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CHINA-LISTED ZIJIN MINING SET TO OPEN UP 6%

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(Adds context on pressures on Netanyahu, UN secretary-general statement, paragraphs 20-22) * Trump announces Israel and Hamas agree on first phase of Gaza ceasefire, hostage release * Trump says all hostages will be released 'very soon' * Trump says all parties will be treated fairly * Hamas confirms agreement reached to end the war By Matt Spetalnick, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Trevor Hunnicutt WASHINGTON/CAIRO, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza, a ceasefire and hostage deal that could open the way to ending a bloody two-year-old war that has upended the Middle East. Just a day after the second anniversary of Hamas militants' cross-border attack that triggered Israel's devastating assault on Gaza, indirect talks in Egypt yielded an agreement on the initial stage of Trump’s 20-point framework to bring peace to the Palestinian enclave. The accord, if fully implemented, would bring the two sides closer than any previous effort to halt a war that had evolved into a regional conflict, drawing in countries such as Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, deepened Israel's international isolation and reshaped the Middle East. But the deal announced by Trump late on Wednesday was short on detail and left many unresolved questions that could still lead to its collapse, as has happened with previous peace efforts. Successful completion of the deal would mark a significant foreign policy achievement for the Republican president, who had campaigned on bringing peace to major world conflicts but has struggled to swiftly deliver, both in Gaza and on Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "I am very proud to announce that Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan," Trump said on Truth Social. "This means that ALL of the Hostages will be released very soon, and Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace," Trump added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a written statement, referring to the hostages held by Hamas: "With God's help we will bring them all home." He said he would convene his government on Thursday to approve the agreement. Hamas confirmed it had reached an agreement to end the war, saying the deal includes an Israeli withdrawal from the enclave and a hostage-prisoner exchange. But the group called on Trump and guarantor states to ensure Israel fully implements the ceasefire, it added in a statement. Trump said earlier that a deal was almost done and that he may travel to Egypt this weekend, possibly leaving as soon as Saturday. "All Parties will be treated fairly!" he said on Truth Social. "This is a GREAT Day for the Arab and Muslim World, Israel, all surrounding Nations, and the United States of America, and we thank the mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, who worked with us to make this Historic and Unprecedented Event happen." Senior envoys from the U.S., Qatar and Turkey had joined the talks, apparently adding momentum to discussions launched on Monday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. Trump sent his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff, and Israel was represented by Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, a close confidant of Netanyahu. Despite the hopes raised for ending the war, crucial details are yet to be spelled out, including the timing, a post-war administration for the Gaza Strip and the fate of the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Gaza authorities say more than 67,000 people have been killed and much of the enclave has been flattened since Israel began its military response to the Hamas cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage back to Gaza, according to Israeli officials, with 20 of the 48 hostages still held believed to be alive. HOSTAGE RELEASE EXPECTED IN DAYS A Hamas source said the living hostages would be handed over within 72 hours of the Israeli government approving the deal. Hamas officials have insisted it will take longer to recover the bodies of dead hostages, believed to number about 28, from Gaza’s rubble. An Israeli government spokesperson said the hostage release was expected to begin on Saturday. Netanyahu and Trump spoke by phone and congratulated each other on an "historic achievement," and the Israeli prime minister invited the U.S president to address Israel’s parliament, according to Netanyahu's office. Trump had pushed Netanyahu, to whom he had largely given free rein in Gaza until recently, to make concessions. The conservative Israeli leader has also been under growing pressure from hostage families and, according to opinion polls, a war-weary public. But Netanyahu has also faced threats from far-right members of his governing coalition to quit the government if he gives up too much to the Palestinians. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for all sides to abide fully by the terms on the hostage agreement. “Immediate and unimpeded entry of humanitarian supplies and essential commercial materials into Gaza must be ensured. The suffering must end,” he said in a statement. Hamas said earlier on Wednesday it had handed over its lists of the hostages it held and the Palestinian prisoners held by Israel that it wanted to be exchanged. The list of Palestinians Hamas wants freed was expected to include some of the most prominent prisoners ever jailed by Israel, whose release had been off limits in previous ceasefires. According to a Palestinian source close to the talks, the list includes Marwan al-Barghouti, a leader of the Fatah movement, and Ahmed Saadat, head of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Both are serving multiple life sentences for involvement in attacks that killed Israelis. Hamas has so far refused to discuss Israel's demand that Hamas give up its arms, which the Palestinian source said Hamas would reject as long as Israeli troops occupy Palestinian land. Two sources familiar with the talks confirmed that sticking points included the mechanism for the Israeli withdrawal, with Hamas seeking a clear timeline linked to the release of hostages and guarantees of a complete pullout by Israeli forces. Within Gaza, Israel has dialled down its military campaign at Trump's behest, but it has not halted strikes altogether. Gaza medical authorities reported eight people killed in Israeli strikes in the last 24 hours, the lowest toll for weeks. Daily death tolls had been around 10 times as high over the past month as Israeli forces advance on Gaza City. ARAB COUNTRIES SAY PLAN MUST LEAD TO PALESTINIAN STATE The next phase of Trump's plan calls for an international body led by Trump and including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair to play a role in Gaza's post-war administration. Arab countries which back the plan say it must lead to eventual independence for a Palestinian state, which Netanyahu says will never happen. There is no clear indication who will rule Gaza when the war ends. Netanyahu, Trump, Western and Arab states have ruled out a role for Hamas, which has run Gaza since driving out Palestinian rivals in 2007. Hamas has said it would relinquish Gaza governance only to a Palestinian technocrat government supervised by the Palestinian Authority and backed by Arab and Muslim countries. It rejects any role for Blair or foreign rule of Gaza. Global outrage has mounted against Israel's assault. Multiple rights experts, scholars and a U.N. inquiry say it amounts to genocide. Israel calls its actions self-defence after the 2023 Hamas attack. (Reporting by Dawoud Abu Elkas, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Daren Butler in Ankara, Jana Choukeir and Tala Ramadan in Dubai, Maayan Lubell and Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem, John Irish in Paris, Angelo Amante in Rome, Trevor Hunnicutt Steve Holland and David Morgan in Washington; Writing by Michael Georgy, Peter Graff, and Timothy Heritage and Matt …

