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Markets, Cryptos and Culture

April 22, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street New York

Wrestling With Numbers, World Situation and Pop Culture

Media Man Watercooler

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 63 points/0.7% to 8915.
AUD -0.2% to US71.62¢
Bitcoin $77,269.70 +2.19%
Wall St:
Dow -0.6%
S&P -0.6%
Nasdaq -0.6%
VIX +0.63 to 19.50
Gold -2.1% to $US4720.04 an ounce
Silver 77.875 +1.25
Brent oil +3.8% to $US99.14 a barrel
Iron ore -0.2% to $US106.65 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.29% Australia 4.90%

News

April 22

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.7150 USD (down $0.0030 USD)
Iron Ore: $106.65 USD (down $0.15 USD)
Oil Price (West Texas): $90.22 USD (up $2.42 USD)
Gold Price : $4,719.98 USD (down $100.56 USD)
Copper Price: $6.0170 USD (down $0.0285 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,149.38 (down 293.18 points)

ASX closes flat as US-Iran outcome looms

The Australian sharemarket edged lower on Tuesday, with uncertainty about a second round of peace talks between the US and Iran weighing on investor sentiment; the S&P/ASX 200 eased 0.04 per cent to close at 8,949.4 points. The ANZ Bank was down 1.7 per cent at $37.28, Woodside Energy finished 1.8 per cent lower at $31.21 and HUB24 shed 8.3 per cent to end the session at $87.50. However, Rio Tinto was up 0.8 per cent at $173.86 and Megaport rose 2.3 per cent to $8.77. (RMS)

The Lead Up

24 Hours Ago

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
$183.10
-1.60 -0.87%
Lead Up
$184.70
-1.61 -0.86%

Alphabet Inc Class A
$332.29
-5.13 -1.52%
Lead Up
$337.42
-4.26 -1.25%

Netflix Inc
$92.58
-2.25 -2.37%
Lead Up
$94.83
-2.48 -2.55%

Mp Materials Corp
$65.76
-0.47 -0.71%
Lead Up
$66.23
+5.24 +8.59%

Wynn Resorts Ltd
$107.66
-1.13 -1.04%
Lead Up
$108.79
-0.40 -0.37%

Light & Wonder Inc
$88.54
-0.26 -0.29%
Lead Up
$88.80
+0.55 +0.62%

Red Rock Resorts Inc
$55.84
-0.45 -0.80%
Lead Up
$56.29
-0.62 -1.09%

PENN Entertainment Inc
$15.47
-0.37 -2.34%
Lead Up
$15.84
-0.0100 -0.063%

Caesars Entertainment Inc
$27.64
-0.0100 -0.036%
Lead Up
$27.65
+0.43 +1.58%

Caterpillar Inc
$800.45
+2.05 +0.26%
Lead Up
$798.40
+5.26 +0.66%

News

WWE RAW After WrestleMania

T-Mobile Arena
Las Vegas, Nevada
Crowd Attendance: 12,596

WWE RAW

NXT Stars Ethan Page, Sol Ruca, and Joe Hendry Debut on WWE Raw

WWE Raw welcomed three NXT call-ups after WrestleMania: Ethan Page pinned Je'Von Evans following Rusev's interference and then targeted Intercontinental Champion Penta's title. Sol Ruca interrupted Women's World Champion Liv Morgan's celebration, putting on an athletic showing before Zaria's ambush led to Morgan's victory. Joe Hendry's move to Raw was confirmed live, with a 'RAW Concert' set for April 27 on Netflix, capping a strong night of fresh talent injection as Backlash approaches. (Media Man Peg-On): All great additions. Ruca is our stand out. Keeping things fresh and new match-ups in the works for weekly TV and PLE's.

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. Booker T has now also gone public, about a "fan" following him to the bathroom re take take a picture. That's a stalker. See the movie, "The Fan" .. different sport, but same mongrel fake fans and more stalkers!!! The hotel/casinos need much more security to keep stalkers away!

