* US strikes Iran-backed militias in Iraq
* Geopolitical risk and 50 elections lurking for world economy in 2024
* Inflation around the world is slowing faster than expected, but…
* Residual high inflation has soured consumers’ views of economy
* 12 reasons to remain bullish in 2024: Yardeni Quicktakes
* Economists expect inflation will return to “normal” in 2024
* PCE inflation, Fed’s preferred price gauge, rises less than expected in Nov:

US stock market (S&P 500 Index) closed last week just fractionally below its record high, set in Jan. 2022: