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London stocks climb as investors bet on BoE rate cut (For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window) *FTSE 100 up 0.9%; FTSE 250 up 0.66% *UK stocks gain as analysts predict BoE rate cut *Precious metals, banks, and personal goods stocks boost market sentiment UK stocks edged higher on Monday, starting the week on a positive note, with markets having almost fully priced in an interest rate cut by the Bank of England later this week.The UK's blue-chip FTSE 100 jumped 0.9% by 10:26 GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 index added 0.66%. Both indexes ended lower for a second consecutive week of declines on Friday. According to a Reuters poll, analysts expect a narrow 5-4 vote to lower the benchmark rate to 3.75% from 4.0%, marking the first reduction since August and bringing borrowing costs to a three-year low.Governor Andrew Bailey's stance is seen as pivotal after recent data showed inflation easing to 3.6% in October, with further declines expected. Analysts see Bailey's vote as crucial, with easing inflation strengthening the case for a cut. While rate expectations dominated sentiment, gains in precious metals added further support to the market.An index of personal goods, dominated by luxury names, led with a 2.3% jump, after China announced plans to expand exports and imports next year as part of efforts to promote what it called "sustainable" trade. Burberry rose 2.6% and Watches of Switzerland Group added 2.3%. Precious metal miners were up 1% as gold held near a seven-week high and silver extended gains against a softer dollar.Banks were also a standout, up 1.3%, with with Standard Chartered gaining 2.1% and Barclays adding 1.8%. Industrial metals and mining stocks advanced 1.25%, with Glencore up 1.3% and Antofagasta up 2.8%. Among individual stocks, Hikma Pharmaceuticals fell 1.4% to the bottom of the FTSE 100 after the drugmaker said its CEO Riad Mishlawi is stepping down, with Executive Chairman and former CEO Said Darwazah assuming the responsibilities of the top role.Primark-owner Associated British Foods fell 1% after Jefferies cut its rating to "underperform" from "hold" and cut its target price to 1800 pence from 2000 pence. Britain's biggest defence company BAE Systems slipped 1% in step with weaker European defence sector.

Nitin Nabin arrives at BJP HQ to take charge as party's working president Newly-appointed national working president of the BJP Nitin Nabin arrived at the party headquarters here on Monday to take charge of the new responsibility in the presence of several top leaders.Nabin arrived at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here from Patna in the afternoon, a day after his appointment as the BJP national working president.He was received at the airport by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and several other Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.BJP president and Union Health Minister J P Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan were present, among others, when Nabin reached the party headquarters to take charge of the new responsibility.Gupta and several of her ministerial colleagues were also present on the occasion.Nabin, 45, a minister in the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar, was appointed as the national working president of the BJP on Sunday and is likely to eventually succeed Nadda as its national president, signalling a generational shift in the ruling party.The son of late BJP veteran and former MLA Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, Nabin is considered dynamic, ideologically rooted and deeply committed to the organisation, party leaders said.He also comes from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background.A five-time MLA, Nabin represents the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna and has twice served as a minister in the Bihar government.His tenures as a Bihar minister and role as the party in-charge of Chhattisgarh have been truly outstanding and marked by his effective organisational leadership, the leaders mentioned above said.The BJP parliamentary board picked Nabin for the post. At present, he is the PWD minister in Bihar.

Jaishankar to visit Israel on Tuesday to discuss bilateral and regional issues External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will arrive in Israel on Tuesday to meet the country's top leadership and discuss bilateral and regional issues, according to sources here.Jaishankar will meet President Isaac Herzog, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold bilateral consultations with his counterpart Gideon Sa’ar during his short visit, they said. ''The discussions will revolve around bilateral and regional issues to continue to deepen the strategic partnership between the two countries,'' a source told PTI.His visit comes days after Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and the two leaders ''agreed to meet very soon”.Minister of Tourism Haim Katz, Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Avi Dichter, and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had visited India earlier this year as the strategic partners build up momentum to sign a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).The two countries signed a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) during Smotrich's visit and then a Terms of Reference (TOR) leading to FTA during the visit of Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal to Israel last month.

Rugby-Lower tackle height to be trialled at Under-20 worlds After a successful trial in community rugby, a lower "sternum tackle height" is to be introduced into the elite game for the first time at next year's World Under-20 championships in Georgia, World Rugby said on Monday. The sport's governing body said that trials over the last two seasons in 11 countries showed a change in player behaviour, resulting in up to 10% reduction in upright tackles, with some unions reporting a reduction in concussion rates, albeit over a single season.The rule will become mandatory for the community game from July 2026 and will get a first professional test at the Georgia U-20s event in June, when other aspects of the tackle will also be trialled. They include allowing for “pick and go” actions near rucks and for players in the act of scoring, where the sternum becomes much harder to tackle below due to the lower ball carrier."Unions have asked us to trial lower tackle height... it is important to stress that we’re a long, long way from changing the law at the elite level at this point," World Rugby Chief Player Welfare and Rugby Services Officer Mark Harrington said. "However, if this and subsequent trials show positive results across all player welfare, player feedback and fan enjoyment perspectives, then as a sport we need to embrace that.”Rugby has been trying to evolve the tackle and contact aspects of the sport for several years against a backdrop of an ongoing lawsuit from more than 1,100 players who claim various governing bodies were negligent in not informing players of the risk of long-term brain injury or not taking reasonable action to protect them.

La bonne tendance observée ces dernières semaines ne durera pas.