以色列媒体周四报道称，各方预测，以色列“亚沙尔党”领导人加迪·艾森科特可能获授权组建新一届政府。预计这一决定将在未来几天选举最终结果公布后作出。以色列第13频道报道称，内部评估显示，以色列总统伊萨克·赫尔佐格计划在第一轮磋商中，将组阁任务交给获得议员最多支持的候选人。该频道补充称，总统拥有广泛的决策权限，但议员的支持人数将在决定组阁人选时发挥重要作用，这可能提高艾森科特获授权组阁的机会。

Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh said he is paying particular attention to the South Korean economy, calling South Korea a key supplier of inputs for the rapidly expanding global technology sector. He said he has long known Bank of Korea Governor Shin and praised Shin as very talented; the two met during the global financial crisis. South Korean media are expected to give extensive coverage on Thursday.

US initial jobless claims four-week moving average for the week ended Oct. 24: 196.75k; prior reading revised from 197.75k to 198.0k.