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Markets, Cryptos and Culture

May 23, 2026

Wall Street, New York

Aussie Weekend Edition!l Big Week; Ripple Effect! Bulls vs Bears continued

Road To WWE's Saturday Night's Main Event; Wrestling With Numbers And Creative

Digital Bush Telegraph

Australia and Wall St Continues To Ring Bells

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 58 points/0.7 per cent: 8627

AUD -0.3% to US71.27¢

Bitcoin $74,667.05 -3.59%

Wall St:
Dow +0.6%
S&P +0.4%
Nasdaq +0.2%

VIX -0.06 to 16.70
Gold -0.7% to $US4509.40 an ounce
Brent oil +1.4% to $US103.96 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US106.05 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.56% Australia 4.92%

News

May 22 (Aust)

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7147 USD (down $0.0003 USD)
Iron Ore: $105.95 USD (down $1.45 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas: $98.13 USD (down $0.95 USD)
Gold Price: $4,543.06 USD (down $1.06 USD)
Copper Price: $6.3455 USD (up $0.0110 USD)
Dow Jones: 50,285.66 (up 276.31 points)

News

Man 22

ASX rises 1.5pc in six week best as jobless rate spikes

The Australian sharemarket posted its biggest one-day gain in six weeks on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing up 1.5 per cent at 8621.7 points. An unexpected rise in unemployment boosted optimism among investors that the Reserve Bank of Australia may not have to lift interest rates further, while eight of the 11 index sectors ended the day stronger. A recovery in the gold price saw Greatland Resources up five per cent to $12.91, while BHP ended a three-day losing streak by advancing 3.1 per cent to $59.10. The Commonwealth Bank rose 0.9 per cent to $164.13, while property firm Mirvac was up 2.4 per cent to $1.70. (RMS)

XRP
$1.3265 -2.43%

DOGE
$0.09935 -6.55%

News Lead Up

ASX closes up 1.2pc after Trump walks back Iran threats

The Australian sharemarket rebounded from a seven-week low on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing up 1.2 per cent at 8604.7 points. Its recovery was on the back of US President Donald Trump announcing he would delay further strikes on Iran, with the price of Brent crude down 1.5 per cent to $US110.40 by the close of trading. Stocks to rise included Woolworths, up 3.7 per cent to $34.21, and the National Australia Bank, which rose two per cent to $37.04, while TechnologyOne fell 2.9 per cent to $27.80 and NextDC declined 0.2 per cent to $14.55. (RMS)

News Lead Up

Media (Australia)

Karl Stefanovic and Eddie McGuire sign with Kyle and Jackie O's old radio company and Nine

Eddie McGuire and Karl Stefanovic are to host a new program on the streaming platforms of Nine Entertainment and radio network Gold every Friday, with the program to be called 'The Long Weekend'. With Stefanovic being the host of Nine's 'Today' program and McGuire the former Collingwood Football Club president, the deal that sees them broadcast the new program is regarded as a 'coup' for Gold owner ARN, following the loss of its 'marquee' breakfast show hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie 'O' Henderson. (RMS)

News (48 Hours Ago)

Silver And Gold

Silver caught in a price trap

After a long period of calm, volatility has returned to the silver market. Silver surged to a two-month high, rallying more than 20% from its May lows in just a week. However, concerns over tighter monetary policy and rising bond yields have since put pressure on prices.

Of course, the current fluctuations cannot be compared to what we saw in January, when a 35% drop occurred in a single day. Investors felt that the rally had gone too far. However, the situation does not yet look like a classic bubble burst, as silver prices are still 130% higher than a year ago, which is suppressing global demand. UBS estimates a 50 million-ounce decline this year, allowing the bank to lower its price forecast from $100 to $85 per ounce by the end of the second quarter.

High prices are forcing not only jewellers but also industrialists to seek alternatives for silver. There has been some success in replacing it with copper in the manufacture of solar panels. This sector accounts for a fifth of global supply. Due to the fall in global demand, the 46.3-million-ounce deficit forecast by the Silver Institute for 2026 may prove smaller, putting pressure on the price per ounce.

Silver is also facing weaker investment demand. Rising global bond yields and a stronger US dollar are putting pressure on the metal. UBS reports that speculative interest has fallen sharply, while silver ETF holdings have dropped by 70 million ounces since the start of the year, to 794 million ounces.

De-escalation in the Middle East could turn the tables. Oil, the US dollar and Treasury yields would fall, which would be positive for silver. However, as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, it remains under pressure.

The silver market is relatively small compared to gold, which makes it more vulnerable to speculative trading. This often leads to sharper price moves in both directions. (FxPro)

News Lead Up

Sellers are pressing down on crypto

Market Overview

The crypto market is trading within a narrow range, having bounced off its upper boundary at $2.73T and retreated to $2.67T at the time of writing. New records on the US stock market have spurred crypto buyers into action, but this has proved insufficient to break through key resistance levels. We attribute this weak performance to the strengthening of the dollar, as evidenced by gold's dynamics. Over the past 24 hours, the top performers among the most liquid coins have been Dash (+4%), Zcash (+3.8%) and Uniswap (+3.1%), while fewer coins are losing ground, with the most significant losses seen in Internet Computer (-8%), Aptos (-1.1%) and Official Trump (-0.8%).

Riding a wave of optimism in equities, Bitcoin rose once again towards $82K, hitting the 200-day moving average once more. This is usually a signal line, but in May, it is acting as an impenetrable resistance level, capping the price from above. As a result, early on Friday, the price once again found itself just above $80K. The prevailing cautious sentiment in equities early on Friday is intensifying the outflow from cryptocurrencies, setting the stage for a decline towards the lower end of the range at $79K by the end of this week.

News Background

Institutional players are using the recent recovery to take profits, and this is not driven by fear or panic, according to Glassnode. CryptoQuant considers the risk of a further decline in Bitcoin to be real against this backdrop.

Activity among companies buying crypto assets for their reserves has also declined. According to Bitfinex, the volume of Bitcoin purchases by large companies has fallen by 80% over the week.

The volume of Ethereum in staking has exceeded 85 million coins — this is more than 70% of the cryptocurrency’s total supply, SharpLink has calculated. ETH reserves on exchanges also continue to decline, which may exacerbate the asset’s shortage.

The altcoin market has shown the first signs of recovery following a 50% drop from previous highs, notes analyst Darkfost. At the same time, liquidity remains limited, which is hindering the start of a sustained alt season.

Kevin Warsh, confirmed this week as the new Fed chair, has described Bitcoin as an “important asset” that helps authorities assess the state of the economy. He has invested in several crypto projects and holds Solana and Optimism tokens.

Following several months of discussions due to disagreements between banks and crypto companies, the US Senate Banking Committee on Thursday approved the CLARITY Act, a bill on the structure of the cryptocurrency market. The bill will now be put before the full Senate for consideration. Bankers fear that the yield on stablecoins stipulated in the bill will lead to an outflow of funds from bank deposits. (FxPro)

News

(ICYMI)

Conor McGregor Rematches Max Holloway at UFC 329

UFC 329 on July 11 at T-Mobile Arena headlines with this welterweight rematch during International Fight Week, airing live on Paramount+. McGregor, 22-6 and last fighting in 2021 after a tibia fracture, meets Holloway, 27-9, in his welterweight debut—the ex-featherweight champ aiming to make a statement. Trash talk flew fast: McGregor promised to 'son' Holloway again, while 'Blessed' fired back demanding respect on his name. Early odds favor Holloway at -500 amid McGregor's ring rust.

The Lead Up

TKO Neg With Talent/Wrestling With Numbers And Contracts; If The New Price Is Right Mr Wrestling and Ms Wrestling; Mr Corbin aka Mr Lucky enjoying strong buzz: Join the dots; Mr Kross Of WSW and MLW Enjoys Strong Mega Buzz In Australia and Globally: World Series Wrestling, Belt Collector! WSW YouTube Is Updated!

UFC MMA and U.S Admin Mix It Up With Fighters Visiting White House; Patriots Well Received In And Around Oval Office; Present Trump Gets Welcome Image Revamp Of Sorts; Keeping The Wars In The Octagon!

Legendary WWE Tagteam Rumored To Return To Roster; No Names/Spoilers - Join The Dots .. And You Can't Beat That ... Ok, Not .S.A.W.F.T...Hard On The Mic + +

Red Turns To Green And Gold!

News

Netflix MMA Debut Peaks at 11.6 Million U.S. Viewers with Rousey Win

On May 16 at Los Angeles' Intuit Dome, MVP's triple-main-event card averaged 9.3 million U.S. viewers and peaked at 11.6 million during Rousey's featherweight submission over Carano, topping the prior MMA high from 2011. Other highlights included Mike Perry's corner-stoppage win over Nate Diaz and Francis Ngannou's first-round knockout of Philipe Lins, drawing star power from fighters like Rousey and Ngannou. Promoters Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian celebrated the global reach and 410 million social impressions, though podcaster Brendan Schaub questioned the figures and off-cage drama saw Claressa Shields banned after a VIP-area altercation with Alycia Baumgardner. (Media Man Peg-On): Are the numbers and biz model sustainable? Perhaps only if Netflix keeps green lighting them. Is there a return on investment if you are Netflix? Insiders and outsiders continue to debate broadcast!

News

Pop Culture Ref: "The Wall Street Shuffle" (10 cc)

LinkedIn b2b Business Continues To Lift For Media Man Group and Associates

Media And Broadcasting Legend Ted Turner Dies (May 6); 100s Of Tributes Globally; Media, Entertainment And Sports Business World Pays Tribute; Turner Company Helped 1000s Globally In Career And Business; Online Tributes Live On For Many Who Find It Hard To Let Go Of Good Times And Boom Days In Biz And Career History Says Aussie Media Man Ex Aussie Cable Guy In PPV, Pay TV And Combat Arena With World Channels Team

News (ICYMI)

Alphabet/Google Cracks TIME 100 Cover; Positive Buzz

Beast Industries aka MrBeast TIME Top 100 Influencer;

Post Buzz Continues For TIME Media Darlings

TKO/WWE In And Out Of The Ring Continues; Up and Down Cycle; TKO's Nick Khan Offer Positive Vibes To US Admin Re Ali Act Amendment; Counter Punch by some competitors; Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

TKO Prez Mark Shapiro Admits Back To Back WrestleMania's In Sin City Las Vegas May Have Been Mistake; Will Return To City To City Strategy, No Repeat City's For WrestleMania In Future

TKO's LinkedIn Continues To Enjoy Strong News Media Buzz; Google LinkedIn Numbers Up; Search Engine Journal LinkedIn; Rio Tinto (Mining) Strong LinkedIn Media Vibes And Buzz

News

WWE's Danhausen Offers Mega Exposure To Rootless Coffee And WWE Merch; Number 3 Best Seller Of WWE Merch With Human Monies; Danhausen ESPN News! Very Nice!

Media Man LinkedIn and X Up; Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

Google/Alphabet Earnings Bullish

May 22, 2026

Markets

Coffee 271.56 -1.84

Cocoa 3816.75 +49.75

Sillicon 8310.00 Flat

Silver 75.350 -1.297

Newsfeed

News Lead Up

160 + Hours Ago

BTC/Cryptos

Bitcoin hits the pause button at $80K

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has stalled at around $2.70 trillion, reflecting Bitcoin’s indecision around $80,000. At the same time, risk aversion is mounting in global markets, which can be easily linked to profit-taking following the rally and the US dollar's upward momentum. Among the top coins, the leaders over the past day were Theta (+8.5%), Toncoin (+4.9%) and NEAR Protocol (+2.1%). The underperformers were Dash (-4.2%), Official Trump (-3.5%) and Zcash (-3.5%).

The sentiment index has settled just below the midpoint of the range, recording readings of 47, 48 and 49 over the last three days. At the same time, we continue to note how difficult it is for the crypto market to consolidate at the upper end of the spectrum, which indicates a predominance of bears.

Bitcoin points to much the same thing, having lost its upward momentum as it approached the 200-day moving average. Although this line is trending downwards, the market has failed to break through it for the past six days. On the other hand, as the decline is quite modest, it resembles nothing more than a breather following a rally, leaving a strong chance of growth resuming.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investments in crypto funds rose by $858 million last week. Investments in Bitcoin increased by $706 million, in Ethereum by $77 million, in Solana by $48 million, and in XRP by $40 million. Outflows from Bitcoin short positions totalling $14 million marked the largest of the year.

Investments rose amid a compromise on stablecoin yields under the CLARITY Act. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to consider the bill next week, CoinShares notes.

Strategy acquired 535 BTC for $43 million last week — at an average price of $80,340 per coin. The week before, the company skipped its weekly BTC purchase ahead of its quarterly report. Strategy now holds 818,869 BTC, purchased for $61.86 billion at an average price of $75,540 per Bitcoin.

Strategy will continue to build up its reserves of the leading cryptocurrency. At the same time, the volume of purchases will significantly exceed any potential sales, stated the company’s founder, Michael Saylor. According to him, it is important to remain a ‘net buyer’ and end each year with more coins than at the start.

Jordi Visser, founder of 22V Research, has increased his investment in Ethereum. In his view, this year will see the start of mass asset tokenisation, which will form the basis for payments by AI agents. For autonomous transactions, they will need digital assets such as Ethereum or stablecoins. (FxPro). (Media Man Peg-On): Can we call Michael Saylor the "King Of Bulls". Awesome PR machine and LinkedIn buzz. Join the dots!

News

Media Man with Cafe News Media Watercooler

Beer killer? Rise of the vodka RTD

Gold Coast-based drinks maker Hard Fizz emerged at around the time of the pandemic, while the ready-to-drink canned beverage market boomed after the pandemic. Hard Fizz originally focused on alcoholic seltzer drinks, but it is now switching to vodka-based canned drinks, with CEO Wade Tiller saying the change is because you are more limited with flavour when you use seltzer. Hard Fizz's seltzer sales have slumped over the past year, at a time when there is a broader consumer shift to RTDs, while vodka-based light RTDs account for 75 per cent of Australian RTD sales. (RMS)

News

oOh!media rejects $770m offer, triggers bidding war

The board of listed outdoor advertising group oOh!media has advised that it is open to further takeover approaches after spurning two suitors. The company has indicated that it assessed both offers and deemed that neither reflected its intrinsic value. US-based private equity firm I Squared Capital had offered $1.45 per share, valuing its bid at $770m; it had trumped a previous offer from Pacific Equity Partners of $1.40 per share. Brian Han from Morningstar says the rejection of both offers means that oOh!media's directors have effectively put up a 'for auction' sign. (RMS)

News

AI News

The hidden expenses in banking's AI rollout

Tokens have been described as the hidden cost of using artificial intelligence, with tokens being a basic unit that measures how much data is being processed through autonomous AI models such as Anthropic's Claude. Westpac's CEO Anthony Miller told a recent investment banking conference that the bank was still in the process of working out how to disclose token use and productivity, with the cost of tokens depending on the model used. Noel Williams from PwC says the cost of tokens is definitely something that the big banks need to take into consideration, while Goldman Sachs analysts claimed recently that token consumption would increase 22-fold by 2030 and 55-fold by 2040. (RMS)

News

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$191.50
-0.13 -0.068%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$382.97
-4.69 -1.21%

Meta Platforms Inc
$610.26
+2.88 +0.47%

Netflix Inc
$88.60
-0.70 -0.78%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$97.24
-1.30 -1.32%

MGM Resorts International
$38.40
+0.74 +1.96%

News

(ICYMI)

MGM Vegas

Heyman Hustle/Paul Heyman - Live At MGM

News

Heyman’s involvement ties into his Looking4Larry Agency’s creative work and a broader MGM Studios partnershipMGM Live is the new entertainment/content brand for MGM Resorts International’s Las Vegas properties. It launched on Instagram with a debut reel featuring Paul Heyman and UFC President Dana White together at an EZ Baccarat table at the Live at Park MGM venue on the Las Vegas.

This marks a notable crossover, as UFC and WWE are both under TKO Group Holdings. Park MGM has hosted WWE events (like the 2026 Hall of Fame) and UFC PPVs.

Heyman shot disruptive/late-night content there during WrestleMania week, including:His TikTok debut from Park MGM (talking about Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania, etc.).

"Heyman on Heyman" interview with his son Jacob for HeymanHustleTV. Multiple Instagram/TikTok reels embracing his "King of New York (and everywhere else)" persona while promoting MGM.

News

Big Tech

(ICYMI)

Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms Report Q1 2026 Earnings Beating Expectations

Alphabet reported Q1 2026 revenue of $109.9 billion and EPS of $5.11, surpassing estimates, with Google Cloud revenue up 63% to $20 billion.

Microsoft reported fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $82.89 billion and EPS of $4.27, beating expectations, driven by 39-40% Azure growth.

Amazon reported Q1 2026 revenue of $181.5 billion and EPS of $2.78 exceeding forecasts, with AWS up 28%, while Meta reported Q1 2026 revenue of $56.3 billion and EPS of $10.44 above estimates.

News

Media (Aust)

May 22

James Murdoch gets Rupert's old New York mag in $419m Vox deal

James Murdoch has purchased roughly half of Vox Media in a deal reportedly worth $US300 million ($419 million). It is the first big purchase by James Murdoch since he 'cashed out' his $US1.1 billion share of the Murdoch family business in a 2025 settlement that ended a acrimonious succession dispute, with James Murdoch being the youngest son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch. Vox Media's assets include 'New York' magazine, which his father owned from 1976 to 1991, along with a podcast network that includes shows such as 'Where Should We Begin?' (RMS)

Media Man (Anti Peg-On): Succession?!? May be interesting lunch or dinner banter. Boar On The Floor? If you can make it in New York and/or Sydhey, you can make it anywhere?!

News

Sports Biz (Aust)

AFL star set to make more money from one game than he earns in a year

Collingwood player Scott Pendlebury will break the record for the most number of games played by an VFL/AFL player when he lines up against the West Coast Eagles this weekend. Collingwood and the AFL have approved a special commercial arrangement for Pendlebury that will enable him to 'capture' 100 per cent of a vast array of merchandise created for the occasion, rather than the usual 65 per cent player cut. It has been estimated that Pendlebury could make more than $500,000 from the event, which is more than his annual salary, while he is currently involved in a legal battle with his former manager Jason Sourasis, with Pendlebury claiming Sourasis took $2.6 million from his accounts over an extended period "without his knowledge". (RMS)

News

Pop Culture/Lucha Libre

AAA Announces New General Manager Reveal on May 23

On the April 25 episode of AAA on Fox, President Marisela Peña announced that Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide will get a new General Manager, with the live reveal set for May 23 in Mexico City. This follows her son Dorian Roldán's recent plea for the role, which she decided to open to other candidates after careful thought. Fans are speculating on names like Zelina Vega, Rey Mysterio, or even The Undertaker, amid AAA's growth since WWE's majority stake acquisition last April and its new Fox broadcasts blending lucha action with WWE polish. (Media Man Peg-On): Ariba. Triple A has massive influence from The Undertaker, and it's paying off as far as entertainment value for fans and in other creative and business ways from what we see and hear. Can see see Danhausen in Triple H also? Lucha Hausen! And Vice City Rocks!

News Lead

UFC - MMA Building Stars Again; SS King Of Division, Substance And Hype; Yan UFC Bonus; Dana White Inks McGregor for UFC 329

New York Kind Of Feeling

US Stocks - Black Friday and In Australia Black Tuesday aftermath

Road To WWE Clash In Italy

Road To WWE Saturday Night's Main Event

WWE Management And Wrestlers Bullish; Wrestling and Boxing; WrestleMania Not Returning To Vegas For Long Time After Repeat Let Down

Sports Biz Event Tickets And Merch Drive

Danhausen Lifts WWE Merch Hausen

News

Media Man Group Weekly Series

Pop Culture Dream Matches

New Blood vs New Day vs Old News

GCW Bloodspot vs The Others

MGM Wrestling vs Atlantic City

Mr UFC vs Upstart MMA's

Bam Bam vs Father Time

UFC vs Outlaw Mud Shows

MVP vs Weekend Warriors

WBD Wrestling vs Own Goal

Mr Dingo Driver vs Dingo Warrior

New School vs Old School

Paul Heyman and Son and MGM Gamification vs others!

