S INDUSTRY MINISTRY – MINISTRY WEBSITE

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* Takaichi says doesn't want to trigger excessive decline in yen * Euro pressured by French political uncertainty and budget challenges * Fed's more hawkish tone influences dollar amid rate cut expectations (Updated in New York morning time) By Karen Brettell NEW YORK, Oct 9 (Reuters) – The Japanese yen fell to its weakest level against the dollar since mid-February on Thursday as the newly elected leader of the ruling party Sanae Takaichi said that she did not want to trigger excessive declines in the Japanese currency. The comments caused a brief yen rally, before it weakened back to its lows of the day. "We did see an uptick there briefly, at least it indicates that they're watching, but we don't really know what excessive means in the context for what you're going to tolerate," said Adam Button, chief currency analyst at investingLive in Toronto. The dollar was last up 0.24% at 153.04 yen after earlier reaching 153.21, the highest since February 13. The yen has tumbled this week on concerns that Takaichi will introduce more fiscally expansive policies. The yen has slowed its decline, however, as traders evaluate how much room she will have to stimulate the economy. “Traders are turning a little bit more sceptical on the Takaichi administration's capacity for passing fiscal stimulus and pushing back against the Bank of Japan's tightening plans,” said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay in Toronto. “That's a reflection of underlying inflation dynamics in Japan. The reality is that Japanese households are agitating for change because inflation is running at elevated levels,” Schamotta said. Takaichi said that the country's central bank is responsible for setting monetary policy but that any decision it makes must align with the government's goal. The euro, meanwhile, has dropped since French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu tendered his resignation and that of his government on Monday. The political paralysis has made it challenging to pass a belt-tightening budget sought by investors who are increasingly worried by France's expanding deficit. French President Emmanuel Macron’s office said on Wednesday he would appoint a new prime minister within 48 hours. The single currency was last down 0.34% at $1.1586 and reached $1.1576, the lowest since August 27. The dollar index gained 0.36% to 99.20, the highest since August 1. The dollar is being aided by some more hawkish commentary by Federal Reserve officials. Minutes from the U.S. central bank’s September meeting released on Wednesday showed that officials agreed that risks to the U.S. job market had increased enough to warrant an interest rate cut but remained wary of high inflation. “We are seeing a more hawkish tone from Fed policymakers, both in the minutes from September's meeting as well as ongoing commentary. And that's pushing back on market expectations for further aggressive easing,” said Schamotta. Traders are pricing in a 95% chance that the Fed cuts rates by 25 basis points at its October 28-29 meeting, while the odds of an additional cut in December have dropped to 80%, from 90%, in the past week, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch Tool. New York Fed President John Williams backs more interest rate cuts this year given the risk of a further slowdown in the labor market, he said in an interview published by The New York Times on Thursday. Traders are also focused on how long the U.S. federal government shutdown will last, with the economy likely to take a bigger hit the longer it drags on. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service said on Wednesday it will furlough more than 34,000 employees due to the government shutdown, effectively shuttering taxpayer call centers. In cryptocurrencies, bitcoin fell 0.95% to $121,773. (Reporting by Karen Brettell; Additional reporting by Joice Alves and Ros Russell Editing by Marguerita Choy)

