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Sin City Sydney Australia, Wall Street, New York, and Beyond The Black Stump

Digital Bush Telegraph

Past. Present And Future

June 2026

June 3

Markets

ASX 200 futures are pointing up 38 points or 0.4 per cent to 8789.

AUD +0.3% to US71.81¢

Bitcoin $66,667.53 -6.48%

Wall St:

Dow +0.5%
S&P +0.1%
Nasdaq +0.03%

VIX -0.28 to 15.77
Gold +0.1% to $US4488.86 an ounce
Brent oil +0.9% to $US95.79 a barrel
Iron ore +0.5% to $US105.10 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.44%
Australia 4.88%

TKO Holdings
$204.59
-3.82 -1.84%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$361.85
-14.52 -3.86%

News

Markets

Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7180 USD (up $0.0025 USD)

Iron Ore: $105.10 USD (up $0.70 USD)

Oil Price (West Texas): $93.39 USD (up $0.88 USD)

Gold Price : $4,488.92 USD (up $3.96 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $6.6775 USD (up $0.1105 USD)

Dow Jones: 51,307.79 (up 228.91 points)

News

ASX dips on Iran doubts and retail sell-off

The Australian sharemarket edged lower on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 easing 0.1 per cent to close at 8,724.4 points; the benchmark index had shed more than 1.2 per cent earlier in the trading session. The latest minimum wage ruling weighed on retailer and shopping centre owners, with JB Hi-Fi down 5.4 per cent at $71.05 and Vicinity Centres shedding four per cent to close at $2.42. However, BHP rose 1.4 per cent to a new high of $63.37 and WiseTech Global was up 7.9 per cent at $42.23. (RMS)

News

Mining: Australia

Mining giants fuel surge in renewables financing

Construction of 2.6 gigawatts of solar energy projects has begun in Australia since the start of 2026. Data from consulting firm Rystad Energy shows that nearly 95 per cent of these projects feature a storage battery. Factors such as the falling cost of batteries has boosted investment in solar projects, while Rio Tinto and Fortescue have also ramped up spending on such projects to supply energy to their operations in Australia. Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the 'green' energy rollout is putting downward pressure on electricity prices.

News

Bitcoin News

Bitcoin is losing the confidence of major holders

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has been rapidly shrinking since the start of the new week, falling by 5% to $2.38 trillion, its lowest level since early April. It appears that confidence in the prospects of cryptocurrency has fallen sharply following reports of a largely symbolic BTC sale from Strategy’s balance sheet, which may be followed by more active selling from other holders. We also cannot rule out an ‘Iranian connection’, as reports of seizures of Iranian cryptocurrency undermine the notion of anonymity and untraceability that has long underpinned the crypto market. The solid performance of supposedly anonymous coins fits neatly into this hypothesis. Thus, over the past 24 hours, the top performers have been NEAR Protocol (+14.8%), Internet Computer (+10.2%) and Zcash (+5%). The three worst performers are Stellar (-13.2%), Basic Attention Token (-10%) and Bitcoin (-4.3%).

Bitcoin is accelerating its decline, having fallen to $69K, even though it started the week just above $74K. As expected, the drop below the 50-day moving average a week ago followed more than a week of selling pressure at that level. Technically, the leading cryptocurrency faces relatively few obstacles on its way down to the $65-66K range, but further down, longer-term support may come into play, having halted the decline in February and March.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds fell by $1.671 billion last week, marking the largest outflow since January. Investments in Bitcoin fell by $1.438 billion (the largest outflow from BTC this year), in Ethereum by $257 million, in Solana by $1 million, and in Sui by $1 million. Investments in altcoins rose by $20 million in XRP, $11 million in Hyperliquid, and $8 million in Near.

Sentiment towards Bitcoin on social media has reached its most positive level since the start of the year, despite the crypto market’s decline in May, Santiment notes. In the past, such surges in optimism have often coincided with local highs in the asset’s price.

Strategy has sold Bitcoin for the first time since 2022. Last week, 32 BTC were sold for approximately $2.5 million at an average price of $77,135 per coin. The largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, which had previously promised never to sell the asset, will use the proceeds to pay dividends on preference shares.

As a result of the latest adjustment, Bitcoin’s mining difficulty rose by 1.72% to 138.96 T. The figure has returned to its April highs.

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has renamed the cryptocurrency Toncoin (TON) to Gram (GRAM), describing the rebranding as a return to its roots. The blockchain will retain the name TON (The Open Network). No action is required from token holders.