PopWrecked vs Karen

Studio97 vs others: Catfight Rules!

FHM vs MAXIM

Danhausen and Minihuasen vs Fraxiom

Oba Femi vs Lockeroom

x AI vs others!

T. Abbott (Aust) and P. Hanson vs Wokes

Rousey vs self

Rousey and Gina vs Critics

Ali vs self

The Man In The Arena vs self

Netflix vs Paramount Plus vs YouTube - 3 Way Dance! Special Ref: Easy E. Share The Love! Enough For The Big 3!

Ultra A.I vs Human Full Bloods

Extreme Swimming vs Traditional Swimming

Ex Machina vs Cave Man

Rudos vs Technicos (Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide)

Killer Kross vs All; KK The Belt Collector!

Mr News vs Mr VOX *That's with a V, not FOX)!

FOX vs The Hare: Fox And The Hound! Re-match. NYC Rules!

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

"What's your hustle" Paul Heyman

"Everyone you meet knows something you don't know" Anon

"An investment in ones self is always the best bet" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

"The consumer and fans decide what and who is the best" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

"More often than not it pays to be Google friendly" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group (repeated at Google Search Central Live, Sydney, Australia)

Media Man

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

May 20, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Aussie Black Tuesday!l Big-ish Wednesday per Surf Culture?! The Ripple Effect! Bulls vs Bears continued

Digital Bush Telegraph

Australia Continues To Ring Bells

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 39 points/0.5%: 8600

AUD -0.8% to US71.09¢

Bitcoin $76,715.79 -0.19%

Wall St:
Dow -0.7%
S&P -0.7%
Nasdaq -0.8%

VIX +0.24 to 18.06
Gold -1.8% to $US4482.61 an ounce
Brent oil -0.8% to $US111.18 a barrel
Iron ore -0.2% to $US108.00 a ton

10-year yield:

US 4.67%
Australia 5.06%

News

May 20

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7106 USD (down $0.0056 USD) Iron Ore: $108.00 USD (down $0.25 USD)
Oil Price: $104.13 USD (down $2.78 USD)
Gold Price : $4,482.23 USD (down $84.03 USD)
Copper Price: $6.1930 USD (down $0.1395 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,363.88 (down 322.24 points)

XRP
$1.3565 -2.00%

DOGE
$0.1022 -2.71%

News

ASX closes up 1.2pc after Trump walks back Iran threats

News

Media (Australia)

Karl Stefanovic and Eddie McGuire sign with Kyle and Jackie O's old radio company and Nine

News

Silver And Gold

Silver caught in a price trap

The silver market is relatively small compared to gold, which makes it more vulnerable to speculative trading. This often leads to sharper price moves in both directions. (FxPro)

News

The dollar is making a tactical retreat

Rumours of talks with Iran have caused the USD index to retreat

The pound has recouped some of its losses thanks to Labour’s intention to stick to the rules. The US dollar has retreated following Donald Trump’s statement that he was postponing the resumption of bombing Iran. According to the US president, he was asked to do so by Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE because negotiations with Tehran are underway. Markets have once again come to believe in a de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, which has led to a fall in oil prices and the USD index.

Despite the headlines, the US and Iran remain far apart on key issues. It is difficult to envisage the Strait of Hormuz reopening any time soon, and the longer the standoff persists, the stronger the tailwinds for Brent and the dollar. Even more so, the stock market has finally begun to consider the negative consequences of accelerating inflation and the attractiveness of rising Treasury yields. The S&P 500 has retreated from record highs, and the associated deterioration in global risk appetite has bolstered the greenback as a safe-haven asset.

The swearing-in ceremony for Kevin Warsh as the new Fed Chair will take place at the White House this Friday. No doubt, Donald Trump is sincerely hoping for a rate cut, despite the futures market suggesting a 50% probability of a rate hike in 2026 after actively repricing expectations in recent weeks.

The British pound has launched a counterattack thanks to a statement by Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. The frontrunner to succeed Keir Starmer as Prime Minister has stated that he adheres to fiscal rules. Previously, investors had feared that the new head of government would turn to fiscal stimulus, which would conflict with the Bank of England’s monetary tightening. Bond selloffs paused, and GBPUSD rose from 1.33 to 1.34.

The pound was supported by the IMF, raising its forecast for UK GDP growth from 0.8% to 1% in 2026. The economy may be able to withstand two rounds of BoE rate hikes, as signalled by the futures market.

Japan’s 2.1% GDP growth in the first quarter did not deter the USDJPY bulls. Investors are cautiously awaiting the government’s use of a supplementary budget to finance the servicing costs of its growing debt.

News Lead Up

Sellers are pressing down on crypto

Market Overview

News Background

Activity among companies buying crypto assets for their reserves has also declined. According to Bitfinex, the volume of Bitcoin purchases by large companies has fallen by 80% over the week.

News

Conor McGregor Rematches Max Holloway at UFC 329

The Lead Up

Red Turns To Green And Gold!

News

Netflix MMA Debut Peaks at 11.6 Million U.S. Viewers with Rousey Win

News

Pop Culture Ref: "The Wall Street Shuffle" (10 cc)

LinkedIn b2b Business Continues To Lift For Media Man Group and Associates

News (ICYMI)

Alphabet/Google Cracks TIME 100 Cover; Positive Buzz

Beast Industries aka MrBeast TIME Top 100 Influencer;

Post Buzz Continues For TIME Media Darlings

TKO Prez Mark Shapiro Admits Back To Back WrestleMania's In Sin City Las Vegas May Have Been Mistake; Will Return To City To City Strategy, No Repeat City's For WrestleMania In Future

TKO's LinkedIn Continues To Enjoy Strong News Media Buzz; Google LinkedIn Numbers Up; Search Engine Journal LinkedIn; Rio Tinto (Mining) Strong LinkedIn Media Vibes And Buzz

News

WWE's Danhausen Offers Mega Exposure To Rootless Coffee And WWE Merch; Number 3 Best Seller Of WWE Merch With Human Monies; Danhausen ESPN News! Very Nice!

Media Man LinkedIn and X Up; Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

Google/Alphabet Earnings Bullish

May 20, 2026

Markets

Coffee 270.15 +5.95

Cocoa 3907.00 +116.00

Sillicon 8330.00 +35.00

Silver 73.960 -0377

Newsfeed

News Lead Up

120 + Hours Ago

BTC/Cryptos

Bitcoin hits the pause button at $80K

Market Overview

News Background

Investments rose amid a compromise on stablecoin yields under the CLARITY Act. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to consider the bill next week, CoinShares notes.

News

Media Man with Cafe News Media Watercooler

Beer killer? Rise of the vodka RTD

News

oOh!media rejects $770m offer, triggers bidding war

News

AI News

The hidden expenses in banking's AI rollout

News

Advertising expectations and experience: Australians have their say about AI

The second wave of Ad Standards' Community Sentiment Tracker, which was conducted by Roy Morgan, has found that 72% of Australians are concerned about the use of AI-generated content in advertising, particularly its potential to mislead or deceive people with unrealistic or fake content. Around half are also worried that the use of AI could reduce authenticity and creativity in advertising and promote unrealistic body or beauty standards. Australians believe AI-generated content is already widely used in advertising, with more than half saying that it is used very often (21%) or often (37%). Despite this, confidence in recognising AI-generated content remains low, with one in five Australians saying they are not at all confident they could identify when AI-generated content has been used in an ad. Some 64% of Australians believe it should always be necessary to disclose when advertising contains AI-generated content. The Ad Standards-Roy Morgan Community Sentiment Tracker Survey was conducted online with a cross-section of 1,000 Australians aged 18+ between 19 February and 2 March 2026. (Roy Morgan)

News

Sports/Media/Broadasting

Seven boss flags interest in NRL

Southern Cross Media Group's CEO Rohan Lund has indicated that the Seven Network owner could potentially bid for the NRL's broadcasting rights. Lund says media companies like Seven have an important role in helping audiences and partners to connect with their sports teams. He adds that Seven could be interested in the annual State of Origin series in particular. The Nine Network's current free-to-air rights deal for the NRL expires next year, and the NRL aims to finalise its next deal by the end of July. (RMS)

News

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$193.07
-1.00 -0.52%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$387.66
-9.28 -2.34%

Meta Platforms Inc
$602.61
-8.60 -1.41%

Netflix Inc
$89.33
-0.32 -0.36%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$94.78
-0.73 -0.76%

MGM Resorts International
$36.02
-1.07 -2.88%

News

(ICYMI)

MGM Vegas

Heyman Hustle/Paul Heyman - Live At MGM

News

This marks a notable crossover, as UFC and WWE are both under TKO Group Holdings. Park MGM has hosted WWE events (like the 2026 Hall of Fame) and UFC PPVs.

Heyman shot disruptive/late-night content there during WrestleMania week, including:His TikTok debut from Park MGM (talking about Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania, etc.).

"Heyman on Heyman" interview with his son Jacob for HeymanHustleTV. Multiple Instagram/TikTok reels embracing his "King of New York (and everywhere else)" persona while promoting MGM.

News

Big Tech

(ICYMI)

Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms Report Q1 2026 Earnings Beating Expectations

Alphabet reported Q1 2026 revenue of $109.9 billion and EPS of $5.11, surpassing estimates, with Google Cloud revenue up 63% to $20 billion.

Microsoft reported fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $82.89 billion and EPS of $4.27, beating expectations, driven by 39-40% Azure growth.

Amazon reported Q1 2026 revenue of $181.5 billion and EPS of $2.78 exceeding forecasts, with AWS up 28%, while Meta reported Q1 2026 revenue of $56.3 billion and EPS of $10.44 above estimates.

News

Pop Culture/Lucha Libre

AAA Announces New General Manager Reveal on May 23

News Lead

UFC - MMA Building Stars Again; SS King Of Division, Substance And Hype; Yan UFC Bonus; Dana White Inks McGregor for UFC 329

New York Kind Of Feeling

US Stocks - Black Friday and In Australia Black Tuesday aftermath

Road To WWE Clash In Italy

Road To WWE Saturday Night's Main Event

WWE Management And Wrestlers Bullish; Wrestling and Boxing; WrestleMania Not Returning To Vegas For Long Time After Repeat Let Down

Sports Biz Event Tickets And Merch Drive

Danhausen Lifts WWE Merch Hausen

News

Media Man Group Weekly Series

Pop Culture Dream Matches

New Blood vs New Day vs Old News

GCW Bloodspot vs The Others

MGM Wrestling vs Atlantic City

Mr UFC vs Numerous Mainstream Media

Bam Bam vs Father Time

UFC vs Outlaw Mud Shows

MVP vs Weekend Warriors

WBD Wrestling vs Own Goal

Mr Dingo Driver vs Naysayers

New School vs Old School

Paul Heyman and Son and MGM Gamification vs others!

PopWrecked vs Karen

Studio97 vs others: Catfight Rules!

FHM vs MAXIM

Danhausen and Minihuasen def Bully Ray and Easy E

Oba Femi vs Lockeroom

x AI vs others!

T. Abbott (Aust) vs Wokes

Rousey vs self

Rousey and Gina vs Critics

Ali vs self

The Man In The Arena vs self

Netflix vs Paramount Plus vs YouTube - 3 Way Dance! Special Ref: Easy E. Share The Love! Enough For The Big 3!

Ultra A.I vs Human Full Bloods

Extreme Swimming vs Traditional Swimming

Ex Machina vs Cave Man

Rudos vs Technicos (Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide)

Killer Kross vs All; KK The Belt Collector!

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

"What's your hustle" Paul Heyman

"Everyone you meet knows something you don't know" Anon

"An investment in ones self is always the best bet" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

"The consumer and fans decide what and who is the best" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

Media Man

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

FinTech, Big Tech, Big Biz

May 14, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Digital Bush Telegraph

Australia Continues To Ring Bells

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 22 points/ 0.3%: 8636

AUD +0.3% to US72.59¢

Bitcoin $79,510.16 -1.46%

Wall St:
Dow -0.1%
S&P +0.6%
Nasdaq +1.2%

VIX -0.12 to 17.87
Gold -0.6% to $US4688.77 an ounce
Brent oil -1.9% to $US105.70 a barrel
Iron ore +0.7% to $US110.95 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.47%
Australia 5.06%

News

May 14

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7260 USD (up $0.0020 USD)
Iron Ore: $110.95 USD (up $0.85 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas): $101.00 USD (down $1.01 USD)
Gold Price : $4,689.17 USD (down $26.23 USD)
Copper Price): $6.6190 USD (down $0.0145 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,693.20 (down 67.36 points)

News (Australia)

ASX down as investors wipe $30b from CBA

The Australian sharemarket lost ground on Wednesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.5 per cent to close at 8,630.4 points. Bank stocks were sold down for a second day in the wake of the federal budget, with the Commonwealth Bank falling 10.4 per cent to $153.67. PEXA Group was down four per cent at $11.90 and Temple & Webster ended the session 6.4 per cent lower at $4.98. However, BHP rose 2.9 per cent to a record high of $61.52 and Aristocrat Leisure was up 13.3 per cent at $51.94. (RMS)

News

The Lead Up

TKO Neg With Talent/Wrestling With Numbers And Contracts; If The New Price Is Right Mr Wrestling and Ms Wrestling

Red Turns To Green And Gold!

Pop Culture Ref: "The Wall Street Shuffle" (10 cc)

LinkedIn b2b Business Continues To Lift For Media Man Group and Associates

News (ICYMI)

Alphabet/Google Cracks TIME 100 Cover; Positive Buzz

Beast Industries aka MrBeast TIME Top 100 Influencer;

Post Buzz Continues For TIME Media Darlings

TKO's LinkedIn Continues To Enjoy Strong News Media Buzz; Google LinkedIn Numbers Up; Search Engine Journal LinkedIn; Rio Tinto (Mining) Strong LinkedIn Media Vibes And Buzz

WWE's Danhausen Offers Mega Exposure To Rootless Coffee And WWE Merch; Number 3 Best Seller Of WWE Merch With Human Monies; Danhausen ESPN News! Very Nice!

Media Man LinkedIn and X Up; Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

Google/Alphabet Earnings Ultra Bullish

May 14, 2026

(Sydney, Australia To Wall Street, New York)

Markets

Coffee 280.70 +0.55

Cocoa 4418.00 -169.00

Sillicon 8585 -50.00

Silver 87.554 +0.123

Newsfeed

May 13

Culture/WWE NXT

Naraku Crushes Lince Dorado in Dominant WWE NXT Debut

The 39-year-old Japanese powerhouse, formerly EVIL in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and an ex-IWGP Heavyweight Champion, signed with WWE in April and debuted Tuesday on NXT airing on The CW. After vignettes and a chilling promo revealing his hellish new name, Naraku grabbed a quick win over Dorado, then snarled into the mic: "NARAKU is not a man of honor. I am pure EVIL!" His intact NJPW gimmick and House of Torture flair drew fan buzz, with eyes now on NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo as the King of Darkness eyes gold. (Media Man Peg-On): In Australia WWE NXT airs on Netflix. Highlights via the official WWE YouTube channel.

News

Pop Culture/WWE

Randy Orton's WrestleMania 41 Card Sells for $42,100 Record Price

The one-of-a-kind card from Topps' 2025 Royalty WWE set features a patch from Orton's WrestleMania 41 match in Las Vegas, signed with 'WM#20' and 'The Viper.' It shattered records by doubling the prior No. 2 WWE card sale, beating out a Steve Austin 1/1, after Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns bid nearly $40,000 before losing in the final seconds. Orton reacted by promising the winner his WM41 throwback gear—he still has his iconic 2004 SummerSlam trunks from becoming WWE's youngest world champion at age 24. (Media Man Peg-On): Some collectors making an RKO killing. Punt kick to a real job! Coiled up big ballers!

News Lead Up

12 + Hours Ago

BTC/Cryptos

Bitcoin hits the pause button at $80K

Market Overview

News Background

Investments rose amid a compromise on stablecoin yields under the CLARITY Act. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to consider the bill next week, CoinShares notes.

News

Media Man with Cafe News Media Watercooler

Beer killer? Rise of the vodka RTD

News

oOh!media rejects $770m offer, triggers bidding war

News Media

Truescope's co-founder and CEO John Croll contends that Australian companies are not getting much value from traditional media monitoring firms. He says they s are paying large sums of money each year for monthly media intelligence reports that are based on daily press clippings, and are therefore usually out of date before the client receives them; he adds that the analysis in these reports is often outsourced to low-cost workers offshore. In contast, Truescope processes content within minutes of publication and performs sentiment analysis at sentence level rather than story level; it also uses artificial intelligence to produce an executive summary. Croll was previously the CEO of iSentia.

News

AI News

The hidden expenses in banking's AI rollout

News

AI/Aviation (Aust)

Union demands Qantas AI talks

The Australian Services Union has asked for a meeting with Qantas CEO Vanessa Hudson, following comments by her at a recent conference that suggest she intends to accelerate the airline's adoption of artificial intelligence. With the ASU representing clerical and call centre staff at Qantas, assistant national secretary Scott Cohen said attempts to enshrine protections into work agreements for staff around the implementation of AI had not been agreed to by Qantas, making Hudson's comments all the more concerning; he says he hopes that the ASU can work with Qantas to find ways by which AI can improve customer service and perhaps even lead to more human interaction. (RMS)

AI News

'Red tape is killing Australia's AI dream'

Data centre company Iren was called Iris Energy and operated as a bitcoin miner when it tried to list on the ASX in 2021, but the ASX knocked it back. That proved a blessing in disguise, as Iren instead floated on the tech-heavy Nasdaq exchange in the US, with co-founder Dan Roberts noting that on Friday it traded $US10bn in just that one session, which he says is more than the ASX's on-market dail turnover of $7.5bn. Roberts contends its rejection by the ASX was sign of Australia's unwillingness to " back next-generation technology at scale", while Iren has signed a $4.7bn deal with Nvidia to house its processing chips in Iren data centres.

News

(ICYMI)

Politics/MMA/UFC

Trump Hosts UFC Stars in Oval Office for White House Fight Event

Trump welcomed lightweight champ Ilia Topuria, challenger Justin Gaethje, light heavyweight titleholder Alex Pereira, and heavyweight Ciryl Gane to preview UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. The free event on the South Lawn features a 4,500-seat arena for Topuria vs. Gaethje and Pereira vs. Gane, tying into America's 250th anniversary and Trump's 80th birthday, with overflow crowds on giant screens nearby. Banter flew in the meeting—Trump joked about Pereira's powerful hand, while Topuria teased him lightly—building hype for this historic first pro sports event on White House grounds. (Media Man Peg-On): Win-Win-Win. Even if you lose on whe White House, you also win at the game and biz of MMA! Much respect to all.

News Lead Up

100 + Hours Ago

Cryptos

Altcoins are surging amid a steady rise in BTC price

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has risen by 0.75% over the past 24 hours, reaching $2.69 trillion. The top three performers are Zcash (+29%), Toncoin (+23%) and Filecoin (+16%). The underperformers are Ethereum (-0.4%), Algorand (-0.5%) and Basic Attention Token (-4.6%).

Bitcoin is approaching $81.5K, continuing its movement within an upward channel and hitting new highs since February. This positive momentum can easily be linked to the continued rise in stock indices, which is boosting risk appetite and bringing a more significant technical battle into view. The leading cryptocurrency is approaching its 200-day moving average (currently at $83.3K); a firm consolidation above this level would be a further sign of bullish dominance. We saw the first such sign – consolidation above the 50-day moving average – exactly one month ago. It is quite likely that, as Bitcoin approaches $83K, a short-term profit-taking phase awaits, allowing some of the gains to be taken.

The performance of altcoins clearly shows how BTC’s steady growth is encouraging increased risk-taking. First Toncoin, and today Zcash, have gained nearly 30% over the past 24 hours. The latter has been rising every day since 3 April, gaining 80% during this period; it was one of the first major cryptocurrencies to climb out of the slump at the end of January and reach highs last seen in November of last year. The key pivot zone in 2018 and 2025, near $800, looks well within reach in the coming days.