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CHINA COMMERCE MINISTRY: CHINESE CITIZENS, ORGANIZATIONS SHALL NOT, WITHOUT PERMISSION, PROVIDE ANY SUBSTANTIVE ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR OVERSEAS RARE EARTH MINING, SMELTING SEPARATION, METAL SMELTING, MAGNET MANUFACTURING

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By Gabriel Robert-Gironcelle VICTORIA, Oct 9 (Reuters) – Voters in Seychelles will return to the polls on Thursday for a run-off election between the sitting president and the leader of the Indian Ocean archipelago's longtime governing party, which has already reclaimed a majority in parliament. In the first round last month, Patrick Herminie, a former National Assembly speaker from the United Seychelles party, outpaced President Wavel Ramkalawan by over 2 percentage points with 48.8% of the more than 64,000 ballots cast. Seychelles is Africa's wealthiest country per capita, located across 1.2 million kilometres (463,000 square miles) in the western Indian Ocean and a prime tourist destination as well as a target for investment from, and security cooperation with, China, Gulf nations and India. The nation of 115 islands is, however, also among the world’s most climate vulnerable, and has one of the highest per-capita rates of heroin use. ELECTION COULD PRODUCE DIVIDED GOVERNMENT Voting will begin on the outlying islands and for some essential workers on Thursday, with polling stations on the three main islands opening on Saturday. Results are due on Sunday. Ramkalawan, a former Anglican priest, came to power in 2020, becoming the first president from outside United Seychelles – formerly the Seychelles People’s Progressive Front – since a coup one year after independence from Britain in 1976. He has touted his management of Seychelles' economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, saying he needs a second five-year term to build social protection and infrastructure while defending the country's neutrality to draw investment. His Linyon Demokratik Seselwa coalition lost its parliamentary majority in last month's vote, meaning he would preside over a divided government should he win. "I think the people of Seychelles want a balance of power to get the best deal," Ramkalawan told Reuters. OPPOSITION CANDIDATE BOOSTED BY ENDORSEMENTS Herminie, who was arrested in 2023 on charges of witchcraft that were later dropped, is aiming to restore United Seychelles' control of both the presidency and parliament for the first time since 2015. His campaign has been boosted by endorsements from eliminated candidates, including Marco Francis, who received around 2% of the vote in the first round. "We needed just 1% to win State House," Herminie told supporters at a rally. "That means 500 votes. And today, I’m telling you: we will get those 500 votes and go to State House on October 11." His platform includes lowering the retirement age that Ramkalawan raised and cancelling a hotel project environmentalists say threatens a UNESCO-listed coral atoll. (Editing by Aaron Ross and Ed Osmond)