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* Joy in Israel and Gaza after ceasefire announced * Silver breached the $50/oz level for the first time * Fed's Williams says he backs more rate cuts this year (Updates with U.S. morning hours) By John Biju and Kavya Balaraman Oct 9 (Reuters) – Gold prices eased on Thursday as some investors booked profits, but remained above the $4,000 per ounce level, as expectations of U.S. interest-rate cuts and persistent global uncertainties drove demand for the safe-haven asset. Silver, spurred by momentum in the gold market, strong investment demand and an ongoing supply deficit, breached the key psychological barrier of $50 per ounce for the first time. Spot gold fell 0.5% to $4,018.40 per ounce, as of 1022 am ET (1422 GMT). U.S. gold futures for December delivery fell 0.9% to $4,032.30. "Speculators are taking some gold chips off the table as the Gaza ceasefire takes effect since it reduces the temperature in a historically volatile region," said Tai Wong, an independent metals trader. Israel and Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire, the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the war in Gaza. "Overall, though, the faith in this trade is largely undiminished. However, this rally has been so rapid that no real support comes in until $3,850," Wong said. Bullion surged past the $4,000 per ounce mark for the first time on Wednesday, reaching a record high of $4,059.05. The non-yielding asset, which is traditionally considered a hedge during geopolitical and economic uncertainty, has surged more than 54% this year. Its rally has been fueled by geopolitical tensions, robust central bank buying, rising ETF inflows, expectations of U.S. rate cuts, and tariff-related economic uncertainties. Minutes of the U.S. central bank's September meeting, released on Wednesday, showed Federal Reserve officials agreed that risks to the U.S. job market were high enough to warrant a rate cut, but remained wary amid stubborn inflation. The Fed resumed its rate-cutting cycle in September, lowering the benchmark rate by 25 basis points. Traders are now pricing in a 25-basis-point cut each in October and December, with a 95% and 79.8% chance, respectively. Silver gained 2.7% to $50.19 per ounce after breaching the $50 mark earlier in the session. Silver has surged over 69% this year, driven by the same macroeconomic forces fueling gold's rally and tight supply conditions in the spot market. "Silver is playing a bit of catch up at this point, moving more aggressively to the upside than gold in recent sessions," said David Meger, director of metals trading at High Ridge Futures. Elsewhere, platinum rose 0.1% to $1,665.10 and palladium rose 2.5% to $1,485.55. (Reporting by Anushree Mukherjee, Kavya Balaraman and John Biju in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

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BOGOTA, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Colombia carried out its largest domestic public debt swap in history, for 43.4 trillion pesos ($11.18 billion), the Finance Ministry said on Wednesday night, as part of its debt management strategy amid the country's strained finances. In the transaction, the nation will receive domestic public debt securities (TES) maturing between 2025 and 2050 in exchange for TES maturing between 2029 and 2058, the ministry said in a post on X. The ministry received requests totaling 49.2 trillion pesos ($12.68 billion). The swap will generate fiscal savings of 1.7 trillion pesos ($438 million) this year due to interest, the statement added. This is the seventh domestic public debt swap the government has undertaken this year. ($1= 3,879.80 pesos) (Reporting by Nelson Bocanegra, Editing by Natalia Siniawski)

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By Alessandro Parodi Oct 9 (Reuters) – China said on Thursday it planned to add five more rare earth elements and related materials to its export controls list, tightening its grip on the sector ahead of talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. China produces over 90% of the world's processed rare earths and rare earth magnets. The 17 rare earth elements are vital materials in products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and military radars. Exports of 12 of them are now restricted after the Ministry of Commerce added five – holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium – along with related materials. The latest five are silvery in colour and can be used in various applications including for the nuclear, defence, medicine and fiber-optics sectors. HOLMIUM Holmium can be used in magnets, semiconductors, laser surgery devices and control rods for nuclear reactors. ERBIUM Erbium is mostly used in fibre-optic telecommunications and infrared technology. Pink-coloured erbium oxide is used to make infrared-absorbing glass. THULIUM Thulium is used in X-ray equipment, laser technology and ceramic materials in microwaves. It is fluorescent when exposed to ultraviolet light, making it useful to combat counterfeiting. EUROPIUM Europium, the most reactive rare earth element and also fluorescent, is used in control rods for nuclear reactors and glowing materials including for medical imaging. It is also used in magnetism research, alongside ytterbium. YTTERBIUM Ytterbium, the most volatile rare earth element, can be used as a radiation source in X-ray machines and has applications in nuclear medicine. It is also used as a catalyst and in quantum computers. (Reporting by Alessandro Parodi, Editing by Joe Bavier)

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Oct 9 (Reuters) – INVESTCORP: * SECURES $1BLN LOAN TO REFINANCE U.S. INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES * LOAN REFINANCING LED BY MORGAN STANLEY

