ISLAMABAD / AP Two Pakistani research groups have noted that the country saw a significant drop in militant violence last year, crediting the military for the decrease in attacks. The two Islamabad-based groups say that large-scale military operations in the lawless tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, in the chaotic port city of Karachi and the sparsely populated Baluchistan province are …

  DUBAI / Reuters Egypt’s main stock index corrected on Monday as local traders booked profits and Gulf markets diverged with United Arab Emirates markets outperforming as traders focused on financial shares while a retreat in oil prices weighed on Saudi Arabian petrochemical producers. Cairo’s main index fell 0.9 percent, snapping four straight sessions of gains. Local institutions were net …

  Bloomberg Stocks slumped while Treasuries rose with gold as the new year rally in riskier assets faltered. Political risks rippled across foreign-exchange markets with the pound, Turkish lira and South Korean won leading declines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined after Friday climbing within a point of 20,000. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes slid below 2.40 percent, while …