Summary: Bitcoin accelerated its decline towards $69K amid a record outflow from crypto funds and Strategy’s first BTC sale since 2022, heightening fears among large holders. (FxPro)

News

The dollar is back in the game

Rumours of a breakdown in negotiations have reignited investor interest in the US dollar.

The risk of further currency interventions is mounting along with USDJPY.

The US dollar rose by 0.4% on Monday following reports that Iran intended to walk away from negotiations with the US. Tehran’s threat sent oil prices soaring and reignited investor interest in safe-haven assets. Strong macroeconomic data also favoured the bulls on the USD index. However, in the absence of further escalation, the DXY gave back some of its gains, stabilising at 99, roughly in the middle of the range seen over the past two weeks.

The ISM manufacturing business activity index exceeded forecasts, rising to 54, its highest level since May 2022. The Purchasing Managers’ Index has remained in expansionary territory above 50 for the fifth consecutive month, indicating the sector’s strength.

The price component of the PMI fell in May compared with April.

The strength of the US economy allows the Fed to adopt a wait-and-see approach. The futures market puts the odds of the federal funds rate remaining unchanged in 2026 at 51%, with a 49% probability of a hike. According to Rabobank, such assessments suggest limited upside potential for the EURUSD. Two ECB hikes are already priced into the euro exchange rate. However, the longer the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the more pain the eurozone economy will suffer.

Until now, the markets have been optimistic about the US-Iran deal. However, a partial escalation of the conflict, along with rumours that Tehran is withdrawing from the negotiations, is making investors nervous. What if the current dialogue with the Islamic Republic ends the same way as all the previous ones, i.e., in failure?

As the USDJPY moves higher, the intensity of the government’s verbal interventions is increasing. Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama is using the same rhetoric she used ahead of the previous currency market intervention. She asserts that the authorities are ready to take appropriate measures at any time, as necessary. Tokyo is in close contact with Washington regarding the situation in the Forex market.

Japan holds colossal foreign exchange reserves of $1.17 trillion, which, according to Goldman Sachs, would allow it to intervene in the market at least 30 times. However, a significant portion of these reserves consists of US Treasury bonds, the sale of which would raise their yields and is therefore not welcomed by the US Treasury.

Summary: Rumours of a breakdown in US-Iran negotiations supported the dollar, while strong US data boosted demand. Rising USDJPY increases the risk of currency intervention in Japan. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis Sets February 2027 Release

Crystal Dynamics revealed Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis during PlayStation's State of Play, locking in a February 12, 2027 launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. The trailer showcases puzzle-filled ruins, raptor battles, and a nod to the 1996 original's Scion quest, blending nostalgia with modern traversal and combat. Pre-orders are open now, with Standard at $59.99 and Deluxe at $69.99 offering early access and extras like exclusive outfits. (Media Man Peg-On): The Legend Lives On!

News

Gaming/UFC

EA Sports UFC 6 Revives Open Weight Class Selection for Ranked Matches

EA Sports UFC 6 restores open weight class selection in Prospect ranked ladder placement matches, letting players choose divisions freely just weeks before the June 19 launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The feature, a hit in the first three games, was dropped in UFC 4 and 5 for rotating classes but returns alongside revamped fighter ratings and Flow State perks to mix up matchups. Streamers like Liam Healy hail it as a game-changer, though some note potential matchmaking issues in lighter divisions and lament the lack of PC support at launch. (Media Man Peg-On): The best of both worlds. Ground and pound and strike action. Take down your gaming store today, in a food and friendly way. Road To The White House?!

News

Streaming/Netflix

Netflix Greenlights War Machine Sequel After Massive Hit

The sci-fi action film War Machine, directed by Patrick Hughes and starring Alan Ritchson, launched on Netflix March 6, 2026, and racked up 39.3 million views in three days, topping charts in 93 countries for a total of 139 million views. Its success prompted a quick sequel greenlight, with Hughes returning to direct and co-write alongside James Beaufort. Ritchson is expected to reprise his role as the battle-hardened engineer, building on the gritty thrills that blended military realism with Predator-style action. (Media Man Peg-On): The Big N on fire. Going all guns blazzing. Netflix for the win!