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* RN leads polls as Macron falters amid political gridlock * Squabbling rivals may boost far right's path to power * Youthful protege Bardella rises, Le Pen faces ban By Gabriel Stargardter and Elizabeth Pineau PARIS, Oct 9 (Reuters) – After falling short of a majority in last year's snap legislative vote, French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said her party's victory had merely been delayed. Fifteen months later, with the fallout of that vote having plunged France into a chronic crisis, Le Pen and her National Rally (RN) sense their moment is nearing as Macron tests the limits of his power to avoid further elections. The RN's continued ostracisation from mainstream politics has positioned it as a leading beneficiary of the rumbling malaise. By watching the crisis unfold from the sidelines, it has been able to pick up disgruntled voters. FAR RIGHT AHEAD IN THE POLLS A Wednesday poll by OpinionWay for the right-wing CNEWS channel found that around 35% of French people planned to vote for the RN in the first round of a possible legislative vote, 10 points ahead of a broad leftist alliance if it were to regroup. While that is hardly an electoral tsunami – the RN was polling just slightly lower before the 2024 vote – the party believes it can win, or come close to, a majority in a legislative vote should Macron call one. It believes the electoral pacts between rival parties that stopped it from winning a majority in 2024 will no longer hold after months of partisan squabbling. A leftist alliance between the Socialists and hard-left "France Unbowed" has collapsed since the 2024 vote, while the "common platform" alliance between centrists and conservatives is on life support. Although Macron will name a new prime minister this week, his next government's survival is far from guaranteed. Experts say a dissolution of parliament in the coming weeks – something Le Pen has repeatedly called for – cannot be discounted. Le Pen has been clear that if her party falls far short of a majority, it will not seek the prime minister's office. If it got close, however, it would seek to lure rival lawmakers, most likely from the conservative Republicans party. The RN has been fine-tuning its candidate list for months, seeking to avoid the antisemitic, Islamophobic and racist candidates who derailed its election hopes last year. "The goal is to secure a majority, convince the French, and show that our policies will produce rapid results, that an antidote is possible," RN lawmaker Julien Odoul told Reuters. FROM TABOO PARTY TO GOVERNMENT-IN-WAITING? Once a byword for racism and antisemitism, the RN has been on a steady upward march since Le Pen sought to professionalise the party in 2017, and as anti-immigrant sentiment has become more mainstream. Although it remains toxic for many French, the party views itself as a government-in-waiting. Le Pen's role in a potential future RN government is unclear. Her presidential hopes hang by a thread after she received a five-year political ban following an embezzlement conviction in March. Her appeal will be held in January, with a verdict expected before the summer. If Macron dissolves parliament, she would almost certainly not be able to run again due to her political ban. While losing her parliamentary seat would be an inconvenience, it is unlikely to eclipse her political star, and she will still remain one of the loudest voices in French politics. BARDELLA COULD OVERCOME TOXIC LEGACY Should Le Pen's ban be upheld, and she cannot run for the presidency in 2027, she has said her political protege, 30-year-old party president Jordan Bardella, will run instead. That may be no bad thing for the RN. The Le Pen family name reminds many in France of her father, who founded the party and was convicted of inciting racial hatred and condoning war crimes. He died earlier this year, aged 96. His toxic legacy has contributed to the RN's failure to get over the line in France's two-round presidential votes, having lost the last two elections in run-offs. According to a Toluna poll published on Wednesday, Bardella was seen winning 35% of votes in the first-round of a potential presidential election, while Le Pen was on 34%. Bardella was up five points on a previous May poll, with Le Pen up three points. The sharp-suited Bardella, son of an Italian immigrant family who grew up in the rough outskirts of Paris, has polished the RN's reputation. He has also attracted younger, blue-collar voters hit by inflation and job insecurity to a party once known for an older, middle-class and arch-conservative clientele. Should he become prime minister, he this week pledged to immediately prohibit regularizations of illegal immigrants, toughen borders and ramp up prison terms. (Reporting by Gabriel Stargardter and Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Richard Lough and Alison Williams)

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DUBAI, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Iran called on the international community to prevent Israel from violating its obligations in Gaza, its foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday, after Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement to cease fire. The foreign ministry said Tehran supports any effort that ends the "genocide" and the war in Gaza. (Reporting by Elwely Elwelly; Editing by Toby Chopra)

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