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(Updates October 8 story with details from Chinese readout) ROME/BEJING, Oct 8 (Reuters) – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi backed an Italian plan to propose a global ceasefire to the United Nations ahead of next year's Milano-Cortina winter Olympics, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday. Tajani spoke to reporters after a meeting between the two ministers in Rome. Statements from the Chinese foreign ministry on the meeting did not address the global ceasefire plan but quoted Wang as saying that China is ready to work with Italy as a constructive force in maintaining peace, stability and development, and building a more equitable and reasonable global governance system. Wang also said that China and Italy should draw upon their "successful experiences" in bilateral exchanges, to provide valuable insights for the development of international relations. China was also willing to provide a fair, transparent, non-discriminatory and predictable business environment to encourage more two-way investment among enterprises from both countries, one of the ministry statements said. (Reporting by Gianluca Semeraro in Rome and Liz Lee in Beijing; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

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Oct 9 (Reuters) – Australian shares gained on Thursday, with miners set for a sixth straight session of gains as firm commodity prices and a wave of rare earths deals lifted sentiment. The S&P/ASX 200 index gained 0.3% to 8,975.2 points by 2325 GMT. The benchmark had closed marginally lower on Wednesday. Miners added 1.3%, setting the sub-index on track for its sixth straight session of gains, as copper prices hovered near a 16-month high and rare earths miners surged following an influx of deals. Copper-focussed producers underpinned the sub-index, with Sandfire Resources and local shares of Capstone Copper gaining 4.7% and 8.5%, respectively, ranking among the top percentage gainers on the benchmark. BHP, the world's largest listed miner, gained 1.8% and Rio Tinto rose 0.5%. Lynas Rare Earths, the world's largest producer of rare earths outside China, added 2.4% after signing an agreement to supply rare earth permanent magnets to U.S. defence and commercial sectors. Brazilian Rare Earths jumped as much as 7.7% to a record high on a 10-year supply deal, while peer European Lithium grew 12.1% after its partner, Critical Metals , signed a rare earths agreement. Overnight gains on Wall Street lifted Australian market sentiment, with local tech stocks rising 0.6% in line with the broader U.S. rally. Real estate stocks also drove the benchmark higher with a 0.6% rise after data centre landlords gained on AI optimism in the U.S. following chip deals. In company news, shares of Mexican-themed fast food chain Guzman Y Gomez soared as much as 26.2%, its biggest ever percentage gain, on announcing a A$100 million ($65.6 million) share buyback. New Zealand's benchmark S&P/NZX 50 index gained 0.1% following its record close on Wednesday, a day after the domestic central bank announced a bumper half-percent rate cut. ($1 = A$1.5186) (Reporting by Nichiket Sunil in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy)

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Pete Crow-Armstrong ripped a two-run single to highlight a four-run first inning, helping the host Chicago Cubs stave off elimination with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday in Game 3 of their National League Division Series. The Cubs trail 2-1 in the best-of-five series. Game 4 is Thursday in Chicago. Michael Busch homered to lead off the first inning for the second time in this series, becoming the first player in major league history to accomplish the feat, per Sarah Langs. He also went deep in the Cubs' 9-3 loss to the Brewers in Game 1 on Saturday. Ian Happ scored on a wild pitch and Nico Hoerner and Kyle Tucker each had two of Chicago's eight hits. Drew Pomeranz (1-0) struck out two batters while retiring the side in order in the fifth inning. Jake Bauers had an RBI single in the fourth inning and an opposite-field homer to lead off the seventh to trim Chicago's lead to 4-3. Brad Keller struck out Bauers with the bases loaded to end the eighth inning. He then retired the side in the ninth inning to secure his second save of the playoffs. Sal Frelick's sacrifice fly plated Christian Yelich in the top of the first before the Cubs responded with a flourish in their half of the inning. Busch deposited a 3-2 fastball from Quinn Priester (0-1) over the wall in right-center field to forge a 1-1 tie. The homer was Busch's team-leading third of the postseason. The Cubs quickly loaded the bases before Crow-Armstrong's single to right field plated both Nick Hoerner and Kyle Tucker and chased Priester from the game. Nick Mears relieved Priester and promptly uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Happ to score and extend Chicago's lead to 4-1. Bauers trimmed his team's deficit with an RBI single in the fourth, however Caleb Durbin applied the brakes on Brandon Lockridge's bunt and was caught in a rundown at home plate. Joey Ortiz grounded out to end the inning. Priester permitted four runs on three hits with two walks in two-thirds of an inning. –Field Level Media