News

Lucha Libre

Chad Gable Unmasks in Epic AAA Mask vs. Mask Win for Ludwig Kaiser

On May 30 at AAA's Noche de los Grandes in Arena Monterrey, WWE's Ludwig Kaiser, as fan-favorite El Grande Americano, defeated the Original version in a 33-minute brutal match filled with suplexes, ankle locks, and chair shots, pinning with his running headbutt. The reveal showed Chad Gable underneath, who graciously handed over his mask and promised a return. The bout earned massive praise, including Dave Meltzer calling it Gable's career-best and JBL naming him the world's top wrestler, plus over 2 million YouTube views and top ratings from fans and insiders. (Media Man Peg-On): An al time classic. Legendary!

News Flasback

January 2026

Sports Business

Banks called for tennis overhaul

The Professional Tennis Players Association is seeking advice from investment banks and other financial advisory firms on the creation of a new structure for professional tennis. The PTPA is proposing a structure that would involve three tiers, with the first, to be known as the Pinnacle Tour, to include 16 of the sport's most prestigious events including the grand slams. As part of the new structure, players would be guaranteed minimum levels of compensation, including $US1 million ($1.5 million) for those ranked in the top 100, while Tennis Australia has indicated it is supportive of the PTPA's plans (RMS)

News Flashback

January 2026

Sports Business

Tennis fans back AO's bold vision to revolutionise sport

Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley has outlined a vision for the Australian Open that includes drone-powered food and drink services and no match officials on court. His plans are part of Tennis Australia's goal of maintaining the Open's status as the biggest of the four grand slams by attendance, with more than 1.2 million attending last year's event. Most fans attending the Open are supportive of Tiley's vision, although some are worried it might be getting too big for its own good. Graham Bradley, who is a former director of Tennis Australia, says that "we don't apologise for the fact that we're in the entertainment business, as well as the sporting business". (RMS)

News

Heavy Industry News

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

Caterpillar wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The Month' award

Bingo Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The Month' award

Elders wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award

Landman wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award (Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)

News

Gold Movie

Gold is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance the appeal of the film, character names and story details were changed.

Trailer

Gold (YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0

Gold is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club, The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film is inspired by a true story.

News Flashback

Early 2026

Streaming Wars

The "Streaming Wars" refers to the intense competition among digital media platforms to dominate the subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market by capturing and retaining global audiences.

As of early 2026, the landscape has shifted from a period of rapid expansion into a phase of major consolidation and a focus on profitability over subscriber volume.

The "Winner" and Current State (2026)

Netflix Dominance: Industry analysts increasingly cite Netflix as the victor. In January 2026, Netflix reported 18% year-over-year revenue growth and is currently pursuing a high-stakes $83 billion all-cash acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets (including HBO/Max).

The "Big 3": Despite fierce competition, the market is primarily dominated by Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+.

YouTube's Rise: Some experts argue YouTube is the true winner of the broader attention economy, surpassing traditional streaming services in total viewership by pivoting back to user-generated content.

Key Strategies in 2026

Consolidation: Smaller or struggling services are being shuttered or merged. For example, Disney recently shut down Hulu as a standalone service.

Monetization Shifts: Platforms have moved away from "growth at all costs" to strategies like password-sharing crackdowns, ad-supported tiers, and price hikes.

Live Sports & Events: Services are increasingly bidding on live sports rights (e.g., Netflix hosting WWE's Raw starting in 2025) to differentiate their offerings.

Bundling: To combat "subscription fatigue," platforms are forming strategic partnerships with telecommunications companies and banks to offer bundled service hubs.

Consumer Impact

Price Hikes: Many consumers are canceling services due to rising costs; over 40% of Americans cited price as their primary reason for unsubscribing in late 2025.

Resurgence of Piracy: Fragmented content and high costs have led to a significant comeback for pirate sites, which some users now find more comprehensive than paid services.

"South Park: The Streaming Wars": The term was popularized in mainstream culture by a 2-part South Park special released on Paramount+ in 2022, which satirized the industry's aggressive competition.

News/Profile

Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd

Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) is a privately owned Australian mineral exploration and agriculture company headquartered in Perth, Western Australia. As of 2026, it is recognized as one of the most successful private companies in Australian history.

Leadership and Ownership

Executive Chairwoman: Gina Rinehart AO, who has led the company since 1992.

CEO: Garry Korte.

Ownership: The company is owned by Gina Rinehart (76.6%) and the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).

Major Mining Operations

The company has transitioned from a prospecting firm into a major global miner, with primary interests in the Pilbara region:

Roy Hill: A flagship mega-project and Australia’s largest single iron ore mine, producing 60–70 million tonnes annually.

