FirstFT: Exit polls show Netanyahu’s rightwing bloc holds slim lead in Israeli election

Israel’s former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in pole place to emerge victorious from yesterday’s parliamentary elections, based on exit polls that put his rightwing bloc on target for a razor-thin majority.

Polls by Israel’s three fundamental tv channels, launched after voting closed, forecast {that a} bloc combining Netanyahu’s Likud get together, the extreme-right Spiritual Zionism grouping and two ultra-Orthodox events which have historically backed Netanyahu would win 61 to 62 seats.

The Yesh Atid get together of prime minister Yair Lapid and several other smaller allies had been forecast to win 54 to 55 seats between them, whereas the non-aligned Arab Hadash-Ta’al grouping was predicted 4 mandates.

Exit polls in earlier Israeli elections haven’t all the time been correct, and ultimate outcomes might change as votes are counted by means of the evening, particularly if a small Arab get together presently forecast to fall under the electoral threshold had been to clear it.

But when they show right, Netanyahu’s bloc would maintain a skinny majority in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, and he would have a path again to energy lower than 18 months after being ousted by a sprawling eight-party coalition.

“We’re alive and kicking,” Netanyahu stated, based on Israel’s Channel 13 TV station.

Thanks for studying FirstFT Europe/Africa. Right here’s the remainder of the information — Gary

5 extra tales within the information

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2. Musk outlines Twitter premium subscription plan Elon Musk has proposed a premium $8 a month subscription service that may confirm customers, enhance the visibility of their posts and permit them to see fewer commercials, in his first step in direction of overhauling the product since he took the reins final week.

• Additional studying: Musk is true: the variety of shared areas the place variations will be hashed out has shrunk, writes Stephen Bush. Can he make Twitter the place to peacefully disagree?

3. Qatar Funding Authority to extend Credit score Suisse stake Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund plans to invest in Credit Suisse’s share sale alongside the Saudi Nationwide Financial institution, based on folks with information of the talks. The deal will lead to Center Jap buyers proudly owning as much as 1 / 4 of the Swiss financial institution’s inventory, because it seeks to boost SFr4bn ($4bn) to fund a radical restructuring.

4. Hollywood desires a minimize as Netflix debuts ad-supported streaming Studios are negotiating for a cut of new Netflix revenues with the streaming service’s advertisement-supported service set to launch tomorrow. Netflix’s subscriber base shrank for 2 consecutive quarters this yr, resulting in a halving of its market worth and a search by administration for brand new sources of income.

5. High US commerce official urges EU to hitch forces on subsidies Katherine Tai, Washington’s most senior commerce official, has called on the EU to introduce subsidies whereas providing a trenchant defence of the US’s bumper inexperienced power package deal. Critics say the $369bn package deal unfairly helps the US’s personal producers.

The day forward

Financial knowledge Germany releases September unemployment figures, whereas JPMorgan publishes its World Manufacturing PMI.

Earnings Cognizant, CVS Well being, eBay, Estée Lauder, Fastly, Ferrari, MetLife, Subsequent, Qualcomm, Roku and Zillow launch quarterly outcomes.

US financial coverage The Federal Reserve is predicted to boost its benchmark rate of interest by three-quarters of a share level for the fourth assembly in a row.

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