Saturday's News Links

[AP] France is facing an election like no other. Here’s how it works and what comes next

[Yahoo/Bloomberg] Macron Heads Into Election Showdown as Le Pen Looks Hard to Beat

[Reuters] Tech boom leads global markets through first half of 2024

[Politico] US intel indicates war between Israel and Hezbollah inching closer

[AP] Russia presses its offensive in Ukraine and issues new threats as the West tries to blunt the push

[Reuters] Khamenei protege, sole moderate to battle in Iran's presidential run-off

[Bloomberg] Economic Cracks Are Getting Exposed in the 2024 Market Bounty

[Bloomberg] ECB’s Holzmann Says Inflation’s Stickiness Underestimated: Pulso

[WSJ] AI Frenzy Propels Stocks to Monster First Half

[FT] ECB faces speculation over market intervention after French elections

[FT] Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella — the French far right’s dream ticket?

[Ft] How not to blow up your bond market