Hope Downs: A 50/50 joint venture with Rio Tinto, comprising four open-pit mines with a capacity of approximately 47Mtpa.

Atlas Iron: Acquired in 2018, it operates the Mount Webber, Sanjiv Ridge, and Miralga Creek mines.

Hancock Iron Ore: A new entity formed in July 2025 to consolidate Roy Hill and Atlas Iron operations.

Diversification and Strategic Investments

Under Rinehart’s leadership, the company has expanded significantly into other sectors:

Agriculture: Hancock is Australia's second-largest beef producer, owning over 25 properties including the iconic S. Kidman & Co. It also owns 50% of Bannister Downs Dairy.

Critical Minerals: Major stakes in lithium (Liontown Resources, Azure Minerals, Vulcan Energy) and rare earths (Arafura Rare Earths, MP Materials, Lynas Rare Earths).

Energy: Significant interests in oil and gas through Warrego Energy and Senex Energy.

International Ventures: In January 2026, the company signed a gold exploration license agreement with Saudi Arabia's state-owned miner, Ma’aden.

Current Events (January 2026)

Australia Day Sponsorship: The company is the principal partner for the 2026 Hancock Prospecting Australia Day celebrations in Perth.

Helipad Proposal: In December 2025, the City of Perth refused the company's proposal to build a helipad at its West Perth headquarters.

Financial Performance: For the 2025 fiscal year, the company reported a profit of AU$3.08 billion.

History

The company was founded on November 25, 1955, by Lang Hancock, who is credited with discovering the world's largest iron ore deposit in 1952. When Gina Rinehart took over following his death in 1992, the company was in a precarious financial state with significant debt.

News

Gold (1974)

Gold is a 1974 British action-thriller directed by Peter R. Hunt, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York. Based on the 1970 novel Gold Mine by Wilbur Smith, the film is set in the South African goldfields and follows a conspiracy by a global syndicate to manipulate the price of gold by sabotaging a rich mine.

Plot: Rod Slater (Moore), a newly appointed general manager, is manipulated by his boss, Manfred Steyner (Bradford Dillman), into drilling through a protective barrier into a subterranean lake. This is intended to flood the mine, causing a global gold shortage and driving up prices for a greedy cabal.

Production Controversy: The film was controversially shot on location in South Africa during the apartheid era. This led to a "black ban" by British film unions, though some crew members defied it to work on the production.

James Bond Connection: Many crew members were veterans of the James Bond franchise, including director Peter Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), editor John Glen, and title designer Maurice Binder.

Accolades: The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Wherever Love Takes Me," composed by Elmer Bernstein and sung by Maureen McGovern.

Cast & Crew

Rod Slater: Roger Moore
Terry Steyner: Susannah York
Hurry Hirschfeld: Ray Milland
Manfred Steyner: Bradford Dillman
Farrell: John Gielgud

Director: Peter R. Hunt

Music: Elmer Bernstein

Availability in 2026

As of 2026, the film is available through several formats and platforms:

Streaming: Accessible on Prime Video, Tubi, and Roku devices.

Physical Media: High-definition restorations are available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber and 88 Films

News

Pop Culture

"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)

"Gold" is a signature 1983 hit by the British New Romantic band Spandau Ballet, written by Gary Kemp.

Lyrics

Thank you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are all worn I left them here, I could have sworn These are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another play for today Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud of you

Nothing left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing so tall

Thank you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are all worn I left them here I could have sworn
These are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another play for today Oh but I'm proud of you but I'm proud of you

Nothing left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing so tall

Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul You've got the power to know You're indestructible Always believe in
'Cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return There's something I could have learned You're indestructible Always believin'

Oh after the rush has gone I hope you find a little more time Remember we were partners in crime It's only two years ago
The man with the suit and the face You knew that he was there on the case Now he's in love with you he's in love with you

My love is like a high prison wall But you could leave me standing so tall

Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul You've got the power to know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return There's something I could have learned You're indestructible Always believin'

My love is like a high prison wall And you could leave me standing so tall

Gold (gold)
Oh always believe in your soul You've got the power to know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return Something I could have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Songwriter: Gary James Kemp

Spandau Ballet - Gold (HD Remastered)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ntG50eXbBtc

Official video of Spandau Ballet performing 'Gold' from their 1983 third album 'True'.