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

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

Crypto: Sentiment is recovering, Bitcoin finds support at ever-higher levels

Market Overview

The crypto market cap rose by 2.52% over the past 24 hours to $2.56 trillion. Among the most liquid coins, the top gainers are Basic Attention Token (+7.7%), Immutable (+7.6%) and Toncoin (+5.9%). Lagging are Tron (-0.74%), Uniswap (-0.68%) and Algorand (+0.2%).
The sentiment index is continuing its recovery, rising to 33, its highest level since 19 January. This remains in fear territory but is now close to neutral levels.

Bitcoin is trading at $76K, having found support at March’s highs during yesterday’s intraday pullback. This classic transformation of resistance into support points to further positive momentum in the coming days towards $86K, where the 200-day moving average and the support zone from late last year are concentrated.

News Background

According to CoinShares, global investments in crypto funds rose by $1.401 billion last week, hitting their highest level since mid-January. Investments in Bitcoin increased by $1.116 billion, in Ethereum by $328 million, in Chainlink by $5 million, and in Sui by $2 million. Investments in XRP fell by $56 million, and in Solana by $2 million.

Bitcoin has consolidated above the realised price of short-term holders at around $69,400, notes analyst Darkfost. This helps restore confidence among traders who have recently entered the market and reduces the likelihood of their rapid capitulation.

65% of Japanese institutional investors use Bitcoin to diversify their portfolios, according to a survey by Japanese financial holding company Nomura. 31% of respondents view the market outlook positively. Most investors plan to allocate between 2% and 5% of their capital to crypto assets over the next three years.

Strategy has made its largest Bitcoin purchase since November 2024, acquiring 34,164 BTC for $2.54 billion at an average price of $74,395 per coin. Strategy now holds 815,061 BTC, purchased for $61.6 billion at an average price of $75,527 per Bitcoin.

Over the past week, BitMine has increased its purchases to 101,627 ETH. The company’s reserves have exceeded 4.97 million ETH, representing 4.12% of the Ethereum supply. ETH is showing resilience amid geopolitical instability and is in demand in AI and asset tokenisation, noted BitMine CEO Tom Lee.

Investors withdrew over $13 billion from DeFi protocols in two days following Saturday’s $292 million hack of the Kelp, liquid restaking protocol. (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

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

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)

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

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

March 25, 2026

Market highlights

ASX 200 futures are pointing up 15 points or 0.2 per cent to 8591
All US prices near 3.20pm New York time.

AUD -0.7% to US69.50¢
Bitcoin +2% to $US70,905
Wall St: Dow +0.7% S&P +0.6% Nasdaq +0.8%
VIX -1.13 to 25.82
Gold +0.8% to $US4510.30 an ounce
Brent oil -1.7% to $US102.77 a barrel
Iron ore -1.9% to $US105.60 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.32% Australia 4.95%

The Lead Up

March 25, 2026

Market highlights
ASX 200 futures are pointing up 51 points or 0.6 per cent to 8468.
All US prices near 4.15pm New York time.

AUD -0.6% to US69.67¢
Bitcoin -1.9% to $US69,410
On Wall St: Dow -0.2% S&P -0.4% Nasdaq -0.8%
VIX +0.72 to 26.87
Gold -0.1% to $US4401.62 an ounce
Brent oil +3.8% to $US103.78 a barrel
Iron ore -0.4% to $US107.75 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.40% Australia 5.04%

March 24, 2026

Market highlights
ASX 200 futures are pointing up 151 points or 1.8 per cent to 8567.
All US prices near 4.20pm New York time.

AUD -0.2% to US70.09¢
Bitcoin +3.6% to $US70,760
On Wall St: Dow +1.4% S&P +1.2% Nasdaq +1.4%
VIX -0.58 to 26.20
Gold -1.9% to $US4408.06 an ounce
Brent oil -11% to $US99.86 a barrel
Iron ore -1% to $US107.15 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.35% Australia 5.11%

News

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)

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.