News Background

The total USDT market capitalisation has increased by $5.9 billion over the last 60 days, whereas prior to March, the market was losing around $2 billion monthly, notes analyst Darkfost. The inflow of capital into the crypto market is boosting asset values.

Morgan Stanley suggests that US banks may be able to hold Bitcoin on their balance sheets in the future, despite current regulatory barriers. The bank recently launched a Bitcoin-based exchange-traded product (ETP). Later this year, Morgan Stanley will launch spot trading in cryptocurrency on its Wealth platform.

The international payment system Western Union has launched its own stablecoin, USDPT, on the Solana blockchain. Integration with SOL will allow the company to speed up settlements and move away from traditional interbank systems, which are prone to delays.

BitMine has increased its Ethereum reserves to $13 billion, purchasing over 100,000 ETH for the third week in a row. The company’s reserves have reached 5,180,131 ETH, or 4.29% of the Ethereum supply.

Toncoin (TON) jumped by 45% amid fee reductions and the reorganisation of TON. Pavel Durov announced that Telegram would take over management of the TON crypto project from the current operator, the TON Foundation. The entrepreneur promised to reduce fees on the TON network sixfold and turn the eponymous token into a mass-market product.

News

Advertising expectations and experience: Australians have their say about AI

News

Sports/Media/Broadasting

Seven boss flags interest in NRL

News

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$183.70
+0.37 +0.20%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$402.62
+15.27 +3.94%

NVIDIA Corp
$225.83
+5.05 +2.29%

Meta Platforms Inc
$616.63
+13.63 +2.26%

Netflix Inc
$87.56
-0.100 -0.11%

News

(ICYMI)

MGM Vegas

Heyman Hustle/Paul Heyman - Live At MGM

News

This marks a notable crossover, as UFC and WWE are both under TKO Group Holdings. Park MGM has hosted WWE events (like the 2026 Hall of Fame) and UFC PPVs.

Heyman shot disruptive/late-night content there during WrestleMania week, including:His TikTok debut from Park MGM (talking about Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania, etc.).

"Heyman on Heyman" interview with his son Jacob for HeymanHustleTV. Multiple Instagram/TikTok reels embracing his "King of New York (and everywhere else)" persona while promoting MGM.

News

Pop Culture/WWE

Danhausen Reopens Cameo for Sports Curses and Uncurses

The Metro Detroit wrestler, now with WWE, offers personalized videos for around $125 to curse or uncursed sports teams, just as NBA playoffs heat up. A Knicks fan's uncursing video preceded their 140-89 Game 6 blowout over the Hawks, sparking requests from Chiefs, Nets, Panthers, Cavs, Bears, Arsenal, Ferrari, and Jets fans. His 'very nice, very evil' persona has fans half-jokingly linking his hexes to real results, with Cameo now swamped and unavailable. (Media Man Peg-On: You are not cursed, and you are on Media Man!

News

Big Tech

(ICYMI)

Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms Report Q1 2026 Earnings Beating Expectations

Alphabet reported Q1 2026 revenue of $109.9 billion and EPS of $5.11, surpassing estimates, with Google Cloud revenue up 63% to $20 billion.

Microsoft reported fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $82.89 billion and EPS of $4.27, beating expectations, driven by 39-40% Azure growth.

Amazon reported Q1 2026 revenue of $181.5 billion and EPS of $2.78 exceeding forecasts, with AWS up 28%, while Meta reported Q1 2026 revenue of $56.3 billion and EPS of $10.44 above estimates.

News

News Lead Up

100 approx Hours Ago

Bitcoin has begun hunting down short sellers

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has continued to hit new highs since early February, reaching $2.67 trillion. This time, the movement was not uniform, consisting of individual surges led by Toncoin (+29%), followed by Algorand (+4.5%) and Basic Attention Token (+4%). The underperformers include Dash (-5.5%), Aptos (-2.1%) and VeChain (-1.6%).

The sentiment index has reached 50, the midpoint of the indicator’s range, where it last stood on 17 January. The market is approaching a significant turning point. Since last October, there have been only brief surges in sentiment to higher levels, but these have provided excellent opportunities for bears to sell at higher prices.

Although Bitcoin faced some pressure midday on Monday, it overcame it on Tuesday, reaching $81K and gaining 1.3% for the day, though, by and large, it covered this ground in just the last 4 hours. We attribute this rally to short squeezes, as the rise occurred during the period of the most aggressive movements ahead of the start of active trading in Asia, when liquidity is at its lowest. Meanwhile, on the stock markets, there was only a slight pullback following the downward momentum. In any case, on the daily charts, Bitcoin is recording its sixth bullish candle, and the entire April uptrend now fits within a new upward channel, with the upper boundary currently at the 200-day moving average.

News Background

The Capriole investment fund has noted a sharp rise in demand for Bitcoin from major players. Institutional investors are buying up more than 500% of the daily mining output of the leading cryptocurrency every day. Historically, such a supply shortage has led to a 24% rise in BTC over the following month.

Bitcoin appears poised for an upward surge. A break above $80K opens up the possibility of reaching $86K–$88K in the coming period, notes MN Trading founder Michael van de Poppe.

Following the latest adjustment, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty has fallen by 2.3% to 132.47 T. According to Glassnode, the network’s average hash rate, smoothed by a 7-day moving average, stands at around 955 EH/s.

Senators Tom Tillis and Angela Olsbrooks have reached a compromise regarding stablecoin yields in the CLARITY Act. This bill regulating the US crypto market may be considered by the Senate Banking Committee in the week following 11 May. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture/Lucha Libre

AAA Announces New General Manager Reveal on May 23

News Lead

UFC - MMA Building Stars Again; SS King Of Division, Substance And Hype; Yan UFC Bonus

New York Kind Of Feeling

US Stocks - Black Friday aftermath

Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

WWE Management And Wrestlers Bullish; Wrestling and Boxing

Sports Biz Event Tickets And Merch Drive

Danhausen Lifts WWE Merch Hausen

News

Media Man Group Weekly Series

Pop Culture Dream Matches

New Blood vs New Day vs Old News

GCW Bloodspot vs The Others

MGM Wrestling vs Atlantic City

Mr UFC vs Numerous Mainstream Media

Bam Bam vs Father Time

UFC vs Outlaw Mud Shows

MVP vs Weekend Warriors

WBD Wrestling vs Own Goal

Mr Dingo Driver vs Naysayers

New School vs Old School

Paul Heyman and Son and MGM Gamification vs others!

PopWrecked vs Karen

Studio97 vs others: Catfight Rules!

Danhausen and Minihuasen vs Bully Ray and Easy E

Oba Femi vs Lockeroom

x AI vs others!

T. Abbott (Aust) vs Wokes

Netflix vs Paramount Plus vs YouTube - 3 Way Dance! Special Ref: Easy E. Share The Love! Enough For The Big 3!

Ultra A.I vs Human Full Bloods

Ex Machina vs Cave Man

Rudos vs Technicos (Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide)

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

"What's your hustle" Paul Heyman

"Everyone you meet knows something you don't know" Anon

"An investment in ones self is always the best bet" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

Media Man

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

FinTech, Big Tech, Big Biz

May 12, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Digital Bush Telegraph

Australia Continues To Ring Bells

Markets

ASX 200 futures up 13 points/0.2%: 8746

AUD +0.04% to US72.49¢

Bitcoin $81,075.09 +0.45

Wall St:
Dow +0.2%
S&P +0.2%
Nasdaq +0.1%

VIX +1.19 to 18.38
Gold +0.4% to $US4736.17 an ounce
Brent oil +3.1% to $US104.38 a barrel
Iron ore +1% to $US111.55 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.41%
Australia 4.99%

News

May 12

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7246 USD (up $0.0024 USD)
Iron Ore: $111.55 USD (up $1.35 USD)
Oil Price): $98.46 USD (up $3.04 USD)
Gold Price: $4,735.59 USD (up $19.99 USD)
Copper: $6.4885 USD (up $0.1920 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,704.47 (up 95.31 points)

News

The Lead Up

TKO Neg With Talent/Wrestling With Numbers And Contracts; If The New Price Is Right Mr Wrestling and Ms Wrestling UFC MMA and U.S Admin Mix It Up With Fighters Visiting White House; Patriots Well Received In And Around Oval Office; Present Trump Gets Welcome Image Revamp Of Sorts; Keeping The Wars In The Octagon! Red Turns To Green And Gold!

Pop Culture Ref: "The Wall Street Shuffle" (10 cc)

LinkedIn b2b Business Continues To Lift For Media Man Group and Associates

News (ICYMI)

Alphabet/Google Cracks TIME 100 Cover; Positive Buzz

Beast Industries aka MrBeast TIME Top 100 Influencer;
Post Buzz Continues For TIME Media Darlings

TKO/WWE In And Out Of The Ring Continues; Up and Down Cycle; TKO's Nick Khan Continues To Offer Positive Vibes To US Admin Re Ali Act Amendment; Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

TKO's LinkedIn Continues To Enjoy Strong News Media Buzz; Google LinkedIn Numbers Up; Rio Tinto (Mining) Strong LinkedIn Media Vibes And Buzz

WWE's Danhausen Offers Mega Exposure To Rootless Coffee And WWE Merch; Number 3 Best Seller Of WWE Merch With Human Monies; Danhausen ESPN News! Very Nice!

Media Man LinkedIn and X Up; TKO News Flashbacks

Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

Google/Alphabet Earnings Ultra Bullish

May 12, 2026

(Sydney, Australia To Wall Street, New York)

Markets

Coffee 282.30 +7.50
Cocoa 4709.00 +527
Sillicon 8935 -40
Silver 86.327 +0.316

News

May 12

ASX ends lower after CSL's $9b wipeout

The Australian sharemarket lost ground on Monday, amid fading hopes of a permanent ceasefire in the Middle East; the S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.5 per cent to close at 8,701.8 points. CSL was down 16 per cent at $100.75 and the ANZ Bank fell 2.5 per cent to end the session at $35.88. However, Woodside Energy rose 1.5 per cent to $30.51, Inghams was up 7.4 per cent at $1.82 and Dyno Nobel finished 6.6 per cent higher at $3.54. (RMS)

News

Beer killer? Rise of the vodka RTD

News

oOh!media rejects $770m offer, triggers bidding war

News Mwsi

News

AI News

The hidden expenses in banking's AI rollout

News

AI/Aviation (Aust)

Union demands Qantas AI talks

AI News

'Red tape is killing Australia's AI dream'

News

Australia

China hit with punitive 82pc steel tariff

The federal government has imposed tariffs of between 38 per cent and 82 per cent on hot-rolled coil steel products that are imported from China. Industry Minister Tim Ayres approved the new tariffs on Monday, with temporary levies of up 117 per cent having been in place since late 2025 while the Anti-Dumping Commission completed its investigation into claims that China was exporting steel products to Australia at heavily discounted prices. A spokesman for Ayres says that all trade remedies are fully consistent with Australia's obligations under its trade agreements, and the nation's anti-dumping regime does not target any country in particular.

News

(ICYMI)

Politics/MMA/UFC

Trump Hosts UFC Stars in Oval Office for White House Fight Event

News Lead Up

60 + Hours Ago

Cryptos

Altcoins are surging amid a steady rise in BTC price

Market Overview

News Background

News

Advertising expectations and experience: Australians have their say about AI

News

Sports/Media/Broadasting

Seven boss flags interest in NRL

News

Pop Culture/Wrestling/WWE/NXT

Shawn Michaels Announces Loaded NXT Card for Next Week

Next Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on The CW from Orlando's WWE Performance Center, NXT Women's North American Champion Tatum Paxley teams with newcomer Lizzy Rain against Zaria and Nikkita Lyons, fresh off last week's wild brawl. A win in the Kendall Grey vs. Kelani Jordan match earns a title shot, while Japanese star Naraku debuts in the ring and indie signee Sean Legacy joins a six-man tag. Noam Dar returns from injury for a one-on-one with Jackson Drake, as Michaels spotlights rising talents in a buzzing women's reset. (Media Man Peg-On): For Australians enjoy the show on Tuesday morning (Australia) via Netflix! Highlights will appear on YouTube the same day!

News

Before The Bell

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$184.50
-2.29 -1.23%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$388.64
-12.07 -3.01%

NVIDIA Corp
$219.44
+4.22 +1.96%

Meta Platforms Inc
$598.86
-10.77 -1.77%

Netflix Inc
$85.45
-2.03 -2.32%

News

(ICYMI)

MGM Vegas

Heyman Hustle/Paul Heyman - Live At MGM

News

This marks a notable crossover, as UFC and WWE are both under TKO Group Holdings. Park MGM has hosted WWE events (like the 2026 Hall of Fame) and UFC PPVs.

Heyman shot disruptive/late-night content there during WrestleMania week, including:His TikTok debut from Park MGM (talking about Brock Lesnar, WrestleMania, etc.).

"Heyman on Heyman" interview with his son Jacob for HeymanHustleTV. Multiple Instagram/TikTok reels embracing his "King of New York (and everywhere else)" persona while promoting MGM.

News

Pop Culture/WWE

Danhausen Reopens Cameo for Sports Curses and Uncurses

News

Big Tech

(ICYMI)

Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta Platforms Report Q1 2026 Earnings Beating Expectations

Alphabet reported Q1 2026 revenue of $109.9 billion and EPS of $5.11, surpassing estimates, with Google Cloud revenue up 63% to $20 billion.

Microsoft reported fiscal Q3 2026 revenue of $82.89 billion and EPS of $4.27, beating expectations, driven by 39-40% Azure growth.

Amazon reported Q1 2026 revenue of $181.5 billion and EPS of $2.78 exceeding forecasts, with AWS up 28%, while Meta reported Q1 2026 revenue of $56.3 billion and EPS of $10.44 above estimates.

News

60 Hours Ago

Geopolitics has caused the dollar to retreat

The end of Operation Epic Fury is boosting risk appetite.

Japan is likely to continue punishing speculators. The US dollar has lost ground following statements from the White House regarding the conclusion of the two-month ‘Operation Epic Fury’ and progress in negotiations with Iran. Investors are interpreting this as a de-escalation in the Middle East and are selling Brent. At the same time, the dollar index is once again testing the lows of the past two months amid risk-on sentiment in key markets. Optimism could push EURUSD higher. Although its further trajectory will depend on the pace of the fall in oil prices. It will take time to repair the damaged energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf. Therefore, it is believed that Brent and WTI will not return to the $65–70 levels seen before the conflict in the Middle East this year. This is a pro-inflationary factor. US services PMI indices are signalling the highest price pressure since 2022, while the futures market is ramping up expectations of Fed rate hikes. It will not be easy for Kevin Warsh to fulfil Donald Trump’s wishes for a significant easing of policy. For now, traders’ attention is entirely focused on the Middle East. The end of the conflict is driving the EURUSD up to 1.1760, and this rise will gain momentum with further signs of de-escalation.

Conversely, another breakdown in negotiations and a deadlock in US-Iran relations will force the major currency pair to take a step back. And this is not merely a matter of caution, as alongside their conciliatory rhetoric, the US is building up its military presence in the Persian Gulf. The sharp collapse in USDJPY on Wednesday suggests that the government has once again intervened in the forex market. Japan needs to properly deter speculators from using dips in the US dollar to buy it. Rumours of a de-escalation in geopolitical tensions have catalysed a rally of more than 3% in gold, pushing it above $4,700. The fall in oil prices reduces the risk of high inflation becoming entrenched and removes the need for central banks to tighten policy. As a result, the precious metal may see a return to the debasement trade. (FxPro)

News Lead Up

72 Hours Ago

Bitcoin has begun hunting down short sellers

Market Overview

News Background

Bitcoin appears poised for an upward surge. A break above $80K opens up the possibility of reaching $86K–$88K in the coming period, notes MN Trading founder Michael van de Poppe.

News

BHP's price deal puts minnows, rivals on alert

Rio Tinto's former CEO Sam Walsh believes that the iron ore pricing deal between BHP and China Mineral Resources Group will fail. Few details of the deal to end the long-running dispute between BHP and CMRG have emerged, although reports suggest that BHP has ceded more influence to China in setting iron ore prices; this could potentially lead to more ore being priced in Chinese currency. Geoff Raby, Australian ambassador to China, believes that the key outcome of the deal is BHP's acceptance that the benchmark price of iron ore should be set by China, rather than a price reporting agency based in the US or the UK. (ABIX)

Media Man Peg-On: BHP per ad "We've been called many things". Gonzo journalism in mining and rare earth news lives!

News

Pop Culture/Lucha Libre

AAA Announces New General Manager Reveal on May 23

News Lead

UFC - MMA Building Stars Again; SS King Of Division, Substance And Hype; Yan UFC Bonus

New York Kind Of Feeling

US Stocks - Black Friday aftermath

Road To WWE Clash In Italy and WWE SNME

WWE Management And Wrestlers Bullish; Wrestling and Boxing

Sports Biz Event Tickets And Merch Drive

Danhausen Lifts WWE Merch Hausen

News

Media Man Group Weekly Series

Pop Culture Dream Matches

New Blood vs New Day vs Old News

GCW Bloodspot vs The Others

MGM Wrestling vs Atlantic City

Bam Bam vs Father Time

UFC vs Outlaw Mud Shows

WBD Wrestling vs Own Goal

Mr Dingo Driver vs Naysayers

New School vs Old School

Paul Heyman and Son and MGM Gamification vs others!

PopWrecked vs Karen

Studio97 vs others: Catfight Rules!

Danhausen vs Easy E - Best of 2/3 Falls

x AI vs others!

T. Abbott (Aust) vs Wokes

Netflix vs Paramount Plus vs YouTube - 3 Way Dance! Special Ref: Easy E. Share The Love! Enough For The Big 3!

Ultra A.I vs Human Full Bloods

Ex Machina vs Cave Man

Rudos vs Technicos (Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide)

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

"An investment in ones self is always the best bet" Greg Tingle, Media Man Group

Media Man

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

April 21, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street New York

Wrestling With Numbers, World Situation and Pop Culture

Media Man Watercooler

Markets

ASX 200 futures up 48 points/0.5%: 9023
AUD +0.1% to US71.79¢
BTC $75,646.69 +1.41%
Dow -0.01%
S&P -0.2%
NAS -0.3%
VIX +1.39 to 18.87
Gold -0.2% to $US4820.66 an oz
Silver 78.854 - 0.774
Brent oil +4.3% to $US94.30 a barrel
Iron ore +1% to $US106.80 a ton

News

April 21

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7180 USD (up $0.0055 USD)
Iron Ore: $106.80 USD (up $1.05 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas): $87.80 USD (up $3.95 USD)
Gold Price : $4,820.54 USD (up $49.36 USD)
Copper Price): $6.0455 USD (down $0.0360 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,442.56 (down 4.87 points)

News

ASX steadies amid renewed US-Iran tensions

The Australian sharemarket edged higher on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.07 per cent to close at 8,953.3 points. Iran's move to close the Strait of Hormuz weighed on investor sentiment and boosted the price of Brent crude oil. The Commonwealth Bank was up 1.1 per cent at $180.15 and Wesfarmers advanced 2.4 per cent to $74.63. However, Woodside Energy was down 2.9 per cent at $31.77 and Worley fell 5.8 per cent to $11.13. (RMS)

News

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$184.70
-1.61 -0.86%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$337.42
-4.26 -1.25%

Netflix Inc
$94.83
-2.48 -2.55%

Mp Materials Corp
$66.23
+5.24 +8.59%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$108.79
-0.40 -0.37%

Light & Wonder Inc
$88.80
+0.55 +0.62%

Red Rock Resorts Inc
$56.29
-0.62 -1.09%

PENN Entertainment Inc
$15.84
-0.0100 -0.063%

Caesars Entertainment Inc
$27.65
+0.43 +1.58%

Caterpillar Inc
$798.40
+5.26 +0.66%

News

WWE RAW After WrestleMania

T-Mobile Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada

Crowd Attendance: 12, 596

News

Pop Culture/WWE

CM Punk Slaps Phone from Fan's Hand After WrestleMania Loss

The incident unfolded around midnight on April 20 in the MGM Grand Hotel lobby in Las Vegas, where WWE stars stayed during WrestleMania weekend. Video shows Punk confronting the man, slapping the phone to the floor after AJ Lee reportedly waved off the filming, with the fan apologizing before security intervened. Amid chaotic fan crowds mobbing wrestlers like Drew McIntyre, many backed Punk for protecting his family's private moment, though some called the physical response excessive; similar tensions arose with Damian Priest aiding another talent. (Media Man Peg-On): Way too many "fans" (more like autograph stalkers) are extremly disrespectful towards pro wrestlers and other people in general. We've witnesses this type of situation a number of times over the decades. Ambulance chasers, stay away from pro wrestlers private lives. That goes for red carpet "fans" (more like stalkers also). Much respect to the wrestlers who have to put up with these scum from time to time.

