The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is deeply concerned by increased fighting in Yemen and wanted the sides to de-escalate tensions, his deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said Monday.
"The secretary-general has wanted the sides to de-escalate tensions, and he continues to want that. He does not believe the further militarization of the conflict, including involvement by the outside powers, will be helpful," said Haq.
According to the International Organization for Migration, more than 180,000 people have been displaced in the country since Aug. 1.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the UN and its partners continue to support the humanitarian response wherever conditions allow, as escalating hostilities are causing more civilian casualties.
Since the start of August, at least 46 civilians have been killed, 24 of them children, and more than 130 others have been injured, including 84 women and children, OCHA said, citing the UN Human Rights Office.
According to OCHA, humanitarian partners have reported damage to civilian infrastructure, including homes and farms, as well as health, water and education facilities.
OCHA continues to assess people's needs and the impact of the hostilities, it said.
The latest developments came amid an escalation in clashes between the Houthi group and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces across southwestern Yemen.
Yemen's conflict broke out in late 2014, when the Houthis seized the Sanaa and much of the country's north, forcing the internationally recognized government out of the capital. A Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015 in support of the government. The recent clashes marked the sharpest escalation since a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted major hostilities in the war-torn country.
UN chief voices deep concern over conflict escalation in Yemen
U.S. stocks closed higher on Monday, as strength in artificial intelligence and technology stocks overcame a renewed surge in Treasury yields to 24-year highs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 90.94 points, or 0.18 percent, to 51,267.90. The S and P 500 added 51.23 points, or 0.66 percent, to 7,773.95. The Nasdaq Composite Index increased by 286.45 points, or 1.05 percent, to 27,477.31, notching a record closing high.
Ten of the 11 primary S and P 500 sectors ended in the green, with materials and communication services leading the gainers by adding 1.22 percent and 1.14 percent, respectively. Real estate bucked the trend, losing 0.44 percent.
U.S. Treasury yields climbed back toward multidecade highs on Monday. The benchmark 10-year yield settled at 5.31 percent, its highest close since April 2002, after trading above 5.35 percent intraday. The 30-year yield rose 3.5 basis points to 5.66 percent, its highest settlement since May 2002. The two-year yield stood at 4.83 percent.
Oil prices fell as traders weighed the Group of Seven's agreement to release 100 million barrels of crude and diesel from emergency reserves, alongside recovering Middle East exports. The West Texas Intermediate for November delivery decreased by 1.68 U.S. dollars, or 1.84 percent, to settle at 89.43 dollars a barrel. Brent crude for December delivery lost 1.93 dollars, or 1.89 percent, to settle at 100.32 dollars a barrel.
On the corporate front, Nvidia rose more than 2 percent to a record high for the second straight session, remaining the world's most valuable public company. PTC soared 33.49 percent, the S and P 500's best performer, after Schneider Electric agreed to acquire it at 205 dollars per share in a 22.6-billion-dollar all-cash deal, a 42.3 percent premium. By contrast, Schneider fell nearly 10 percent.
SpaceX jumped over 7.5 percent after Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an overweight rating and a 300-dollar target. Western Digital climbed over 6 percent and Seagate gained about 4.5 percent, rebounding from Friday's plunge on a Toshiba capacity report. Cerebras gained 9.08 percent after OpenAI's Sam Altman called it a "close partner."
On the economic front, the ISM services index for September came in at 54.9, down from 55.4 in August and roughly in line with expectations. Traders see about a 24 percent chance of a rate hike at the Fed's October meeting, down from 71 percent a week ago, according to CME FedWatch.
U.S. stocks close higher despite surging Treasury yields