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

Markets and Cryptos

May 21, 2025
Sydney, Australia

Markets

ASX futures up 47 points/0.6% to 8416
AUD -0.6% at US64.18¢
Bitcoin +1.3% to $US106,932
Dow -0.4%
S&P -0.5%
Nasdaq -0.5%
Gold +2.0% to $US3294.01 an ounce
Oil +0.2% at $US65.64 a barrel
Iron ore +0.1% at $US99.50 a ton

Cryptos Today:

Bitcoin $107,158.55 USD +1.71%
ETH $2,522.35 USD +0.31%
Tether $1.00 USD +0.16%
XRP $2.36 USD -0.60%
BNB $651.14 USD +0.39%
Solana $168.56 USD +2.17%
USD Coin $1.00 USD +0.11%
Dogecoin $0.2262 USD +0.90%
Cardano $0.7435 USD +0.26%
TRON $0.2699 USD +1.74%
Wrapped Bitcoin $106,517.38 USD +1.24%

News

Bitcoin News

Price Surge and Volatility: Bitcoin recently broke above $107,000, with posts on X indicating a high of $107,000 on May 21, 2025, after trading around $106,000. It has since pulled back slightly, trading at approximately $104,830 as of May 19, 2025. Earlier this year, Bitcoin experienced a 19% drop in the first four months, followed by a strong recovery, with a 38% gain over the past year, outperforming traditional investments like gold, stocks, and bonds, according to Russia’s Central Bank. Analysts suggest Bitcoin is nearing its all-time high of $108,786 from January 2025, with resistance around $108,000 being a key level to watch.

Optimistic Price Predictions: Analysts are bullish on Bitcoin’s 2025 trajectory. Some forecasts include:
A “reasonable” target of $220,000 to $250,000, driven by Bitcoin’s correlation with gold price movements and institutional adoption.

A bold prediction of $500,000 to $1 million by Blockstream CEO Adam Back, citing undervaluation and market inflows.

A potential $20 trillion market cap by 2030 if Bitcoin continues to be viewed as “digital gold.”

Coinpedia projects a 2025 high of around $168,000, fueled by ETF inflows and institutional interest.

Institutional Adoption:
JPMorgan Chase, despite CEO Jamie Dimon’s skepticism, now allows clients to buy Bitcoin, marking a shift toward mainstream acceptance.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $2.8 billion in net inflows in May, with total assets exceeding $122 billion, indicating strong institutional demand.

Arizona enacted a law to establish a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, with other U.S. states potentially following, which could drive sustained price growth.

Companies like Metaplanet in Japan have significantly increased Bitcoin holdings, with 6,796 BTC as of May 12, 2025, contributing to bullish sentiment.

Market Dynamics and Mining:
Bitcoin’s network hashrate reached 831 EH/s by May 1, 2025, up 77% from 2024 lows, despite post-halving profitability challenges. The 2024 halving reduced block rewards to 3.125 BTC, pushing miners to optimize efficiency and cut energy costs.

Bitcoin’s dominance in the crypto market is high, signaling strong investor preference for BTC during bull runs.

Trump’s Crypto Ventures: The Trump family’s involvement in crypto has expanded, including a $TRUMP meme coin, a Bitcoin mining operation called American Bitcoin, and a stablecoin (USD1). These ventures, alongside potential deregulation, are seen as influential but controversial due to conflicts of interest.

Market Sentiment and Risks:
While ETF inflows and institutional moves fuel optimism, analysts warn of potential short-term pullbacks due to “upside exhaustion” and correlations with equities.

Over $600 million in crypto positions were liquidated during a recent surge past $106,000 and subsequent drop to $103,000, highlighting volatility risks.

Global Developments:
Russia’s Central Bank notes growing crypto adoption in Moscow, with Bitcoin’s 40% return in 2025 outpacing traditional assets.

In El Salvador, ties between Trump’s commerce chief and Tether/Bitfinex are under scrutiny, raising questions about crypto’s political influence. (Grok)

News

Neither the US rating nor Coinbase's problems hurt Bitcoin

Moody's US credit rating downgrade spooked Bitcoin, but not for long. According to HSBC, the recent trade truce between Washington and Beijing changed the game. It has permanently raised global risk appetite, allowing digital assets to flourish. Could the loss of the States' latest top rating stop the BTCUSD bulls? As it turns out, no.

Bitcoin is being driven upwards by a crowd of retail investors, who are also driving the US stock market. Small players don't care that the US economy is slowing down, and the Fed is not going to cut rates. Traders are buying the S&P 500 and digital assets simply because they are rising. At the same time, Morgan Stanley's recommendation to buy the dips in stock indices is adding fuel to the fire of the rally in stocks and BTC.

Traders are not particularly concerned about the fact that as Bitcoin grows, the number of fraudulent transactions increases. For example, criminals fraudulently gained access to Coinbase's customer base and demanded a ransom of $20M for silence. Binance and Kraken also fell victim to the attack but managed to protect themselves. In February, Bybit was hacked, and $1.5B worth of cryptocurrency was stolen, the largest crypto theft in history.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump continues to popularise digital assets by announcing a dinner party for holders of the TRUMP coin. Its value skyrocketed in the first few days of circulation but has since drastically fallen. White House representatives do not see any conflict of interest in the fact that the US president makes money in the industry that he promotes.

Further dynamics of BTCUSD will depend on changes in global risk appetite. As the downgrade of the US credit rating showed, fans of risky assets in general and Bitcoin in particular are hard to scare. If the resistance at 107K is broken, there are more chances to restore the uptrend. (FxPro)

News

Rating downgrade didn’t spook US markets, but the fundamental picture is deteriorating

US indices reacted swiftly to Moody's top US credit rating downgrade. On previous occasions of similar decisions (in August 2011 by S&P Global and in August 2023 by Fitch), the markets showed a multi-day decline of about 10% and continued the downtrend over the following two to three months. It should be noted that additional negative factors contributed to the markets' decline at that time.

This time, the situation turned out to be different: the comments of the US authorities' representatives about the lateness of the decision contributed to the market recovery. Investors promptly bought back the 1.5% drawdown, which allowed the Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 indices to renew their two- and three-month highs.

Technical analysis on weekly charts shows positive dynamics. Last week, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices broke above their 50-week moving average, developing a rebound from the area near the 200-week average from early April. Both indices need to rise a little more than 3% to return to all-time highs, which does not align with pessimistic expectations from trade wars.

On the other hand, such a rise makes stocks more expensive. We recognise the potential damage to global trade due to tariffs that create barriers, hindering the expansion of US companies.

Compared to conditions before ‘Liberation Day,’ stocks look more overvalued. A recovery amid a deteriorating fundamental picture inspires confidence in making new highs, but be prepared for possible market lethargy at levels above 6000 on the S&P 500 and 22000 on the Nasdaq 100, as well as an increased frequency of corrective pullbacks. (FxPro)

News

DAX40 and FTSE100 outperform the S&P500, rejecting economists' pessimism

Tariff wars have increased the legitimacy of stimulus measures in Europe and Asia. Since the start of the year, the ECB and Bank of England have been aggressively cutting rates against the Fed's continued rate hikes. The People's Bank of China made a small, 0.1 percentage point cut on Tuesday morning. Earlier this year, Germany announced an $800 billion package of support for the economy, abandoning a tight budget framework, contrasting with the mood for budget deficit reduction in the United States.

Germany's DAX40 hit all-time highs on Monday. The German market is feeling the envy of its peers, trading in the 24000 area, nearly 28% above the early April lows. The FTSE100 is less than 2% off its peaks set in early March. This has been achieved, contrary to the more than 8% strengthening of the pound and euro against the dollar since the start of the year and is indicative of the strength of Europe's markets against the US. This is a higher rate of growth in the case of the DAX and a stronger recovery in the case of the FTSE.

Stimulus measures from Europe and China are working like a rising tide, boosting the overall level of equities. Should the US enter the stimulus race through Fed policy easing, this would spur the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 higher, but it would be just as objectively positive for Europe and Asia.

The market dynamics in Germany and the UK starkly contrast with the sentiment and outlook of economists in light of the trade wars. It is not uncommon to see markets one step ahead of the economic consensus, but that makes it no less interesting to see if markets can thrive against forecasters' pessimism. (FxPro)