News

WWE

WrestleMania Fan Tumbles Over Railing After Rollins Loss

During Night 1 of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, the fan in full Austin gear lost his footing in the steep nosebleed seats amid the crowd's devastation from Gunther's win with Bron Breakker's help. The bald spectator below took the impact like a crash pad, shook it off without serious injury, and security escorted the tumbler out. The clip spread widely online, with fans joking about the raw passion in the cheap seats while the event featured Cody Rhodes retaining his title and other big matches. (Media Man Peg-On): How many beers or coffees did the fan have? It's free to ask. A number of NFL players we having drinking contests over WrestleMania Weekend.

News

Combat Sports/Boxing

Usyk Stays No. 1 in Ring Magazine's Latest Pound-for-Pound Rankings

The Ring Magazine released its updated top 10 on April 20, with Usyk at No. 1 and Inoue at No. 2, followed by Shakur Stevenson, Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez, Dmitry Bivol, Junto Nakatani, David Benavidez, Devin Haney, Oscar Collazo, and Emanuel 'Vaquero' Navarrete. Artur Beterbiev fell off the list due to inactivity since his loss to Bivol, making room for Navarrete after his super featherweight title unification. Fans agreed on the top ranks but debated Navarrete's entry, with his recent TKO win earning praise amid criticism of a prior lightweight loss; the list builds buzz for Inoue's May 2 defense against Nakatani. (Media Man Peg-On): Usyk is the champ however much of the world is more interested in what's next for the likes of Tyson Fury and even Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. Pop culture cut through is an important part of pro sports.

News

Oil/Mining/Politics (Australia)

Stalemate over race to fast-track oil field approvals

The Queensland government wants its federal counterpart to help fast-track the approvals process for the Taroom Trough, which is regarded as having the potential to be Australia's first significant new oil province in five decades. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt contends that it completely in the state's control to speed up approvals of the Taroom Trough; Queensland's Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie in turn says he is waiting for the federal government to "make the next move". Australian Energy Producers' CEO Samantha McCulloch says all levels of government should worke together to fix the approvals system; she adds that the Taroom Trough could reduce Australia's reliance on fuel imports. (RMS)

News

Mining/Resources: Tasmania/Australia

Federal support looms for smelter to save jobs

A number of potential buyers have been conducting due diligence on the Liberty Bell Bay manganese smelter in Tasmania, which was placed in administration in March. However, a deal between administator EY and unions to keep paying the smelter's workers is set to expire this week, and about 175 jobs will be lost unless the workers agree to take leave without pay. The federal government is expected to intervene with a support package to fund the smelter's $1.6m fortnightly payroll until prospective buyers have completed due diligence. Industry Minister Tim Ayres has described Australia's only manganese smelter as "efficient" and "capable". (RMS)

News

Another week, another gap down for EURUSD

• The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has boosted demand for the US dollar.
• Washington and Tehran may be strengthening their positions ahead of negotiations.

The US dollar opened the week with a 0.2% gap upwards, driven by increased demand for safe-haven assets. EURUSD has opened with a downward gap for the second five-day period in a row due to signs of an escalating conflict in the Middle East. First, talks between the US and Iran broke down; now, reports suggest a second round may not take place. No sooner had Tehran announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz to commercial vessels than the Americans seized one of its tankers. However, it should be noted that the initial fear is being washed out of the market rather quickly. It seems that major players are discerning positive dynamics amidst this chaos.

On Tuesday, 21 April, the ceasefire expires. Donald Trump is threatening further air strikes if Iran does not agree to a deal. Investors realise they have gone too far in their desire to jump onto the last carriage of the EURUSD train heading north. The markets, like the US president, have been mistaking wishful thinking for reality. It is time to shed these illusions. An escalation of the conflict in the Middle East risks triggering a renewed rally in oil and the USD index.

News

Australia and World

Strait closure to weigh on stocks, oil tipped to rally

Futures pricing had initially suggested that Australian equities will gain about 0.9 per cent when the market opens on Monday. However, this was prior to Iran's announcement that the Strait of Hormuz is again closed, a move that is likely to weigh on investor sentiment. Wall Street had rallied on Friday and the crude oil price fell sharply after Iran had declared the key shipping channel to be "completely open"; the Islamic republic's subsequent backflip due to the ongoing blockade of its ports has been labeled "blackmail" by US President Donald Trump. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.09 per cent to 8,946.9 points on Friday. (RMS)

News

Millions are on the AI train but we don't know it

AustralianSuper's latest corporate filings shows that it has exposure to artificial intelligence platforms via private equity stakes. The industry superannuation fund has disclosed that it had stakes in OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI at the end of 2025. AustralianSuper has not revealed the extent the extent of its exposure to the developers of large language models ChatGPT, Claude and Grok, or whether these stakes are managed directly or via a third-party manager. OpenAI and Anthropic are not profitable at present, but Alphinity Investment Management portfolio manager Alphinity Investment Managemen believes that they might book a profit more quickly than expected. (RMS)

News

Independent servo owners on edge

Australian Beverages Council CEO Geoff Parker says that the fire at the Viva refinery in Geelong is only likely to add to the pressure that its members are feeling at the present time. Parker notes many operate in regional areas and are already dealing with a lack of fuel and significantly high prices, along with price increases for materials such as plastic and aluminium packaging. The Geelong fire is also causing stress for small, independent service stations, as has Iran's 'backflip' on a commitment to re-open the Strait of Hormuz.

News

Directors brace for rising costs, AI risk and global volatility

(Roy Morgan Summary)

The Australian Institute of Company Directors' latest Director Sentiment Index survey was conducted by Roy Morgan between 20 February and 10 March. It shows that company directors are increasingly concerned about Australia's productivity performance, rising business costs and heightened geopolitical uncertainty. The DSI survey for the first half of 2026 shows that boards were already approaching the year with a level of caution even before the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East, with expectations that economic and operational risks would increase over the next 12 months. A quarter of directors reported that global economic conditions had curtailed their investment plans. Almost 90 per cent expect business costs to rise, and for material impacts on Australia's trade flows, supply chains and commodity prices. Productivity growth remains the top issue directors want governments to address both in the short and long term, while domestic economic conditions are the number one thing keeping directors awake at night. Concerns around artificial intelligence, cyber security and regulatory burden also continue to climb. (RMS)

News

Cryptos

April 20

The crypto market has taken a step back, while remaining in an uptrend

Market Overview

The cryptocurrency market capitalisation stands at $2.53T, down 0.81% over the past 24 hours but up 5% over the past week. The day’s top performers were SUSHI (+2.5%), IOTA (+2%) and NEAR (+2%). Among the underperformers were ZEC (-4.1%), ALGO (-2.5%) and ETH (-0.4%). The Fear and Greed Index rose to 29 points — its highest level since 28 January.

Bitcoin is trading just below $75K on Monday morning, having retreated from last week’s highs above $78K. For now, we view the current movement as a pullback within an uptrend, rather than a reversal back to a downtrend. The pressure on the leading cryptocurrency is linked to negative reactions in stock markets to news about Iran, which has reduced risk appetite. BTC has lagged significantly behind equities in recent days, building up potential but not yet rushing to realise it.

News Background

According to SoSoValue, net inflows into spot BTC ETFs rose to $996.4 million. Net weekly inflows into US spot Ethereum ETFs totalled $275.8 million.

According to Glassnode, positioning in the options market remains uncertain. Nexo confirms the contradiction: the rally is gaining momentum, but the derivatives market does not believe in it.

Bitcoin’s return above $75,000 is met with scepticism: funding rates on perpetual futures have remained in negative territory for around 46 consecutive days, notes Bloomberg. This is one of the longest periods of bearish sentiment in the history of derivatives, comparable only to the aftermath of the FTX crypto exchange collapse in late 2022.

Traders are actively building up short positions, betting against a breakout. This creates conditions under which a short squeeze becomes more likely should the upward momentum persist, notes K33 Research. A break above $76,000 could send BTC towards $85,000, suggests Kaiko.

According to TheEnergyMag, public mining companies sold a record 32,000 BTC in the first quarter amid a record-low hash rate. This is more than in the whole of 2025. The figure also exceeds the second-quarter 2022 data, when miners liquidated 20,000 BTC following the collapse of the Terra (LUNA) ecosystem.

As a result of the latest adjustment, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty fell by 2.43% to 135.59 T. According to Glassnode, the BTC network’s hash rate, smoothed by a 7-day moving average, has recovered from ~978 EH/s to ~992 EH/s since the start of the month. (FxPro)

Cryptos

April 18

Bitcoin is gathering momentum around $75K

Market Overview

The cryptocurrency market capitalisation stands at $2.55T, up 0.56% over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency sentiment index has fallen from 23 to 21, while US stock indices are rallying. The top performers among the most liquid coins are APT (+7.2%), AAVE (+6.4%) and IOTA (+5.2%); the underperformers are NEAR (-1%), ZEC (-2.5%) and DASH (-3.2%).

Bitcoin remains near $75K, showing little change over the last two days. However, this is not a lull but a build-up of momentum, as the leading cryptocurrency is at a key resistance level where the 61.8% retracement of the decline and the March highs converge. In the first half of 2025, this area acted as support, halting the correction, while in 2024 the rally ended at this level. Given this background, the direction chosen could determine the fate of the entire crypto market over the coming months. And here, both sides need thorough preparation.

Solana has significantly outperformed the market over the last day, attempting to bounce off an important long-term support line, but failing to do so for over two months now. We will only be able to declare a victory for the bulls once it has consolidated above the $105 level, at which point we can talk about a return above the 200-week moving average, a break above previous local highs and a breach of the round figure.

News Background

The crypto market has entered a ‘no-trade zone’ and is awaiting a signal from the US Federal Reserve, said BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes. According to him, the current range-bound movement is due to the lack of clear macroeconomic signals.

Pension funds, insurance companies and large investors no longer view Bitcoin as a speculative instrument. They regard it as a standard component of an investment portfolio — regardless of capital inflows or outflows from crypto ETFs, Sygnum Bank notes.

Over the next few years, Ethereum could exceed $62,000, suggested BitMine CEO Tom Lee. According to him, the recent downturn in the crypto market can be viewed as a ‘mini-crypto winter’, which is nearing its end.

One of the Bitcoin developer groups has presented a new proposal to improve the first cryptocurrency’s network (BIP-361). The proposal involves freezing 1.7 million BTC held in obsolete P2PK addresses that are potentially vulnerable to quantum attacks. (FxPro)

*Media Man: Developing and fluid situation. Another update in less than 12 hours approx.

News

Australia/Asia Pacific

News

The Lead Up

Clients seek AI savings in consulting 'rug pull'

Revium MD Adam Barty says that clients of the boutique advisory firm are asking for discounts on contracts if they find out that the company has used artificial intelligence in performing the work. Barty says Revium generates "maybe 30 to 40 per cent"of its code using AI, with that proportion tipped to grow to "more like 70 to 80" per cent by next year; he labels as being "like a rug pull" in that it reduces fees for IT work as fewer professionals produce higher quality work, while he said the company is conscious of not using AI for work that needs human judgment and experience. (RMS)

News

Tabcorp's controversial live pucks to enter Victorian pubs

The Victorian Gambling & Casino Control Commission is understood to have given Tabcorp permission to install its live betting devices in the state's pubs and clubs. Around 30cm tall and described as being like a puck, they allow gamblers to tap their phones and place bets during live racing and sport events. As it stands, betting during live events has been permitted only if a punter uses a self-service terminal, speaks to a TAB operator in person or contacts its call centre, with such restrictions aimed at protecting problem gamblers, while rival bookmakers have expressed a view that the devices are illegal. (RMS)

News

Australia takes its social media ban global

Australia's ban on children under 16 having a social media account has attracted global attention, with France and Greece among the countries set to follow Australia's example. Greece announced earlier this month that it will implement a ban on children under 15 accessing social media from next year, while France aims to pass laws imposing a ban for people of the same age from September. However, some computer experts have raised concerns about the effectiveness of Australia's ban, including claims that it infringes on childrens' privacy and that it violates their human rights. (RMS)

How the daughters of WA mining pioneers came to be opponents in high-profile legal fight

A lengthy court battle that pitted the families of two of Western Australia's iron ore pioneers against each other concluded in the WA Supreme Court last week. It saw Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest person and the daughter of Lang Hancock, in a legal contest against Angela Bennett, the daughter of Hancock's business partner of many decades, Peter Wright. In her lengthy judgment, spanning more than 1,500 pages, Justice Jennifer Smith paid tribute to Hancock and Wright's partnership, and the involvement of fellow prospector Don Rhodes, witth Smith concluding that the Wright and Rhodes 'camps' were entitled to more royalities than they had been receiving from iron ore tenements in WA's Pilbara region, although Smith affirmed Rinehart's ownership of the tenements. (RMS)

News

Labor's top lawyer warns of new wave of oil and gas lawfare

The International Court of Justice found last year that national governments have a legal obligation to protect the climate system from greenhouse gas emissions. Australian barristers Ruth Higgins, Jennifer Robinson and Zoe Bush will publish a legal opinion on the ICJ's ruling on Monday, with Higgins having been announced this month as Australia's new solicitor-general. Higgins, Robinson and Bush will claim in the opinion that the ruling could see the boards of Australian fossil fuel companies facing a wave of legal action, and that new coal, oil and gas projects could be restricted. (RMS)

News

WWE/Wrestling/Pop Culture

Oba Femi Pins Brock Lesnar in Stunning WrestleMania 42 Debut

At WrestleMania 42 Night 2 in Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, Nigerian powerhouse Oba Femi made his main roster debut by squashing Brock Lesnar in under five minutes, marking one of the quickest Mania matches ever. Lesnar, 48, left his gear behind and exited emotionally, fueling retirement talk after handpicking Femi as his final opponent. Triple H praised Femi's arrival with 'HOLY S***!!!!!', while Kurt Angle posted a heartfelt tribute, and Femi quickly called out new champion Roman Reigns on the post-Mania show.

News

WWE

Roman Reigns Beats CM Punk for World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 42

In front of a sellout Las Vegas crowd on Night 2 of WrestleMania 42, Reigns returned to his dominant Tribal Chief persona, overcoming Punk's submissions and near-falls to win clean with a Spear. The Original Tribal Chief celebrated with his family ringside, hugging his kids and wife before raising the belt high. On the post-show, he promised to ditch his part-time label and appear all summer, firing back at rising challenger Oba Femi amid roaring fans who hailed it as one of WrestleMania's all-time classics.

News

Pop Culture/WWE/Wrestling

Shawn Michaels Marks 30 Years Since Iron Man Classic with Bret Hart

On March 31, 1996, at WrestleMania XII in Anaheim, Bret Hart defended his WWF Championship against Michaels in a grueling 60-minute Iron Man Match before 18,853 fans. The bout ended 1-1 after regulation, but Michaels won his first world title in sudden-death overtime with Sweet Chin Music at 61:52, fulfilling his 'boyhood dream' as announcer Gorilla Monsoon declared. Fans cherish it as wrestling's blueprint for storytelling, with many crediting the match for sparking their lifelong passion, while Michaels' anniversary post brought back waves of nostalgia for the reconciled rivals' endurance test.

News

Pop Culture/WWE

Stephanie McMahon Headlines WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026

The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony at Dolby Live in Las Vegas features Stephanie McMahon leading the Class of 2026 alongside AJ Styles, Demolition, Sid Eudy, Bad News Brown, and Dennis Rodman, hosted by Michael Cole and The Miz. Triple H's heartfelt tribute drew her warm reply, 'Forever baby, with you, I can fly,' amid fan reflections on the 10th anniversary of Chyna's death and ongoing calls for her solo induction. Reports indicate Vince McMahon won't attend, highlighting family dynamics as WWE honors its evolving legacy.

News

Danhausen Crashes WrestleMania 42 Weekend with Curses and Blimp Chaos

The indie wrestler, famous for his 'very nice, very evil' persona and hexes, disrupted Friday's SmackDown vow renewal in Las Vegas, then hit the Hall of Fame red carpet Saturday in goth attire with his wife. Big E jokingly called him a Hall of Famer, WWE trolled with a 'Blimphausen' flyover where he waved cursed teeth over Allegiant Stadium, and CM Punk praised his entertaining throwback style. Fans love the mayhem, pushing for a full-time WWE deal as Night 2 approaches Sunday.

News

Politics/Resources (Australia)

Albanese Secures 100 Million Litres of Diesel Amid Oil Crisis Criticism

Announced on April 16, 2026, the purchase from Brunei and South Korea uses new Strategic Reserve powers to direct fuel to farmers, regional areas, and essential services, as local shortages worsen from a Geelong refinery fire and the Strait of Hormuz closure. Critics like Pauline Hanson call it insufficient, blaming net-zero policies for refinery closures and import reliance, though most shutdowns occurred years earlier due to economic pressures under prior governments. Albanese described the move as practical protection against shocks, while debates intensify over building domestic fuel security.

News

Pop Culture/Movie Box Office (U.S)

April 19, 2026

1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie - $35m
2. Project Hail Mary - $20.5m
3. Lee Cronin's The Mummy - $13.5m
4. The Drama - $4.8m
5. You, Me & Tuscany - $3.8m
6. Hoppers - $2.9m
7. Normal - $2.7m
8. BTS World Tour Arirang - $1.8m
9. Busboys - $1.7m
10. Bhooth Bangla - $950,000

News

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The Month' award

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian

Google wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award

Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award

WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award

UFC wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC

Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award

CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award

Dynasty: The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award (Netflix)

Media Man

Markets, Cryptos, Miners, Politics and Pop Culture

Friday PM into The Weekend Edition

WrestleMania Weekend Trends Upward With Media and Social Media Blitz

All That Glitters Can Sometimes Be Gold! Gold Overall Media and Long Term Save Haven; Cash King In Short Term; Money In The Bank Mixed Strategy: Media Man Group

April 17/18, 2026

Markets

S&P/ASX 200 8946.90 +0.41%
S&P 500 7126.06 +1.20%
NIKKEI 58475.90 -1.75%
FTSE 10667.63 +0.73%
AUD/USD 71.73 +0.03%
GOLD 4829.40 -0.79
SILVER 80.755 +2.35
BTC $77,298.39 +3.58%

Cryptos

Bitcoin is gathering momentum around $75K

Market Overview

News Background

News

The dollar is retreating

The de-escalation in the Middle East has left the dollar vulnerable

The Bank of England is managing rate expectations, maintaining the outlook for two hikes.

Over the past two weeks, the US dollar has fallen to its lowest level since early March, giving back almost all the gains made since the start of the armed conflict in the Middle East. Talks with Iran are set to resume in the coming days. Donald Trump continues to insist that the war will end soon and that an extension of the ceasefire will not be necessary. Coupled with record highs in US stock indices, this is contributing to the continued rally in EURUSD, as geopolitics has ceased to support the greenback, bringing macroeconomics back into focus.

