Hang Seng Index futures closed up 0.55% in night trading at 17,136 points, a 91-point premium.

U.S. Department of Defense: 900 troops are or have been deployed to the Middle East from the U.S. mainland, including air defense operators.

Argentina’s corn area is forecast at 7.3 million hectares in 2023-24, the same as the previous forecast.

Kurti, leader of the Kosovo authorities: Serbia and Kosovo have failed to reach an agreement to normalize relations.

Iran said Hamas was ready to release civilian prisoners and called for the release of 6,000 Palestinians in Israeli prisons.

Market News: A U.S. appeals court has blocked an order to expand a planned federal offshore oil and gas auction in the Gulf of Mexico pending an appeal.

Communications Workers of America (CWA): As part of an agreement with the shareholder union, Apple has committed to conducting a review of employee rights policies and practices in January 2023.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: I don’t want to give up the benefits of globalization and trade.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: We are looking for further opportunities to reduce the flow of funds to Hamas.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: We have taken a lot of measures to impose sanctions to reduce Hamas’s access to funds.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: We have not yet seen a major global impact from the Israel-Gaza conflict, but we are monitoring it closely. The focus should be on containing the conflict, not spreading it.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: The fiscal plan should keep the deficit “controllable.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: If interest rates go higher, fiscal challenges will be greater.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: Fiscal sustainability is crucial, and President Biden is committed to putting forward a fiscal plan that demonstrates sustainability.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: Long-term yields may fall, no one can be sure.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: The basic trends in the era of low interest rates still exist.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: Part of the reason for the rise in yields is expectations that interest rates will remain high for a long time.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: Rising bond yields have little to do with the deficit. Bond yields are rising in most advanced economies around the world.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: The "Inflation Reduction Act" and the "CHIP Act" triggered huge investments, and we are starting to see investments now "paying off."

U.S. Treasury Secretary Yellen: Creating more of these jobs in communities with fewer economic opportunities.