Gary Kemp wrote both the music and lyrics; the song was produced by the partnership of Steve Jolley and Tony Swain. The music video was filmed on location in Carmona, Spain and directed by Brian Duffy. The video featured Sadie Frost as a gold-painted nymph, in one of her earlier roles. Some parts of the music video were also filmed in Leighton House, which was also used in the video for "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers.

Spandau Ballet are one of Britain’s great iconic bands having sold over 25 million records, scored numerous multi-platinum albums and amassed 23 hit singles across the globe since their humble beginnings as a group of friends with dreams of stardom in the late 1970s. It wasn’t long before they became fully-fledged members of the iconic Blitz Club scene and established themselves as one of the super-groups of the 80s.

The band's classic line-up features brothers Gary and Martin Kemp on guitars, vocalist Tony Hadley, saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble.

Spandau Ballet’s hits include Gold, True, To Cut A Long Story Short, Through The Barricades and many more.

News

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Business Of The Month' award

Sky News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Media Outlet Of The Month' award

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

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.

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

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

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

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, Social Media and Culture

March 23, 2026

Mad Monday

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street. New York, 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)
"Video Killed the Radio Star" (The Buggles)
"I Don't Like Mondays" (The Boomtown Rats)
"Monday, Monday" (The Mamas & the Papas)

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 156 points/1.8%: 8343

AUD -0.9% to US70.23¢
Bitcoin $67,584.42 -1.97%
Dow -1%
S&P -1.5%
Nasdaq -2%
VIX +2.72 to 26.78
Gold -3.4% to $US4492.43 an ounce
Silver 65.686 -2.065
Brent oil +3.9% to $US112.86 a barrel
Iron ore +1% to $US108.25 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.38% Australia 5.02%

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.6999 USD (down $0.0084 USD) Iron Ore: $108.25 USD (up $0.80 USD)
Oil Price: $98.23 USD (up $3.45 USD)
Gold Price: $4,494.10 USD (down $159.14 USD)
Copper Price: $5.3020 USD (down $0.218 USD)
Dow Jones: 45,577.47 (down 443.96 points)

News

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

MMA/UFC Watercooler

Dana White responds to Jon Jones' claims about $15 million offer

Dana White has doubled down on his stance about Jon Jonesnever being a part of the White House plan.

Jones is not fighting at the UFC White Housecard in June despite having tried for a spot ever since the event was first mentioned. Jones recently claimed that he was willing to fight Alex Pereirafor much less than he had demanded to fight Tom Aspinalllast year. However, the UFC was allegedly not willing to offer more than $15 million to Jones, who didn't think it was enough.

"Was ready, willing and physically able to step in," Jones wrote on X. "I was willing to take substantially less than the Aspinall ask but they wouldn't budge one dollar over $15m. I felt like our fight was worth more."

No Way in Hell

White responded to Jones' claims at the UFC Londonpost-fight press conference on Saturday. White maintains that Jones was never a part of the plan for the White House card.

"How many f--ing times I gotta say this?" White said. "He was never fighting on the White House card… There was no way in hell I was putting him on that card, no matter what the money was. Jon Joneswas never gonna fight in the White House card."

Jones (28-1) kept the heavyweight division hanging for over a year, while White kept promising fans that "Bones" would fight interim champion Aspinall. However, Jones retired in June 2025 without fighting Aspinall. Jones would return to the drug testing pool just weeks later, after plans for the White House card were mentioned. Jones kept rallying for a spot on the card, even pleading with White.

When Jones missed out, White claimed that he was never a part of the plan. However, the former UFC double champ lashed out on social media, hinting at lengthy negotiations with the promotion about fighting at the White House. Jones has since called for his release from the UFC.

News

Social Media

The Metaverse Is Dead

In a move that signals the end of a highly publicized digital era, Meta announced this week that its flagship social virtual reality platform, Horizon Worlds, is being completely removed from Quest headsets by June 15. The app will survive solely as a mobile experience, repositioning itself to compete with established gaming platforms like Roblox and Fortnite rather than fulfilling its original vision of an all-encompassing virtual universe.Virtual Worlds

The shutdown of the VR component of Horizon Worlds is the clearest signal yet that the much-hyped pivot to the metaverse has been quietly unwound by the tech giant.

When Mark Zuckerberg famously renamed Facebook to Meta in 2021, he described the metaverse as “the next frontier” for human interaction. Yet, despite being the center of that massive corporate bet, the platform never drew more than a few hundred thousand monthly active users—a staggering underperformance for a project that consumed billions.

To put the financial toll into perspective, Reality Labs, the division at Meta responsible for VR and metaverse development, has accumulated an astonishing $80 billion in losses since 2020. In the fourth quarter of last year alone, it posted an operating loss of over $6 billion.

The Heyman Hustle is taking the position that this strategic retreat is entirely driven by the explosive rise of Artificial Intelligence.

When ChatGPT arrived in late 2022 and fundamentally shifted the tech landscape, Meta quickly pivoted its public messaging. Leveraging its highly respected AI research division led by Yann LeCun, the company found a new, credible foundation. As a result of prioritizing AI over empty digital rooms, ad revenue improved, the stock aggressively recovered, and by 2024, Meta had nearly tripled in value from its 2022 lows.

While Meta executives claim they have not abandoned VR entirely—pointing to upcoming hardware and the massive success of their AI-powered Ray-Ban smart glasses—the closure of the flagship Horizon Worlds VR experience marks the end of a multi-billion dollar dream. (THH)

Full article and coverage via The Heyman Hustle

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

Media (Australia)

Kyle and Jackie 'O' win some, lose some

The first official radio ratings survey for 2026 shows that KIIS FM's Kyle & Jackie O show had an audience share of 12.7 in the Sydney breakfast slot, unchanged from the last survey for 2025. However, 2GB's talkback program hosted by Ben Fordham won the Sydney breakfast slot, with its audience share rising from 14.9 per cent to 16.6 per cent. Meawhile, 3AW won the Melbourne breakfast timeslot, although the audience share of Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft dipped to 18.9 per cent; the Kyle and Jackie O Show was ranked eighth in the Melbourne breakfast, with its audience share edging up to 5.1 per cent. The long-running show hosted by Kyle Sandilands and Jackie Henderson has been axed by KIIS FM owner ARN Media. (RMS)

News

Social Media (Australia)

Firms face fines as kids beat the ban

The eSafety commission has declined to release updated figures on how many social media accounts of children under the age of 16 have been closed since the federal government implemented its world-leading ban. It had claimed in January that 4.7 million accounts had been closed since early December, but those figures were called into question, with it being claimed that they had been heavily inflated. The commission says it will provide updated figures on the ban at the end of March and that tech companies found guilty of non-compliance with it will soon face fines, while many children are claiming that beating the ban is easy. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Mining/Energy/Resources: Australia and World)

McEwan braces for exits as Craig takes BHP helm

Nearly 43 per cent of BHP's staff are female, and there were some who expected that Mike Henry would be replaced as CEO by an internal female candidate. Minerals Australia president Geraldine Slattery and chief development officer Catherine Raw were viewed as two such candidates, but BHP gave the job to mining engineer Brandon Craig. Asked if his appointment could mean the loss of skilled female executives who were overlooked for the job of CEO, BHP chairman Ross McEwan said he would not be surprised if unsuccessful candidates chose to leave the company. (RMS)

News

New coal mines at greenfield sites to be banned in NSW

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee has described a decision by the state government to ban new coal mines on greenfield sites as "disappointing". The government announced the ban on Thursday as part of a new strategy aimed at managing the NSW coal sector until 2050, while it also announced new rules requiring major coal mines in NSW to reduce methane emissions caused by their operations; NSW coal mines produce around 30 per cent of the state's methane emissions and contribute around 11 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions. (RMS)

News

Qatar strike deepens LNG supply crisis

It had been forecast as recently as January that the global liquefied natural gas market could be facing a glut, which would have seen prices tumble and new products delayed. However, the Iranian conflict has changed those predictions, with LNG prices having almost doubled since the initial strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran's attack on Qatar LNG's Ras Laffan facilities could see a further rise in prices and impact significantly on supply, with Ras Laffan being the world's largest LNG export plant; MST Marquee energy analyst Saul Kavonic says the attack "could cause a lasting global gas shortage". (RMS)

News

Cryptos

Crypto: the bulls may have their horns broken

Market Overview

The crypto market cap has fallen to $2.42 trillion, under pressure from sellers alongside risk assets, as the Fed pushes the next rate cut further into the future, boosting the dollar’s appeal. The decline also coincided with the upper boundary of the corrective rebound being touched. It is possible that cryptocurrencies were simply unable to ignore the significant deterioration in external sentiment, but they may soon return to outperforming other assets. Overall, however, we maintain a more pessimistic view, anticipating the bear market will continue, with bulls likely to be beaten soon, not least due to macro factors.