Investors’ attention has also shifted to corporate earnings reports and Congress’s deliberations on Kevin Warsh’s nomination for the post of Fed Chair. Contrary to Trump’s promises, the replacement of the Fed Chair may coincide with accelerating inflation driven by rising oil prices, requiring a tightening of monetary policy. What will Warsh choose? To justify the president’s trust or to demonstrate the central bank’s independence and adherence to its principles?

Investors are drawing parallels with the 1970s, when an inflationary shock amid the oil crisis saw the Fed chair, loyal to the White House, ease monetary policy. The rate cuts resulted in an even sharper rise in consumer prices and the entrenchment of high inflation expectations. At that time, the US dollar collapsed. It was only the subsequent change in the central bank chief and the aggressive tightening of monetary policy, despite the recession, that put the dollar on a path of steady growth from the summer of 1980.

Currency interventions could put pressure on the greenback. Japan’s Finance Minister Satsuko Katayama has long spoken of selling USDJPY. However, following a conversation with Scott Bessent, the intensity of her pressure on speculators has increased. This suggests that the US is not opposed to intervening in the Forex market. In 1985, coordinated currency interventions led to a multi-year decline in the USD.

Other European currencies are rising in tandem with the euro. The British pound has returned to pre-war levels, partly due to the ‘hawkish’ rhetoric of Bank of England officials. Megan Green believes that the futures market’s expectations of two rate hikes in 2026 are justified. Meanwhile, Andrew Bailey stated that previous market estimates of four hikes were too high. (FxPro)

News

Stocks driven by FEAR on TACO

Confidence in an approaching end to the war in the Middle East, the resilience of the US economy to geopolitical shocks, and expectations of a strong first-quarter earnings season enabled the S&P 500 to surpass the January record highs.

About a year ago, after the White House introduced tariffs, the broad stock index first fell and then surged as Trump Chickens Out. Nowadays, since late March, the fear of missing out on TACO has been driving strong volumes, as investors who missed last year’s rally rush to catch up.

Usually, such sharp surges occur from the very bottom of a bear market. This time, the S&P 500 has lost less than 10% from its January highs. So, it has not even been officially called a correction. Something similar occurred only in March 2000, on the eve of the dot-com bubble bursting. (FxPro)

News

April 15

The euro sees no obstacles to growth

Global risk appetite and monetary policy divergence are driving gains in EURUSD

The Bank of Japan gave no signal of a rate hike in April.

The US dollar continues to retreat amid falling demand for safe-haven assets, as the de-escalation of the Middle East conflict has raised global risk appetite. Investors are confident that US-Iran peace talks will resume shortly. This is aided by the White House’s shift from a military strategy to economic leverage through a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

A prolonged blockade could lead to the IMF’s adverse scenario. Under this scenario, oil prices would remain above $100 per barrel for an extended period, global GDP would slow to 2.6%, and inflation would rise to 5.4%. In the baseline scenario, economic growth in 2026 will be 3.1%, 0.2 percentage points lower than the previous forecast. The International Monetary Fund believes that the eurozone will suffer more than the US. The shared currency bloc is dependent on energy imports.

However, the euro has a positive correlation with risk appetite, and its bulls have capitalised on the strong rally in US indices, pushing them towards record highs. At the same time, the rising correlation between the VIX volatility index and the US dollar is putting pressure on the greenback.

MUFG Research notes that the 40% rally in Brent since the start of the war in the Middle East should have led to a 3% fall in EURUSD. The firm attributes the euro’s return to pre-war levels to rising global risk appetite and divergence in monetary policy. The futures market is pricing in a 35% probability of a Fed rate cut in 2026. Investors are confident of two ECB rate hikes and a 30% chance of a third.

Other global currencies have benefited from the US dollar’s weakness. However, the yen is in no hurry to rise as Kazuo Ueda’s comments unsettled USDJPY bears. The BoJ Governor stated the Bank would continue to monitor developments in the Middle East and gave no signals of a tightening of monetary policy. This is a dovish tone, as he has given such signals before. As a result, the futures market has reduced the probability of monetary tightening in April from 55% to 32%. (FxPro)

News

April 16

Crypto stalls as risk appetite shows cracks

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation fell by 0.74% over the past 24 hours to $2.5 trillion. Today’s top performers include Immutable (+3.2%), SushiSwap (+0.8%) and Tron (+0.7%). The underperformers were Dash (-5.4%), Toncoin (-4.5%) and NEAR Protocol (-4.4%). The crypto market took a step back, despite further gains in stock indices. From its local low at the end of March, the crypto market has risen by 8.6%, a more modest increase than the Nasdaq 100’s 13.6%.

Bitcoin briefly rose above $76K on Tuesday, almost matching March’s peak levels, but had retreated to $73.6K at the time of writing. Buyers are looking for a catalyst to push the price to a new level beyond the consolidation range. If Bitcoin is looking for external signals, it may remain indecisive until key US stock indices hit new highs. However, we are more inclined to believe that the first cryptocurrency’s stagnation is a sign of a fragile risk appetite that will soon manifest in the broader market.

News Background

The conflict in Iran has increased the appeal of non-sovereign money and brought Bitcoin closer to serving as a real medium of exchange, according to Bitwise. Since the start of the war in the Middle East, BTC has risen by 12%, whilst the S&P 500 and gold have fallen by 1% and 10% respectively.

Bitcoin could fall to $30K only if the US economy enters a deep recession, according to analyst Benjamin Cowen. A correction of 65–70% from the highs is in line with historical trends and is not exceptional.

According to CoinDesk, derivatives accounted for 76.5% of the total trading volume on centralised crypto exchanges (CEX) in March — the highest figure since September 2023. Derivatives trading volume on CEXs stood at $3.99 trillion — 3.2% lower than in February.

Trump’s nominee for Fed chair has disclosed his cryptocurrency investments. Kevin Warsh has invested in the Polymarket prediction market and several decentralised startups, according to his financial disclosure statement.

News

Australia

April 17

Australian Dollar: $0.7159 USD (down $0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore: $106.25 USD (up $1.95 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas): $93.37 USD (up $1.98 USD)
Gold Price : $4,788.31 USD (down $2.53 USD)
Copper Price: $6.0340 USD (down $0.0445 USD)
Dow Jones: 48,578.72 (up 115.00 points)

News

World warned 'don't deal with Iran oil'

The Trump administration has confirmed that the temporary sanctions waiver on Iranian oil exports that was introduced on 20 March will not be extended. It is due to expire within days, and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that reinstating the oil sanctions will be the "financial equivalent" of a bombing campaign in terms of Iran's ability to generate revenue. Bessant has also warned that the US is willing to impose secondary sanctions on companies or nations that buy Iranian oil or have Iranian money in bank accounts. Meanwhile, Iran has urged the US to end its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that it will be regarded as a breach of the two-week ceasefire if it remains in place. (RMS)

News

Machinery or maintenance failure in focus at Geelong refinery

Viva Energy believe a gas leak was responsible for an explosion and the resulting fire at its Geelong oil refinery, although the exact cause is still under investigation. Bill Patterson from Viva Energy has downplayed suggestions that the disaster is linked to delayed maintenance work at the plant; he notes that some such work has been deferred due to the Iran war, but this had not been scheduled for the part of the refinery where the incident occured. Fire Rescue Victoria's Deputy Commissioner Michelle Cowling says the initial indications suggest that a mechanical or engineering failure within equipment in a transfer section of the refinery may have been responsible for the disaster. (RMS)

News

'I'm not happy': Trump renews criticism of Australia, ignores defence spend boost

US President Donald Trump has again criticised Australia for not helping the US in Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump making his comments while being questioned as he left the White House on Thursday US time. Ignoring the federal government's recent announcement that it will spend an extra $53 billion on defence over the next decade, an decision partly made to assuage criticism from the Trump administration about Australia's low military spending, Trump said "I'm not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there", while he did not respond to questions as to whether he was still on good terms with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. (RMS)

News

War a chance to wound illicit tobacco market

Retailers of illegal cigarettes say that supply chain problems resulting from the Iran war have pushed up the prices of their products. A pack of popular Double Happiness cigarettes has risen from about $7 a pack to $17 in recent weeks, while a carton of 10 packs, that would have previously sold for between $60 and $70, is now selling for as much as $140. The rise in the price of illegal cigarettes has led to calls for the federal government to 'wound' the tobacco black market by cutting the tobacco excise, thereby reducing the cost of legal cigarettes. (RMS)

News

Auto

We will not survive': Toyota, Honda and Ford CEOs issue chilling warning about China - and it could hit your portfolio

70 per cent of all new electric vehicles now come from China, leaving Toyota, Honda and Ford worried about projects and overhauling their strategy. Honda President and CEO Toshihiro Mibe said after a recent visit to a Shanghai parts factory that "we have no chance against this", with Ford and Toyota leaders having expressed similar sentiments regarding Chinese makers' sheer speed in not just building cars, but designing them. Automotive stocks are a common part of many broad-based mutual funds and ETFs, while Tesla, Ford and Toyota remain among the best-known investment options in the sector. However, big shifts in focus under the threat of Chinese manufacturing, along with disappointing sales figures by foreign car makers in China, could make investors with holdings in those stocks nervous. (RMS)

News

X News

Elon Musk Proposes Universal High Income to Offset AI Job Losses

On Friday, Musk posted on X that universal high income payments from the federal government offer the best fix for AI-driven unemployment, arguing AI and robotics will create abundant goods and services without inflation. He differentiates this from universal basic income, pointing to AI's potential for far greater wealth that makes work optional. Reactions divided sharply, with supporters praising adaptation to tech changes and critics warning of lost purpose, government overreach, and economic pitfalls like eroded work incentives.

News

WWE/Pro Wrestling/Pop Culture

Shawn Michaels Marks 30 Years Since Iron Man Classic with Bret Hart

News

WWE

Stephanie McMahon Headlines WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026

News

WWE Unveils Hulk Hogan Statue at WrestleMania 42 Weekend

The statue anchors the 'Hulkamania Forever' exhibit at WWE World in Las Vegas, packed with relics like championship belts, a Hulkamobile motorcycle, and vintage posters from Hogan's 1980s peak. Triple H dubbed it 'Immortal,' honoring the six-time champion who brought wrestling mainstream, though some fans noted ironies like Nick Hogan's 2007 car crash near the motorcycle display and joked about the statue's dark bronze patina. This first post-death WrestleMania tribute coincides with Netflix's 'Hulk Hogan: Real American' docuseries premiere on April 22, drawing crowds to celebrate the complicated icon.

News

Pop Culture/Gaming/Movies

Street Fighter Live-Action Trailer Unleashes 1990s Arcade Vibes

The official trailer for the live-action Street Fighter movie, set during the Super Street Fighter II era, stars Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, and Callina Liang as Chun-Li, who draws them into the World Warrior Tournament. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, it features WWE stars like Cody Rhodes as Guile and Roman Reigns as Akuma, alongside Jason Momoa as Blanka and 50 Cent as Balrog, embracing the game's campy fun over gritty realism. The cast appeared at WrestleMania in full regalia, and most reactions praise the trailer's goofy spirit, though some note cosplay-like vibes; it hits theaters October 16.

News

WWE

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk share emotional promo and hug on final SmackDown before WrestleMania

Cody Rhodes delivered a promo praising CM Punk as the new Mr. WrestleMania, stating that his father Dusty Rhodes would be proud of Punk, and expressing love for him. CM Punk reciprocated the sentiment toward Cody Rhodes before they embraced to close the show.

News

Danhausen Curses Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's First Take

The WWE wrestler, real name Donovan Danhausen from Warren, Michigan, crashed Friday's First Take in Las Vegas to hype WrestleMania 42, declaring Stephen A. cursed while hosts Molly Qerim and Keyshawn Johnson laughed. Fresh off signing with WWE in February 2026 after his AEW contract ended, Danhausen debuted dramatically at Elimination Chamber and has fans buzzing with his 'very nice, very evil' antics, including a Goodyear Blimp ride where he gleefully cursed the city below. The stunt amps up excitement for the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium on April 18-19, with rumors of more surprises alongside host John Cena. (Media Man Peg-On). Danhausen got off to a bit of a rough start in his WWE debut but has more than made up for it. Catch the Danhausen Fever and Mania. Media Hausen! Wrestle Hausen Weekend!

News

Bitcoin News Byte

Despite a 47% Price Drop, Bitcoin Traders Aren’t Selling:

A survey of U.S. Bitcoin holders and crypto subreddit posts found that despite anxiety and market turbulence, most investors (69%) held onto their Bitcoin, with only 8% panic selling.

Bitcoin faced a dramatic market correction in early 2026, plunging 46% from its $126,000 all-time high and briefly dipping below $61,000 on February 6.

The drop erased over $1 trillion in market value and prompted headlines warning of a defining crypto moment. Social media feeds filled with reactions, yet most holders remained on the sidelines.

A survey by Oobit of 1,006 American Bitcoin holders and sentiment analysis of 117,630 posts across 10 major crypto subreddits reveals that fear did not translate into widespread selling.

News Flashback

Last Week

Gold News

Gold is back in focus as markets react to geopolitics

The market is fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation driven by high energy prices. As a result, central banks are expected to adopt a tighter monetary policy, keeping rates at high levels or even raising them. This has a positive impact on fiat currencies and strips gold of its key feature as a store of value amid currency debasement. It is no surprise that the precious metal, which had got off to a strong start, has been losing out to Bitcoin and the US dollar since the start of the armed conflict in the Middle East. Although gold is generally regarded as a safe-haven asset, in the early stages of financial market turmoil, investors often choose to flee to liquidity. They favour fiat currencies and are far more willing to buy US dollar-nominated short-term treasuries.

Gold prices usually recover only if market shocks worsen, fears of recession or stagflation rise, and central banks start adding liquidity. Bank of America believes that the markets are still underestimating the scale of the potential consequences of geopolitical tension. They are fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation and are not considering a global economic downturn. Therefore, the longer the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran lasts, the better it is for the precious metal.

UBS Global Wealth Management notes that gold serves as a hedge against currency devaluation, rising budget deficits and recession. All of these could result from a geopolitical shock. The firm therefore maintains its bullish outlook on gold. In its view, the precious metal could rise to the $5,900-$6,200 range before the end of this year. However, gold must first weather the storm of numerous central bank meetings. The RBA has already raised its cash rate to 4.15%. Investors now expect ‘hawkish’ rhetoric from the rest. The ECB and the Bank of Japan are ready to tackle inflation, and the futures market expects them to tighten monetary policy. The Fed and the Bank of England are most likely to talk about prolonged pauses in their cycles.

Thus, gold appears to be a win-win option. It will gain if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, and will not lose if it ends. Investors just need to be patient for a little while. (FxPro)

News

Media Man Awards

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The Month' award

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian

Google wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award

Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award

WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award

UFC wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC

Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award

CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award

Dynasty: The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award (Netflix)

Markets, Shares, Cryptos, Miners And Pop Culture

Wrestling With Numbers In WrestleMania Week!

NBA Ballers In Vegas Get Bullish! Bet On Pop Culture Biz!

April 17, 2026

Thank God It's Friday

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York, Vegas, and beyond the Blackstump and Internet Matrix Of Things!

Pop Culture themes

"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley)
"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)
"The Wall Street Hustle" (10cc)
"Bulls on Parade" (Rage Against the Machine)
"Down Under" (Men at Work)
"From Dusk Till Dawn" (Tito & Tarantula)
"I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats)
"You Are Cursed": Danhausen them (def rebel)

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 11 points/-0.1%: 8972
AUD -0.1% to US71.58¢
BTC $74,736.96 -0.29%
Dow +0.2%
S&P +0.2%
NAS +0.4%
VIX down 0.37 to 17.80
Gold flat: $US4790.87 an oz
Silver 78.974 +0.579
Brent oil +3.4% to $US98.19 a b
Iron ore +2.0% to $US106.25 a ton
10-year yd US 4.31% Australia 4.95%

Coffee 290.40 - 7.85

Cocoa 3455 - 108.00

Numbers Double Check

April 17, 2026 (Sydney, Australia)

Australian Dollar: $0.7159 USD (down $0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore: $106.25 USD (up $1.95 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas): $93.37 USD (up $1.98 USD)
Gold Price: $4,788.31 USD (down $2.53 USD)
Copper Price: $6.0340 USD (down $0.0445 USD)
Dow Jones: 48,578.72 (up 115.00 points)

Pop Culture/WWE

Triple H Admits Confusion Over Trick Williams' Lemon Pepper Steppers

In a Variety sit-down with Shawn Michaels, WWE's Triple H praised NXT call-up Trick Williams' charisma but confessed he can't write for him, especially baffling slang like 'lemon pepper steppers'—Williams' term for his swagger-filled white boots, inspired by Wingstop's zesty flavor. The 31-year-old former college football player, fresh off a WrestleMania U.S. Title match with Sami Zayn, has exploded on SmackDown with viral entrances and promo flair compared to prime Rock. Triple H emphasized authenticity over scripting, noting talents like Williams thrive by finding their own voice as they rise to the main roster. (Media Man Peg-On): Trick brings the steak, sizzle and the who darn BBQ! Cookin!

News

Vince McMahon Not Expected to Attend Stephanie McMahon's WWE Hall of Fame Induction in Las Vegas

Reports from WWE insiders indicate no plans or expectations for Vince McMahon to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony headlined by his daughter Stephanie McMahon in Las Vegas. There is currently no ban on his attendance, and plans could change at the last minute. (Media Man Peg-On): Everyone's an insider ... some more inside than others...

News

Call of Duty Movie Set for June 30, 2028 Theatrical Release

Peter Berg directs the adaptation from a script he co-wrote with Taylor Sheridan, both producing alongside Activision's Rob Kostich and others. The team showed a sizzle reel with game footage set to 'Seven Nation Army,' while Berg stressed capturing authentic realism with big-screen scope. After over a decade in development, the project gained steam last fall when Paramount secured rights, building on the franchise's 500 million copies sold since 2003. (Media Man Peg-On): Game Movie Mania At Present. Too many to list! Boom!

News

Pro Wrestling Legend Jim Ross On Vince McMahon WWE Involvement

“Yeah, absolutely. No doubt about it. I don't even have no question in my mind. It where there's, you know, it's the old cliche. Where there's smoke oftentimes there's fire. And there's been a lot of smoke regarding VKM uh in WWE and and what his future may or may not be and and how he can still contribute Vince can still contribute. He's got he's a big picture guy. And that takes a lot of detail work and and planning. But uh he can do that. He can make all that happen. Uh and you know he's he's hungry. You know that he's got uh yeah, if he's if he's making pies, he's so we know he's in the kitchen. So I I just I I don't think there's any doubt in my mind that uh Vince will be instrumental in this year's WrestleMania as far as creative is concerned.”

News

Stocks driven by FEAR on TACO

News Lead Up (56 Hours Ago Approx)

ASX ends lower as Hormuz blockade weighs

The Australian sharemarket lost ground on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.4 per cent to close at 8,926 points. Energy and coal stocks rallied after the Trump administration's threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz boosted the price of Brent crude oil; Woodside Energy rose 2.6 per cent tp $34.15 and Whitehaven Coal was up 2.6 per cent at $8.33. However, Evolution Mining fell 2.4 per cent to $13.22, Life360 shed 8.1 per cent to end the session at $17.91 and EML Payments was down 35.7per cent at $0.37. (RMS)

News

Biz/Industry (Australia)

'We may be out of business': suppliers issue plea for help

Bundaberg Brewed Drinks CEO John McLean says the company's diesel fuel bill has increased by nearly 40 per cent since the start of the Iran war. He adds that Bundarberg may ask customers such as Coles and Woolworths to accept a temporary surcharge that can be removed quickly when the situation improves. McLean emphasises that Bundaberg wants to avoid any increases in the price of its products for consumers. However, he warns that Bundaberg and many other businesses may no longer be viable unless they can recover the rising cost of fuel and other inputs. (RMS)

News

PwC, Viva red-faced as ASIC spots $25m error

Fuel refiner and petrol station owner Viva Energy Group included $559m worth of impairment charges associated with its retail outlets in its financial accounts for calendar 2025. However, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has reviewed Viva Energy's full-year accounts and found that it had made an error in how it accounted for a $25 million impairment expense; as a result, the company will have to book an extra $25 million in write-downs for the year. Viva Energy's auditor, PwC, has indicated that it does not comment on client work. (RMS)

News

Shares: NYSE

Alphabet Inc Class A
$336.02
-1.10 -0.33%

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$184.44
-8.66 -4.48%

Netflix Inc
$107.79
+0.080 +0.074%

Media Man Peg-On: Play the long game. TKO and Netflix are staples of entertainment/media, and audience numbers, media and marketing creative will help keep them at the high level in most regards. Tesla has the Musk magic and X factor. Aussie miners are frequently strong given the nature of the biz. Gina R took a financial hit re legal as per Australian Financial Review news story. Media remains volitile.R

News

Sports/MMA

Ulberg Knocks Out Procházka on One Leg to Win UFC Title

At UFC 327 in Miami's Kaseya Center, underdog Ulberg overcame a likely ACL tear from Procházka's leg kicks, hobbling through Round 1 before countering with a signature strike at 3:45 for the knockout. Procházka later called his 'stupid mercy' moment—easing off and taunting—the reason he lost, vowing to destroy that part of himself and return stronger. Ulberg dismissed the excuse, saying he never counted himself out, while his 9-12 month recovery delays any rematch talk. The upset has fans debating warrior honor versus no-mercy fighting. (Media Man: The power of the human spirit. Never say die. It ain't over till it's over sport)!

News

Combat Sports/UFC/Trump

Trump Cheers Ulberg's Shocking UFC 327 Title Win in Miami

At a packed Kaseya Center, underdog Ulberg claimed UFC gold at 3:45 of the first round despite a mid-fight knee injury, marking one of the promotion's most unlikely victories. Paulo Costa stormed back for a third-round TKO over Azamat Murzakanov, then leaped the cage to thank cageside President Trump, who grinned and joked about his looks. Trump arrived with Dana White, Marco Rubio, and family for his first public sports event since the U.S.-Israel conflict, while Josh Hokit upset Curtis Blaydes to earn a White House fight announcement against Derrick Lewis on June 14. (Media Man Peg-On): It's a Win-Win-Win!

News

Sports/Entertainment/WWE

Joe Tessitore's Top 5 Breakout Stars for WrestleMania 42

ESPN's Joe Tessitore ranks Oba Femi No. 1 for his raw power, including a big win over Brock Lesnar, followed by Trick Williams' charisma, Je'Von Evans' high-flying at age 21, Lash Legend's athletic tag team reign, and Dominik Mysterio's heel evolution. The NXT-heavy list highlights WWE's youth movement ahead of the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium on April 18-19. Stephen A. Smith joked about turning down an on-screen manager role, comparing himself to Pat McAfee. (Media Man Peg-On): Seems like Joe Tess is too much of a nice guy than to turn heel like Pat McAfee. Just saying.

News

Gaming/Pop Culture/Vegas Strip

$10 Billion Vegas Arena Complex Proposed Near the Strip

Starr Vegas Development revealed plans Sunday for a 63-acre complex two miles south of the Strip, featuring a convertible arena for NBA, hockey, soccer, and concerts, plus a casino resort, 752-foot tower with 2,605 hotel and condo units, retail, offices, and halls of fame for boxing and combat sports. CEO Chuck Haifley of Big Vision LLC announced $6 billion in private funding with no taxpayer money needed, backed by partners like ticketing exec Lou Weisbach and local landowners. The bid arrives as the NBA explores expansion to Las Vegas by 2028-29 amid seven competing proposals, with fans excited about the city's sports growth and skeptics noting tourism challenges and soccer rivalries. (Media Man Peg-On): Good to see that at least a few folks are still bullish on and in Vegas. NBA is the thick of things. Big Balls-Ers!

News

Pop Culture/WWE/Gaming

WWE 2K26 Season 2 Launches with Borderlands Crossover and Free Stars

Ringside Pass Season 2 drops April 15 for WWE 2K26, featuring a bold Borderlands crossover that transforms Rhea Ripley into a cybernetic dominator, CM Punk into a spiked Psycho mask-wearer, and Becky Lynch into a fiery Firehawk. Free additions include NXT powerhouse Oba Femi with his tribal beads and commanding entrance, plus Kelly Kelly's nostalgic return in pink Diva gear that Barbie Blank herself hyped. While some fans love the creative mashup for custom modes, others call it mismatched slop and crave pure wrestling content.

News

WWE/Lucha LIbra AAA Worldwide/TKO Group

Two El Grande Americanos Brawl into Mask vs. Mask Showdown

At Lucha Libre AAA's Mexico City event on April 11, WWE's Chad Gable returned as the original El Grande Americano, unmasking Octagon Jr. before sparking a wild post-match brawl with Ludwig Kaiser, who took over the character after Gable's injury. Kaiser suplexed Gable through the barricade amid refs and security pulling them apart, then grabbed the mic to challenge him to a Mask vs. Mask match. The high-stakes clash, overseen by Triple H and The Undertaker, is reportedly set for AAA's May 30 event in Monterrey, where the loser unmasks in lucha libre tradition. Fans and insiders hailed the electric brawl as one of the year's best angles.

News

WWE/Pop Culture

Liv Morgan Drops 'Trouble' Music Video Ahead of WrestleMania 42

WWE released the 2:35 music video on YouTube Sunday, where the 2026 Women's Royal Rumble winner teases her title match against champ Stephanie Vaquer. The pop track matches Morgan's troublemaker vibe with wild lyrics, leather jackets, and high-energy dancers in gritty urban settings. Fans split between praising the fun visuals and roasting the vocals, as their heated feud builds to WrestleMania 42 this weekend. (Media Man Peg-On): Hot. Eye Ball Grabber!

News

Becky Lynch Launches AMO Coffee at WWE World

After teasing a big announcement, WWE superstar Becky Lynch announced her AMO coffee brand launches at WWE World powered by Fanatics, inviting fans to her booth for the first taste and priority box access. The playful promo matches her boastful style, linking to her 'Greatest Female Wrestler of All Time' T-shirt and tying into WrestleMania 42 season amid her feud with AJ Lee. Built with husband Seth Rollins, AMO positions itself as the top brew, drawing excited replies from fans ready to grab a cup. (Media Man Peg-On): Cheers Seth and Becky, so, I guess we have no choice but to now cover the news via our Cafe News Media brand also. Cheers to hard and smart work.

News

News/Pop Culture/Sports Business/Streaming

Netflix Announces Fury vs. Joshua Heavyweight Clash This Autumn

Netflix announced Saturday that Fury and Joshua will fight this autumn in the UK, live exclusively on the streaming service, right after Fury's unanimous decision victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Fury, back from retirement with a 36-1-1 record, demanded the long-teased all-British showdown, while Joshua, 28-5 and seated ringside, dismissed him as a 'clout chaser' but hinted at readiness on his terms. No exact date or venue is set yet—Wembley is speculated—but Fury insists it's Joshua or nothing, capping a decade of buildup between the rivals. (Media Man Peg-On): This match up has the potential to break some sort of streaming records, maybe just outside Mike Tyson sort of numbers.

News

Pop Culture/Gaming/WWE

Fortnite Teases Stone Cold Steve Austin Skin for WWE Crossover

Epic Games dropped a hype video showing WWE legend Steve Austin in his iconic gear, grabbing a green canister for a Fortnite-style stunner before chugging beers amid shattering glass and fireworks. The skin arrives in the Item Shop on April 16, 2026, with the v40.20 update, joining past WWE stars like John Cena and Roman Reigns in this Wave 3 bundle that may include Liv Morgan. Fans love the nostalgic nod to Austin's Attitude Era catchphrase, complete with skull back bling and beer bash emotes, priced around 1,500-2,000 V-Bucks. (Media Man Peg-On): The gamification of sports and pop culture legends like Stone Cole continues. Stuns the gaming world is a good way.

News

Pop Culture/WWE/Wrestling

Sami Zayn Faces Boos and Lays Out Lil Yachty on SmackDown

On Friday's SmackDown, United States Champion Sami Zayn shrugged off heavy boos and vowed to defend his title against Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42 unchanged, no matter the fan backlash. Tensions peaked when Lil Yachty, Williams' celebrity ally, yanked Zayn from ringside only to take a Helluva Kick over the barricade, helping Williams win his match. Meanwhile, Carmelo Hayes revealed plans to rehab his knee injury and skip WrestleMania for a second straight year, drawing fan frustration over WWE's direction for homegrown stars.

News

WWE/Pop Culture

WWE Unveils Hulk Hogan Statue at World Fan Event

WWE World opened April 16-20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, featuring the 'Hulkamania Forever' exhibit with posters from Hogan's 1981 matches, replica titles, and the yellow-and-red Hulkamobile. Nick Hogan toured the displays early, joined by Triple H and Jimmy Hart for the statue unveiling late Thursday. The tribute honors Hogan's 1980s role in mainstreaming wrestling, ahead of WrestleMania 42, though some recalled Nick's 2007 car crash involving severe injuries to passenger John Graziano.

News

Pop Culture Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking

Trump vs The Hood
Street Fighter vs Mortal Kombat
Bondi Rescue vs Baywatch
Don Muraco vs Ken Shamrock vs The Rock
Million Dollar Man and IRS vs Money Machine - WWE vs Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide - Money In The Bank Rules
Vinnie Vegas vs Lucky Corbin - Coal Miners Glove
Hulk Hogan and Nick Hogan vs The Mysterio's
Jake Paul vs Dana White
Sami Zayn vs WWE Universe
Danhausen vs Cody Rhodes
Hogan and Andre vs Femi and Omos
Killer vs The Missing Link
The Masked Superstar vs Mr X
Michael Saylor vs Bears
Mr FOX vs Mr VOX
Joe Tessitore vs Pat McAfee: Special ref: Michael Cole (fantasy booking)
Claudio CSRO vs Seth Rollins - Cafe Shop Brawl For All
Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss - Cafe Shop Brawl - Special Ref: CSRO. Special Enforcer: John Cena
Team TKO vs TEAM WWE

News

AI News (Aust)

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has told an event hosted by the media and creative sectors at Parliament House that Australia's existing copyright regime has served it well for many years. She said the federal government had said for some time that it has no plans to weaken copyright protections when it comes to artificial intelligence, while Australia's creative and media sector have made it clear that they are prepared to do licence deals with AI firms, and that existing copyright laws enable them to do just that. (RMS)

News

Batteries, coal push out east coast LNG shortage to 2029

The Australian Energy Market Operator now expects any gas supply shortage in the south-eastern states to occur in 2029, compared with its previous forecast of 2028. AEMO says gas shortfalls in 2029 are now regarded as a risk only during "extreme peak day demand conditions". It has cited a number of factors for its revised forecast, including expectations of lower demand for gas for power generation, an extension of the Eraring coal-fired power station's operating life and the estimated 30 gigawatts of battery storage projects that are currently being developed. Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the improved outlook shows that the federal government's "balanced" energy plan is working. (RMS)

News Lead Up

News

A.I News

Australia

Watchdog warns against 'dangerously' positive AI advice amid crypto trading spike

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has expressed concern about the growing tendency for young Australians to use artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT for financial advice. Its figures show young people are following 'dangerously' positive AI recommendations about investing in risky investments such as crypto, with their faith in what has been referred to as 'unverified, risk-averse digital advice' occurring as many Australians are struggling with major cost of living pressures; ASIC's figures also show that 23 per cent of Gen Z now hold crypto assets – up from just 9 per cent in 2023. (RMS)

News

Resources

Drill, baby, drill: Boom for mineral, petroleum explorers

Advisory firm BDO has calculated that ASX-listed mineral and petroleum explorers raised a record $5.63 billion in the final quarter of last year. It broke the previous record for fund raising of $3.75 billion that was set in the same period in 2021, with the $5.63 billion in fund raising leaving mineral and petroleum explorers with record cash reserves of $12 billion. It comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that spending on mineral exploration hit a two-year high in the final quarter of 2025, while spending on petroleum exploration was at a decade high. (RMS)

News

A.I News

Global giants join Australia in fight to make AI companies pay for content

Both the US and the UK appear to be backing the stance of the federal government of wanting AI companies pay for their use of content that has been produced by artists, musicians and journalists. In a document released on Friday that was titled 'Respecting Intellectual Property Rights and Supporting Creators', the White House stated that US copyright laws - under which content theft for the training of AI models, or any other use, is illegal - will remain. For its part, the UK government stated last week that it no longer had a "preferred option" on copyright reform, which comes after it last year endorsed a proposal that would have allowed tech companies to use copyrighted work without permission unless rights holders 'opted out' of the process. Its change of stance follows a longrunning campaign – led by artists including Elton John and Thom Yorke from Radiohead – which warned that the unlicensed use of copyrighted material for training AI models was threatening the livelihoods of people working in the creative industries. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Bitcoin News Byte

Despite a 47% Price Drop, Bitcoin Traders Aren’t Selling:

A survey of U.S. Bitcoin holders and crypto subreddit posts found that despite anxiety and market turbulence, most investors (69%) held onto their Bitcoin, with only 8% panic selling.

Bitcoin faced a dramatic market correction in early 2026, plunging 46% from its $126,000 all-time high and briefly dipping below $61,000 on February 6.

The drop erased over $1 trillion in market value and prompted headlines warning of a defining crypto moment. Social media feeds filled with reactions, yet most holders remained on the sidelines.

A survey by Oobit of 1,006 American Bitcoin holders and sentiment analysis of 117,630 posts across 10 major crypto subreddits reveals that fear did not translate into widespread selling.

News Flashback

Last Week

Gold News

Gold is back in focus as markets react to geopolitics

Thus, gold appears to be a win-win option. It will gain if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, and will not lose if it ends. Investors just need to be patient for a little while. (FxPro)

News

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The Month' award

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian

Google wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award

Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award

WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award

UFC wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC

Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award

CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award

Dynasty: The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award (Netflix)

Markets, Shares, Cryptos, Miners, Social Media and Culture

Wrestling With Numbers In WrestleMania Week!

NBA Ballers In Vegas Get Bullish! Bet On Pop Culture Biz!

April 15, 2026

Tuesday Rises In New York
Wednesday Down Under

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York, and beyond the Blackstump and Internet Matrix Of Things!

Pop Culture themes

Markets

ASX 200 futures up 43 points/0.5 per cent: 9047

AUD flat to US71.26¢

Bitcoin $74,131.87 -0.86%

Wall St:

Dow +0.7%
S&P +1.21%
Nasdaq +2.0%

VIX down 0.68 to 18.44
Gold +2.2% to $US4,844.23 an ounce
Silver 79.285 -0.19
Brent oil -4.2% to $US95.21 a barrel
Iron ore -1.1% to $US103.50 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.26% Australia 4.95%

Coffee 296.25 -1.35

Cocoa 3623.13 - 22.86

Numbers Double Check

April 15, 2026 (Sydney, Australia)

Australian Dollar: $0.7120 USD (up $0.0028 USD)
Iron Ore: $103.50 USD (down $1.10 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas): $92.07 USD (down $5.90 USD)
Gold Price : $4,841.42 USD (up $100.18 USD)
Copper Price: $6.0815 USD (up $0.0805 USD)
Dow Jones: 48,535.99 (up 317.74 points)

News

ASX up, traders hopeful of further Iran talks

The Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.5 per cent to close at 8,970.8 points. Investor sentiment was bolstered by indications that the Trump administration could seek further peace talks with Iran before the temporary ceasefire ends next week. BHP was up 3.2 per cent at $56.10, Deep Yellow rose nine per cent to $1.93 and WiseTech Global advanced 3.8 per cent to $38.56. However, Santos was down 0.9 per cent at $7.96 and Westpac fell 2.6 per cent to $41.48. (RMS)

News Lead Up (24 Hours Ago)

ASX ends lower as Hormuz blockade weighs

News

Biz/Industry (Australia)

'We may be out of business': suppliers issue plea for help

News

PwC, Viva red-faced as ASIC spots $25m error

News

Shares: NYSE

Alphabet Inc Class A
$332.91
+11.60 +3.61%
Lead Up
$321.24
+3.97 +1.25%
Lead Up
$317.26
-1.21 -0.38%

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$195.37 -0.100 -0.051%
Lead Up
$195.47
-1.90 -0.96%
Lead Up
$197.37
+0.30 +0.15%

Netflix Inc
$106.24
+3.08 +2.99%
Lead Up
$103.16
+0.15 +0.15%
Lead Up
$103.03
+0.94 Today +0.92%
(0.17%)+0.18
After Hours: $103.21

Tesla Inc
$364.16
+11.74 +3.33%
Lead Up
$352.42
+3.42 +0.98%

Palantir Technologies Inc
$135.70
+3.33 +2.52%
Lead Up
$132.37
+4.26 +3.33%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$105.59
+2.53 +2.45%
Lead Up
$103.06
-0.94 +0.90%

Rio Tinto Ltd
$173.82
-0.470.27%
(ASX)

Elders Ltd
$7.43
-0.12 -1.59%
Lead Up
$7.64
+0.040 Today +0.53%
(ASX): Australian Stock Exchange

Paramount Skydance Corp
$11.08
+0.35 +3.26%
Lead Up
$10.73
+0.11 +1.04%

Warner Bros Discovery Inc
$27.37
-0.020 -0.073%
Lead up
$27.39
-0.050 -0.18%

News

Sports/MMA

Ulberg Knocks Out Procházka on One Leg to Win UFC Title

News

Combat Sports/UFC/Trump

Trump Cheers Ulberg's Shocking UFC 327 Title Win in Miami

News

Sports/Entertainment/WWE

Joe Tessitore's Top 5 Breakout Stars for WrestleMania 42

News

Gaming/Pop Culture/Vegas Strip

$10 Billion Vegas Arena Complex Proposed Near the Strip

News

Pop Culture/WWE RAW/Wrestling

CM Punk Faces Roman Reigns in Final Raw Showdown Before WrestleMania 42

Fans gear up for Monday Night Raw in Sacramento, where World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk meets Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns ahead of their Night 2 title clash at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium on April 18-19. The rivalry ignited when Reigns won the 2026 Rumble in Saudi Arabia, leading to heated exchanges like Punk's pipe bombs and Reigns' intense stares. Night 1 brings Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi, an Intercontinental ladder match with Bron Breakker, Rey Mysterio, and Dragon Lee, plus title bouts, as one devoted fan pushes through health challenges to attend in Kevin Owens gear.

Pop Culture/WWE/Gaming

WWE 2K26 Season 2 Launches with Borderlands Crossover and Free Stars

News

WWE/Lucha LIbra AAA Worldwide/TKO Group

Two El Grande Americanos Brawl into Mask vs. Mask Showdown

News

WWE/Pop Culture

Liv Morgan Drops 'Trouble' Music Video Ahead of WrestleMania 42

News

Becky Lynch Launches AMO Coffee at WWE World

News

News/Pop Culture/Sports Business/Streaming

Netflix Announces Fury vs. Joshua Heavyweight Clash This Autumn

News

Pop Culture/Gaming/WWE

Fortnite Teases Stone Cold Steve Austin Skin for WWE Crossover

News

Pop Culture/WWE/Wrestling

Sami Zayn Faces Boos and Lays Out Lil Yachty on SmackDown

News

Pop Culture Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking

Trump vs The Hood
Jake Paul vs Dana White
Sami Zayn vs WWE Universe
Danhausen vs Cody Rhodes
Killer vs The Missing Link
The Masked Superstar vs Mr X
Michael Saylor vs Bears
Mr FOX vs Mr VOX
Joe Tessitore vs Pat McAfee: Special ref: Michael Cole (fantasy booking)
Claudio CSRO vs Seth Rollins - Cafe Shop Brawl For All
Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss - Cafe Shop Brawl - Special Ref: CSRO. Special Enforcer: John Cena
Team TKO vs TEAM WWE

News

AI News (Aust)

News

The miners to own in diesel crisis

Bell Potter's survey of Australian-listed mining companies concluded that diesel fuel accounted for up to 15 per cent of their operating costs prior to the start of the Iran war. Stuart Howe from Bell Potter says the war and the surge in crude oil prices will result in higher costs for much of the mining sector, while production could be impacted by the availability of diesel. Bell Potter recommends that investors rotate into mining stocks that are less exposed to diesel prices. Analysts note that miners with large-scale open-cut operations are most at risk of a supply crisis due to their heavy reliance on diesel-powered truck fleets. (RMS)

News

Batteries, coal push out east coast LNG shortage to 2029

News Lead Up

Streaming News Watercooler

Netflix CEO allegedly won’t speak to Meghan Markle on phone without lawyer

Meghan Markle is caught in a fresh Netflix storm with rumors claiming CEO Ted Sarandos is refusing to take her calls without a lawyer. Netflix denies everything but whispers of canceled deals and rising tension have fans questioning the truth!

News

A.I News

Australia

Watchdog warns against 'dangerously' positive AI advice amid crypto trading spike

News

Resources

Drill, baby, drill: Boom for mineral, petroleum explorers

News

A.I News

Global giants join Australia in fight to make AI companies pay for content

News

Bitcoin News Byte

Despite a 47% Price Drop, Bitcoin Traders Aren’t Selling:

A survey of U.S. Bitcoin holders and crypto subreddit posts found that despite anxiety and market turbulence, most investors (69%) held onto their Bitcoin, with only 8% panic selling.

Bitcoin faced a dramatic market correction in early 2026, plunging 46% from its $126,000 all-time high and briefly dipping below $61,000 on February 6.

The drop erased over $1 trillion in market value and prompted headlines warning of a defining crypto moment. Social media feeds filled with reactions, yet most holders remained on the sidelines.

A survey by Oobit of 1,006 American Bitcoin holders and sentiment analysis of 117,630 posts across 10 major crypto subreddits reveals that fear did not translate into widespread selling.

News

X Newsfeed

WWE

Cody Rhodes and Matt Cardona Dish on Indie-to-WWE Return

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes hosted Matt Cardona on 'What Do You Wanna Talk About?', where Cardona detailed his path back to WWE after six years as the 'Indy God.' It started with his wife Chelsea Green nudging President Nick Khan during a TNA spot on NXT, leading to Cardona's direct text and a January 2026 SmackDown deal. They fantasy-booked a fun ladder match in WWE 2K26, and Cardona shouted out indie standouts Big Trouble Ben Bishop and Richard Holliday as future WWE stars, sparking excitement online about their friendship and the indie-WWE bridge. Media Man Peg-On: Cardona'a indi matches and feud with Killer Kross was excellent. Our Cardona indy highlight. Vs Holliday was great too, as was Kross vs Holliday.

News

25 Years Since WCW Nitro's Final Episode Ended Monday Night Wars

On March 26, 2001, WCW Monday Nitro aired its last show from Panama City Beach, Florida, capping five and a half years of intense competition with WWF Raw. Key moments included Booker T winning the world title, a dramatic simulcast announcement of WWF purchasing WCW's assets for $4.2 million, and Sting defeating Ric Flair in the main event that echoed the show's debut. Fans today share live memories of the surreal night, clips of the McMahon surprise, and thoughts on WCW stars like Booker T and Sting who later succeeded in WWE.

News Flashback

Last Week

Gold News

Gold is back in focus as markets react to geopolitics

Thus, gold appears to be a win-win option. It will gain if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, and will not lose if it ends. Investors just need to be patient for a little while. (FxPro)

News

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The Month' award

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian

Google wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award

Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award

WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award

UFC wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC

Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award

CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award

Dynasty: The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award (Netflix)

Media Man

Markets

March 17, 2026

ASX 200 futures up 49 points or 0.6 per cent to 8629.
All US prices at 4pm New York time.

AUD +1.3% to US70.73¢
Bitcoin +3.4% to $US73,936
Wall St: Dow +0.8% S&P +1% Nasdaq +1.2%
VIX -3.14 to 24.05
Gold -0.2% to $US5011.26an ounce
Brent oil -3.3% to $US99.77 a barrel
Iron ore -0.01% to $US107.70 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.22% Australia 5%

Australian Stock Exchange

News Media Drops

Media Man Group

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

February 20, 2026

Mining For Intel
Crypto Fool's Gold Shines Up A Little

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 44 points/0.5%: 9003
AUD +0.2% to US70.59¢

Bitcoin $66,744.93 +0.48%

Wall St:
Dow -0.5%
S&P -0.3%
Nasdaq -0.3%
VIX +0.61 to 20.23
Gold +0.5% to $US5000.44 an ounce
Silver 76.738 -0.86
Brent oil +2.2% to $US71.89 a barrel
Iron ore -0.4% to $US95.35 a tonne

10-year yield:
US 4.07%
Australia 4.78%

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7048 USD (up $0.0008 USD)

Iron Ore: $95.35 USD (down $0.60 USD)

Oil Price: $66.60 USD (up $1.35 USD)

Gold Price: $4,990.28 USD (up $11.22 USD)

Copper Price: $5.7530 USD (down $0.0110 USD)

Dow Jones: 49,319.56 (down 343.10 points)

News

ASX rallies as banks, oil stocks gain; Zip sinks 34pc

The Australian sharemarket performed strongly on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index closing up 79.20 points at 9086.20. The big four banks all rose, while the rising oil price on the back of fears of a US-Iran conflict saw energy stocks in demand, with Santos up 5.6 per cent to $7, and Woodside Energy increasing 4.5 per cent to $27.10. Payments company Zip slumped after its results for the half year fell short of expectations, while Lifestyle Communities fell 7.1 per cent to $5.33 after its profit dropped to $15.8 million for the first half. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Shares Summary/Snapshot (near live)
*check Google Finance or Yahoo! Finance for totally live (as close to) for the latest ticker prices)

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$208.68 -4.60 -2.16%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$302.85 -0.48 -0.16%

Netflix Inc
$77.00 -0.99 -1.27%

News

Cryptos

Ethereum is resting on a 6-year trend

Market Overview

The crypto market cap fell by more than 1% in 24 hours to $2.31 trillion, approaching last week's lows but leaving the market 5% above its low point on 6 February. The market's range continues to narrow, suggesting that volatility is likely to soon break out of the $2.3-2.4T range. Given the previous dynamics and the increasingly cautious nature of growth in the US stock markets, there is a greater chance of an early update of local lows with a dip to the levels we saw in the second half of 2024.

Bitcoin is trading just above $67K, losing slightly under 1%, which is better than the market, as active selling has moved to altcoins outside the top five. BTC is trading at the bottom of the downward range of the last week and a half.

Ethereum is resting on a support line that originated in 2020 and was touched in early 2024 and at the February lows. This global trend line now also coincides with the area around $2,000, which further reinforces its significance. However, for such a serious event as the breakdown of the 6-year support, confirmation in the form of a failure below the recent lows at $1,500 is required. Until then, bulls may remain hopeful, attracting long-term buyers on dips. News Background

The indicator of Bitcoin inflows from large holders to the Binance exchange has reached record levels, indicating increased pressure on BTC from large players, according to CryptoQuant.
The current state of the crypto market resembles the final stage of the 2022 bear phase, which was followed by a protracted period of consolidation, according to K33.

Bitcoin has only entered the first phase of the bear cycle, according to Willy Woo, co-founder of the CMCC Crest investment fund. The second phase will be associated with a fall in global stock markets, and the third will mark a period of stabilisation.

Strategy bought 2,486 BTC ($168.4 million) over the past week at an average price of $67,710 per coin. Strategy now owns 717,131 BTC, purchased for $54.5 billion at an average price of $76,027 per bitcoin.Japan's Metaplanet reported a net loss of $619 million for 2025. The negative financial result is due to the revaluation of the company's Bitcoin reserves.
Ethereum's share of staking exceeded 50% of the total supply of the asset for the first time in history, according to Santiment. The queue for Ethereum staking is near historic highs — 3.8 million ETH (waiting time — 67 days).

BlackRock has taken the first step towards launching a staking Ethereum ETF in the United States.

The Founders Fund, a venture capital fund owned by billionaire investor Peter Thiel, has sold all of its shares in the DAT company ETHZilla, one of the largest corporate holders of Ethereum. Back in August, Thiel's share was 7.5%.

Updated rules from the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have scared American crypto investors. Starting in 2026, all US-licensed crypto exchanges will be required to disclose information about their clients, from the volume of investments to the profits or losses they have. (FxPro)

News

Bitcoin News

Bitcoin’s worrying slips down

Market Overview

The crypto market cap has been hovering around $2.34-2.35T for the third day in a row. Volatility seems to have been turned off in this market, while stock indices are much livelier. There, investors are actively buying up dips, relying on support in the form of important moving averages: 50-day for the Dow Jones and Russell 2000 and 200-day for the Nasdaq100. The crypto market is now below its 50- and 200-day curves by 17% and 31%, respectively. If cryptocurrencies still play a role as an indicator of risk appetite, it points to disaster.

By and large, the cryptocurrency sentiment index says the same thing, falling to 8 at the start of the day on Wednesday. The indicator has been in single digits for nine of the last fourteen days. This is worse than the darkest moments of 2020 and 2022. It seems that as the cryptocurrency market matures, it is becoming less optimistic. On the other hand, it is also becoming less volatile.

Bitcoin continues its downward drift, periodically bouncing along the way. At the end of US trading, the price of the first cryptocurrency fell to $66.7K but added about 1,000 at the time of writing. It is alarming that Bitcoin's dynamics mirror the recent strengthening of the dollar. When investors become convinced that the rise of the dollar is a trend, there may be a sharp increase in volatility.

News Background

Bitcoin's collapse to $60,000 has put psychological pressure on long-term BTC holders, comparable to the collapse of the Terra (LUNA) ecosystem in May 2022, Glassnode notes. They began to sell off assets at significant losses, which is typical of the later stages of a bear market.

A net outflow of stablecoins from the Binance exchange has been observed for the third month in a row, signalling a continuing liquidity squeeze across the crypto market, notes analyst Darkfost. The last time a similar dynamic was observed was during the 2023 bear market.

Standard Chartered Bank has significantly lowered its forecasts for major cryptocurrencies for 2026 amid market volatility. The forecast for Bitcoin has been lowered from $150,000 to $100,000, for Ethereum from $7,000 to $4,000, for Solana from $250 to $135, and for XRP from $8 to $2.8.

Bloomberg Intelligence commodities strategist Mike McGlone has reiterated his forecast for Bitcoin. According to him, the leading cryptocurrency could plummet to $10,000 this year, heralding a recession in the US economy and a stock market crash.

According to Token Terminal, Polygon has surpassed Ethereum in daily transaction fees for the first time. The Polymarket prediction platform has made the main contribution to the growth in activity.

Stablecoins are increasingly being used for payments, salaries and savings, according to a study by BVNK. The key factor was savings on fees, which average 40% compared to traditional payment services. (FxPfo)

News

Geopolitics saves Crude Oil

Asian demand is making the black gold market more bullish than last year

The fate of Brent depends on the outcome of negotiations between the US and Iran on the one hand, and Russia and Ukraine on the other.

Brent bulls believe that sooner or later, Russia and Iran will reduce production and exports of Crude. This will lead to price increases. The bears are convinced of the opposite: thanks to discounts, barrels of oil will be absorbed by buyers, most likely China. At the same time, the negotiation processes between Washington and Tehran on the one hand, and Moscow and Kyiv on the other, are of key importance.

According to a Bloomberg insider, Russian oil production did indeed decline for the second month in a row to 9.28 million bpd in January. This is approximately 300,000 bpd below OPEC+ quotas. Nevertheless, exports rose to 3.39 million bpd in the week ending February 15th. In the first half of the month, deliveries to China jumped to more than 2 million bpd. According to Kpler, they are being redirected from India.

Overall, Asian demand for oil continues to grow rapidly. The company expects record growth in imports to China, India and other countries in the region to 28.51 bpd in February. This growth could lead to a smaller market surplus than previously expected. This is especially true given the supply disruptions that have occurred, including those caused by sanctions.

Thus, even without geopolitics, the situation looks less bearish than it did in 2025. Last year, according to the IEA, onshore reserves of Oil grew by 477 million barrels, or 1.3 million bpd. The main reason for this was increased production in the US, Brazil and OPEC+. At the same time, global demand remained healthy.

The market's attention is focused on the negotiations between Washington and Tehran, where each side has its own version of the truth. The Iranian Foreign Ministry claims that the basic terms of the agreement have been reached. This will allow sanctions to be lifted and war in the Middle East to be avoided. US Vice President DJ Vance, on the other hand, believes that Donald Trump's demands have not been met and that Tehran has two more weeks to do so.

Iran has an important trump card. It knows the peculiarities of the US president's negotiating tactics, which involve moving from threats to retreat. Moreover, a rise in Brent to $150 per barrel is not part of Donald Trump's plans, especially in the run-up to the midterm elections. (FxPro)

News

Eric Trump Predicts Bitcoin Will Reach $1 Million Despite Slump

Speaking at the World Liberty Forum in Mar-a-Lago, hosted by Eric and Donald Trump Jr., Eric forecasted Bitcoin hitting $1 million, citing its average 70% yearly gains from $16,000 two years ago. The event ties to their World Liberty Financial platform, launched after banks closed Trump Organization accounts post-January 6, 2021, which the brothers call political debanking. Donald Trump Jr. called traditional banking a 'Ponzi scheme' favoring insiders, while WLFI announced a partnership with Apex Group for their USD1 stablecoin.

News

Shares (Yesterday - 24 Hour Ago)
The Lead Up
(For reference, historical and educational purposes)

Alphabet Inc Class A
$303.33 +1.31 +0.43%

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$213.40 +3.30 +1.57%

Netflix Inc
$77.99 +0.99 +1.29%

Palantir Technologies Inc
$135.38 +2.36 +1.77%

Tesla Inc
$411.22 +0.59 +0.14%

Microsoft Corp
$399.60 +2.74 +0.69%

Mercedes Benz Group ADR
$17.41 +0.030 +0.17%

Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR
$4.20 +0.011 +0.26%

Volvo ADR (Parent to Mack Trucks)
$38.13 +0.13 +0.34%

Formula One Group Series A
$81.70 +2.07 +2.60%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$116.31 +1.91 +1.67%

MGM Resorts International
$37.19 +2.92 +8.52%

Light & Wonder Inc
$98.12 +0.020 +0.020%

Mineral Resources Ltd
$53.75 +1.73 +3.33%

St George Mining Ltd
$0.079 -0.0262 -4.76%

Lynas Rare Earths ADR
$11.00 +0.21 +1.95%

Arafura Rare Earths Ltd
$0.17 +0.0006 +00.35%

Rio Tinto plc ADR Common Stock
$98.93 +2.05 +2.12%

Fortescue Ltd
$20.20 (ASX)
+0.100 +0.50%

BHP Group Ltd
$52.29 -0.45 -0.85% (ASX)

News

Culture/Streaming

24 Hours Ago approx

YouTube Restores Service After Brief Global Outage

The outage hit around 2 a.m. UTC on February 18, blocking access to videos, apps, recommendations, YouTube TV, Music, and Kids for under two hours. TeamYouTube confirmed the issues and fixed them by 3:12 a.m. UTC, after Downdetector logged over 320,000 U.S. complaints alone. Users turned to X to share frustrations and jokes, while some reports of wider disruptions to services like Google and Netflix went unconfirmed by official status pages.

News

Sports/Formula One

Russell Edges Piastri to Top Bahrain Pre-Season Test Day One

On Wednesday at Bahrain International Circuit, Russell's 1:33.459 lap led Piastri by a whisker, with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc third after 70 laps. Mercedes piled on mileage at 145 laps combined, while Lewis Hamilton tested Ferrari's SF-26, calling it 'exciting' with his heavy sim input baked in. Drama came from Lance Stroll's gravel spin and Aston Martin's power issues, but off-track smiles shone in the 'Carlando' reunion photoshoot of Norris and Sainz. (Grok)

News

Culture

'Welcome To The Blockchain' aka

The Bitcoin Song

Intro

We're now standing on the precipice of a global revolution
Of economics, of politics, and government
Welcome to the blockchain

verse

Power corrupts, money is power
The power to control the money is one that is now
In the hands of those who pretend we can't function without them
So how can we do something about it? (Huh?)
Working hard to get a raise, lifting that wage up
Inflation takes it like a hidden taxation
Manipulated interest rates to give the banks
A way to create money with the loans that they're giving out daily (yup)
That means our money is debt
That we gotta pay back more than a hundred percent
No wonder then why the middle class is going under
When the one's above them gotta cover and come to collect
And many have no access to banking
Making payments, or saving, so more fees are taken
And every day the gatekeepers are trying to stop change
We can not wait, welcome to the blockchain

chorus

Welcome to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin

verse

Bitcoin is a decentralized ledger
And the currency is its first enterprise ever
Secured by the worldwide incentivized network
Can't be stolen or controlled by any sized effort
You can send it anywhere and instantly
No one can intervene, no third party in between
There's no counterfeiting
Algorithms control the outer limits of how many coins can get released
Programmable money, no government can seize it
Payments can be customized by sender and receiver
Contracts can be written cementing your agreements
With terms that can't be bent once you consent then it completes it
Autonomous businesses are possible
Where profit is distributed amongst those adopting it
Paradigm shift we must adjust to the ending
With the blockchain, bitcoin is just the beginning

chorus

Welcome to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin

bridge

Now that we got control
We're not gonna let it go
My people all around the globe
We gotta keep building, building, building
Now that we got control
We're not gonna let it go
My people all around the globe
We gotta keep building, building, building

chorus

Welcome to the blockchain
Things are about to change
Open up the gates
Systems get replaced
Bitcoin
Decentralize the trust
Security, transparency
The network's run by us
Bitcoin

Writer: Toby Ganger

News

Mining/Energy/Resources/Biz

Rio Tinto dodges merger bullet

Rio Tinto has dodged two 'bullets' due to Glencore's rejection of a merger proposal: a possible BHP takeover bid and a dangerous acquisition. BHP looked closely at whether to bid for Rio Tinto if the latter announced a merger with Glencore. The two companies would make excellent merger partners; amongst others things, their staff and senior people have similar cultures, they are co-operating on future Australian iron ore projects and they are copper joint venture partners in Chile and the US. Meanwhile, there are significance cultural differences between Rio Tinto and Glencore; there is little doubt that Rio Tinto's CEO Simon Trott would have had doubts about a merger once he understood these cultural differences. (RMS)

News/Snapshot

Australian Mining

Global Commodity Rankings

Australia holds some of the world's largest reserves and is a leading producer of several key minerals.

#1 Producer: Iron Ore, Bauxite, Lithium, Rutile, and Zircon.

#1 Reserves: Iron Ore, Gold, Lead, Nickel, Rutile, Uranium, and Zinc.

#2 Producer: Gold, Alumina, and Manganese.

Key Mining Hubs & Major Projects

Western Australia: The nation's "engine room," producing 98% of Australia's iron ore and 60% of its gold. Major sites include the Pilbara (iron ore) and the Super Pit in Kalgoorlie (gold).

Queensland: A global leader in metallurgical coal (Bowen Basin) and silver/lead production (Cannington mine).

South Australia: Home to Olympic Dam, which contains the world's largest single uranium deposit and significant copper and gold reserves.

Major Players

The sector is dominated by several multinational giants and significant domestic players:

BHP: Often ranked as Australia's most valuable company; major interests in iron ore, copper, and coal.
Rio Tinto: A world leader in iron ore (Pilbara) and aluminum.

Fortescue (FMG): Primarily focused on iron ore and rapidly expanding into green energy.

Hancock Prospecting: Australia's largest private mining company, led by Gina Rinehart, the nation's wealthiest person.

South32: Spun out of BHP; manages a diversified portfolio including manganese, silver, and nickel.

2026 Trends & Developments

Critical Minerals Push: The government has introduced a $23 billion package to support domestic processing and manufacturing of critical minerals to reduce global reliance on single-country supply chains.

Uranium Rally: Prices exceeding US$100/lb have sparked renewed interest in Australian prospects like the Kalkaroo project.

M&A Activity: Major merger talks continue between giants like Rio Tinto and Glencore as they seek to consolidate copper exposure for the EV market.

Workforce Challenges: The Minerals Council of Australia is currently calling for migration reforms to address a significant "skills crunch" in the sector.

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

Media Man

Cryptocurrency, Finance and World

"Volatility is Satoshi’s gift to the faithful." - Michael Saylor

"Bitcoin is a tool for freeing humanity from oligarchs and tyrants, dressed up as a get-rich-quick scheme." — Naval Ravikant

"We have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical framework that is free of politics and human error." — Tyler Winklevoss

"You can't stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere, and the world will have to readjust. World governments will have to readjust." — John McAfee

"Bitcoin is the most important invention in the history of the world since the Internet." — Roger Ver

"Cryptocurrency is such a powerful concept that it can almost overturn governments." — Charles Lee

"In the future, national currencies will become obsolete. Bitcoin will become the single global currency." — Jack Dorsey

"The future of finance is crypto, whether it’s in payments, contracts, or savings." — Changpeng Zhao

"Crypto offers freedom to the unbanked and hope to the underprivileged." — Elizabeth Stark

"The new frontier of innovation is in decentralization. Blockchain leads the charge." — Don Tapscott

"Digital currency is here to stay, and it’s only a matter of how long before governments embrace it." — Brad Garlinghouse

Pop Culture

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking

The Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Money INC vs Right To Censor
Santa vs Grinch
Bulls vs Bears
Crypto King vs Mr World Bank
Citizens vs NWO
Neo vs Agent Smith
John McAfee vs You Know Who!
TKO vs Naysayers
Jake Paul, Polymarket and BETR vs Naysayers
Pro Boxing vs Newspaper Reports
VKM vs The World
Paul Bros vs Mainstream Wokes
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky
Chris Jericho vs Dirtsheets
NFL vs everyone
Zuffa vs MVP
Netflix vs World
Meta vs Australia
White Light vs Dark Matter
Lexis King vs NIL's (WWE NXT)
Volk vs Naysayers (UFC: Sydney, Australia)
Brock Lesnar vs Everyone! (WWE Royal Rumble)
Roman Reigns vs CM Punk (WWE WrestleMania)
Green vs The Coal Miners Daughter
AC/DC vs Swifties
Triangle v World Bank
Sarah's Oil vs Big Oil
Mr X vs Mr VOX
Mr X vs Mr Platformer
Mr FOX vs Mr Vice
Fox And The Hound vs The View
The Masked Superstar vs Mr Jones
The Undertaker vs Mankind
UFC Legends vs Father Time
Vinnie Vegas and Oz vs Los Americanos
NXT GM vs The Don
Mr Moneymaker vs Mr Regulator
Mr Blockchain vs Mr EU
WWE Unreal vs The Old Guard
Reality TV vs John Pilger Type Journalism and Docos
Mr Real Deal vs Mr Grifter
Mr Truth vs Mr Shock Jock
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky: Rematch
WWE Wrestlers vs NFL Super Bowl Players
Logan Paul and Bad Bunny vs Jake Paul and The Don - Special ref: Damian Priest
Kelly Gang vs Snow White Clan
BKFC vs PFL vs ONE
Mr Sky vs Mr Vice
Marvel Universe vs DC Universe vs Monster Universe
Logan Paul vs Tom Brady
MMA vs Lucha Libre

Confirmed Matches To Happen:

Rousey vs Carano (Netflix) May 16
Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov (Netflix) April 11

Markets, Cryptos and Culture

February 4, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

"All That Glitters" Edition: Part III

"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)
"You Got the Silver" (The Rolling Stones)
"Goldfinger" (Shirley Bassey)
"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (The Wolf Of Wall Street theme) Cannonball Adderley
"Stretch Your Face" (TOBACCO). Silicon Valley theme
"Diamonds" (Rihanna)
"Falling Down" (1993). (James Newton Howard)
"Every 1's a Winner" (Hot Chocolate)
"Still Humble" (def rebel)
"Clubbed to Death". (The Matrix theme). Kurayamino Mix. (Rob D)

Markets

ASX futures down 73 points/0.8% to 8741
AUD +0.9% to US70.09¢
Bitcoin $76,201.96 -2.95%
Dow -0.9%
S&P -1.4%
Nasdaq -2.1%
Gold +5.2% to $US4905.80 an ounce
Silver 85.011 +5.855 7.41%
Oil +1% to $US67.01 a barrel
Iron ore -0.1% at $US102.80 a ton

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7010 USD (up $0.0067 USD) Iron Ore: $102.80 USD (unchanged) Oil Price: $63.70 USD (up $1.62 USD) Gold Price: $4,953.56 USD (up $273.87 USD) Copper Price: $6.0730 USD (up $0.2345 USD) Dow Jones: 49,222.61 (down 185.05 points)

News

ASX rises on gold rebound; CBA, tech rally

The Australian sharemarket rallied on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.9 per cent to close at 8,870.6 points; it initially rose 1.1 per cent before the Reserve Bank announced an increase in the cash rate. Gold stocks were boosted by a rebound in the price of the precious metal, with Newmont Corporation advancing 5.6 per cent to $164.75. WiseTech Global was up 1.7 per cent at $57.38 and the Commonwealth Bank finished 1.1 per cent higher at $153.08, but Neuren Pharmaceuticals shed 10 per cent to end the session at $14.63. (RMS)

Cryptos

Very limited rebound in crypto

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation grew by 1.7% in 24 hours to $2.65 trillion. Once again, the positive sentiment in global financial markets came to the rescue of crypto. BNB is leading the rebound, benefiting from the support of the founder of Binance and Doge, which was mentioned again by Musk. At the same time, local resistance has formed in the market at $2.65-2.68 trillion, where the rebound has been losing momentum since the beginning of the month.

Bitcoin is trading above $78K, about 5% higher than Monday's lows, but hitting resistance from 1 February. This limited rebound is causing bearish sentiment about the immediate prospects for Bitcoin and the whole crypto market.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds fell by $1.696 billion last week, following an outflow of $1.732 billion the week before. Investments in Bitcoin fell by $1.321 billion, in Ethereum by $308 million, in XRP by $44 million, in Solana by $32 million, and in multi-asset funds by $14 million.

The options market indicates that investors are beginning to form positions in anticipation of a local bottom. Long-term Bitcoin investors have moved into unrealised losses, which allows the market to transition into an ‘extremely bearish’ phase, according to CryptoQuant. The market has also been negatively affected by a persistent lack of liquidity for several months.

Bernstein expects the crypto market decline to end when Bitcoin reaches the highs of the previous cycle in the $60,000 range. The subsequent reversal will lay the foundation for the ‘most significant cycle’ for BTC.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Mike McGlone reiterated his forecast for the current year, according to which Bitcoin could fall to $10,000. In his opinion, the current year may resemble the crisis years of 2008 and 2000-2001.

Corporate Ethereum holders suffered a major loss after the asset's value fell. According to BitMineTracker, the ‘paper’ losses of BitMine, the largest holder of the second-largest cryptocurrency, amounted to $6.95 billion. Investor Ross Gerber called this ETH purchase potentially ‘the worst deal in history.’

Hong Kong-based Trend Research has already begun to reduce its positions, selling 33,589 ETH ($79 million) at a loss. Japanese financial holding company Nomura is also reducing its investments in cryptocurrencies. However, Strategy continues to buy, acquiring another 855 BTC ($75.3 million) over the past week at an average price of $87,974. (FxPro)

News

The dollar moves forward

Greenback actively attacks opponents

Central banks take different paths

The first expansion in manufacturing business activity in more than a year and the second government shutdown in the last five months have added fuel to the US dollar rally. The Purchasing Managers' Index reached 52.6, its highest level since August 2022. This is evidence of the strength of the US economy. The BLS has been forced to postpone the publication of labour market data due to the shutdown. Under these circumstances, the chances of a federal funds rate cut in June have fallen to 58%, pressuring EURUSD.

TD Securities believes the US dollar will strengthen by another 2% in February, as US data will begin to pleasantly surprise. Nevertheless, the USD index rally is an excellent opportunity to sell the greenback versus the Euro, Australian dollar, Pound and Swedish krona. The company expects EURUSD to rise to 1.22 in the third quarter.

Forecasts of a short-term strengthening of the US dollar seem logical. Donald Trump is dancing his tango (two steps forward, one step back) with tariff threats. So, the ‘sell America’ strategy has faded into the background. Scott Bessent denies US involvement in currency interventions. Markets considered Kevin Warsh to be the most hawkish possible candidate for the Fed chairmanship. The shutdown deprives the Fed of necessary data and prolongs the pause in the monetary easing cycle.

As a result, the futures market does not expect the Fed to ease its monetary policy until June. For four months, the federal funds rate will exceed the ECB deposit rate by 175 basis points. This creates ideal conditions for carry traders and EURUSD sales.

The euro's retreat allows the ECB to breathe a sigh of relief. The European Central Bank was on tenterhooks over fears that the main currency pair would settle above 1.2. This would have created headwinds for the eurozone's export-oriented economy. The step back of EURUSD makes the Governing Council meeting on 5 February boring.

The Bank of England is another matter. There was already a split within the Monetary Policy Committee. The simultaneous acceleration of inflation and cooling of the British labour market is exacerbating it. GBPUSD risks getting caught in a real storm when the results of the BoE's February meeting are announced.

Meanwhile, the Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate hike has inspired AUDUSD bulls to launch a new attack. (FxPro)

News

Feb 3

Bitcoin Price Plunges 40% From All-Time Highs to One-Year Lows

The bitcoin price is trading at one-year lows.

Bitcoin’s price dropped below $75,000 today, its lowest level in nearly a year, as global crypto markets endured a sustained wave of selling triggered by broader financial stresses and shifting investor appetite.

The bitcoin price has now retraced more than 40% from its all-time highs reached in late 2025. According to Bitcoin Magazine Pro data, the one-year low for the bitcoin price is $74,747. Bitcoin is dancing near that number.

Recent trading data showed Bitcoin price slipping through key technical support levels, driving forced liquidations across derivatives markets and intensifying downside price pressure. Over roughly the past 24 hours, around $2.56 billion in Bitcoin positions were liquidated, according to market data.

This follows weeks of risk-off sentiment across global asset classes.

The downturn in cryptocurrencies has coincided with stress in other markets like precious metals, tech sell-offs, and losses in equities.

Institutional players report losses as policy signals remain dubious

The market slide has had tangible impacts on key industry participants. Galaxy Digital, a major crypto investment firm led by Michael Novogratz, reported a $482 million loss for the fourth quarter of 2025, earlier today.

The firm attributed this to the decline in digital asset prices and a sharp drop in trading volumes, which fell more than 40% from the prior quarter. Galaxy’s stock traded lower following the earnings release, reflecting investor concern about the broader bitcoin price and crypto downturn.

Also, Bitcoin price currently trades below $76,000, which is roughly the average price at which Strategy acquired a portion of its BTC holdings and well below the cost of many of its accumulated coins.

Since Strategy owns hundreds of thousands of bitcoins at higher average purchase prices, the current market value is less than what was paid for much of its inventory, leaving a significant portion of its holdings “underwater.”

Market participants have also pointed to U.S. monetary policy developments as a significant driver of the sell-off.

The recent nomination of Kevin Warsh as chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve by President Donald Trump has prompted forecasts of tighter monetary conditions.

A strengthening U.S. dollar in response to monetary policy shifts has also weighed on Bitcoin. A firmer dollar typically makes non-yielding assets like Bitcoin less attractive, reducing inflows from investors seeking currency-neutral hedges. Analysts noted that the dollar’s recent performance provided technical headwinds that amplified the crypto market’s decline.

The Trump administration has continued to engage with industry leaders on digital asset policy, including efforts to advance regulatory clarity through legislation such as the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act.

This dialogue has really slowed down over the last couple of months, it has not yet translated into stabilizing price action amid current conditions.

Bitcoin price in genuine ‘crypto winter’

Despite this, Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan said in a recent memo that the crypto market has been in a genuine “crypto winter” since early 2025, rather than experiencing a short-lived correction.

Hougan highlighted that bearish sentiment remains strong, as evidenced by the Crypto Fear and Greed Index, which shows near all-time fear levels despite positive developments like the appointment of a bitcoin-friendly Fed chair.

Hougan noted that institutional flows helped mask the severity of the downturn. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs and digital asset treasury vehicles purchased over 744,000 BTC during this period—roughly $75 billion in demand — cushioning bitcoin price’s drawdown, which he estimated could have reached nearly 60% without this support.

He compared the current environment to previous downturns in 2018 and 2022, where markets remained depressed despite incremental positive news.

Looking ahead, Hougan suggested that crypto winters often end not with exuberance but with exhaustion. In his words, “It’s always darkest before the dawn.”

Bitcoin price is currently at $74,800, with a 24-hour trading volume of 55 B. BTC is -5% in the last 24 hours. It is currently -5% from its 7-day all-time high of $78,994. (BM/AI News)

News

Mining/Politics/Trade

Trump launches $US12 billion strategic mineral stockpile to counter China; rare earth stocks jump

The Trump administration will launch a major initiative known as Project Vault, which is designed to reduce America's dependence on China for rare earths and other strategically important metals. According to senior administration officials, the initiative would represent the first large-scale mineral reserve designed specifically for private-sector use. By creating a centralised reserve for civilian industries, US government officials hope to cushion companies against sudden shortages and sharp price swings that can disrupt production and strain finances. Project Vault will be financed through a mix of private and public funding: $US1.67 billion is expected to come from private investors, while the US Export-Import Bank is set to provide a $US10 billion loan with a 15-year term. The program is part of a broader push to cut US reliance on China, which dominates much of the critical minerals supply chain. (RMS)

US critical-minerals diplomacy: from America-First deals to Pax Silica

International Institute for Strategic Studies

The Trump administration has adopted a three-pronged approach to critical minerals policy during its second term in office. It initially focused on increasing domestic production of critical minerals, including fast-tracking permitting processes, widening the US government's financing reach and relaxing environmental constraints; this was followed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which appropriated US$7.5 billion to the Pentagon for critical minerals. The Trump administration has also pursued bilateral arrangements with key partners, including Australia, Japan and Ukraine to reduce dependence on China for critical minerals. Meanwhile, the US launched Pax Silica in December 2025, an initiative aimed at building secure and resilient supply chains for the technologies foundational to artificial-intelligence, especially silicon and critical minerals. (RMS)

News

Mining/Rare Earths Biz

Rio Tinto investors lean to London

Rio Tinto's Australian-listed shares have fallen by 1.5 per cent since the resources giant confirmed in early January that it is holding merger talks with Glencore, while its London-listed shares have gained nearly nine per cent. Rio Tinto's Australian shares have traditionally traded at a premium to its London stock, but this premium has fallen from 23 per cent at the start of 2026 to around 14 per cent. Some observers believe that Rio Tinto is more likely to pay for the Glencore deal by issuing new Australian shares, which could result in the shareholdings of local investors being diluted. (RMS)

News

Investors rush in to ASX-listed rare earths

Shares in Australian-listed critical minerals explorers and producers rallied on Tuesday, amid hopes that they will be able to participate in the Trump administration's Project Vault. RZ Resources' CEO Campbell Jones says the US government's proposed critical minerals stockpile provides a "real opportunity" for the company, which is developing a minerals sands mine in Victoria and a processing plant in Queensland. RZ Resources' executive chairman David Fraser in turn says the company could be processing third-party minerals within 12 months. (RMS)

News

Gold Price News

As of February 4, 2026, gold prices have experienced significant volatility, rebounding after a historic sell-off in late January.

Current Live Spot Prices

Per Ounce (USD): ~$4,940.70
Per Ounce (AUD): ~$7,044.24
Per Gram (AUD): ~$226.48
Per Kilogram (AUD): ~$226,477.15

Market Summary & Recent Performance

Recent Volatility: Gold surged nearly 7% on February 3, 2026, as bargain hunters entered the market following a massive two-day rout. This crash saw prices drop from an all-time high of $5,594.82 on January 29 to as low as $4,405 on February 2.

Key Drivers: The sharp decline was triggered by the nomination of Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair (perceived as a hawkish move) and increased margin requirements by the CME Group.

Historical context: Despite the recent correction, gold is up approximately 74% compared to this time last year.

Retail Bullion Prices (AUD)

include: For those looking to buy physical gold in Australia, representative selling prices from dealers like ABC BullionandJaggards

1oz Gold Cast Bar: ~$7,560.00
1/2oz Gold Cast Bar: ~$3,791.00
10g Gold Minted Tablet: ~$2,380.00
1g Gold Minted Bar: ~$262.70

Future Outlook

Analysts remain divided on the short-term trajectory. While Citi maintains a 2026 average forecast of $5,000, some institutions like JP Morgan and UBS expect gold to reach $6,200–$6,300 by year-end as investors seek hedges against rising debt and inflation.

News

Pop Culture

Gold Movies:

Gold (2022 Australian Film): A survival thriller starring Zac Efron. Set in a harsh desert, it follows two drifters who discover a massive gold nugget and must protect it from intruders and the elements.

Gold (2016 American Film): A crime drama starring Matthew McConaughey, loosely based on the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal. It follows a prospector's journey into the Indonesian jungle to find a massive gold deposit.

Gold (2018 Indian Film): A period sports drama starring Akshay Kumar. It tells the story of India's first Olympic gold medal as an independent nation in the 1948 Summer Olympics hockey event.

Gold (2022 Indian Malayalam Film): A comedy-drama directed by Alphonse Puthren, starring Prithviraj Sukumaran and Nayanthara.

Gold (1974 British Film): A thriller starring Roger Moore as a mine manager caught in a deadly conspiracy involving a South African gold mine.

News

Wall Street Movies:

Wall Street (1987): Oliver Stone’s archetypal drama featuring Michael Douglas as Gordon Gekko, whose "Greed is good" mantra defined the 1980s era of excess.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992): A masterclass in dialogue following desperate real estate salesmen under intense pressure to "Always Be Closing".

Trading Places (1983): A comedic take on commodities trading where a commodities broker and a street hustler trade lives as part of a callous bet.

Working Girl (1988): A look at corporate mergers and acquisitions through the eyes of a secretary who seizes an opportunity to climb the ladder.

Financial Dramas & Thrillers:

Recent films have shifted focus to the mechanics of the 2008 financial crisis and the rise of retail trading movements.

The Big Short (2015): Directed by Adam McKay, this film uses unconventional storytelling and celebrity cameos to explain the complex housing market collapse.

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013): Martin Scorsese’s high-energy portrayal of Jordan Belfort's rise and fall through penny stock scams and extreme debauchery.

Margin Call (2011): An intense, 24-hour look inside an investment bank on the verge of collapse as its leaders realize their assets are toxic.

Dumb Money (2023): Dramatizes the real-life GameStop "short squeeze" where retail investors on Reddit took on major hedge funds.

Boiler Room (2000): Focuses on the predatory world of "pump and dump" brokerage firms and the high-pressure sales tactics used to scam investors.

New & Upcoming Releases (2025–2026):

The finance genre continues to expand with new stories about whistleblowers and corporate scandals.

The Social Reckoning (expected Oct 2026): Directed by Aaron Sorkin, this highly anticipated film follows Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and her collaboration with a Wall Street Journal reporter.

How to Make a Killing (expected Feb 2026): An A24 production starring Glen Powell about a man on the hunt for an inheritance taken from him at birth.

Crime 101 (expected Feb 2026): A heist thriller involving a multi-million dollar score and a disillusioned insurance broker.

Documentaries:

Inside Job (2010): Narrated by Matt Damon, this Academy Award-winning documentary provides a detailed examination of the 2008 meltdown.

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005): A deep dive into one of history’s most infamous accounting scandals and the corruption that led to the company's fall.

Becoming Warren Buffett (2017): A profile of the legendary investor’s life and his unique approach to wealth and philanthropy.