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(Repeats Oct 8 item to widen distribution. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) By Jamie McGeever ORLANDO, Florida, Oct 8 (Reuters) – The amount of U.S. Treasuries held at the New York Fed on behalf of global central banks has slumped to its lowest in over a decade, casting renewed doubt on foreign appetite for U.S. sovereign debt and other dollar-denominated assets. This may seem a little surprising. Recent data, including the Treasury International Capital and International Monetary Fund's 'Cofer' foreign exchange reserves reports, show overseas demand for Treasuries and dollar assets holding up pretty well. These two data sets are the gold standard measurements for U.S. capital flows and global FX reserves. But they are released with long lags – the last set of TIC data is for the month of July, and the latest Cofer numbers are for the second quarter. The New York Fed custody holdings figures aren't as comprehensive – central banks can hold their Treasury bonds elsewhere – but they are weekly, which in the world of cross-border, central bank capital flows is virtually 'real time'. And right now, these custody holdings are falling. Fast. The latest figures show that the value of U.S. Treasuries held at the New York Fed on behalf of foreign central banks is $2.78 trillion. That's the lowest since August 2012, and down $130 billion in just two months. Indeed, it's notable that peak holdings over the last year and a half, of $2.95 trillion, were in March-April this year, coinciding with peak market volatility around U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariff chaos. According to this temperature check, foreign central banks seem to have cooled on Treasuries since then. Fed custody holdings are only one measure of overseas demand for Treasuries. Could they be a precursor for upcoming TIC and Cofer reports? DISSECTING DOLLAR SHARE OF FX RESERVES The latest TIC data show that foreign central banks bought a net $17.1 billion of U.S. Treasuries in July. That brings net purchases in the first seven months of this year to $38 billion, according to JP Morgan analysts, some $4 billion more than the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, the latest Cofer figures show that, adjusting for the dollar's steep depreciation, central banks were actually net buyers of dollar reserves in the April-June period. Analysts at Deutsche Bank estimate central banks' purchases of dollar-denominated securities in the quarter – much of which will have been U.S. Treasury bills and notes – nudged $50 billion. These are modest sums when set against the $12 trillion global FX reserves universe and $29 trillion U.S. Treasuries market. But they still point to consistent demand for Treasuries from reserve managers, and pour cold water on the 'de-dollarization' narrative. That's the notion that the world, alarmed at many of U.S. President Donald Trump's policy agendas and America's deteriorating fiscal health, is reducing its exposure to dollar-denominated assets. The dollar has weakened significantly, but overseas demand for U.S. stocks and bonds remains solid, especially from private sector investors. "Latest data releases confirm there is no substantial evidence of an abrupt rotation away from U.S. Treasuries after Trump's April tariff announcements," JP Morgan analysts wrote on Friday. But as noted, the TIC and Cofer figures are dated. We are now in October, and the Fed's weekly custody holdings suggest there may have been a shift since the summer. Standard Bank's Steve Barrow says the decline in custody holdings raises a red flag because it has come at a time of notable dollar weakness. Rapid declines in custody holdings more often occur when the dollar surges because central banks are forced to sell some of their Treasuries to raise cash for FX intervention. "The fact that these custody holdings have fallen so fast might be a sign that central banks have become less enamoured of the Treasury market – and the dollar – in recent months," Barrow wrote on Monday. Weekly data can be volatile, and there are much more comprehensive assessments of central banks' appetite for U.S. Treasuries. But could Fed custody holdings be the canary in the 'de-dollarization' coal mine? (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters) (By Jamie McGeever. Editing by Chizu Nomiyama )

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Oct 9 (Reuters) – Oil prices fell in early trade on Thursday after Israel and Hamas agreed to the first phase of a plan to end the war in Gaza, weighing on oil's war risk premium and pushing investors to sell. Brent crude futures were down 51 cents, or 0.77%, at $65.74 a barrel by 0002 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 55 cents, or 0.88%, to $62. U.S. President Donald Trump said that Israel and Hamas had reached a long-sought deal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release under a plan for ending the two-year-old war in the Palestinian enclave. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would convene the government on Thursday to approve the ceasefire agreement. The war in Gaza has supported oil prices as investors have weighed the potential risk to global oil supply if the war were to develop into a wider regional conflict. Prices had gained around 1% on Wednesday to reach a one-week high after investors viewed stalled progress on a Ukraine peace deal as sustaining sanctions against Russia. Meanwhile, total weekly U.S. petroleum products supplied, a proxy for U.S. oil consumption, rose last week to 21.990 million barrels per day, the most since December 2022, showed a report from the Energy Information Administration on Wednesday. (Reporting by Georgina McCartney in Houston; Editing by Christopher Cushing)

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ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER ISRAEL KATZ: I THANK PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU AND PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR THE LEADERSHIP THAT LED TO THIS AGREEMENT

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