Bitcoin has fallen by 8.4% from its latest peak on Tuesday morning and briefly dipped below 70 at the start of the day on Thursday. At these levels, BTC is testing the 50-day moving average from above. As we have repeatedly warned previously, the upward momentum will face significant resistance at the boundary of a typical correction from the latest downward impulse. The leading cryptocurrency has more room to move within the $65K–$75K range.

Breaking out of this range may require more momentum to determine the market’s direction for the coming days or weeks.

News Background

Investment bank Citigroup has lowered its 12-month price targets for Bitcoin and Ethereum amid delays in the adoption of US cryptocurrency legislation. The forecast for Bitcoin has been lowered from $143,000 to $112,000, and for Ethereum from $4,304 to $3,175. In a negative scenario, BTC risks falling to $58,000 and ETH to $1,198.

Bitcoin still has two-thirds of its bear cycle ahead, said Willy Wu, co-founder of the Bitcoin Vector project, urging investors to remain cautious. In his view, it is premature to expect sustained growth without an improvement in market liquidity.

Ethereum developers are testing the Fast Confirmation Rule (FCR), which will speed up transfers between the mainnet and the second layer from 13 minutes to 13 seconds. (FxPro).

Media Peg-On (as seen burning up the LinkedIn and X newsfeeds with web traffic spikes)

Media Man Peg-On: Having your horns broken is one step better than having your you know what broken. Ball breaking headlines that hit you right between the Eye Ball! BTC for the true believers, for better or worse. A labor of love and for those who keep the dream alive. Remember our saying, "Bullish is a mindset", right Mr Michael Saylor of Strategy. MC is always good fodder for the crypto and tech media fodder and website traffic generation. MC, the media darling you love to hate! So, when's the running of the bulls then? Red flag to a bull!

News

Betting on Americas and keeping BHP whole

BHP has ended long-running speculation about succession planning after announcing that Brandon Craig will succeed CEO Mike Henry. The BHP veteran has ruled out demerging assets such as the resources group's copper mines during his tenure, which will start on 1 July. Craig says he believes that a diversified model is still superior, especially in the mining sector. He argues that BHP's ability to use its flagship iron ore division to fund projects such as copper and potash mines differentiates it from rivals. Craig says BHP may be open to mergers and acquisitions, although he says any such opportunities would need to be compelling to compete with its internal growth options. He has also indicated that BHP's focus will shift to the Americas, where many of its growth projects are located. (RMS)

News

A most powerful, anonymous miner

South African-born Brandon Craig has quietly risen through BHP's ranks since joining the resources group in 1999; he also has a much lower profile than top industry leaders and the other internal candidates who had been tipped to replace outgoing CEO Mike Henry. Meanwhile, Craig has used his first press conference as BHP's incoming CEO to confirm that BHP will shift its focus to the Americas under his leadership; he was previously BHP's president of the Americas, a role that included copper mines in South America and potash mining in Canada. (RMS)

News

Woodside taps insider amid energy turmoil

Woodside Energy's chairman Richard Goyder has praised new CEO Liz Westcott, stating that she was the "outstanding candidate" to succeed Meg O'Neill. Westcott has been the acting CEO since O'Neill resigned in late 2025 to take the helm at BP. Westcott joined Woodside in 2023, and has previously worked at ExxonMobil and EnergyAustralia. Westcott says she will hold meetings with Woodside's partners, investors, shareholders, employees and government officials across its global operations over the next several months. (RMS)

News

Alphabet Inc Class A
$301.00 -6.13 -2.00%

Lead Up Price
$307.13 -0.56 -0.18%

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$188.38 -8.94.53%

Lead Up Price
$197.31 -3.72 -1.85%

Netflix Inc
$91.82 +0.080 +0.087%

Lead Up Price
$91.74 -2.96 -3.13%

Caterpillar Inc
$680.88 -7.77 -1.13%

Lead Up Price
$688.65 -4.97 -0.72%

Tesla Inc
$367.96 -12.34 -3.24%

Lead Up Price
$380.30 -12.48 -3.18%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$99.98 -3.18 -3.08%

News

X Newsfeed

Trump Declares Victory Over Iran, Targets Democrats as New Enemy

The conflict, now in its third week, began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites like Natanz and targets in Tehran, including residential areas. Iran hit back with ballistic missiles breaching Israel's Iron Dome, injuring at least 175 in Arad and Dimona near a nuclear facility, while Israel bombed east Tehran blocks. Netanyahu urged world leaders to join the fight after Iran's missile toward Diego Garcia, though U.K. and NATO officials questioned the claims; Trump demands Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz in 48 hours or face more strikes, as oil prices soar over 50%. Skeptics like former official Joe Kent note U.S. intelligence saw no imminent Iranian nuclear bomb, and Pope Leo XIV decried the civilian toll.

Media Man Peg-On: The Art Of War Continues! All's fair in love and war, and politics?!

News

Trump Endorses Donalds at Mar-a-Lago Amid Iran Tensions and GOP Rift

President Trump arrived at his Palm Beach estate on Friday with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, hosting supporters at what appeared to be a fundraiser where he backed Donalds, the frontrunner to succeed Gov. Ron DeSantis. The event unfolded against U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran's Kharg Island oil hub and Iran's Strait of Hormuz restrictions, which Trump sidestepped with a quip about his plans. GOP tensions flared when candidate James Fishback claimed he was barred for criticizing Israel and the Iran conflict, prompting Candace Owens to joke about better vibes at Taco Bell, while highlighting divides between hawkish and isolationist Republicans.

News

WWE

Rhea Ripley Shuts Down Physique Trolls Ahead of WrestleMania Title Match

The WWE star fired back at online critics mocking her body, daring them to post their own photos while reminding them they know nothing about her life or mental health. Her post drew massive support from fans and wrestlers like Bully Ray, who called her 'OVAH,' though some questioned why she engages trolls at all. This comes as Ripley, fresh off winning the 2026 Women's Elimination Chamber, gears up to challenge champion Jade Cargill at WrestleMania 42 amid a heated feud with body jabs and a recent three-on-one ambush by Cargill's allies. Marking five years since her main roster debut, Ripley stays focused on the gold.

Wrestling/WWE/Pop Culture

Jade Cargill Calls Out Rhea Ripley in Heated SmackDown Face-Off

On Friday's SmackDown, WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill challenged Rhea Ripley directly, boasting she doesn't need the title or fans to be 'that b*tch.' Ripley, fresh from her Elimination Chamber win for a title shot, stood ready to strike back amid a roaring crowd. The intense promo ramps up their WrestleMania 42 rivalry, with fans praising Cargill's star power while craving the first brawl. Both bring unmatched athleticism and attitude to the collision course. Media Man Peg-On: Ripley our Uncrowned Women's Champion, belt or not! She's Got IT! NXT's Zaria shares some of the same attributes, as does Z's rival, Sol Ruca.

News Lead Up

March 19

Dread for Australian investors as $51 billion wipe out ravages the ASX after tit-for-tat strikes on energy assets send oil prices soaring

Australians are despairingly watching the stock market tumble once again after massive strikes on energy infrastructure in the Middle East sent oil prices surging. (Sky News Australia)

News

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 Series 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 Int

The Lead Up

Markets

Sports And Entertainment Mix

September 29, 2025

(Near Live)

Prepare For Opening Bell And Monday Madness!

TKO Group Holdings $199.04 +3.25 +(1.66%)

Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) $1,210.61 +2.37 (+0.20%)

The Walt Disney Company (DIS) 113.47+0.48(+0.42%)

Paramount Skydance Corporation (PSKY) $18.92 -0.01 (-0.05%)

Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) $19.51 -0.27 (-1.37%)

Formula One Group (FWONK) $104.93 +0.97+(0.93%)

Mixed Martial Arts Group Limited (MMA) $1.4800 -0.0200 (-1.33%)

NIKE, Inc. (NKE) $69.31 +0.07 +(0.10%)

Alphabet Inc. (GOOG) $247.18 +0.61 (+0.25%)

Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) $743.75 -5.16 (-0.69%)

Media Man Group: Medium bullish!

News Flashback

$A down as commodities slip - 24th February 2016

The Australian dollar has slipped after a rally in commodities ran out of steam.

At 0630 AEDT on Wednesday, the local unit was trading at 72.18 US cents, down from 72.29 cents on Tuesday.

Prices of oil and other commodities resumed their declines overnight, with West Texas Intermediate crude down nearly five per cent.

CURRENCY SNAPSHOT AT 0630 AEDT ON WEDNESDAY

One Australian dollar buys:

72.18 US cents, from 72.29 cents on Tuesday

80.91 Japanese yen, from 81.26 yen

65.57 euro cents, from 65.50 euro cents

(Currency closes taken at 1700 AEDT previous local session)

Source: IRESS

(AAP)