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Markets,
Cryptos and Culture
April
3, 2026
Thank
God It's Friday Edition
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)
"Bulls on Parade" (Rage Against the Machine)
"White Rabbit" (Jefferson Airplane)
"I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats)
Markets
AUD
-0.03% to US69.08¢
BTC $66,899.15 -1.79%
Dow -0.1%
S&P +0.1%
NAS +0.2%
VIX -0.67 to 23.87
Gold -1.7%: $US4676.76 an oz
Silver 73.002 -2.081
Brent oil +7.8% to $US109.13 a b
Iron ore -0.1% to $US106.25 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.30% Aust 5.03%
News
The
Lead Up (Approx 12 Hours Ago)
ASX
futures down 65 points/0.8%: 8487
USD flat: US68.84¢
BTC $66,233.27 -0.73%
Dow -1.7%
S&P -1.7%
NAS -2.2%
Gold +2.7% to $US4494.09 an oz
Silver 68.646 -0.869
Brent oil +4.2% at $US112.57 a barrel
Iron ore -0.1% at $US107.25 a ton
News
Numbers
Double Check
April
2
The
Lead Up
Australian
Dollar: $0.6930 USD (up $0.0030 USD) Iron Ore: $106.30
USD (up $0.82 USD) Oil Price (WTI): $99.32 USD (down
$2.54 USD) Gold Price: $4,756.87 USD (up $83.53 USD)
Copper Price: $5.6225 USD (down $0.0175 USD) Dow Jones:
46,565.74 (up 224.23 points on yesterday's close)
News
April
2
Shares
And Markets News
Iron
ore giants BHP (down 2.5 per cent), Fortescue (down
4 per cent) and Rio Tinto (down 2.3 per cent) all
declined, while gold miners Northern Star Resources
(down 0.9 per cent) and Evolution Mining (down 4.6
per cent) also fell.
Tech
stocks slumped after their surge on Wednesday, with
software makers WiseTech, Xero and Technology One
down 4.3 per cent, 3.8 per cent and 3.6 per cent,
respectively, and data centre operator NextDC losing
3.8 per cent.
Oil
prices rose back over the $US100-mark per barrel following
Trump’s speech, with Brent Crude, the international
benchmark, climbing 4.4 per cent to $US105.64 amid
waning hopes for a swift resolution to the conflict.
Energy stocks were mixed, with Woodside falling 0.6
and while Santos gained 1.4 per cent.
Surf
and outdoor apparel retailer KMD’s shares tanked
54.8 per cent as it emerged from its trading halt
after the owner of the struggling Rip Curl brand said
it completed a $58.5 million emergency capital raising
from institutional investors to shore up its balance
sheet.
It
was a mixed day of trading for the big four banks,
with Commonwealth Bank rising 0.6 per cent and ANZ
Bank adding 0.7 per cent, while Westpac lost 0.5 per
cent and National Australia Bank shed 0.3 per cent.
News
Oil
News
Oil
is in no hurry to reverse course
March
was a record-breaking month for Brent
Rumours of peace are easing tensions but have not
yet reversed the trend. The oil market was swept up
in euphoria following Donald Trump's comments that
the conflict in the Middle East would end within 2–3
weeks. After a record 63% rally in March, Brent took
a step back. Investors are ready to use TACO and sell
what they bought earlier. However, complacency is
the main risk for black gold. Firstly, the US continues
to deploy troops to the region, and the past year
has taught investors to watch the actions, rather
than the rhetoric, of top American politicians following
the dashed hopes surrounding the Iran–US negotiations.
But even if this is true, the Americans' withdrawal
from the Middle East does not mean the end of the
conflict. The US President is calling on countries
in the region to learn to defend themselves and on
importers to come and take the oil they need by force.
As a result, the UAE is prepared to get drawn into
the conflict. According to estimates by FGE NexantECA,
a closure of the Strait of Hormuz would result in
losses of 100 million barrels per week and 400 million
barrels per month. If it lasts another 6–8 weeks,
Brent could reach the $150–200 range. This forecast
is in line with Sociénéété
Generale's estimate of $150 per barrel and Macquarie
Group's estimate of $200. The Iranians are also warning
the world of a rise to the upper end of this range,
while the US presidential administration calls $100
the 'base' price and does not rule out $200. Even
if the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, it will take
considerable time to restore pre-war infrastructure.
The flow of tankers will not return immediately; supply
issues will ease but will not disappear. It is unlikely
that Brent will return to levels near $60 by the end
of the year, as seen at the end of last year. Unlike
in 2022, US drillers are in no hurry to come to consumers'
aid, producing an average of 13.2 million bpd in January,
down from 13.9 million bpd in October. The decline
in production over the last three months is one of
the largest in the last ten years. The US oil industry
prefers paying dividends to shareholders rather than
developing new fields and increasing production, despite
Donald Trump's "drill, baby, drill" call.
Consequently, without an end to the conflict in the
Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz,
it is premature to expect prices to return to February
levels. (FxPro)
News
(Aust)
The
Lead Up (48 Hours Ago)
Shares
Alphabet
Inc Class A
$295.77 -0.54%
(-1.62) Today
Lead Up
$274.34 -6.63 -2.36%
TKO
Group Holdings Inc
$203.76 +2.69 Today 1.34%
Lead Up
$189.20 -3.44 -1.79%
Netflix
Inc
$98.66 +3.11 +3.25%
Lead Up
$93.43 +0.11 _0.12%
Wynn
Resorts Ltd
$102.03 -0.57 0.56%
Lead Up
$96.59 -2.88 -2.90%
Caterpillar
Inc
$717.22 -13.10 1.79%
Lead Up
$695.40 -7.79 -1.11%
News
24
Hours Ago
The
crypto market has lost 3% but has not broken through
support
Market
Overview
The crypto market has lost approximately 3% of its
market capitalisation, falling back to $2.29T and
returning to the lower boundary of the trading range
seen over the last seven days. Trump’s latest
comments on the war with Iran triggered a sharp sell-off
amid a lack of de-escalation signs. TRON (-0.2%),
Toncoin (-0.9%) and Neo (-1.3%) appear relatively
stable. Dash (-8.6%), Uniswap (-8.0%) and Solana (-5.9%)
have been hit hardest.
The Fear and Greed Index rose by 4 points today to
12, partially recovering from yesterday’s drop
to 8 — the lowest level in recent weeks. Nevertheless,
the index remains deep in the extreme fear zone, where
it has been virtually uninterrupted for the past month.
Bitcoin
lost 2.8% over the day, returning to levels near $66.2K.
Once again, the 50-day moving average acted as resistance,
preventing the price from consolidating above it.
The leading cryptocurrency quickly swung to the other
extreme and is now testing the support of the uptrend.
Key support ($66K) and resistance ($69K) levels are
converging, bringing the moment of a definitive trend
decision closer.
Ethereum
looks slightly more confident, remaining above the
$2K round figure, above the 50-day MA and the support
line of the multi-year trend. Should pressure on the
crypto market intensify, it will be worth monitoring
whether the second-largest cryptocurrency can hold
above $1.8K. A break below this level would be a significant
bearish signal, potentially triggering sell-offs across
a wider range of coins and bringing an end to the
crypto market’s recent resilience to external
threats.
News
Pop
Culture
Danhausen
Launches Official WWE Mask for WrestleMania Fans
The
eccentric wrestler, who joined WWE from AEW in late
February, released a $14.99 plastic mask on April
1 that lets fans channel his 'very nice, very evil'
cursed persona. Timed for WrestleMania 42 on April
18-19 in Las Vegas, the merch follows hot-selling
T-shirts and sold-out meet-and-greets since his surprise
debut from a mystery crate at Elimination Chamber.
Fans shared memes comparing it to 3 Ninjas while dreaming
of masked takeovers, though some noted the plastic
feels basic compared to custom versions. Media Man
Peg On: WWE Unmasked vs KISS Unmasked!
News
WrestleMania
X-Seven Marks 25 Years as Attitude Era Peak
The
April 1, 2001, event grossed $3.5 million and featured
classics like TLC II where the Dudley Boyz won the
Tag Team Titles, The Undertaker's 9-0 streak over
Triple H, and Kurt Angle submitting Chris Benoit.
The main event saw Stone Cold Steve Austin shock everyone
by aligning with Vince McMahon to beat The Rock for
the WWF Championship in a bloody No DQ brawl. Attendees
still recall the massive crowd pops and glass-shattering
entrances, with fans today sharing iconic hype videos
that capture the raw intensity of wrestling's golden
peak. Media Man Peg-On: Is WWE currently approaching
another "Golden Era"?!
News
Lead Up/Flashback
March
27
Crypto
has pulled back, but appears stronger than stocks
Market
Overview
The
crypto market’s capitalisation fell by 3.4% over
the past 24 hours to $2.36 trillion, remaining close
to the uptrend line. The downward momentum was once
again driven by stock indices, which returned to their
lows at the start of the week. However, whilst the
Nasdaq 100 has shown a steady downward trend on weekly
charts since late January, cryptocurrencies have been
forming a sequence of higher local lows since early
February, when the market touched the 200-week moving
average – a key long-term trend line.
Bitcoin
has fallen below $69K, testing the strength of the
50-day MA and the support of the upward trend of the
last two months. The nervous mood in the financial
markets makes cryptocurrencies, and Bitcoin in particular,
vulnerable in the event of a large-scale sell-off.
For BTC, the 200-week MA has historically been the
most important long-term support level. It currently
sits near $60K. However, it is worth remembering that
in 2022–2023, the price fell more than 30% below
this line before finding structural support for many
weeks.
News
Background
Bitcoin
miner MARA has sold 15,133 BTC for $1.1 billion since
the start of the month. The company intends to use
the proceeds to buy back its own bonds. The miner’s
remaining reserves are estimated at 38,689 BTC.
The
cost of Bitcoin mining for public companies has reached
$80K and, for some miners, exceeded $100K, according
to CoinShares. The fourth quarter of 2025 has been
the most challenging for Bitcoin miners since the
last halving. The US (38%), Russia (17%), and China
(12%) continue to dominate global Bitcoin mining,
collectively accounting for around 68% of the world’s
hash rate.
Adam
Livingston, an analyst and author of the book ‘The
Great Harvest: AI, Labor, and the Bitcoin Lifeline’,
believes the risk of a Bitcoin crash, as seen in 2022,
is minimal due to the market’s more mature structure.
According to his calculations, BTC volatility has
been steadily declining over the past 11 years.
US
investment firm Franklin Templeton, in partnership
with Ondo Finance, will launch tokenised versions
of its ETFs, accessible directly via crypto wallets.
(FxPro)
News
Media
(Aust)
Top
media bosses unite to fight AI giants over copyright
law changes
Australian
media industry executives have urged the federal government
against watering down the nation's copright laws to
accommodate AI platforms. News Corp Australasia's
executive chairman Michael Miller contends that the
existing copright system is not broken, and says it
is instead a 'blueprint' for negotiations with AI
platforms. Nine Entertainment CEO Matt Stanton says
AI is a transformative technology that local companies
are embracing, but he warns that relaxing copright
laws would "rip off" Australian creatives.
Guardian Australia MD Rebecca Costello in turn says
the government's priority should be to ensure that
the existing righs-based system functions effectively
for AI use. (RMS)
News
Oil
faces falling volatility, but unlikely prices
The
US is offering Iran negotiations.
Without
dialogue, we must be prepared for an escalation. The
oil market is nearing a mutually agreed conclusion,
but the lack of mutual trust between the parties is
significantly complicating the situation. The US has
provided Iran with a list of 15 points, the completion
of which would resolve the conflict in the Middle
East. Previously, there were reports that Iran had
presented its own conditions.
These
have not been officially confirmed, but we have heard
on numerous occasions of demands for non-aggression
guarantees and reparations for damage already inflicted.
At stake is the reopening of traffic through the Strait
of Hormuz, through which around 15 million barrels
of crude oil and 5 million barrels of refined fuel
previously passed.
According
to JP Morgan estimates, the current shortfall is approximately
16 million barrels per day. This figure will decrease
as barrels from the strategic reserves of IEA member
countries are released into the market and as Gulf
states explore alternative routes, such as the Red
Sea. Nonetheless, the global economy faces the threat
of a long-term deficit of 10 million barrels per day,
which increases the risk of stagflation and recession.
According to estimates by Oxford Economics, without
a deal between Washington and Tehran, the Strait of
Hormuz will only regain 50% of its pre-war capacity
by May. Iran is gradually softening its stance, permitting
tankers from countries not involved in the conflict
to pass through while charging them a $2 million fee.
According
to Israeli television reports, the US is seeking a
one-month ceasefire to discuss a plan that includes
dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme, ending
support for terrorist groups, and reopening the Strait
of Hormuz. Even in the most optimistic scenario, it
will take months for Gulf countries to restore pre-war
production levels. Coupled with difficulties in replenishing
onshore stocks, this casts doubt on a quick fall in
Brent prices.
Most
likely, North Sea crude will remain above $65–70
per barrel by the end of 2026. The absence of constructive
dialogue between the US and Iran could lead to further
escalation, including other regional countries joining
the US-Israeli coalition and possibly a ground operation
by Washington. In such a scenario, Brent may rise
to $160 a barrel. This is the price that some countries
are already paying for oil from the Middle East that
bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. (FxPro)
News
AI
News (Aust)
Copyright
holders ready to do AI deals under existing laws
Attorney-General
Michelle Rowland has told an event hosted by the media
and creative sectors at Parliament House that Australia's
existing copyright regime has served it well for many
years. She said the federal government had said for
some time that it has no plans to weaken copyright
protections when it comes to artificial intelligence,
while Australia's creative and media sector have made
it clear that they are prepared to do licence deals
with AI firms, and that existing copyright laws enable
them to do just that. (RMS)
News
The
miners to own in diesel crisis
Bell
Potter's survey of Australian-listed mining companies
concluded that diesel fuel accounted for up to 15
per cent of their operating costs prior to the start
of the Iran war. Stuart Howe from Bell Potter says
the war and the surge in crude oil prices will result
in higher costs for much of the mining sector, while
production could be impacted by the availability of
diesel. Bell Potter recommends that investors rotate
into mining stocks that are less exposed to diesel
prices. Analysts note that miners with large-scale
open-cut operations are most at risk of a supply crisis
due to their heavy reliance on diesel-powered truck
fleets. (RMS)
News
Batteries,
coal push out east coast LNG shortage to 2029
The
Australian Energy Market Operator now expects any
gas supply shortage in the south-eastern states to
occur in 2029, compared with its previous forecast
of 2028. AEMO says gas shortfalls in 2029 are now
regarded as a risk only during "extreme peak
day demand conditions". It has cited a number
of factors for its revised forecast, including expectations
of lower demand for gas for power generation, an extension
of the Eraring coal-fired power station's operating
life and the estimated 30 gigawatts of battery storage
projects that are currently being developed. Energy
Minister Chris Bowen says the improved outlook shows
that the federal government's "balanced"
energy plan is working. (RMS)
News
News
Lead Up
Streaming
News Watercooler
Netflix
CEO allegedly won’t speak to Meghan Markle on
phone without lawyer
Meghan
Markle is caught in a fresh Netflix storm with rumors
claiming CEO Ted Sarandos is refusing to take her
calls without a lawyer. Netflix denies everything
but whispers of canceled deals and rising tension
have fans questioning the truth!
News
A.I
News
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. (RMS)
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
X
Newsfeed
WWE
Cody
Rhodes and Matt Cardona Dish on Indie-to-WWE Return
WWE
Champion Cody Rhodes hosted Matt Cardona on 'What
Do You Wanna Talk About?', where Cardona detailed
his path back to WWE after six years as the 'Indy
God.' It started with his wife Chelsea Green nudging
President Nick Khan during a TNA spot on NXT, leading
to Cardona's direct text and a January 2026 SmackDown
deal. They fantasy-booked a fun ladder match in WWE
2K26, and Cardona shouted out indie standouts Big
Trouble Ben Bishop and Richard Holliday as future
WWE stars, sparking excitement online about their
friendship and the indie-WWE bridge. Media Man Peg-On:
Cardona'a indi matches and feud with Killer Kross
was excellent. Our Cardona indy highlight. Vs Holliday
was great too, as was Kross vs Holliday.
News
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
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
March
12, 2026
Sydney,
Australia to Wall Street, NYC
ASX
200 futures down 47 points/0.5%: 8683
AUD +0.5% to US71.53¢
BTC $70,513.14 +0.40%
Dow -0.6%
S&P -0.08%
NAS +0.08%
VIX -0.65 to 24.28
Gold -0.3% to $US5177.43 an oz
Silver 85.721 -2.531
Oil +5.6% to $US92.74 a barrel
Iron ore +0.5% to $US104.25 a ton
News
Numbers
Double Check
Australian
Dollar: $0.7150 USD (up $0.0030 USD)
Iron Ore: $104.25 USD (up $0.35 USD)
Oil Price: $88.21 USD (up $1.85 USD)
Gold Price: $5,178.92 USD (down $15.70 USD)
Copper: $5.9155 USD (down $0.0010 USD)
Dow: 47,417.27 (down 289.24 points)
News
Miners,
banks lift ASX as rate rise looms
The
Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Wednesday,
with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 0.6 per cent to close
at 8,743.5 points. Bank stocks rallied amid growing
expectations that the Reserve Bank will increase official
interest rates next week, with the ANZ Bank rising
1.8 per cent to $37.98. The resources sector also
rose, with Fortscue advancing 3.7 per cent to $19.98
and Ora Banda Mining up 21.5 per cent at $1.41. However,
WiseTech Global was down 3.6 per cent at $49.24 and
GQG partners fell 5.5 per cent to end the session
at $1.80. (RMS)
News
A.I
News (Australia)
CBA
chairman warns AI risks 'hollowing out' Australia's
economy
The
Commonwealth Bank is among the leading Australian
companies that have embraced artificial intelligence
technology. Chairman Paul O'Malley has told the Australian
Governance Summit that AI has the potential to lift
productivity across the economy; however, he has warned
that unless the nation captures the value potential
of AI it risks merely becoming a passive consumer
of value that is created overseas. O'Malley also contended
that the dominance of US-based AI companies is creating
a 'geo-economic risk' for Australia. (RMS)
News
Miners
(Australia)
Lynas
sets landmark rare earths floor price
Shares
in Lynas Rare Earths rose 14 per cent to $20.17 yesterday,
after it secured a 12-year extension of an offtake
deal to supply neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) to Japan
Australia Rare Earths. The latter will pay a minimum
of $US110 ($154) per kilogram for NdPR, the same floor
price that MP Materials and the Trump administration
agreed to in 2025. The spot price of NdPr is currently
$US109 per kilogram, and Lynas received an average
of $US74 a kilogram in 2025. Analysts say the floor
price is significant for both Lynas and rivals such
as Iluka Resources and Arafura Rare Earths. (RMS)
News
Haoma
Mining Shareholder Update - Trading Halt update
Haoma
Mining NL Announcements
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
Haoma's
shares were placed in a trading halt with Primary
Markets on 24 February. Shareholders were advised
that the trading halt will be lifted when recent test-work
on Bamboo Creek Tailings at Haoma's Bamboo Creek Laboratory
and Pilot Plant is completed. Test-work to date has
produced Concentrates reading by XRF, in total, 7%-10%
precious metals (gold, silver and PGM). Plant equipment
is now being installed at Bamboo Creek so refining
of these Concentrate samples using the Elazac Process
will soon be conducted. The current trading halt will
be lifted when refining test-work is completed and
Haoma shareholders have been advised of all results.
(RMS)
News
Crypto:
Bears still control the range
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap has changed slightly over the past
24 hours, amounting to $2.38T. Growth at the start
of the US session was met with increased selling,
once again highlighting the importance of the current
area's resistance, which includes the 50-day moving
average and last week's peak. Among the top coins,
the top five — BTC, ETH, BNB, XRP, SOL —
are trading down compared to 24 hours ago, but smaller
coins — ICP, XMR, ATOM, AVAX, BCH — have
risen by 2% to 5%.
Bitcoin
did not make a promising breakthrough on Tuesday,
with a local peak near $71.7K, below last week's highs
around $74K. In the short term, the 50-day moving
average proved a formidable resistance level, preventing
the bulls from swiftly turning the tide in their favour.
This indicator often signals the medium-term trend,
and a confident break above it would be an important
turning point in the coming days.
Ethereum
is losing momentum on its way to $2100, having declined
last night. The second-largest coin is trading above
its multi-year support but lacks the momentum to rebound
from this level. ETHUSD has been stuck in a range
for the past five weeks, and only a breakout beyond
$1800-$2150 could signal a victory for one side, potentially
leading to further strong movement in the direction
of the breakout.
News
Background
The
crypto market has entered a period of stabilisation,
but Glassnode believes that a full return to a Bitcoin
bull market requires an influx of new capital. At
the same time, there are early signs of improvement
in the BTC network amid a gradual stabilisation of
market conditions.
Bitfinex
notes that Bitcoin's further movement will depend
on oil prices, US government bond yields, and Fed
policy, while news from the crypto industry itself
has taken a back seat.
Daily
oil trading volume on the decentralised Hyperliquid
platform exceeded $1.5 billion, displacing Ethereum
from second place in terms of popularity.
Against
the backdrop of the crypto market's recovery, institutional
investors and state holders have begun to move cryptocurrency
more actively, Arkham Intelligence notes. (FxPro)
News
Oil
News/Middle East/World News
Brent
chooses its path
Investors
are assessing whether the 2022 or 2025 oil scenario
will play out.
Releasing
reserves will not necessarily lower oil prices.
The
oil market is focused on two main issues: how quickly
the conflict in the Middle East will end, and how
it will conclude. Donald Trump insists on regime change
and further cooperation between Tehran and Washington.
The so-called Venezuelan scenario could enable Iran
to boost oil production from the current 3.5 million
bpd. Before the 1979 revolution, production exceeded
6 million bpd. An increase in supplies will likely
cause prices to fall sharply. If the ruling regime
remains in power and relations with the West stay
strained, production may decline. Earlier this week,
Donald Trump assured investors that the conflict would
soon conclude, setting the stage for a 12-day war
in 2025 and causing a surge in Brent and WTI prices
at the start of the week. Market rumours suggest that
the US president, under domestic political pressure,
might declare victory and back down. Investors are
awaiting the right moment to deploy the TACO strategy,
or Trump Always Chickens Out. However, in past instances,
the White House's opponents agreed to the conditions
imposed upon them. Iran is now outright refusing to
engage in negotiations, citing that two previous dialogues
with the US, in summer 2025 and winter 2026, ended
in bombings. Trump has promised to escalate actions
if Tehran begins mining the Strait of Hormuz. Rumours
of a tanker explosion near Abu Dhabi imply that he
is already taking such steps. Meanwhile, according
to Goldman Sachs, oil flows through the world's main
artery have increased from zero to 1.6 million bpd.
While this is far below the pre-war level of 20 million
bpd, its growth could support the bearish outlook
on Brent and WTI. In fact, the actual volume of crude
passing through the Strait of Hormuz may be even higher,
as tankers try to conceal their movements. The intention
behind the IEA member countries releasing barrels
from strategic reserves appears to be twofold. The
US and its allies experienced a similar situation
in 2022, when the release of 182 million barrels caused
fears and a 20% spike in Brent prices within a week.
Investors interpreted this as a sign of a fragile
market. Conversely, the United States' sale of reserves
on the first day of the 1991 Iraq invasion, during
Operation Desert Storm, led to a 20% decline in North
Sea crude prices. (FxPro)
News
U.S
News/Politics/World
The
dollar acts in tandem with oil
The
impact of oil on currency rates has risen sharply.
The
ECB promises to prevent a repeat of the 2022 inflation
shock.
Donald
Trump has a formidable competitor. A tweet by US Energy
Secretary Chris Wright about the US military escorting
oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz caused a
real stir in the markets, as did its subsequent deletion.
Previously, only the White House could claim such
influence over investors. However, when nerves are
stretched tight, even a minor piece of information
can shake the markets.
Investors
continue to ponder when all this will end. Donald
Trump's comments about the imminent conclusion of
the conflict in the Middle East suggest a 12-day war
scenario, similar to the summer of 2025. Nonetheless,
the IEA's plan to sell oil from strategic reserves,
by contrast, echoes the events of 2022. According
to Christine Lagarde, the eurozone is better prepared
for an energy crisis than it was back then. The ECB
will prevent the war between the US, Israel, and Iran
from causing the same inflationary pain to the currency
bloc. In 2022, the European Central Bank raised rates
by 450 basis points in response to soaring energy
prices, which pushed inflation from 5.9% to 10.6%.
Deposit rates are now higher, but inflation remains
lower.
Markets
are starting to price in two ECB rate hikes in 2026.
The anticipated scale of the Fed's monetary policy
easing has decreased from 65 to 36 basis points due
to the conflict in the Middle East. In theory, the
narrowing of the rate differential should cause a
rally in EUR/USD. However, investors doubt the eurozone
economy can withstand the rising borrowing costs and
energy prices.
At
the initial stage of the confrontation, the US dollar
gained favour due to financial market fears, its status
as a safe-haven asset, and the United States' position
as a net energy exporter. However, as the conflict
in the Middle East drags on, the US economy will suffer
from rising oil and petrol prices. Consequently, investor
interest might shift towards the Canadian dollar and
the Norwegian krone. (FxPro)
News
The
Lead Up
ASX
jumps 1.1pc as oil eases; BHP rebounds
11
March 2026
The
Australian sharemarket has clawed back some of Monday's
big loss, with the S&P/ASX 200 rising 1.1 per
cent on Tuesday to close at 8,692.6 points. Investor
sentiment was boosted by a fall in the crude oil price
and claims by US President Donald Trump that the military
action against Iran is ahead of schedule. BHP rose
2.3 per cent to $51.23, Telix Pharmaceuticals was
up 7.8 per cent at $11 and Life360 advanced 10.3 per
cent to $22.51. However, Woodside Energy was down
3.8 per cent at $30.18 and Orica fell 3.4 per cent
to $20.92. (RMS)
News
The
Lead Up
24
Hours Ago
ASX
caught in $90b wipe-out as oil soars 27pc
The
Australian sharemarket retreated on Monday, after
a surge in the price of crude oil in response to the
escalating war in the Middle East; the S&P/ASX
200 fell 2.9 per cent to close at 8,599 points, having
reached an intra-day low of 8,457.2. BHP shed 5.1
per cent to end the session at $50.10, NextDC was
down 6.4 per cent at $12.81 and the ANZ Bank fell
2.3 per cent to $36.78. However, Karoon Energy rose
10.2 per cent to $2.00 and Yancoal Australia advanced
13.3 per cent to $7.17. (RMS)
News
Biz/Brands
(Australia)
Bunnings
is Australia's most trusted brand; Telecommunications,
led by Optus, is the most distrusted industry
Bunnings
is the most trusted brand in the 12 months to December
2025, a ninth consecutive quarterly victory for the
leading hardware retailer. Discount supermarket Aldi
is in second place, and discount department store
Kmart is third; the top three places have remained
unchanged for an eighth straight quarter. Meanwhile,
Woolworths remains Australia's most distrusted brand,
while Optus deteriorated two places to be the second
most distrusted brand in the 12 months to December;
in fact, Optus was the single most distrusted brand
in Australia during the month of December, following
its fatal triple-zero outage in September. Roy Morgan's
latest data on trust and distrust reveals a remarkable
relationship between highly regulated industries and
trust. The financial services sector provides clear
evidence that greater regulation and stricter rules
have helped shape public perception for the better.
On the flipside, sectors like Telecommunications and
Supermarkets have relatively low regulation and suffer
deep distrust; they currently face severe regulatory
headwinds as the public demands better accountability
and a fair go. (Roy Morgan)
News
Mining
(Australia)
Feb
27
Haoma
Mining Shareholder Update: Ravenswood Gold Joint Venture
- drilling confirms shallow high-grade gold at Podoskys
Haoma
Mining NL Announcements
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
Haoma's
Directors are pleased to advise shareholders of additional
shallow high-grade gold results from a further 16
holes (holes PYRC 12 to PYRC27) drilled at Haoma's
Podoskys deposit on ML10315 located at Ravenswood
in North Queensland. Significant intercepts include
18m @ 11.33g/t Au from 12m in hole PYRC0014, and 25m
@ 5.33g/t Au from 5m in hole PYRC0027. The results
from the first 11 holes (PYRC 1 to PYRC 11) were previously
reported in Haoma's Shareholder Update of 26 February.
The drilling program is being undertaken by Native
Mineral Resources under the Ravenswood Gold Project
Joint Venture with Haoma (Profit share: Haoma 50%,
NMR 50%). The latest results continue to indicate
broad zones of shallow gold mineralisation with localised
very high grades and are further confirmation of Haoma's
previous (2004) Podoskys drilling results. (Roy Morgan
Summary)
News
Crypto
News
Green
shoots in the crypto market
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap increased by 3% over 24 hours to
$2.38 trillion, supported by the impressive stock
market rebound. Officially, the market is moving within
a relatively narrow range after the collapse in the
second half of January. Often in such situations,
a new downward trend is expected around the corner,
which remains the baseline scenario for now. However,
it would be unwise to overlook the early signs of
the crypto market's growing interest in good news
from outside, which was not the case a few months
ago.
Bitcoin
is testing the $70K level, gaining over 7% from the
lows at the start of Monday. Buyers are becoming more
confident, creating a series of higher local lows
since the end of last month. The first cryptocurrency
reached an important local resistance level in February.
Still, bulls will need to sustain the price above
the last peak at $73K, where the 50-day moving average
also resides, to confirm the development of a medium-term
uptrend.
News
Background
According
to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds increased
by $619 million last week, marking the second consecutive
week of growth after five weeks of outflows. Investments
in Bitcoin rose by $521 million, in Ethereum by $89
million, in Solana by $15 million, and in Chainlink
by $1 million. Investments in XRP decreased by $30
million.
Strategy
purchased 17,994 BTC ($1.28 billion) last week at
an average price of $70,946 per coin. Strategy now
holds 738,731 BTC, acquired for $56.04 billion at
an average price of $75,862 per Bitcoin.
BitMine
acquired an additional 60,000 ETH over the past week.
The company's reserves now total 4.53 million ETH,
representing 3.76% of Ethereum's total supply. BitMine
aims to accumulate 5% of all Ether supply.
Overall
data on inflows into global crypto ETFs indicate generally
positive sentiment towards this asset class amid a
period of geopolitical tension stemming from events
surrounding Iran, CoinShares notes. The surge in oil
prices is an unfavourable factor for Bitcoin, according
to CryptoQuant.
An
energy shock could push inflation higher and complicate
the Fed's task of lowering interest rates. Additionally,
it increases miners' costs, reducing the business's
attractiveness and potentially creating an overhang
of sales for already-mined coins. (FxPro)
News
Pop
Culture/Sports
Tyson
Fury Returns Against Undefeated Makhmudov on April
11
The
Gypsy King steps back into the ring on April 11 following
back-to-back losses to Oleksandr Usyk, taking on the
34-year-old Canadian-based Russian with a perfect
17-0 record and 16 knockouts. Tickets start at £44,
with a strong undercard including Conor Benn vs. Regis
Prograis, Jeamie TKV vs. Richard Riakporhe, and Frazer
Clarke vs. Justis Huni. Spencer Brown of Gold Star
Promotions leads as promoter, while Frank Warren's
Queensberry stays allied; Fury's already firing trash
talk, calling old foe Deontay Wilder 'completely shot
to bits.' A win could line up a summer clash with
Joshua or a Usyk rematch.
News
Pop
Culture/Wrestling/Streaming
NXT
Stand & Deliver Streams Free on YouTube as Peacock
Era Ends
Shawn
Michaels announced Thursday that NXT Stand & Deliver
takes place April 4 at The Factory in St. Louis, with
doors at 4 p.m. CT and main card at 7 p.m. ET. Vengeance
Day on March 7 was the last NXT premium live event
on Peacock, as its deal expires; international fans
previously used Netflix but now join on YouTube. The
standalone show in the intimate 2,300-3,000 capacity
venue spotlights NXT weeks before WrestleMania 42,
with tag team title tournaments already building buzz.
Robert Stone offered to help Michaels with YouTube,
and fans expressed excitement over the free global
access.
News
Media/Streaming/Sports
Netflix
rules out bid for NRL rights
A
spokesman for Netflix says the streaming company is
not interested in bidding for the upcoming NRL broadcast
rights, as Australian Rugby League Commission chairman
Peter V'landys seeks a $4 billion deal over five years.
The spokesman's remarks back up previous comments
by Netflix executive Brandon Riegg that it is interested
in marquee sporting events rather than entire seasons,
while a $4 billion deal over five years would be larger
than the AFL's six-year $4.5 billion deal. V'landys
and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo believe they can secure a
deal of that size because of the introduction of two
new teams; the PNG Chiefs and the Perth Bears and
the popularity of its annual Las Vegas season launch.
(Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Digital
Business (Australia)
Subscriptions
in firing line to ease living costs
The
federal government has proposed legislation that would
make it easier for households to cancel subscriptions
that they no longer require. The former Coalition
government introduced similar reforms in 2018 aimed
at making it easier to cancel credit cards via the
internet. Research undertaken by the Consumer Policy
Research Centre shows that about 75 per cent of Australians
have had a negative experience when trying to cancel
a subscription. It is estimated that households collectively
have around $46m worth of subscriptions that they
no longer use. (RMS)
News
36
Hours Ago
Mining/Energy/Resources
(Australia)
Glencore
mulls ASX listing in wake of value gap that foiled
Rio merger
Glencore
CEO Gary Nagle says the commodities company is considering
a secondary listing on the ASX, to help boost its
valuation in the wake of its failed merger with Rio
Tinto. The two companies had been considering a merger
that would have created the world's biggest mining
company, with a valuation of more than $300 billion,
but Rio announced last month that it was abandoning
talks with Glencore because the parties could not
agree on a price for a "scrip deal". Nagle
says the logic of a merger with Rio still exists,
but he signalled that the two companies were "far
apart on valuation." (RMS)
News
Cryptos
The
crypto market has temporarily found balance
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap on Monday morning is $2.31 trillion,
just over 1% higher than a week ago. Volatility in
cryptocurrencies decreased significantly in the second
half of the week, unlike in traditional financial
markets. Cryptocurrencies did not emerge as a safe
haven; instead, they found only a temporary balance
between opposing forces.
Last
week, crypto failed to maintain its mid-week momentum.
They are also avoiding a collapse following traditional
markets, which began trading on Monday. This is too
fragile a balance, and we see a greater risk of increased
cryptocurrency sell-offs as institutional players
are forced to reduce leverage amid the decline of
key assets.
The
sentiment index stood at 8 on Monday, returning to
single digits after twelve days of attempts to stabilise
and form a rebound. This behaviour proves once again
that not all extremely low sentiment values constitute
a good entry point.
Bitcoin
is trading at $67K, around which it has been for more
than 4 weeks. On intraday intervals, purchases are
still noticeable on dips below $66K. Still, it is
difficult to rely on this support given the powerful
movements in financial markets.
News
Background
Bitcoin
is in the deepest phase of a bear market, and the
situation could worsen, according to ZX Squared Capital,
which expects BTC to fall further by 30% in 2026 due
to the war with Iran.
Culper
Research has opened short positions on Ethereum and
BitMine shares. Analysts believe that the altcoin's
economy has deteriorated following the recent Fusaka
update.
For
the first time in US history, the Trump administration
has included cryptocurrencies and blockchain in the
National Cybersecurity Strategy, which explicitly
states the need to protect these technologies at the
state level.
Florida
has passed the first state-level stablecoin bill in
the US. Governor Ron DeSantis will sign the document
within the next 30 days.
The
US SEC has dropped charges against Justin Sun. The
founder of Tron agreed to pay a $10 million fine but
did not admit guilt. In 2023, the SEC accused Sun
of unregistered sales of securities in the form of
Tron and BitTorrent cryptocurrencies, as well as fraudulent
price manipulation.
About
38% of altcoins have approached historic lows. The
situation in the sector is worse than after the collapse
of the FTX crypto exchange, notes analyst Darkfost.
(FxPro)
EURO
News
No
one will help the euro
Europe
is an unintended victim of the Middle East conflict.
The
growing likelihood of two ECB rate hikes is not enough
to boost EURUSD. The US dollar posted its strongest
weekly performance in a year and may extend its rally
amid intensifying geopolitical risks in the Middle
East. Political developments in Iran have increased
uncertainty about the conflict's trajectory, boosting
safe-haven demand for the dollar. As a result, EURUSD
opened the week with a gap lower. The rapid rise in
oil prices contributed to recessions in the US economy
in 1973, 1980, 1990 and 2008. And the current cooling
of the American labour market, driven by the White
House's tariff and anti-immigration policies, suggests
a downturn. Indeed, in February, non-farm employment
fell by 92K, and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4%.
However, the United States is currently a net energy
exporter. Its economy will suffer less from a rally
in Brent and WTI above $100 per barrel than Europe
or Asia. This is why the shock of rising oil and gas
prices is reversing the ‘sell America’ flows.
US stock indices have fallen less than their competitors,
and the greenback has risen. Speculators have reduced
their net shorts on the USD by two-thirds over the
past few days. Even the increased chances of two ECB
rate hikes this year to above 30% are not enough to
halt the euro’s fall. Before the armed conflict
in the Middle East, investors believed that the deposit
rate would remain unchanged in 2026. Now they are
confident it will rise from 2% to 2.25% and estimate
the possibility of growth to 2.5% amid potential inflation
acceleration. However, when geopolitics reigns supreme,
central banks fade into the background. The ECB is
unlikely to start a cycle of monetary tightening amid
serious economic pain from energy disruptions and
a surge in oil and gas prices. European reserves are
depleted, and the region is a net importer of energy,
with the lion's share coming from the Middle East.
EURUSD rightly looks like one of the main currency
pairs affected by the escalation of the conflict between
the US, Israel and Iran on Forex. (FxPro)
News
Best
Quotes
"Bullish
is a mindset", Greg Tingle, Media Man Group
"We
can buy more Bitcoin than they can sell" Michael
Saylor (via X)
“Like
a PLE in Australia. If we were to wrestle in Australia,
that is the ultimate goal.” Zaria
Media
Man Int
Markets,
Cryptos and Culture
Salty
Sydney, Australia to Wobbly Wall Street
Latest
Crypto Crash; The Morning After!
February
14, 2026
Happy
Valentines Day/St. Valentines Day Massacre
Gamification
Of Online News
"Paint
It Black" (The Rolling Stones)
"Black & Gold" (Sam Sparro)
"Black Night" (Deep Purple)
"For the Love of Money" (The O'Jays)
Markets
(near live)
ASX
200 futuresup 51 points/0.6 per cent: 8896
AUD -0.2% to US70.75¢
Bitcoin
$68,930.46 +4.05%
Wall
St:
Dow +0.1%
S&P +0.1%
Nasdaq -0.2%
VIX -0.29 to 20.53
Gold
+2.3% to $US5033.15 an ounce
Silver 77.195 +2.03
Brent oil +0.2% to $US67.65 a barrel
Iron ore -2.7% to $US96.85 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.05% Australia 4.74%
News
Gold
And Biz News
Gold
drags down the stock market
Traders
sold gold to meet margin requirements
The
unwinding of currency hedging operations supports
the US dollar The worst collapse in US stock indices
since November and a decline in jobless claims helped
the US dollar. However, the aggressive momentum of
the bears on EURUSD was held back by negative real
estate market statistics. Home sales fell to a 16-month
low, adding to concerns about an economic slowdown
and increasing the likelihood of the Fed easing monetary
policy in June from 58% to 73%. The uncertainty surrounding
Donald Trump's policies is forcing investors to either
abandon US-issued assets as part of a ‘sell America’
strategy or hedge the currency risks of investments
in securities by selling the dollar. Therefore, the
worst collapse of the S&P 500 in almost three
months led to the closing of deals and supported the
greenback.
The
fate of EURUSD depends on macro statistics and the
monetary policy of central banks. The futures market
is confident that the federal funds rate will remain
unchanged until June. 66 out of 74 Reuters experts
believe that the ECB deposit rate will remain at 2%
until the end of 2026. In their opinion, the eurozone
economy will slow down in 2026 from 1.5% to 1.2%.
This will be followed by a growth of 1.4% in 2027.
Divergence in monetary policy will play into the hands
of EURUSD in the medium term, but in the near future,
the wide interest rate differential will work in favour
of the bears. If US inflation does not slow down,
the Fed's prolonged pause will allow the US dollar
to strengthen.
The
collapse of US stock indices pushed gold prices below
$5,000 per ounce. This has often happened in the past,
with these assets moving in tandem, as the need to
maintain margin requirements on stocks leads to the
sale of other assets in the portfolio. Precious metals
were often among those sold off. History repeated
itself, causing XAUUSD to retreat.
The Australian dollar also succumbed to pressure from
bears on the S&P 500. Hawkish rhetoric from Reserve
Bank officials unwilling to tolerate high inflation
increases the chances of continuing the cycle of monetary
restriction as early as March and puts pressure on
AUDUSD. However, the Aussie remains a high-yield currency,
so the deterioration in global risk appetite is leading
to pullbacks to the uptrend. (FxPro)
News
A.I/Silicon
Valley Stocks
U.S.
Stocks Plunge $1 Trillion on AI Disruption Fears
The
Dow dropped 669 points to below 50,000 for the first
time since late last year, while the S&P 500 fell
1.6% and Nasdaq tumbled 2%. Apple led the losses with
a 5% slide, amid profit-taking and worries over AI's
broader impacts plus upcoming inflation data. Silver
crashed over 10% and gold nearly 4%, but Friday's
mild CPI report lifted futures, hinting at a volatility
pause ahead of earnings season.
News
DP
World Chairman Resigns Over Epstein Document Ties
Bin
Sulayem, who chaired the Dubai-based logistics firm
for decades, resigned Friday following bipartisan
pressure from Reps. Thomas Massie and Ro Khanna, who
pushed the DOJ to unredact documents showing over
4,700 mentions of his name, visits to Epstein's island,
and flights on his plane. The files detail emails
from 2007 to 2019, with Epstein calling him a 'most
trusted friend' and thanking him for a 'torture video'
whose content remains unclear. DP World quickly named
Essa Kazim as new chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as CEO,
amid broader fallout from the releases affecting other
elites worldwide.
News
Epstein
Files Expose Black Abuse Claims and Trump Officials'
Contacts
The
U.S. Department of Justice released millions of pages
from Epstein's cases last week, including lawyer notes
alleging Leon Black violently abused a minor and a
7- or 8-year-old girl around 2001-2002; Black denies
the claims and settled related suits. Commerce Secretary
Howard Lutnick admitted lunching on Epstein's island
in 2012 with family, while Dr. Mehmet Oz emailed Epstein
in 2016 for a party invite. Email records show Epstein's
wide network, including 1,974 messages with Steve
Bannon, amid heavy redactions drawing criticism from
victims' advocates and figures like Joe Rogan.
News
Sports/Culture/Politics
(Australia)
Rowers
back $150m plan to keep Olympic rowing in SEQ
A
Boral quarry that is in the process of being decommissioned
could be used as a rowing venue for the 2032 Brisbane
Olympic and Paralympic games. The Fitzroy River in
Rockhampton has been proposed as a venue for the rowing,
but its fairness for competitors has been called into
question, as water speed is not always consistent
between lanes in a flowing river; Queensland rower
Eliza Bridgefoot, who aims to be a part of the Brisbane
2032 rowing team, says it is very important to have
a fair course in rowing. Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery,
who is promoting the use of the Boral quarry as a
rowing venue for the 2032 Olympics, says it will cost
taxpayers $150 million to develop what is being referred
as the City of Moreton Bay Flatwater Precinct, with
the proposal having the support of Queensland rowers.
(RMS)
News
Tussle
for control of Australian Turf Club just became a
food fight
Racing
NSW announced on December that it would be putting
the Australian Turf Club into administration, claiming
its board was incompetent and that the ATC was approaching
insolvency. The ATC won an injunction to temporarily
postpone Racing NSW's action, pending a full court
case next week, while Racing NSW now claims it needs
information about the ATC's hospitality revenue in
order to investigate the possibility of fraudulent
activity; for its part, the ATC is arguing that its
catering operations are not the concern of Racing
NSW. (RMS)
News
Winter
Olympics
Ukrainian
Slider Barred from Olympics Over Helmet Honoring Fallen
Athletes
At
the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics, the Court of Arbitration
for Sport dismissed 24-year-old Ukrainian skeleton
racer Vladyslav Heraskevych's appeal, disqualifying
him for refusing to swap his 'helmet of remembrance'
under IOC Rule 50 banning political displays on the
field of play. IOC President Kirsty Coventry met him,
offering alternatives like a black armband or post-race
display, but he called the ban unfair amid visible
Russian flags in the stands. The stand amplified awareness
of over 650 Ukrainian athletes lost in the war, drawing
hero praise from figures like Dominik Hasek while
sparking hypocrisy claims against the IOC.
News
Motorsport/F1
Kimi
Antonelli Sets Fastest Time Leading Mercedes 1-2 on
Final Day of First 2026 F1 Pre-Season Test in Bahrain
Kimi
Antonelli recorded the fastest lap of the week at
1:33.669 at Bahrain International Circuit, ahead of
Mercedes teammate George Russell at 1:33.918 on day
three of the first 2026 Formula 1 pre-season test.
Mercedes completed 139 laps combined on the final
day. Other highlights included Carlos Sainz exceeding
200 laps for Ferrari and strong productivity from
Williams, McLaren, and Haas.
News
Bitcoin
Best Quotes
Elon
Musk (2025): "Bitcoin is based on energy... it
is impossible to fake energy".
Tyler
Winklevoss: "Bitcoins are like gold bars with
wings. That is why I, and so many others, view bitcoin
and its network as gold 2.0".
Max
Keiser: "...an impossible-to-counterfeit digital
store of value that can be used as money".
Naval
Ravikant: "Think of Bitcoin as a bank account
in the cloud... all the participants in the network
enforcing".
Bill
Gates (2025): Expressed skepticism, stating it "has
no value".
Warren
Buffett (2025): Reiterated a cautionary stance against
cryptocurrencies.
Chamath
Palihapitiya: "It's money 2.0, a huge huge huge
deal".
Leon
Luow: "...might be one of the world's most important
developments".
News/Profile
Wall
Street
Physical
Street and Landmark
Wall
Street is an eight-block-long street in the Financial
District of Lower Manhattan.
Location:
It runs between Broadway and South Street, ending
at the East River.
Key
Landmarks: It is home to the New York Stock Exchange
(NYSE) and Federal Hall National Memorial, where George
Washington was inaugurated.
History:
The name originates from a 17th-century defensive
wall built by Dutch settlers to protect New Amsterdam
from potential British or Native American attacks.
Financial
Industry Metonym
The
term is a metonym for the U.S. financial markets,
including stock exchanges, investment banks, and brokerage
firms.
Institutions:
Major firms associated with Wall Street include JPMorgan
Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley.
News
Flashback
Current
Activity (January 2026):
As
of January 24, 2026, markets have seen volatility
following a week of "policy whiplash" related
to international tariff threats. Recent trading shows
the S&P 500 flat, while the Nasdaq has risen 0.3%
despite a 17% tumble in Intel stock.
Media
and Publications
The
Wall Street Journal: A premier business-focused international
newspaper headquartered in Midtown Manhattan.
Pop
Culture: The street’s high-stakes culture has
been immortalized in films like Oliver Stone’s
Wall Street (1987) and Martin Scorsese’s The
Wolf of Wall Street (2013).
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
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)
Battle Kat vs Maddog vs Max Moon
Logan Paul vs Bad Bunny
Brock Lesnar vs Oba Femi
Mr Darwin vs Mr Dotcom
Fry vs MMA Nerds
Masked Man vs Masked Man
Future Man vs Cave Man
Mr Wrestling vs Mr MMA
MJF vs Fletcher
Punk vs Reigns
Mr Crypto vs Mr WEF
Real Gold vs Fool's Gold
Spy vs Spy
News
Pop
Culture
"Paint
It, Black" – The Rolling Stones
"Back in Black" – AC/DC
"Black Dog" – Led Zeppelin
"Black Magic Woman" – Santana
"Black Water" – The Doobie Brothers
"Blackbird" – The Beatles
"Black Betty" – Ram Jam
"Black Is Black" – Los Bravos
"Black Night" – Deep Purple
"Black Sabbath" – Black Sabbath
"Black Hole Sun" – Soundgarden
"Fade to Black" – Metallica
"Welcome to the Black Parade" – My
Chemical Romance
"Black" – Pearl Jam
"Black Velvet" – Alannah Myles
"Supermassive Black Hole" – Muse
"Black Metallic" – Catherine Wheel
"Black Tongue" – Mastodon
"Back to Black" – Amy Winehouse
"Man in Black" – Johnny Cash
"Black or White" – Michael Jackson
"Black & Gold" – Sam Sparro
"Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" –
KT Tunstall
"Black Moon Rising" – Black Puma
News
Pop
Culture
Prime
Video Drops First Spider-Noir Trailer with Nicolas
Cage
The
eight-episode series follows Ben Reilly, a powerless
private eye confronting his vigilante past amid gangsters
and villains like Sandman and Electro hints. Produced
by the Spider-Verse team of Phil Lord, Chris Miller,
and Amy Pascal, it arrives globally on Prime Video
May 27 in black-and-white or color. Fans praise Cage's
charm and noir style bucking superhero fatigue, though
some question his age for Spider-Man swings, with
cast including Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, and Brendan
Gleeson. (Grok)
News
WWE/Wrestling
Cathy
Kelley Jokingly Spirals Over IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley's
Bond
WWE
interviewer Cathy Kelley vented frustration on X after
her shift from Raw to SmackDown separated her from
Rhea Ripley, just as Ripley teamed up with IYO SKY
for the Women's Tag Team Championships. SKY joked
on a podcast that Kelley seemed jealous of their playful
hugs, prompting Kelley's fiery replies reconsidering
a planned TikTok collab. Fans jumped in with match
ideas like Kelley vs. SKY for Ripley's affection,
turning the fun rivalry into Valentine's Day memes
amid WWE's brand shakeups. (Grok)
News
Pop
Culture/Streaming
Peacock
Drops Cheeky Family Portrait Poster for Ted Season
2
The
new poster for Seth MacFarlane's *Ted* Season 2 mimics
a classic family photo, featuring the Bennett clan
in denim jackets and floral vests ahead of the March
5 premiere on Peacock. Set in 1994 Massachusetts,
the prequel follows young John navigating high school
and chaos with his pot-smoking bear bestie, voiced
by MacFarlane, alongside returning cast like Alanna
Ubach as mom Susan and Scott Grimes as dad Matty.
Fans love the unfiltered '90s humor from Season 1
and are eager for more, though a few call it unoriginal.
News
Media
Man
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Month' award
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Services Company Of The
Month' award
Netflix
wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award
Sky
News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Media Company
Of The Month' award
WWE
wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month'
award
UFC
wins Media Man 'MMA Promotion Of The Month' award
CAT
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Brand Of The Month'
award
Jim's
Mowing wins Media Man 'Australian Company Of The Month'
award
Elon
Musk wins 'Disruptor Of The Month' award
X
wins 'Platform Of The Month', Runner-up: YouTube and
LinkedIn
Markets,
Cryptos and Culture
Sydney,
Australia to Wall Street, New York
February
7, 2026
Black
Friday In The USA Sees Some Light Arrive; Crypto True
Believers Rejoince And Regain Some Lost Ground
Australians
See Yanks Regain Some Smiles
"All
That Glitters"
Sorting
Pure Gold From Fools Gold?!
Who
Is Putting The Crypto And Market Strings?
Roller
Coaster Ride Continues Into The Weekend ...
"All
That Glitters" Edition: Part 6
"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)
"Bulls
on Parade" (Rage Against the Machine)
Markets
ASX
200 futures up 102 points/1.2% to 8749
AUD +1.4% to US70.21¢
BTC $71,212.23 +11.54%
Wall St:
Dow +2.5%
S&P +2%
NAS +2.2%
VIX -4.01 to 17.76
Gold +3.9% to $US4963.65 an ounce
Silver 77.978 +7.14 +10.08%
Oil +0.6% to $US67.93 a barrel
Iron ore -1.6% to $US99.00 a ton
News
Crypto:
too early to be greedy
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap has lost more than 8% in the last
24 hours to $2.22T, dropping to $2.09T at its lowest
point. The Crypto fell below last April's lows and
rolled back to levels last seen in September 2024.
The market did not hold on to the strong line that
had served as support and resistance for more than
two years. Either this is a switch to panic mode,
or we saw a short-term overreaction during a period
of reduced liquidity, and cryptocurrencies will partially
rebound in the coming days.
The
sentiment index fell to 9, where it was last seen
in June 2022. In general, reaching single-digit levels
is a very rare occurrence. At the same time, we warn
again that such oversold conditions may be followed
by months of consolidation or bottoming out. Thus,
in 2022, the market only bottomed out in November,
falling by about a quarter, and the momentum for growth
only appeared in January.
Bitcoin,
at its lowest point at the start of trading on Friday,
fell to $60K, ending up just one step away from its
200-week moving average, which is just below $58K.
Bitcoin only fell below this line in 2022 and the
following year, 2023. Before that, in 2015, 2019,
and 2020, touching this line effectively stopped the
sell-off, attracting buyers.
News
Background
The
collapse of the crypto market reflects a decline in
interest in digital assets at the institutional and
regulatory levels, according to Deutsche Bank. Three
factors are putting pressure on Bitcoin: a steady
outflow of institutional investor funds, changes in
traditional Bitcoin market relationships, and the
loss of regulatory momentum that previously supported
liquidity and reduced volatility.
The
collapse of Bitcoin was caused by the actions of large
market participants, not panic among private investors,
said technical analyst Peter Brandt. In his opinion,
the nature of the movement, when BTC updated its lows
for eight days in a row, has all the signs of a “planned
sell-off.”
Tension
was heightened by unconfirmed rumours of a $9 billion
sale of bitcoins by a Galaxy Digital client.
Stifel
admits that bitcoin could collapse to $38K due to
the high correlation of cryptocurrencies with the
falling US tech sector.
According
to DeFiLlama, the net inflow of funds to Binance over
the past 24 hours amounted to almost $700 million.
The data refuted rumours circulating on social media
about mass withdrawals and account closures after
Binance reported technical problems with withdrawals
on February 3rd.
According
to Bloomberg, there is still disagreement in the US
over the Clarity Act. The current version of the document
prohibits the accrual of interest for staking. Crypto
companies are making new concessions to US banks,
but the parties have not yet reached an agreement.
(FxPro)
News
Gold
News
Gold
tries to prove that the bull trend is not yet broken
After the most significant sell-off since 1980, gold
is attempting to stabilise. Bears argue that the bubble
has burst and events will unfold as they did in 2011.
Back then, after falling from record highs, the precious
metal entered a multi-year downtrend. Bank of America
notes that volatility remains elevated. This allows
us to talk about gold as a speculative asset and reduces
central banks' demand for bullion. This is especially
true given some recovery of confidence in the US dollar.
Bulls
argue that the fundamentals of the gold market remain
intact. US government debt is growing rapidly, which
devalues Treasuries and the greenback. Political and
geopolitical risks remain high. The Fed will resume
its cycle of policy easing. Also, precious metals
do not seem expensive at these levels. The Dow Jones
index exceeded its value by 1.3 times in 1980, and
during the dot-com crisis, its ratio soared above
40. Currently, it is just over 10.
Events
at the end of last week unfolded too quickly. By the
close of last week, the collapse had reached historic
proportions, leaving scars on the market at the start
of February. Formally, we see the week closing in
positive territory and an impressive rebound of $550
from Monday's lows. It is also worth mentioning that
the price reached these levels for the first time
just two weeks ago. Nevertheless, we remain in the
bear camp, assuming that the three-year bull market
has already been broken. We may see attempts to grow
and even break through $5000, but we expect that too
many will sell gold at these levels/ (FxPro)
News
UK/Europe
News
The
Bank of England sank the pound
Markets
now pricing the BoE will cut its rate in March.
Neither
slowing inflation nor the strength of the euro scared
the ECB.
While
the ECB decided to support its currency, the Bank
of England deliberately sank the pound. Both regulators
left rates unchanged, but this is a dovish pause.
Four out of nine MPC members voted to cut the repo
rate from 3.75% to 3.5%, while markets had expected
only two.
Andrew
Bailey noted that there is an even chance of the next
rate cut next month, as inflation is sure to fall
significantly. As a result, the futures market raised
the probability of such an outcome from 20% to 60%,
pressuring GBPUSD.
The
ECB showed much more mercy to the euro. On the eve
of the Governing Council meeting, investors were concerned
that the slowdown in inflation in the eurozone to
1.7% in January and the 13% strengthening of the euro
against the USD over the past year would provoke ‘dovish’
rhetoric from Christine Lagarde.
But
eventually, she noted that the ECB would not make
decisions based on a single data point and that the
strengthening of the euro was already factored into
its forecasts. EURUSD bulls breathed a sigh of relief.
They were helped by disappointing data on the US economy.
In 2025, it created 1 million fewer jobs than in 2024.
According
to Challenger, layoffs are occurring at the fastest
pace since the global economic crisis of 2008-2009.
ADP is signalling a slowdown in employment, and unemployment
claims are exceeding forecasts. The Fed has already
cut rates three times pre-emptively in response to
signs of a cooling jobs market. If the negative trends
continue, the monetary easing will resume earlier
than expected. After a series of disappointing reports,
derivatives have raised the odds of an April rate
cut to 40%. If the BLS employment statistics bring
an unpleasant surprise, they could rise to 50%, which
is bearish for the US dollar.
It
is hard to say how the greenback will react to the
armed conflict in the Middle East. The erosion of
confidence in it due to Donald Trump's policies has
led to the loss of its status as the main safe-haven
asset. Gold has taken its place. However, the January-February
sell-off of the precious metal and rumours of a burst
bubble could change everything. Will the US dollar
regain its former glory? (FxPro)
News
The
Lead Up
24
Hours Ago
ASX
snaps two-day winning run as silver tumbles
The
Australian sharemarket snapped a two-day winning streak
on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 closing down
38.60 points to 8889.20, while the price of silver
tumbled by 15 per cent. Silver miner South32 declined
4 per cent to $4.60, while BHP fell 3.9 per cent to
$50.36. Gold miner Genesis Materials declined by six
per cent to $6.87 and uranium miner Paladin Energy
slumped nine per cent to $12.36, while stocks to rise
included the Commonwealth Bank, which rose 1.4 per
cent to $159.28, and Regal Partners, up 5.1 per cent
to $3.07. (RMS)
News
Lead Up
ASX
rises as miners rally; Yancoal soars 9pc
The
Australian sharemarket posted a strong gain on Wednesday,
with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.8 per cent to close
at 8,927.8 points. BHP rose 4.5 per cent to $52.40,
Northern Star Resources was up 6.2 per cent at $28.55
and Woodside Energy advanced 3.1 per cent to $25.84.
However, Origin Energy was down 3.6 per cent at $11.12
and Synlait Milk shed 13.5 per cent to end the session
at $0.45.
News
Lead Up
24
Hours + Ago
Miners
Glencore
soothes Rio concerns with US deal
Glencore
has secured a preliminary, non-binding agreement to
sell a 40 per cent stake in its Mutanda and Kamoto
copper mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The deal was struck just days before the expiry of
a deadline for Rio Tinto and Glencore to finalise
their proposed merger or extend the negotiations.
The consortium that will buy a minority stake in the
two copper mines is headed by Orion Resource Partners,
in which the US government has a stake. Rio Tinto
has concerns about the two mines' links to Israeli
businessman Dan Gertler, who was sanctioned by the
US government in late 2017.
News
NYSE
The
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) saw mixed performance
during the latest trading session on February 4, 2026.
While the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.52%
to close at 49,501.30, the broader NYSE Composite
Index edged up just 0.41% to finish at 22,975.59.
In contrast, tech-heavy indices like the Nasdaq and
S&P 500 faced pressure, sliding 1.5% and 0.5%
respectively as investors rotated out of major software
and semiconductor names.
Recent
Market Trends (February 2026)
Rotation
out of Tech: Investors are increasingly moving capital
from high-valuation AI and software companies into
"real economy" Dow components.
Active
IPO Market: Veradermics Inc (MANE) made a massive
debut on the NYSE on February 5, 2026, with shares
soaring 118% from their $17.00 IPO price.
Semiconductor
Consolidation: Texas Instruments announced the acquisition
of Silicon Laboratories for $7.5 billion, causing
SLAB shares to surge nearly 50%.
Healthcare
Volatility: Eli Lilly shares jumped 10% after strong
Q4 results, helping the company reclaim a $1 trillion
market cap, even as other healthcare firms like Novo
Nordisk slumped on cautious outlooks.
Market
Outlook and Valuations
As
of early February 2026, major Wall Street analysts
remain generally optimistic for the year, projecting
total returns for the S&P 500 of approximately
6% to 11% by year-end.
Current
valuations suggest that the U.S. equity market is
trading at roughly a 5% discount to fair value estimates,
with small-cap and late-cycle technology stocks identified
as especially attractive. However, experts warn that
elevated volatility is likely to persist due to shifting
government policies and potential risks in the AI
sector.
News
Lead Up
24
Hours Ago +
Crypto
market updates local lows
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap fell 2.2% to $2.59 trillion, briefly
touching $2.49 trillion, and is continuing its descent
to last April's lows. Solana was hit particularly
hard by the sell-off among the top coins, losing 6.8%
compared to 2.9% for Bitcoin and 1.6% for Ethereum.
Tron outperformed the market, gaining 1% on the day
and losing only 2.3% over 7 days and 2.8% over 30
days, compared to a 14.5% and 18.1% decline in total
cap, respectively.
Bitcoin
broke through its 2025 lows on Tuesday and briefly
fell below $73,000, back to its early November 2024
lows. Although there has been some rebound since the
start of Wednesday, the sequence of lower local highs
and lows indicates that selling on the rise prevails
in the markets. Bulls, for their part, may point to
oversold conditions on the RSI and divergence, where
a lower local price low corresponds to a higher local
low on the relative strength index. There were two
such instances in 2024 and 2025, followed by gains
of more than 20% and 60%, respectively. However, during
the 2020 bear market, such signals did not work. News
Background
Demand
in the BTC spot market is drying up, with additional
pressure from stablecoin outflows from trading platforms.
Uncertainty surrounding the Fed's policy and the possible
appointment of Kevin Warsh threaten to strengthen
the dollar. This has a negative impact on risky assets,
according to Arctic Digital.
There
are no catalysts for growth in the crypto market,
and selling pressure remains. In such conditions,
Bitcoin risks falling to $56,000-58,000, according
to Galaxy Digital.
The
current crypto winter is closer to its end than its
beginning, according to Bitwise. The crypto market
is nearing the end of its decline phase, according
to Compass Point. The base scenario assumes that BTC
will bottom out in the $60,000-68,000 range.
According
to a JPMorgan survey, asset managers from 30 countries
around the world are betting on artificial intelligence,
leaving cryptocurrencies out of the picture. Only
17% of respondents consider digital assets to be a
key topic.
The
German division of ING Bank has opened access to exchange-traded
notes (ETNs) focused on cryptocurrencies to retail
clients. The instruments allow investors to invest
in Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana through the familiar
banking interface. (FxPro)
News
Gold
Gold
inflates a new bubble
The
US dollar may suffer because of Kevin Warsh
Gold
volatility remains elevated
The
drop of US stock indices amid new developments in
artificial intelligence has caused the US dollar to
retreat. Software stocks have been hit hardest by
Anthropic's innovations. The US market no longer looks
as exceptional as it once did, with investors tending
to diversify their portfolios and sell off American
stocks. Coupled with a reassessment of Kevin Warsh's
views as Fed chairman, this brings back interest in
buying EURUSD. The futures market gives a 59% probability
of a federal funds rate cut in June and expects two
acts of monetary expansion before the end of the year.
MUFG Bank notes that Kevin Warsh is respected by the
markets. Donald Trump's choice in his favour has eased
concerns about the Fed losing its independence and
boosted confidence in the US dollar. However, the
former FOMC official intends to cut rates. Rumours
are growing on Forex that they will fall by 100-125
basis points. The Fed is not a one-man show. It will
require a change in the economic outlook of the majority
of the Open Market Committee, and this process is
already underway. According to Richmond Fed President
Thomas Barkin, companies are not raising prices due
to customer resistance. They are absorbing the tariffs.
This is good news for inflation. The US economy is
growing thanks to the artificial intelligence ecosystem
and serving wealthy customers. The retreat of the
US dollar has strengthened investors' desire to buy
gold after the slump. Political and geopolitical tensions
remain high, fuelling interest in gold as a safe-haven
asset. In percentage terms, the precious metal recorded
its largest daily gain since March 2009. At that time,
investors were actively buying it due to the global
economic crisis. However, Bank of America warns that
there was no decline in volatility after gold collapsed
on Black Friday, 30 January. The indicator continues
to remain at high levels, increasing the risks of
a new bubble forming. As the parliamentary elections
approach, hedge funds are increasing their sales of
the yen. If the Liberal Democratic Party strengthens
its position in the lower house, interest in ‘Takaichi
trade’ will return, inspiring USDJPY bulls. (FxPro)
News
The
Lead Up
24
+ Hours Ago ...
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
Best
Quotes Of The Day
Media
Man
Cryptocurrency,
Finance and World
"Volatility
is Satoshi’s gift to the faithful." - Michael
Saylor
"Bitcoin
is a tool for freeing humanity from oligarchs and
tyrants, dressed up as a get-rich-quick scheme."
— Naval Ravikant
"We
have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical
framework that is free of politics and human error."
— Tyler Winklevoss
"You
can't stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere,
and the world will have to readjust. World governments
will have to readjust." — John McAfee
"Bitcoin
is the most important invention in the history of
the world since the Internet." — Roger Ver
"Cryptocurrency
is such a powerful concept that it can almost overturn
governments." — Charles Lee
"In
the future, national currencies will become obsolete.
Bitcoin will become the single global currency."
— Jack Dorsey
"The
future of finance is crypto, whether it’s in
payments, contracts, or savings." — Changpeng
Zhao
"Crypto
offers freedom to the unbanked and hope to the underprivileged."
— Elizabeth Stark
"The
new frontier of innovation is in decentralization.
Blockchain leads the charge." — Don Tapscott
"Digital
currency is here to stay, and it’s only a matter
of how long before governments embrace it." —
Brad Garlinghouse
Pop
Culture
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking
The
Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Money
INC vs Right To Censor
Santa
vs Grinch
Bulls
vs Bears
Crypto
King vs Mr World Bank
Citizens
vs NWO
Neo
vs Agent Smith
John
McAfee vs You Know Who!
TKO
vs Naysayers
Jake
Paul, Polymarket and BETR vs Naysayers
Pro Boxing vs Newspaper Reports
VKM vs The World
Paul Bros vs Mainstream Wokes
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky
Chris Jericho vs Dirtsheets
NFL vs everyone
Zuffa vs MVP
Netflix vs World
Meta vs Australia
White Light vs Dark Matter
Lexis King vs NIL's (WWE NXT)
Volk vs Naysayers (UFC: Sydney, Australia)
Brock Lesnar vs Everyone! (WWE Royal Rumble)
Roman Reigns vs CM Punk (WWE WrestleMania)
Green vs The Coal Miners Daughter
AC/DC vs Swifties
Triangle v World Bank
Sarah's Oil vs Big Oil
Mr X vs Mr VOX
Mr X vs Mr Platformer
Mr FOX vs Mr Vice
Fox And The Hound vs The View
The Masked Superstar vs Mr Jones
The Undertaker vs Mankind
UFC Legends vs Father Time
Vinnie Vegas and Oz vs Los Americanos
NXT GM vs The Don
Mr Moneymaker vs Mr Regulator
Mr Blockchain vs Mr EU
WWE Unreal vs The Old Guard
Reality TV vs John Pilger Type Journalism and Docos
Mr Real Deal vs Mr Grifter
Mr Truth vs Mr Shock Jock
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky: Rematch
Markets,
Cryptos And Culture
February
2, 2026
Sydney,
Australia to Wall Street, New York
"All
That Glitters" Edition
"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 60 points/0.7% to 8809
AUD +0.2% at US69.71¢
Bitcoin $78,107.72 -0.94%
Dow -0.4%
S&P -0.4%
Nasdaq -0.9%
Gold -8.9% to $US4894.23 an ounce
Silver 84.634 -31.16 -26.91%
Brent oil +0.1% at $US68.38 a barrel
Iron ore -0.9% at $US103.85 a ton
Numbers
Double Check
Australian
Dollar: $0.6949 USD (down $0.0076 USD) Iron Ore: $103.55
USD (down $0.95 USD)
Iron Ore: $103.85 USD (down $0.93 USD)
Oil Price (WTI): $65.21 USD (down $0.26 USD)
Gold Price: $4,893.20 USD (down $405.49 USD)
Copper Price: $5.9670 USD (down $0.2165 USD)
Dow Jones: 48,892.47 (down 179.09 points)
News
ASX
set to fall as investors expect RBA to raise rates
Futures
pricing suggests that Australian equities will shed
about 0.7 per cent when the market opens on Monday,
following a negative lead from Wall Street. The Reserve
Bank's monetary policy board meeting on Tuesday will
be the key focus for local investors in the coming
week, with financial markets now pricing in a 74 per
cent chance of an interest rate rise. Investors will
also be closely watching movements in the price of
gold and silver; both precious metals fell sharply
on Friday, as the Trump administration confirmed that
it will nominate Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell
as the chairman of the Federal Reserve. The S&P/ASX
200 shed 0.6 per cent to close at 8,869.1 points on
Friday, although it gained 1.8 per cent in January.
(RMS)
News
Crypto
News
Feb
2
The
cryptocurrency market is experiencing significant
downward pressure as of early February 2026. Bitcoin
(BTC) has seen sharp declines, trading around $77,000–$78,000
(down roughly 1.5–2% in the last 24 hours and
more over the past week), following a weekend sell-off
that triggered liquidations and erased recent gains.
This extends from highs earlier in the cycle, with
analysts warning of potential further downside, possibly
testing $75,000 or lower in a corrective phase, amid
cooling institutional demand and macro factors like
Fed policy speculation and commodity sell-offs (e.g.,
silver).Major altcoins are also hit hard: Ethereum
(ETH) is down around 10% recently, hovering near $2,300–$2
,400.
XRP has dropped about 11%.
Other
assets like Solana, Litecoin, and Cardano are seeing
similar 9–12% declines in recent sessions.
Overall
crypto liquidations have exceeded $2.5 billion in
short periods, with leverage unwinds contributing
to the volatility. Bitcoin ETFs have recorded substantial
outflows (around $6 billion cited in reports), signaling
reduced institutional enthusiasm temporarily.
News
Miners
Energy/Resources
Australia
and World
Cracks
in Glencore, Rio merger plans
Rio
Tinto investors are contemplating a potential $340
billion merger with Glencore that is motivated by
a wish to own Glencore's copper assets. With financial
information firm S&P Global having recently predicted
that copper demand will jump from 28 million tonnes
last year to 42 million tonnes by 2040, big mining
companies like Rio and BHP are all trying to get access
to copper resources. Glencore has pledged to almost
double its copper production by 2035 to 1.6 million
tonnes, but the discovery of an ancient ceramic pot
in a remote part of the Argentinian Andes last year
could potentially harm that forecast. It was discovered
at the site of a $US9.4 billion ($13.4 billion) copper
mine known as El Pachon that Glencore is hoping to
develop, and it serves as a timely reminder that mines
such as it will need to be approved, funded and built
rapidly if Glencore is to meet its targets. (RMS)
News
Rio,
Chinalco team up on $1.3b Brazil deal
Rio
Tinto and the Aluminium Corporation of China (Chinalco)
have acquired a 68.6 per cent stake in Companhia Brasileira
de Aluminio for almost $US902.1 million ($1.3 billion).
The Brazilian company owns electricity generators,
bauxite mines, alumina refineries and aluminium smelters,
with Rio and Chinalco also partners in Guinea's Simandou
iron ore project. The deal comes a week before Rio
is due to consummate or extend merger discussions
with Glencore, whose aluminium division includes bauxite
mining and alumina refining assets in Brazil. (RMS)
News
Glencore
courted Blair's key man
The
latest release of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the
US Department of Justice have revealed interesting
emails in the lead-up to Glencore's 2011 public listing
on the London and Hong Kong stock exchanges. The emails
show that ex-UK cabinet minister Peter Mandelson touted
his potential as a possible chairman of Glencore to
the mining company's then CEO Ivan Glasenberg, and
that Glasenberg appeared to lobby for Mandelson to
get the job. Mandelson did not end up succeeding in
his bid to become Glencore chairman, but his lobbying
firm Global Counsel reportedly won lucrative work
advising Glencore on international political issues.
(RMS)
News
Teammates
still kicking the big goals
Sierra
Nevada Gold was recently awarded an exploration permits
in Saudi Arabia, as was Australia's richest person,
Gina Rinehart. She has an estimated fortune of about
$46.3bn, while Sierra Nevada Gold has a market capitalisation
of just $16m. It is run by former VFL champion Peter
Moore, who won two Brownlow medals during his career,
along with playing in four losing grand finals for
Collingwood; he said Sierra Nevada Gold's success
in securing an exploration permit indicated that the
Saudis were not as worried about a firm's bank balance
as they were about its expertise. (RMS)
News
Inside
WA Police's elite gold squad
Western
Australia is home to the world's only specialised
gold-stealing detection unit, although the Kalgoorlie-based
police section is more commonly referred to as "The
Gold Squad". Its $390,000 annual operating expenses
are funded by 15 gold mining companies and the Perth
Mint, with gold squad Detective Sergeant Graham Baylor
saying a lot of its work is intelligence-based. At
a current price of around $7,620 per ounce, stealing
even a small amount of gold can mean a big windfall
for thieves, so he says it is surprising that the
record price of gold has not led to a jump in gold-related
crime, (RMS)
News
Latimore
to hit Nasdaq with minerals venture
Billionaire
Brisbaned-based businessman Matt Latimore will list
his coal trading business M Resources on the US Nasdaq
after raising $US270 million ($386 million). M Resources'
main asset is Illawarra Metallurgical Coal, which
operates two mines south of Sydney, while it also
trades in materials such as graphite and lithium.
Latimore founded M Resources in 2011, with its revenue
rising from $1.3 billion in 2024 to $1.5 billion last
year, boosting its profit by almost 15 per cent to
$109 million, while he expects strong demand for metallurgical
coal for decades to come, with steel makers so far
unable to find a cost-effective lower carbon alternative.
(RMS)
News
Kambalda's
future unclear on 60th anniversary of nickel discovery
It
was 60 years ago this week that nickel was discovered
on the edge of a salt lake at Kambalda in Western
Australia. However, the future of nickel mining at
Kambalda remains very uncertain, after the WA nickel
sector collapsed in 2024, with three underground mines
at Kambalda being among the casualties. More than
1.6 million tonnes of nickel has been mined from Kambalda
over its history, while 24 nickel mines have operated
in the Kambalda district in the past 60 years. Mining
magnate Andrew Forrest will have a big say in Kambalda's
future prosperity, with his private company Wyloo
completed a $760 million takeover of Kambalda nickel
miner Mincor Resources in 2023, but barely six months
later its mines were shut. Dewatering operations are
continuing around the clock so the mines do not flood,
enabling a future restart, though Zoran Seat from
Wyloo could not say when that might be. (RMS)
News
Gas
crisis on horizon if no intervention
State
and federal energy ministers are assessing whether
to give new "last resort" powers to the
Australian Energy Market Operator in an attempt to
avoid gas supply shortfalls set to hit southern states
from 2028. Modelling undertaken by Acil Allen has
found wholesale spot gas prices would double to over
$20 a gigajoule across the east coast gas market if
no changes are made to current market settings, but
Australian Energy Producers, which represents major
oil and gas suppliers, said the proposal to give AEMO
new powers risks undermining the objectives of the
Gas Market Review. (RMS)
News
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Outlet Of The
Month' award
Sky
News Australia wins Media Man 'News Company Of The
Month' award
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Month' award
Netflix
wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of the Month' award
WWE
wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month'
award
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Company Of The Month'
award
RAM
wins Media Man 'Light Truck Of The Month' award
Gina
Rinehart wins Media Man 'Mining Disruptor Of The Month'
award
Jim's
Mowing wins Media Man 'Australian Business Of The
Month' award
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
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)
Money Inc vs Right To Censor
Mad Men vs Queer Eye
Sky News Australia vs Woke Media
FOX vs The Hound
Polymarket vs Underground Bookies
Magnificent
7, Markets, Stocks, Tech, Media
Past,
Present And Future ...
Wall
Street, New York
Current
Trades
January
22, 2026
Netflix
Inc $83.54 -1.82 -2.13%
Alphabet Inc Class A $330.54 +2.16 +0.66%
NVIDIA Corp $184.84 +1.66 +0.91%
http://Amazon.com Inc $234.34 +3.04 +1.31%
Apple Inc $248.35 +0.70 +0.28%
Meta Platforms $647.63 +34.67 +5.66%
Tesla $449.36 +17.92 +4.15%
Microsoft Corp $451.14 +7.03 +1.58%
Bonus:
Entertainment/Media
TKO
Group $200.13 -4.29 -2.10%
Walt Disney Co $113.21 +0.020 +0.018%
Paramount Skydance Corp $11.78 +0.18 +1.55%
Warner Bros Discovery Inc $28.36 -0.17 -0.60%
News Corp Class A $26.73 +0.60 +2.30%
News
Today
Jan
22
New York
Bitcoin:
$89,500.39 -0.29%
Gold:
$US4964.99 an ounce
News/Profile
Polymarket
Polymarket
is an American cryptocurrency-based prediction market
platform that allows users to place bets on the outcomes
of real-world events, such as political elections,
sports, and economic indicators. It operates on the
Polygon blockchain network, using the stablecoin USDC
for transactions.
Key
Insights
Mechanism:
The platform uses binary outcome markets ("Yes"
or "No" answers) where users buy shares
in an outcome. Share prices fluctuate based on demand,
reflecting the market's collective assessment of probability.
Winning shares are redeemed for $1.00 after the event
concludes.
Transparency:
All trades are executed on the blockchain via open-source
smart contracts, ensuring transparency and resistance
to manipulation by a central authority.
Regulatory
Environment: Polymarket has faced significant regulatory
scrutiny in various countries, including the U.S.,
Australia, Portugal, Singapore, France, and Belgium,
where it has been blocked or ordered to cease operations
due to violations of gambling or derivatives trading
laws.
U.S.
Re-entry: After a 2022 settlement with the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Polymarket acquired
a CFTC-licensed derivatives exchange in July 2025,
allowing it to legally operate in the U.S. under regulatory
compliance.
Recent
News: The company has been in the news recently for
a new partnership with the owner of Foxtel, DAZN,
despite being banned in Australia. Polymarket also
faced criticism in January 2026 for allegedly spreading
false information on its official X account, which
investor Jeff Bezos publicly denied.
Valuation
& Investors: In October 2025, Intercontinental
Exchange (ICE) invested up to $2 billion in Polymarket,
bringing the company's valuation to $9 billion. Notable
investors also include Vitalik Buterin and Peter Thiel's
Founders Fund.
Stock/Token
Information: Polymarket is a privately held company
with no public stock price. The associated cryptocurrency
token (POLY) is not the primary mechanism for betting
on the platform and its price has experienced extreme
volatility.
You
can find more information about the platform on the
official Polymarket website.
News
News
Flashback (For historical data and research purposes)
December
2025
Dec
8
New
York/Wall Street
Netflix
Inc $96.79 -3.45 -3.44%
Alphabet Inc Class $313.72 -7.34 -2.29%
NVIDIA Corp $185.57 +3.16 +1.73%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $226.89 -2.64 -1.15%
Apple Inc $277.89 -0.89 -0.32%
Meta Platforms $666.80 -6.62 - 0.98%
Tesla $439.58 -15.42 -3.39%
Microsoft Corp $491.02 +7.86 +1.63%
Bonus:
Entertainment/Media
TKO
Group $203.82 +1.60 +0.79%
Walt Disney Co $107.63 +2.40 +2.28%
Paramount Skydance Corp $14.57 +1.21 +9.02%
Warner Bros Discovery Inc $27.23 +1.15 +4.41%
News Corp Class A $25.73 -0.31 -1.19%
Flashback
The
Lead Up
Magnificent
7, Markets, Stocks
New
York/Wall Street
December 2, 2025
Terrific
Tuesday In New York Media Man Edition!
Netflix
Inc $109.55 +0.42 +0.38%
Alphabet Inc Class $316.40 +1.51 +0.48%
NVIDIA Corp $181.56 +1.64 +0.91%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $235.26 +1.38 +0.59%
Apple Inc $286.38 +3.28 +1.16%
Meta Platforms $646.82 +5.95 +0.93%
Tesla $429.27 -0.87 -0.20%
Microsoft Corp $490.09 +3.35 +0.69%
Bonus:
Entertainment/Media
TKO
Group $195.41 +1.52 +0.78%
Walt Disney Co $105.21 -1.56 -1.46%
Paramount Skydance Corp $15.93 +0.22 +1.40%
Warner Bros Discovery Inc $24.71 +0.84 +3.52%
News Corp Class A $25.48 -0.045 - 0.18%
News
Spotlight
Wynn
Analysts
at Goldman Sachs just added Wynn to its conviction
buy list. The firm is confident with Wynn’s “Wynn
Al Marjan in the UAE in 1Q27, plus WYNN’s best-in-class
Las Vegas assets, leverage to a higher-income consumers,
a strong 2026 Las Vegas event calendar, and an improving
backdrop in Macau should drive transformative upside
at WYNN,” as quoted by CNBC.
Nvidia
Analysts
at Morgan Stanley just reiterated an overweight rating
on Nvidia, with a $250 price target. The firm says
NVDA will maintain a dominant market share and that
threats are becoming overstated.
“We
continue to see NVIDIA maintaining dominant market
share, as threats are becoming overstated, though
we aren’t sure exactly what will turn sentiment
around,” they said, as quoted by CNBC. “Customers’
biggest anxiety for the next 12 months is their ability
to procure enough NVIDIA product generally, and Vera
Rubin specifically.”
Alphabet
Analysts
at Guggenheim say Alphabet could run even higher.
The firm raised its price target on GOOG to $375 from
$330 with a buy rating.
The
firm is confident in Alphabet because of strong cloud
backlog growth, which is being supported by enterprise
AI demand. It’s also confidence with Google Gemini’s
rise as a leading AI platform with rapidly growing
adoption metrics, as noted by CNBC.
News
Polymarket
Partnership Could Be a Game Changer for TKO Group
Holdings (TKO)
Nov
17
(In
Case You Missed It)
Polymarket/UFC/TKO
Polymarket
recently announced a multi-year partnership making
it the Official and Exclusive Prediction Market Partner
for UFC and Zuffa Boxing, introducing real-time fan
prediction metrics directly into UFC broadcasts and
social media experiences.
This
collaboration marks the first time major sports organizations
have integrated prediction market technology into
the live fan experience, creating new ways for audiences
to interact and for TKO's sports brands to differentiate
themselves.
We'll
explore how this innovative fan engagement initiative
could strengthen TKO Group Holdings' investment narrative
by deepening audience connection and content value.
What
Is TKO Group Holdings' Investment Narrative?
To
see the value in TKO Group Holdings as a shareholder,
you really have to believe in its ability to keep
building out top sports entertainment brands like
UFC and WWE into global, multi-platform franchises.
A lot of the story is about continuing to grow earnings
and revenue faster than the overall market, attract
loyal audiences, and evolve with changes in media
rights, streaming, and digital fan engagement. Recent
announcements, such as the multi-year partnership
with Polymarket, reflect TKO’s push to unlock
new monetization avenues and deepen fan involvement.
However,
it’s unlikely this news will materially change
the core short-term catalysts, which are still dominated
by performance in key international deals, broadcast
partnerships, and the rollout of new events. The biggest
risks remain legal challenges, compression of media
rights value, and questions about board experience.
The new fan engagement efforts add differentiation,
but don’t directly reduce these core risks for
now. On the flip side, investors should pay close
attention to ongoing legal proceedings against TKO
and UFC.
TKO
Group Holdings' shares have been on the rise but are
still potentially undervalued by 15%.
Ten
retail investors in the Simply Wall St Community produced
fair value estimates for TKO ranging from US$63.92
to a very large US$37,618.47. While community views
can be widely split, ongoing legal challenges remain
a topic several market participants keep circling
back to as a concern for TKO’s future performance.
Explore these diverse perspectives and see how the
risks and opportunities stack up.
News
Flashback and Historical Data
Magnificent
7, Markets, Stocks
New
York/Wall Street
November 17, 2025
Mad
Monday In New York Media Man Edition!
TKO Rings Bells At MSG, New York
Netflix
Inc $110.29 -0.93 -0.83%
Alphabet Inc Class $285.02 +8.61 +3.11%
NVIDIA Corp $186.60 -3.57 -1.88%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $232.87 -1.82 -0.78%
Apple Inc $267.46 -4.95 -1.82%
Meta Platforms $602.01 -7.45 -1.22%
Tesla $408.92 +4.57 +1.13%
Microsoft Corp $507.49 -2.69 -0.53%
Bonus:
Entertainment/Media
TKO
Group $184.75 +0.66 +0.36%
Walt Disney Co $105.69 -0.11 -0.10%
Paramount Skydance Corp $15.73 +0.050 +0.32%
Warner Bros Discovery Inc $22.74 -0.29 -1.26%
News Corp Class A $25.48 -0.67 -2.56%
News
Flashback and Historical Data
New
York/Wall Street
September 19, 2025
Netflix
Inc $1,226.97 +19.19 +1.59%
Alphabet Inc Class A $254.72 +2.69 +1.07%
NVIDIA Corp $176.60 +0.36 +0.20%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $231.48 +0.25 +0.11%
Apple Inc $245.50 +7.62 +3.20%
Meta Platforms $778.38 -1.87 -0.24%
Tesla $426.07 +9.22 +2.21%
Microsoft Corp $517.93 +9.48 +1.86%
Bonus:
Entertainment/Media
TKO
Group $201.11 -1.69 -0.83%
Walt Disney Co $113.76 -1.10 -0.96%
Paramount Skydance Corp $18.92 +1.05 +5.85%
Warner Bros Discovery Inc $19.33 +0.63 +3.37%
News Corp Class A $30.62 +0.17 +0.56%
News
News
Flashback
Australian
Mining Stocks: Summary
The
raw materials sector slipped 0.2 per cent, with iron
ore heavyweights BHP (down 0.8 per cent), Rio Tinto
(down 1.3 per cent) and Fortescue (down 0.2 per cent)
losing ground as iron ore prices continued to grind
lower from the six-month highs of the previous week,
but futures are so far holding ground above $US105
a tonne.
Gold
miners advanced, with Northern Star adding 1.2 per
cent, Newmont up 0.6 per cent and Evolution Mining
rising 3 per cent. Bullion was trading around $US3640
($5513) an ounce, slipping almost 2 per cent from
a record peak a day earlier. Gold slipped for a third
day, as traders’ caution over future Federal
Reserve rate cuts, along with a stronger dollar, tempered
the precious metal’s recent surge.
News
Lead
Up
New
York/Wall Street
September 16, 2025
TKO
Medium Bullish Tuesday Off WrestleMania 43 Saudi News;
Hot Monday Night RAW Media Man Edition!
Netflix
Inc $1,200.51 -1.75 -0.15%
Alphabet Inc Class A $251.16 -0.45 -0.18%
NVIDIA Corp $174.88 -2.87 1.61%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $234.05 +2.62 +1.13%
Apple Inc $238.15 +1.45 +0.61%
Meta Platforms $779.00 +14.30 +1.87%
Tesla $421.62 +11.58 +2.82%
Microsoft Corp $509.04 -6.32 -1.23%
Bonus:
TKO
Group $200.29 -4.20 -2.05%
News
Lead
Up
New
York/Wall Street
September
15, 2025
TKO
Bullish Friday Leading Into Weekend; TKO Bullish Heading
To Mad Monday Off WrestleMania 43 Saudi News: Media
Man Edition!
Netflix
Inc $1,188.44 -15.06 -1.25%
Alphabet Inc Class A $240.80 +0.43 +0.18%
NVIDIA Corp $177.82 +0.65 +0.37%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $228.15 -1.80 -0.78%
Apple Inc $234.07 +4.04 +1.76%
Meta Platforms $755.59 +4.69 +0.62%
Tesla $395.94 +27.13 +7.36%
Microsoft Corp $509.90 +8.89 1.77%
Bonus:
TKO
Group $202.44 +0.060 0.030%
Magnificent
7, Markets, Stocks
New
York/Wall Street
September 15, 2025
TKO
Bullish Mad Monday Off WrestleMania 43 Saudi News:
Media Man Edition!
Netflix
Inc $1,202.26 +13.82 +1.16%
Alphabet Inc Class A $251.61 +10.81 +4.49%
NVIDIA Corp $177.75 -0.071 -0.040%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $231.43 +3.28 +1.44%
Apple Inc $236.70 +2.63 +1.12%
Meta Platforms $764.70 +9.11 +1.21%
Tesla $410.26 +14.32 +3.62%
Microsoft Corp $515.36 +5.46 1.07%
Bonus:
TKO
Group $204.49 +2.81 +1.39%
News
Lead
Up
New
York/Wall Street
September 12, 2025
TKO
Bullish Friday Leading Into Weekend; TKO Bullish Heading
To Mad Monday Off WrestleMania 43 Saudi News: Media
Man Edition!
Netflix
Inc $1,188.44 -15.06 -1.25%
Alphabet Inc Class A $240.80 +0.43 +0.18%
NVIDIA Corp $177.82 +0.65 +0.37%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $228.15 -1.80 -0.78%
Apple Inc $234.07 +4.04 +1.76%
Meta Platforms $755.59 +4.69 +0.62%
Tesla $395.94 +27.13 +7.36%
Microsoft Corp $509.90 +8.89 1.77%
Bonus:
TKO
Group $202.44 +0.060 0.030%
News
Historical
Data and Intel
TKO
Group: News
September
13, 2025
Jones
Financial Companies Lllp Acquires 77,883 Shares of
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. $TKO
Jones
Financial Companies Lllp significantly increased its
stake in TKO Group Holdings by 149,775%, now owning
77,935 shares valued at approximately $11.9 million.
Several
institutional investors, including Vanguard and Invesco,
have also raised their stakes in TKO Group, indicating
a strong interest in the company, which is now 89.79%
owned by institutional investors.
TKO
Group recently declared an increased quarterly dividend
of $0.76, up from $0.38, reflecting a strong return
for investors despite a high dividend payout ratio
of 125.62%.
Jones
Financial Companies Lllp increased its position in
shares of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:TKO by 149,775.0%
during the 1st quarter, according to the company in
its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned
77,935 shares of the company's stock after acquiring
an additional 77,883 shares during the period. Jones
Financial Companies Lllp's holdings in TKO Group were
worth $11,909,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
Several
other hedge funds and other institutional investors
have also made changes to their positions in the business.
Hemington Wealth Management grew its stake in TKO
Group by 425.0% during the 1st quarter. Hemington
Wealth Management now owns 168 shares of the company's
stock worth $25,000 after buying an additional 136
shares during the last quarter. N.E.W. Advisory Services
LLC acquired a new position in TKO Group during the
first quarter worth $26,000. Sentry Investment Management
LLC acquired a new position in TKO Group during the
first quarter worth $25,000. Bartlett & CO. Wealth
Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of
TKO Group in the first quarter worth $27,000. Finally,
Farther Finance Advisors LLC raised its holdings in
shares of TKO Group by 129.8% in the first quarter.
Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 216 shares of
the company's stock worth $33,000 after acquiring
an additional 122 shares during the last quarter.
Institutional investors and hedge funds own 89.79%
of the company's stock.
Insider
Buying and Selling at TKO Group
In
related news, Director Nick Khan sold 45,168 shares
of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday,
July 21st. The shares were sold at an average price
of $170.82, for a total value of $7,715,597.76. Following
the completion of the sale, the director owned 156,494
shares in the company, valued at $26,732,305.08. This
represents a 22.40% decrease in their position. The
transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities
& Exchange Commission. Over the last 90 days,
insiders sold 73,725 shares of company stock valued
at $12,767,807. Corporate insiders own 61.30% of the
company's stock.
Wall
Street Analyst Weigh In
TKO
has been the subject of a number of recent analyst
reports. Baird R W raised TKO Group to a "strong-buy"
rating in a research report on Friday, September 5th.
Zacks Research upgraded TKO Group from a "strong
sell" rating to a "hold" rating in
a research note on Tuesday, September 2nd. Bank of
America upped their target price on TKO Group from
$200.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a "buy"
rating in a report on Tuesday, August 12th. Robert
W. Baird began coverage on TKO Group in a report on
Friday, September 5th. They set an "outperform"
rating and a $225.00 target price for the company.
Finally, Roth Capital raised their target price on
TKO Group from $208.00 to $210.00 and gave the company
a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday,
August 12th. One analyst has rated the stock with
a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating
and four have given a Hold rating to the company's
stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock
has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy"
and a consensus price target of $192.21.
TKO
Group Stock Up 0.0%
Shares
of NYSE:TKO traded up $0.09 during midday trading
on Friday, hitting $202.33. 897,072 shares of the
stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume
of 683,611. TKO Group Holdings, Inc. has a 52-week
low of $114.01 and a 52-week high of $204.10. The
business's fifty day simple moving average is $178.94
and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $165.22.
The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28, a
quick ratio of 1.30 and a current ratio of 1.30. The
company has a market capitalization of $40.12 billion,
a PE ratio of 83.61 and a beta of 0.79.
TKO
Group (NYSE:TKO) last issued its quarterly earnings
results on Wednesday, August 6th. The company reported
$1.17 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing
the consensus estimate of $1.23 by ($0.06). TKO Group
had a net margin of 5.40% and a return on equity of
2.82%. The business had revenue of $1.31 billion during
the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.23
billion. During the same period in the prior year,
the business posted $0.72 earnings per share. The
company's revenue for the quarter was up 53.7% compared
to the same quarter last year. As a group, research
analysts predict that TKO Group Holdings, Inc. will
post 3.88 earnings per share for the current fiscal
year.
TKO
Group Increases Dividend
The
business also recently declared a quarterly dividend,
which will be paid on Tuesday, September 30th. Stockholders
of record on Monday, September 15th will be paid a
$0.76 dividend. This is an increase from TKO Group's
previous quarterly dividend of $0.38. The ex-dividend
date of this dividend is Monday, September 15th. This
represents a $3.04 dividend on an annualized basis
and a dividend yield of 1.5%. TKO Group's dividend
payout ratio (DPR) is currently 62.81%.
TKO
Group Profile
TKO
Group Holdings, Inc operates as a sports and entertainment
company. The company produces and licenses live events,
television programs, and long-form and short-form
content, reality series, and other filmed entertainment
on digital and linear channels and via pay-per-view.
It is involved in the merchandising of video games,
apparel, equipment, trading cards, memorabilia, digital
goods, and toys, as well as sale of travel packages
and tickets.
News
Mag
7 Markets Lead Up
Historical
Data and Intel
Trades
New
York/Wall Street
September 9, 2025
TKO
Bullish Friday And Weekend Media Man Edition!
Netflix
Inc $1,263.25 +18.49 +1.49%
Alphabet Inc Class A $239.63 +5.59 +2.39%
NVIDIA Corp $170.76 +2.45 +1.46%
Amazon Dotcom Inc $238.24 +2.40 +1.02%
Apple Inc $234.35 -3.53 -1.48%
Meta $765.70 +13.40 +1.78%
Tesla $346.97 +0.57 +0.16%
Microsoft Corp $498.41 +0.21 0.042%
Bonus:
TKO
Group $196.43 -4.07 -2.03%
News
TKO
Group Holdings, Inc. is an American sports and sports
entertainment company. Established on September 12,
2023, the public company was formed by a merger between
Endeavor subsidiary Zuffa—the parent company
of mixed martial arts promotion Ultimate Fighting
Championship —and the professional wrestling
promotion World Wrestling Entertainment. TKO is led
by CEO Ari Emanuel and president Mark Shapiro, both
of Endeavor; Dana White and Nick Khan retained their
roles as CEOs of UFC and WWE respectively upon the
merger, while WWE co-founder Vince McMahon served
as executive chairman until resigning from the company
in January 2024 amid a sex trafficking scandal. The
merger marked the first time that WWE has not been
solely and primarily majority-controlled by the McMahon
family, which founded the company and owned it for
over 70 years. As of 2024, the UFC and WWE were the
two most valuable combat sports organizations in the
world according to Forbes. UFC was listed as the most
valued mixed martial arts company with a revenue of
$1.406 billion and WWE being the most valued professional
wrestling promotion with a revenue of $1.398 billion
in 2023. (Wikipedia)
TKO
owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s
premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the
global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the
world’s premier bull riding organization. Together,
these properties reach 210 countries and territories
and organize more than 500 live events year-round,
attracting more than three million fans.
TKO
also services and partners with major sports rights
holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports
marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader
in premium experiential hospitality. (Credit: TKO
Group)
News
September
2, 2025
Market
regime change: Microsoft weakening whilst Alphabet
strengthens Nvidia and OpenAI have become synonymous
with the AI revolution, each offering its own breakthrough
solutions. This has made Nvidia the most valuable
company on the market. OpenAI remains private for
now. However, the old guard of IT giants, such as
Microsoft and Alphabet, are not standing on the sidelines
of the AI race, although they are conducting it in
different ways, which is affecting their shares differently.
Microsoft
owns a stake in OpenAI, giving it access to the latest
developments, but integrates them into its own programmes,
including chatbots. For a long time, betting on Microsoft
was an indirect bet on OpenAI with their well-known
ChatGPT. This approach paid off earlier this year,
as the share price recovered faster than many competitors
after the April slump. From its lows at the start
of April to its highs at the end of July, the stock
soared 55%, already making its way to historic highs
since the beginning of June.
For
a long time, Alphabet shares lagged their competitor
in terms of share price growth over the past five
years. They were also weaker in their recovery after
the April correction, adding 40% to their lows before
peaking at the end of July.
However,
since August, the markets have clearly shifted into
a different mode, with MSFT falling 7.5% against GOOG's
13% growth. This divergence began even before the
release of GPT-5, the latest model, which faced widespread
criticism from users, forcing the company to revert
to GPT-4, originally announced over two years ago.
Negative sentiment was also fuelled by comments from
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who acknowledged that the market
is currently in a bubble due to inflated expectations.
Google
Gemini is steadily developing and gradually gaining
consumer support due to its convenient integration
into the company's extensive ecosystem. This aspiration
resonates with investors. It seems that market participants
are seeking to diversify their bets on AI agents,
creating demand for Alphabet shares at the expense
of Microsoft.
September
marks the end of the financial year in the US, and
investors often use August and September to switch
to new trends or restart existing ones. September
is historically the worst month for stock indices,
but it can also be a good entry point during a downturn.
It
is only important to understand whether we are seeing
the start of a trend reversal or a temporary correction.
Signals of this should be sought in MSFT's dynamics.
Technically, with the stock trading at $506, it remains
within a corrective pattern as long as it stays above
the $450–$470 range. The upper bound aligns with
last year's peak and the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement
of the rally from the April lows to the July highs,
while the lower boundary corresponds to the 200-day
moving average. A break below this level would signal
a deeper trend reversal.
GOOG
shares are close to local overbought conditions, as
the RSI on daily timeframes is approaching 75, near
which the shares have experienced local corrections
over the past six years. Therefore, there is a high
chance that both shares will soon experience increased
selling pressure; the only question is how deep this
correction will be. (FxPro)
News
Best
Quotes Of The Day
"An
investment in ones self is always the best bet"
Greg Tingle, Media Man Group
Markets,
Cryptos And Culture
January
2026
Jan
22
Sydney
to New York
Mining
For Intel Edition
Deep
Dive Into Markets, Streaming And Mining!
Biz
And Culture!
ASX
200 futures up 52 points/0.6% to 8800
AUD +0.3% to US67.59¢
Bitcoin
$89,703.60 +0.96%
Wall St:
Dow +1.4%
S&P +1.5%
Nasdaq +1.6%
VIX -3.42 to 16.67
Gold +0.4% to $US4782.53 an ounce
Brent oil +0.5% to $US65.24 a barrel
Iron ore -0.6% to $US103.30 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.25% Australia 4.78%
News
The
Lead Up
Jan
21
ASX
200 futures down 56 points/0.6% to 8732
AUD
+0.3% to US67.34¢
Bitcoin
$89,460.28 -3.32%
Wall
St:
Dow
-1.8%
S&P -2%
Nasdaq -2.3%
VIX +1.90 to 20.74
Gold +1.9% to $US4759.38 an ounce
Brent oil +0.7% to $US64.36 a barrel
Iron ore -0.4% to $US104.20 a tonne
10-year
yield:
US 4.29%
Australia 4.78%
News
Jan
21
Trump
jitters hit ASX as BHP, CBA sell off
The
Australian sharemarket lost ground on Tuesday, with
the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.7 per cent to close
at 8,815.9 points amid the Trump administration's
plans to impose tariffs on European nations that oppose
his plans for Greenland. BHP was down two per cent
at $47.78, the Commonwealth Bank fell 1.8 per cent
to $150.48 and ARB Corporation ended the session 12
per cent lower at $28.42. However, Bellevue Gold rose
five per cent to $1.78 and DroneShield was up 4.2
per cent at $4.75. (RMS)
News
Cryptocurrency
Bitcoin
tumbles below $US90,000 Bitcoin slid to its lowest
level in more than a week, tracking a sharp sell-off
across global financial markets as investors continued
to de-risk amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.The
largest cryptocurrency fell below $US90,000 for the
first time since January 9, moving in tandem with
declines in equities, long-dated Treasuries and Japanese
bonds as volatility rippled through debt markets.Small,
less liquid tokens fell more, with Ether dropping
more than 7 per cent and Solana slumping 5.3 per cent.
Shares in crypto-linked stocks also slumped. Coinbase
Global fell more than 5 per cent, while Bitcoin accumulator
Strategy slumped near 10 per cent earlier.“Bitcoin’s
sharp drop over the weekend mirrors a broader exodus
from risk assets in traditional macro markets due
to the White House’s threat of tariffs on European
nations as well as geopolitical frictions over Greenland,”
said Shiliang Tang, managing partner of Monarq Asset
Management. “Gold and Silver’s rally as
well as the dollar’s weakness all underscore
this narrative of capital fleeing to safety triggered
by aggressive US posturing.”
News
Gold
And Silver/Markets
Gold
rose past $US4700 an ounce to a record high, while
silver also reached an all-time peak, as the standoff
between the US and Europe over control of Greenland
showed no sign of de-escalation. Markets are waiting
for Europe’s response to Trump’s threat
to impose tariffs on eight European nations that oppose
his Greenland ambitions. The US Supreme Court once
again didn’t issue a ruling on Trump’s country-specific
tariffs.Elsewhere, a meltdown in Japanese government
debt rippled through global bond markets, while a
gauge of US dollar strength fell by the most in over
a month. The US threat toward its NATO allies has
rattled markets, adding renewed impetus to a record-breaking
rally that lifted gold prices nearly 75 per cent over
the past 12 months. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae
Takaichi’s tax-cutting election pitch has highlighted
the mounting sovereign debts among developed economies
worldwide. High fiscal deficits have helped fuel bullion’s
gains through 2025, as investors bet on inflation
as the only path to solvency. A weaker dollar also
makes commodities more affordable for buyers in other
currencies. Investors are also watching for developments
from Davos, where Trump said he will meet with several
parties to discuss his plan to take control of the
Danish territory. French President Emmanuel Macron
intends to request activation of the European Union’s
anti-coercion instrument, although German Chancellor
Friedrich Merz said he’s trying to get him to
tone down his response.
News
Trump,
Crypto, Fintech
Trump
family’s $10b fortune and crypto When Donald
Trump was sworn in for his second presidential term,
his trove of financial assets already differed from
when he first took the oath of office. As he returned
to power on a frigid day in January 2025, Trump had
a social media company, a crypto platform he’d
co-founded and even a new meme coin bearing his name
— departures from the real estate projects and
brand licensing deals that were long the main remit
of the Trump Organisation. One year on, the universe
of the Trump family’s wealth has expanded even
further, touching industries including firearms, rare
earth magnets, artificial intelligence and prediction
markets. But the most notable change has been the
growing concentration of the family’s net worth
in cryptocurrencies: The Trumps have generated about
$US1.4 billion ($2.1 billion) from crypto projects
that are new to his second term, a Bloomberg analysis
shows. These have gotten a boost from Trump’s
own policies, as he has signed crypto legislation
and appointed regulators who tossed out lawsuits against
the industry.Despite the new projects, the family’s
overall net worth looks remarkably similar to last
year at $US6.8 billion ($10.1 billion), according
to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Even as crypto
made the Trumps richer, the gains were offset by the
plunging value of his social media company, Trump
Media & Technology Group Corp. Its shares are
down 66 per cent over the past 12 months, despite
efforts to diversify into finance, crypto and most
recently, fusion power.The way the Trumps’ wealth
is distributed now — particularly its concentration
in virtual assets and public companies, some of which
didn’t exist when he left office in 2021 —
represents a sea change in how they’ll earn money
for years to come. (BB)
News
Australia:
Coal
Nation's
largest coal-fired power plant closure delayed by
two more years
Origin
Energy has agreed to extend the operating life of
its Eraring coal-fired power station for another two
years. The ageing plant was initially slated to close
in 2025, but Origin struck a deal with the NSW government
to keep Eraring operating until 2027. CEO Frank Calabria
says the decision to further extend Eraring's operational
life until 2029 will allow for more time to develop
renewable energy infrastructure. However, the decision
has been criticised by environmental groups such as
the Nature Conservation Council of NSW. (RMS)
News
Resources
And Energy: Australia
Standoff
with China buyer is hurting iron ore prices: BHP
BHP
has advised that its iron ore division achieved an
average realised price of $US84.71 per tonne in the
December quarter. This is four per cent higher than
the same period in 2024, although it represents a
large discount to the benchmark price. BHP is continuing
to hold talks with state-run iron ore trader China
Mineral Resources Group on annual contract terms,
and BHP has acknowledged that the long-running dispute
has affected the price it receives for the iron ore
it ships from the Pilbara. BHP has also advised that
the first stage of its Jansen potash project in Canada
is now expected to cost $US8.4bn ($12.5bn); this compares
with a previous forecast of between $US7bn and $US7.4bn.
(RMS)
Rio
must buy Glencore whole: shareholders
Some
of Glencore's biggest shareholders have stated that
Rio Tinto must agree to buy the entire company rather
than merely its most desirable assets, such as its
copper and zinc mines. Rio Tinto is unlikely to want
to retain Glencore's coal assets if the proposed merger
goes ahead, given that it exited the sector about
eight years ago. However, some Glencore shareholders
have warned that they are unlikely to support Rio
Tinto's bid if it seeks to 'cherry-pick' the company's
assets. The investors also contend that Rio Tinto
will need to offer a takeover premium if its management
team led by CEO Simon Trott is to run the merged group.
(RMS)
News
Culture/Sports
Tennis
player play claim 'business, not greed'
The
prize pool for this year's Australian Open is a record
$111.5 million, with this year's men's and women's
winners to receive $4.15 million, a 19 percent increase
on last year. However, despite the increased prize
pool, tennis players still believe the AO and the
other grand slam events should be paying them more
prize money, arguing they should get a bigger share
of the enormous amount of revenue that the events
generate. Alex de Minaur claims players are not being
"greedy" in their push for a bigger slice
of event revenue, while Daniil Medvedev says the players
just want a percentage of revenue similar to other
sports. (RMS)
News
Heavy
Industry Awards
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Manufacturer Of The Month'
award
Caterpillar
wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The
Month' award
Bingo
Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The
Month' award
Elders
wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award
Landman
wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award
(Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)
News
Gold
Movie
Gold
is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed
by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and
John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar
Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll,
Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce
Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story
of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold
deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of
Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance
the appeal of the film, character names and story
details were changed.
Trailer
Gold
(YouTube Movies and TV)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0
Gold
is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American
dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club,
The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern
day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams
up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on
an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle
of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping
it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through
the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film
is inspired by a true story.
News
Streaming
Wars
The
"Streaming Wars" refers to the intense competition
among digital media platforms to dominate the subscription
video-on-demand (SVOD) market by capturing and retaining
global audiences.
As
of early 2026, the landscape has shifted from a period
of rapid expansion into a phase of major consolidation
and a focus on profitability over subscriber volume.
The
"Winner" and Current State (2026)
Netflix
Dominance: Industry analysts increasingly cite Netflix
as the victor. In January 2026, Netflix reported 18%
year-over-year revenue growth and is currently pursuing
a high-stakes $83 billion all-cash acquisition of
Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming
assets (including HBO/Max).
The
"Big 3": Despite fierce competition, the
market is primarily dominated by Netflix, Amazon Prime
Video, and Disney+.
YouTube's
Rise: Some experts argue YouTube is the true winner
of the broader attention economy, surpassing traditional
streaming services in total viewership by pivoting
back to user-generated content.
Key
Strategies in 2026
Consolidation:
Smaller or struggling services are being shuttered
or merged. For example, Disney recently shut down
Hulu as a standalone service.
Monetization
Shifts: Platforms have moved away from "growth
at all costs" to strategies like password-sharing
crackdowns, ad-supported tiers, and price hikes.
Live
Sports & Events: Services are increasingly bidding
on live sports rights (e.g., Netflix hosting WWE's
Raw starting in 2025) to differentiate their offerings.
Bundling:
To combat "subscription fatigue," platforms
are forming strategic partnerships with telecommunications
companies and banks to offer bundled service hubs.
Consumer
Impact
Price
Hikes: Many consumers are canceling services due to
rising costs; over 40% of Americans cited price as
their primary reason for unsubscribing in late 2025.
Resurgence
of Piracy: Fragmented content and high costs have
led to a significant comeback for pirate sites, which
some users now find more comprehensive than paid services.
"South
Park: The Streaming Wars": The term was popularized
in mainstream culture by a 2-part South Park special
released on Paramount+ in 2022, which satirized the
industry's aggressive competition.
News/Profile
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd
Hancock
Prospecting Pty Ltd (HPPL) is a privately owned Australian
mineral exploration and agriculture company headquartered
in Perth, Western Australia. As of 2026, it is recognized
as one of the most successful private companies in
Australian history.
Leadership
and Ownership
Executive
Chairwoman: Gina Rinehart AO, who has led the company
since 1992.
CEO:
Garry Korte.
Ownership:
The company is owned by Gina Rinehart (76.6%) and
the Hope Margaret Hancock Trust (23.4%).
Major
Mining Operations
The
company has transitioned from a prospecting firm into
a major global miner, with primary interests in the
Pilbara region:
Roy
Hill: A flagship mega-project and Australia’s
largest single iron ore mine, producing 60–70
million tonnes annually.
Hope
Downs: A 50/50 joint venture with Rio Tinto, comprising
four open-pit mines with a capacity of approximately
47Mtpa.
Atlas
Iron: Acquired in 2018, it operates the Mount Webber,
Sanjiv Ridge, and Miralga Creek mines.
Hancock
Iron Ore: A new entity formed in July 2025 to consolidate
Roy Hill and Atlas Iron operations.
Diversification
and Strategic Investments
Under
Rinehart’s leadership, the company has expanded
significantly into other sectors:
Agriculture:
Hancock is Australia's second-largest beef producer,
owning over 25 properties including the iconic S.
Kidman & Co. It also owns 50% of Bannister Downs
Dairy.
Critical
Minerals: Major stakes in lithium (Liontown Resources,
Azure Minerals, Vulcan Energy) and rare earths (Arafura
Rare Earths, MP Materials, Lynas Rare Earths).
Energy:
Significant interests in oil and gas through Warrego
Energy and Senex Energy.
International
Ventures: In January 2026, the company signed a gold
exploration license agreement with Saudi Arabia's
state-owned miner, Ma’aden.
Current
Events (January 2026)
Australia
Day Sponsorship: The company is the principal partner
for the 2026 Hancock Prospecting Australia Day celebrations
in Perth.
Helipad
Proposal: In December 2025, the City of Perth refused
the company's proposal to build a helipad at its West
Perth headquarters.
Financial
Performance: For the 2025 fiscal year, the company
reported a profit of AU$3.08 billion.
History
The
company was founded on November 25, 1955, by Lang
Hancock, who is credited with discovering the world's
largest iron ore deposit in 1952. When Gina Rinehart
took over following his death in 1992, the company
was in a precarious financial state with significant
debt.
News
Gold
(1974)
Gold
is a 1974 British action-thriller directed by Peter
R. Hunt, starring Roger Moore and Susannah York. Based
on the 1970 novel Gold Mine by Wilbur Smith, the film
is set in the South African goldfields and follows
a conspiracy by a global syndicate to manipulate the
price of gold by sabotaging a rich mine.
Plot:
Rod Slater (Moore), a newly appointed general manager,
is manipulated by his boss, Manfred Steyner (Bradford
Dillman), into drilling through a protective barrier
into a subterranean lake. This is intended to flood
the mine, causing a global gold shortage and driving
up prices for a greedy cabal.
Production
Controversy: The film was controversially shot on
location in South Africa during the apartheid era.
This led to a "black ban" by British film
unions, though some crew members defied it to work
on the production.
James
Bond Connection: Many crew members were veterans of
the James Bond franchise, including director Peter
Hunt (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), editor John
Glen, and title designer Maurice Binder.
Accolades:
The film received an Academy Award nomination for
Best Original Song for "Wherever Love Takes Me,"
composed by Elmer Bernstein and sung by Maureen McGovern.
Cast
& Crew
Rod
Slater: Roger Moore
Terry
Steyner: Susannah York
Hurry
Hirschfeld: Ray Milland
Manfred
Steyner: Bradford Dillman
Farrell:
John Gielgud
Director:
Peter R. Hunt
Music:
Elmer Bernstein
Availability
in 2026
As
of 2026, the film is available through several formats
and platforms:
Streaming:
Accessible on Prime Video, Tubi, and Roku devices.
Physical
Media: High-definition restorations are available
on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber and 88 Films
News
Pop
Culture
"Gold"
(Spandau Ballet)
"Gold"
is a signature 1983 hit by the British New Romantic
band Spandau Ballet, written by Gary Kemp.
Lyrics
Thank
you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are
all worn I left them here, I could have sworn These
are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another
play for today Oh, but I'm proud of you, but I'm proud
of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
Thank
you for coming home I'm sorry that the chairs are
all worn I left them here I could have sworn
These
are my salad days Slowly being eaten away Just another
play for today Oh but I'm proud of you but I'm proud
of you
Nothing
left to make me feel small Luck has left me standing
so tall
Gold
(gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible Always believe in
'Cause
you are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return There's something I could
have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Oh
after the rush has gone I hope you find a little more
time Remember we were partners in crime It's only
two years ago
The
man with the suit and the face You knew that he was
there on the case Now he's in love with you he's in
love with you
My
love is like a high prison wall But you could leave
me standing so tall
Gold
(gold)
Always
believe in your soul You've got the power to know
You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause you
are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return There's something I could
have learned You're indestructible Always believin'
My
love is like a high prison wall And you could leave
me standing so tall
Gold
(gold)
Oh
always believe in your soul You've got the power to
know You're indestructible Always believe in 'Cause
you are
Gold
(gold)
Glad
that you're bound to return Something I could have
learned You're indestructible Always believin'
Songwriter:
Gary James Kemp
Spandau
Ballet - Gold (HD Remastered)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntG50eXbBtc
Official
video of Spandau Ballet performing 'Gold' from their
1983 third album 'True'.
Gary
Kemp wrote both the music and lyrics; the song was
produced by the partnership of Steve Jolley and Tony
Swain. The music video was filmed on location in Carmona,
Spain and directed by Brian Duffy. The video featured
Sadie Frost as a gold-painted nymph, in one of her
earlier roles. Some parts of the music video were
also filmed in Leighton House, which was also used
in the video for "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers.
Spandau
Ballet are one of Britain’s great iconic bands
having sold over 25 million records, scored numerous
multi-platinum albums and amassed 23 hit singles across
the globe since their humble beginnings as a group
of friends with dreams of stardom in the late 1970s.
It wasn’t long before they became fully-fledged
members of the iconic Blitz Club scene and established
themselves as one of the super-groups of the 80s.
The
band's classic line-up features brothers Gary and
Martin Kemp on guitars, vocalist Tony Hadley, saxophonist
Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble.
Spandau
Ballet’s hits include Gold, True, To Cut A Long
Story Short, Through The Barricades and many more.
News
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Month' award
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Business Of The
Month' award
Sky
News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Media Outlet
Of The Month' award
News/Profile
Mad
Men
Mad
Men is a critically acclaimed American period drama
series created by Matthew Weiner that aired on AMC
from 2007 to 2015. Set primarily in the 1960s, the
show centers on the high-pressure world of Madison
Avenue advertising and the enigmatic personal and
professional life of Don Draper (Jon Hamm), a talented
creative director at the fictional Sterling Cooper
agency.
Core
Premise and Themes
The
series explores the "Golden Age" of advertising,
where image is everything and truth is often a secondary
concern. It serves as a historical tour of 1960s America,
depicting major cultural shifts including the Civil
Rights Movement, the Cold War, and the changing roles
of women in society.
Key
themes include:
Identity
and Secrets: Much of the plot revolves around characters—specifically
Don Draper—hiding their true pasts while creating
new personas.
Ambition
and Power: The series tracks the cutthroat competition
within the office and the rise of characters like
Peggy Olson from secretary to head copywriter.
Social
Change: It examines the sexism, racism, and shifting
moral codes of the era with high attention to historical
authenticity.
Main
Cast and Characters
Don
Draper (Jon Hamm): The mysterious, charismatic creative
lead whose hidden past haunts his professional success.
Peggy
Olson (Elisabeth Moss): A pioneering career woman
who starts as Don's secretary and eventually becomes
his intellectual equal.
Pete
Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser): An ambitious, entitled
young executive from a wealthy family who often clashes
with Don.
Betty
Draper/Francis (January Jones): Don’s wife, who
struggles with the stifling expectations of being
a 1960s suburban housewife.
Joan
Holloway/Harris (Christina Hendricks): The savvy office
manager who uses her intelligence and power to navigate
the firm's gender dynamics.
Roger
Sterling (John Slattery): A witty, hard-drinking founding
partner of the agency and Don's mentor-figure.
Accolades
and Legacy
Emmy
Awards: Mad Men was the first basic cable series to
win the Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series,
a feat it accomplished for four consecutive years
(2008–2011).
Critical
Impact: It is widely regarded as one of the greatest
television dramas of all time, ranked 6th by TV Guide
and 7th by the Writers Guild of America on their respective
"best of" lists.
Visual
Style: The show is noted for its meticulous production
design and costume work, which revitalized interest
in mid-century modern aesthetics.
Where
to Watch
As
of early 2026, the series is available for streaming
on platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and AMC+, depending
on your region.
Media
Man: Strong thumbs up. Must watch for media execs
and media/ad execs to be! Watch and learn (or unlearn)!!!
News
Silicon
Valley
Silicon
Valley refers primarily to a global center of high
technology and innovation in the southern San Francisco
Bay Area. It also commonly refers to the acclaimed
HBO comedy series that satirizes this culture.
Silicon
Valley
The
Region
Location:
Geographically, it encompasses Santa Clara County,
southeastern San Mateo County, and parts of the East
Bay, with San Jose serving as its largest city.
Origins: The name was coined in 1971 by journalist
Don Hoefler, referring to the high concentration of
silicon chip (semiconductor) manufacturers in the
Santa Clara Valley.
Economic
Impact: As of 2026, it remains the premier hub for
venture capital, receiving approximately one-third
to 40% of all U.S. venture investment.
Key
Companies: It is headquarters to global giants including
Apple (Cupertino), Google/Alphabet (Mountain View),
Meta (Menlo Park), Intel (Santa Clara), and Nvidia.
Current
Trends (2026): While still a dominant force, the region
faces challenges such as extreme wealth inequality
and a continued "wealth tax" flight where
some billionaires and companies relocate to states
like Texas.
The
Television Series
Premise:
A satirical comedy created by Mike Judge that follows
Richard Hendricks and his startup, Pied Piper, as
they navigate the absurdities of the tech industry.
Run:
The show aired on HBO for six seasons from 2014 to
2019, totaling 53 episodes.
Cast:
Stars included Thomas Middleditch, T.J. Miller, Kumail
Nanjiani, Martin Starr, and Zach Woods.
Markets/Cryptos/Biz/Culture
January
2, 2026
Bitcoin
Never Sleeps Edition
Santa
def Grinch
Sydney
to Wall Street, New York and Beyond
ASX
futures down 31 points/0.4% to 8676
AUD -0.1% at US66.66¢
Bitcoin $88,602.45 +0.87%
Dow closed
S&P closed
Nasdaq closed
Gold -0.5% to $US4319.37 oz
Brent -0.8% at $US60.85 a b
BNB
$861.70 -1.14%
XRP $1.8761 +1.93%
DOGE $0.1266 +6.96%
News
Pop
Culture
Santa
def Grinch
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking
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
News
Pop
Culture News
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream
Match Series; Crack The Code!
Million
Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr Cardona
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match!
Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle
UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs NYC and Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins
again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling
(MLW)! Holliday working web?! Most Marketable?!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
NXT Gold Rush: Page & Green vs Hendry & Hail
Baszler vs Itoh - HOG Superclash - Nov 15
MSG, NY winning with WWE and UFC in Nov
The Vision vs WWE Lockerroom
John Cena vs Dirty Dom
Miz vs Management
Jericho vs Internet Marks
Mr Gold vs Mr Fool's Gold
Neo vs Mr Smith
PBR vs Others. No Bull?!
Aus Gvt vs Big Tech
Banks vs Cryptos
NVIDIA vs World
White House vs Wokes
Packer vs Devil D
Lucha Bros vs AAA Heels
WWE Black Scorpion/Masked Man vs Babyfaces
CM Punk vs The Hood
Starks vs Oba Femi - NXT Deadline
TNA Wrestling vs Dirtsheets
TKO vs Naysayers
John Cena vs Gunther: SNME
Chris Jericho and Mr X vs IWC
Mr Netflix vs Mr Paramount
Triple H vs (many) Washington Cena Fans!
WWE vs Lucha LIbra AAA - Friendly TKO b2b
News
Best
Quotes
An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Media
Man "Bullish is a mindset"
News
The
dollar may defy expectations
The
return of American exceptionalism will help the greenback.
The yen will start the new year with interventions,
and the RBA with a rate hike. The US dollar ends 2025
with its worst performance in nearly a decade. By
mid-September, fears for the fate of the US economy
due to tariffs and expectations of Fed rate cuts had
caused the USD index to plummet to its lowest level
in 3.5 years. However, the greenback then recovered
thanks to large-scale investments in artificial intelligence,
GDP growth and capital inflows into the stock market.
At the end of the year, divergence in monetary policy
between the Fed and other central banks caused the
USD index to fall. Goldman Sachs believes that the
downward trend for the US dollar will continue in
2026, albeit on a smaller scale. The main drivers
of the greenback's decline will be accelerating economic
growth abroad and lower federal funds rates. The consensus
forecast of major Wall Street banks is for EURUSD
to rise to 1.2 and GBPUSD to 1.36 by the end of 2026.
What could go wrong? A Supreme Court ruling that the
White House tariffs are illegal would sow chaos in
financial markets and force investors to buy the US
dollar as a safe-haven asset. A big and beautiful
tax cut bill, coupled with investments in artificial
intelligence, will boost GDP and bring back the theme
of American exceptionalism to the markets. As a result,
the Fed will have less reason to ease monetary policy.
The federal funds rate will be cut only once in 2026,
if at all. If the factors of divergence in monetary
policy and the narrowing gap in economic growth between
the US and the eurozone do not work, investors' views
on the fate of the US dollar will change radically.
History may play in favour of the greenback. In 2017,
Donald Trump's first year as president, the USD index
weakened significantly. However, in 2018, it recovered
some of its lost ground. The yen will start 2026 under
the sign of intervention. The government is unhappy
with the USDJPY rally, and the Bank of Japan has failed
to break the bulls' back by raising the overnight
rate to its highest level since 1995. Either a rapid
continuation of the cycle of monetary restriction
or Tokyo's intervention in the Forex market is required.
The Australian dollar appears to be the favourite
thanks to expectations of a key rate hike by the Reserve
Bank and the Chinese economy's adaptation to US tariffs.
(FxPro)
News
Silver
stirs up the markets
Precious
metal sell-offs shake investors
Donald
Trump renews criticism of the Fed
While
major global currencies, led by the US dollar, are
recovering very slowly after Christmas, the precious
metals market has been rocked by a real thriller.
Silver and other assets in the sector have plummeted.
For XAGUSD, the fall was the largest since the beginning
of 2021. The trigger was an increase in CME margin
requirements for related futures contracts. This forced
speculators to take profits and triggered a pullback.
Silver saw a record rally in 2025. The 150% increase
is significantly higher than that of gold and other
assets in the sector. At the same time, the white
metal is still far from the inflation-adjusted price
record set in 1980. To return to that level, silver
would have to cost $200 per ounce today. ETF stocks
have grown by 150 million ounces this year, but are
still far from the highs recorded in 2021. The ratio
to gold also has room to fall.
Speculators
have used these arguments to justify the need for
further purchases of XAGUSD. There is indeed serious
competition between the US, Europe and Asia in the
physical asset market. This is due to the risks of
Washington imposing tariffs on silver imports after
adding it to the list of critical minerals. However,
the silver rally looks too rapid and resembles a bubble,
and it is quite possible that it may have burst. After
the CME raised margin requirements in February 2021,
the white metal collapsed by 43% over 18 months. Other
assets in the sector are following silver. Despite
the post-Christmas sell-off, gold is heading for its
second-best performance in a year in history. The
first was in 1979. The XAUUSD pullback does not look
like a burst bubble. The US economy risks slowing
down in 2026, and the Fed may accelerate the cycle
of monetary policy easing, especially under pressure
from the White House.
Donald
Trump is back to his old ways. The US president said
he would gladly fire Jerome Powell as Fed chairman.
He said that Powell was too slow to cut interest rates.
At the same time, the US administration does not rule
out filing a lawsuit against the head of the central
bank for incompetence due to excessive spending on
renovating the Fed's headquarters. The White House
wants to make room in the FOMC for the ‘doves’.
This increases the risks of a weakening US dollar.
(FxPro)
News
Dec
25
Precious
metals rewarded for success
The
US dollar is falling as a safe-haven asset amid growing
risk appetite
Gold is performing well, but other assets in the sector
are looking even better GDP growth of 4.3% in the
third quarter did not help the US dollar. It would
seem that the strength of the economy, the rise in
Treasury bond yields and the decline in the likelihood
of the Fed easing monetary policy in March to less
than 50% should have cooled the hot heads of the EURUSD
bulls. However, greed reigns supreme in the financial
markets. The S&P 500 closed at a record high,
which had a negative impact on the USD index. Donald
Trump was encouraged by the success of the US economy,
citing tariffs as the main reason. The president said
that the new Fed chairman would cut rates if the market
was performing well. Investors should be rewarded
for their success. Support from the White House is
helping US stock indices, improving global risk appetite
and reducing demand for the dollar as a safe-haven
asset. In such conditions, high-yield currencies feel
most at home. The British pound reached a three-month
high against the greenback, and the Australian dollar
reached a 14-month high. After the Reserve Bank signalled
the end of the monetary policy easing cycle, the futures
market began to price in expectations of a cash rate
hike in 2026. By Christmas, the start date for monetary
tightening had shifted to June, which created a tailwind
for AUDUSD. Investors in a Bloomberg survey see the
Bank of England's neutral rate at 3.25% and estimate
the chances of it falling to 3% in 2026 as fifty-fifty.
They are more dovish than the BoE. At their December
meeting, Andrew Bailey and his colleagues opted for
caution, which supported GBPUSD. Meanwhile, gold has
broken through the psychologically important level
of $4,500 per ounce. JP Morgan forecasts XAUUSD to
rise to 5,000 by the end of 2026 and estimates the
scale of bullion purchases by central banks and retail
investors at 585 tonnes per quarter. According to
the bank, every 100 tonnes above the base 350 tonnes
leads to a 2% increase in precious metal prices. Gold
has already gained more than 70% in value in 2025
and is heading for its best performance since 1979.
Other assets in the precious metals sector are growing
even faster. Prices for silver, platinum and palladium
have more than doubled this year. Along with strong
investment demand, fears about the introduction of
US import duties are playing into their hands. (FxPro)
News
Biz
Culture News Lead Up
48
+ hours ago
News
Media
Man Favs
TKO
$216.11 -1.33 -0.61%
Alphabet Inc Class A $313.56 +0.050 +0.016%
Netflix Inc $94.15 -0.32 -0.34%
Paramount Skydance Corp $13.50 -0.090 -0.66%
Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany
ADR $4.60 -0.040 +0.86%
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.54 +0.11 +0.63%
News
Gold
Dec
24
Gold
passes $4500 for first time
Gold
has surpassed $US4500 an ounce for the first time
on escalating geopolitical tensions and prospects
for more US rate cuts. Spot gold rose1.5 per cent
to $US4504.59 an ounce at 10.38am AEDT, taking total
gains for the year past 70 per cent. This year is
shaping up to deliver the best return to gold investors
in over 40 years.Traders are betting the Federal Reserve
will follow three straight interest-rate cuts by lowering
the cost of borrowing again next year, which would
be a tailwind for non-yielding precious metals. Gold’s
haven appeal has also been amplified in the last week
by rising geopolitical tensions, particularly in Venezuela,
where the US has blockaded oil tankers as it ratchets
up pressure on the government of President Nicolás
Maduro. Gold miners on the ASX were, however, mixed.
Newmont was down 0.5 per cent, Northern Star was up
0.9 per cent and Evolution Mining up by 1.2 per cent.
News
Market
Recap
January
2, 2026
Australian
Dollar: $0.6670 USD (unchanged) Iron Ore: Bid $104.00
USD (public holiday) Oil Price: $57.42 USD (unchanged
- public holiday) Gold Price: $2,659.37 USD (down
$3.16 USD) Copper Price: $4.0305 (down 0.0875 USD)
Bitcoin: $88,211.47 (up 1.07%) Dow Jones: 48,063.29
(down 303.77 points)
News
Jan
2
NYSE
Closed
TKO
Group Holdings Inc: $209.00 -5.17 -2.41%
News
Big
Bash sell-off will 'kill Test cricket'
Cricket
Australia is under growing criticism over a proposal
to privatise the eight Big Bash League teams. Former
Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings is amongst
those to have questioned the proposal; amongst other
things, he contends that Australian cricket does not
the influx of money that would come from selling stakes
in BBL teams. He is also concerned that privatisatiom
would be detrimental to Test cricket in Australia,
because the new investors would expect top players
to prioritise their BBL franchise rather than the
long form of the game. Test cricket is already under
scrutiny after two of the matches in the current Ashes
series were over in less than two days, including
the flagship Boxing Day Test at the MCG; the fifth
Test starts on Sunday at the SCG, with Australia leading
the series 3-1. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Venus
rising with Australian Open wildcard
Tennis
Australia director Craig Tiley has described Venus
Williams' return for the 2026 tournament as a "win
for fans and tennis". The winner of seven grand
slam titles has not played in the Australian Open
since 2021, and she has not competed internationally
since 2023; at the age of 45, Williams will be the
oldest woman to compete in the Australian Open during
the modern era. She has been granted a wildcard to
appear in both the Australian Open and the Hobart
International. However, Tennis Australia is yet to
announce whether Nick Kyrgios will be given a wildcard
for the Australian Open, which begins on 12 January.
(RMS)
News
Australia/China
China
imposes beef quotas, now all eyes on Australia’s
EU trade deal
The
federal government will face growing pressure to finalise
a much-stalled free-trade agreement with the European
Union following China's move to introduce import controls
on beef. China has imposed a total import quota of
2.69 million tonnes in 2026, which will rise to 2.74
million tonnes next year; shipments that exceed the
quota will be subject to a 55 per cent duty, in a
move that is aimed at protecting local producers.
Australia's annual beef quota has been set at 205,000
tonnes, and Trade Minister Don Farrell says the federal
government expect the nation's status as a valued
Free Trade Agreement partner to be respected by China.
Australia exported 216,050 tonnes of beef to China
in 2024. (RMS)
News
Awards
Google
Finance wins Media Man 'Business News Website Of The
Month'; Runner-up: Yahoo! Finance
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of The Year' award (2025)
Sky
News Australia wins Media Man 'Australian Based News
Outlet Of The Year' award
TKO
Group wins Media Man 'Entertainment Promoter Of The
Year' award
Netflix
wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Year' award
Mack
Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Year' award
Caterpillar
wis Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Brand Of The Year'
award
X
and YouTube Tie for Media Man 'Platform Of The Year'
award
Markets,
Cryptos and Biz
December
2025
Dec
30
Sydney,
Australia to Wall St, New York
Digital
Bush Telegraph
Markets
ASX
200 futures pointing down 6 points/0.1% to 8711
AUD
-0.3% to US66.93¢
Bitcoin
$87,218.84 -0.73%
Wall
St:
Dow -0.5%
S&P -0.4%
Nasdaq -0.5%
VIX +0.59 to 14.19
Gold
-4.4% to $US4335.01 an ounce
Silver -6.8% to $US71.94/oz
Platinum -13.8% to $US2118.03/oz
Brent oil +1.8% to $US61.75 a barrel
Iron ore +1.3% to $US106.05 a tonne
10-year
yield: US 4.11% Australia 4.75%
Cryptos
Bitcoin
$87,218.84 -0.73%
XRP $1.8529 -0.70%
BNB $852.81 -0.71%
Dogecoin $0.1231 -0.64%
Stockmarket
US
Stock Market Overview (as of late December 2025)
The
US stock market is in a strong bull run heading into
the final days of 2025, with major indices near all-time
highs and on track for a robust year-end close. Trading
volume has been light post-holidays, but sentiment
remains positive amid resilient economic growth, AI-driven
gains, and expectations of a "Santa Claus rally"
(the seasonal uptrend in the last five trading days
of the year and first two of the next).
Key
Index Levels (from the most recent close on December
26, 2025)
S&P
500 — Closed at approximately 6,930 (down slightly
that day but hit an intraday high near 6,946). Up
nearly 18% year-to-date, with the index eyeing the
psychological 7,000 milestone in the coming sessions.
Dow
Jones Industrial Average — Closed at around 48,711
(fractionally lower), up solidly for the year.
Nasdaq
Composite — Closed near 23,593, up about 22%
YTD, led by tech and AI stocks
Markets
were closed on December 27 (weekend) and reopen on
December 29 for the last few trading days of 2025.
Expect thin liquidity and potential for modest moves
as investors position for 2026.
Broader
Context
2025
has been a resilient year despite challenges like
early tariff impacts, AI spending concerns, and Fed
rate adjustments (benchmark now at 3.50%-3.75%). Tech
and AI names (e.g., Nvidia crossing $5T market cap)
have dominated, but there's been rotation into cyclicals,
materials, and foreign equities. Precious metals like
gold and silver are at historic highs amid safe-haven
demand.
Wall
Street forecasts for 2026 are bullish, with many targeting
S&P 500 levels between 7,100–8,100. However,
history suggests potential pullbacks after strong
years, so caution on overvaluation is advised. (Grok)
News
Dec
24
Precious
metals rewarded for success
The
US dollar is falling as a safe-haven asset amid growing
risk appetite.
Gold
is performing well, but other assets in the sector
are looking even better.
GDP
growth of 4.3% in the third quarter did not help the
US dollar. It would seem that the strength of the
economy, the rise in Treasury bond yields and the
decline in the likelihood of the Fed easing monetary
policy in March to less than 50% should have cooled
the hot heads of the EURUSD bulls. However, greed
reigns supreme in the financial markets.
The
S&P 500 closed at a record high, which had a negative
impact on the USD index.
Donald
Trump was encouraged by the success of the US economy,
citing tariffs as the main reason. The president said
that the new Fed chairman would cut rates if the market
was performing well. Investors should be rewarded
for their success. Support from the White House is
helping US stock indices, improving global risk appetite
and reducing demand for the dollar as a safe-haven
asset. In such conditions, high-yield currencies feel
most at home.
The
British pound reached a three-month high against the
greenback, and the Australian dollar reached a 14-month
high. After the Reserve Bank signalled the end of
the monetary policy easing cycle, the futures market
began to price in expectations of a cash rate hike
in 2026.
By
Christmas, the start date for monetary tightening
had shifted to June, which created a tailwind for
AUDUSD.
Investors
in a Bloomberg survey see the Bank of England's neutral
rate at 3.25% and estimate the chances of it falling
to 3% in 2026 as fifty-fifty. They are more dovish
than the BoE. At their December meeting, Andrew Bailey
and his colleagues opted for caution, which supported
GBPUSD. Meanwhile, gold has broken through the psychologically
important level of $4,500 per ounce.
JP
Morgan forecasts XAUUSD to rise to 5,000 by the end
of 2026 and estimates the scale of bullion purchases
by central banks and retail investors at 585 tonnes
per quarter. According to the bank, every 100 tonnes
above the base 350 tonnes leads to a 2% increase in
precious metal prices.
Gold
has already gained more than 70% in value in 2025
and is heading for its best performance since 1979.
Other
assets in the precious metals sector are growing even
faster. Prices for silver, platinum and palladium
have more than doubled this year. Along with strong
investment demand, fears about the introduction of
US import duties are playing into their hands. (FxPro)
News
Dec
29
A
confident Euro and a vulnerable Yen
Rapid GDP growth in the eurozone has helped EURUSD.
USDJPY
risks rising to 164. Christmas week turned out to
be the worst for the US dollar since June. Falling
Treasury yields and new S&P 500 records caused
the USD index to retreat. The chances of the Fed easing
monetary policy in March rose above 50% again, and
there is active discussion in Forex about the new
Fed chair. Historically, central bank chiefs have
had a significant influence on the FOMC. Donald Trump's
man could bring down interest rates and the greenback.
However, the Fed is not a one-man show. Decisions
are made collectively based on incoming data. The
longer the pause in the monetary expansion cycle lasts,
the higher the chances of a correction in the EURUSD
to an upward trend. In this case, the yield differential
between US and German bonds will remain wide. Money
will flow from Europe to the United States, strengthening
the dollar. In the medium term, monetary policy divergence
and a narrowing gap in GDP growth could play in favour
of the euro. Financial Times experts expect the eurozone
economy to expand by 1.2% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027.
In 2025, it will grow by 1.4%, significantly more
than the 0.9% forecast at the end of 2024. Faster
economic growth in the currency bloc has been one
of the key drivers of the EURUSD's 13.5% rally this
year. Another trump card for the euro has been the
divergence in monetary policy. Financial Times experts
believe that the ECB's deposit rate will remain at
2% until the end of 2026 and rise to 2.25% in 2027.
The futures market expects two acts of monetary expansion
from the Fed next year. The narrowing of the spread
between US and German bond yields is a strong argument
in favour of maintaining the upward trend in EURUSD.
Meanwhile, the number of yen bears is growing after
the Bank of Japan failed to bring about a serious
correction in USDJPY by raising the overnight rate
in December. BNP Paribas forecasts the pair to rise
to 160 by the end of 2026, while JP Morgan forecasts
164. The strengthening of the greenback has caused
gold to retreat from record highs. The precious metal
is heading for its best annual performance since 1979.
Since the beginning of the year, it has risen by more
than 70%, partly due to capital inflows into ETFs.
The reserves of the largest specialised exchange-traded
fund, SPDR Gold Shares, have increased by more than
20%.
News
Dec
29
Miners
and Metals
Nickel
price jumps as Indonesia signals big production cut
Nickel
prices are at a seven-month high after Indonesia,
the world’s biggest producer, signalled plans
to cut supply of the metal in a Christmas gift for
struggling Australian miners who have been shuttering
projects.
The
rising prices came after Indonesian media reported
Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia had confirmed
plans for unspecified production cuts. A group representing
Indonesian nickel miners this month said it expected
Jakarta to enforce a 34 per cent cut in volumes next
year.
While
the size of the cuts has not been finalised, the comments
suggest the worst could be over for miners after a
two-and-a-half year period in which prices for the
metal were crushed by excess production in Indonesia.
Nickel
was a fashionable commodity for investors between
2017 and 2022 on expectations that demand would rise
in line with the metal’s use in the batteries
used in electric vehicles. Prices reached $US30,000
a tonne in late 2022, but a wave of Indonesian supply
emerged in 2023 as new technology allowed low-grade
material to be cheaply processed into top quality
metal.
The
extra supply pushed nickel prices below $US20,000
since mid-2023, forcing Australian miners like BHP
and Panoramic Resources to mothball their Western
Australian mines, refineries and smelters.
The
price had slumped to $US14,110 a tonne at the London
Metal Exchange on December 16, but has rallied to
$US15,430 after reports of Indonesian production cuts.
The price had not been above $US15,400 since May.
The
recovery could help BHP’s nickel assets just
14 months before a self-imposed deadline to decide
whether they should be permanently closed. BHP mothballed
the assets last year in the belief the supply surge
was a structural change to nickel markets, and not
merely a cyclical one.
BHP
announced at its August half-year results that it
would attempt to sell the assets, but finding a buyer
has proved difficult given the enormous rehabilitation
obligations attached to them. If a buyer cannot be
found, BHP will permanently shut the nickel division
in February 2027.
Another
potential winner from a nickel price recovery would
be businessman Duncan Saville, whose companies control
the mothballed Savannah mine in WA. The mine closures
have seen Australian exports slump from about 180,000
tonnes in 2017 to 81,000 tonnes this year.
The
Industry Department provided a gloomy outlook for
the sector in a report published on December 19, predicting
prices would stay low, and export volumes would fall
further as IGO Limited prepared for the Nova-Bollinger
nickel mine in WA to reach the end of its working
life.
Closure
of Nova would leave Glencore’s Murrin Murrin
operation as the last remaining major nickel mine
in the country.
Industry
Department economists predicted Australia will ship
just 49,000 tonnes of nickel in 2027; down 73 per
cent in a decade.
Batteries
account for about 16 per cent of global nickel demand,
with the stainless-steel sector still buying about
63 per cent of the world’s nickel.
Fitch
predicts nickel prices will average $US16,000 a tonne
in 2026.
Silver
continues to soar
Signs
of recovery in nickel prices come as silver prices
have soared. The precious metal was fetching $US28.83
an ounce on the final trading day of 2024, but soared
to a record high $US79.27 on Boxing Day 2025.
Financial
markets have traditionally used gold prices to determine
an appropriate price for silver, and the rally in
silver prices is partly linked to the earlier rally
in gold prices over the last 12 months.
Very
few mines are primarily focused on silver production,
with the metal typically occurring as a byproduct
at mines that are focused on copper, zinc or lead.
Australia’s biggest silver producers include
South32’s Cannington mine in Queensland, Glencore’s
Mount Isa hub and BHP’s Olympic Dam.
Iltani
Resources, an ASX-listed miner exploring for silver,
zinc, lead and indium near Herberton in Queensland,
is one producer that has seen its share price jump
more than 200 per cent alongside the silver rally.
“It
puts us in a really good position to hit 2026 with
a really aggressive drill program,” said Iltani
managing director Donald Garner. (AFR). *Full article
and coverage via The Australian Financial Review
News
VC/Sports
Biz/Tech News
Jake
& Logan Paul Announce $30M Venture Fund Backing
AI, Robotics Startups
Anti
Fund, co-founded by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul
and entrepreneur Geoffrey Woo, closed its oversubscribed
$30 million Anti Fund I on December 3, bringing the
firm’s total assets under management to more
than $65 million. The firm named influencer and WWE
star Logan Paul as a general partner, marking the
first time the Paul brothers have become business
partners.
According
to a press release, the venture capital firm concentrates
its investments in artificial intelligence and robotics
companies. Anti Fund focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage
ventures, as well as select growth-stage industry
leaders. The portfolio includes OpenAI, Anduril, Ramp,
Cognition, Polymarket, Flock Safety, and Physical
Intelligence.
Investment
Strategy
Anti
Fund employs what it calls an “extreme barbell
strategy,” making first checks of $100,000 to
$500,000 for 10% ownership in technical founders,
while also deploying $10 million or more in growth
investments into industry leaders.
The
fund’s limited partners include institutional
investors Aquarian Holdings and Autilus Partners,
as well as individual investors Marc Andreessen and
Chris Dixon. Focuspoint Private Capital Group served
as the exclusive placement agent for the fund.
Founder
Background
Woo holds a bachelor’s degree with honors and
distinction in computer science from Stanford and
has co-authored numerous U.S. patents and peer-reviewed
scientific papers.
Jake
Paul built his career as a professional boxer and
entrepreneur. Logan Paul founded PRIME, a beverage
brand, and performs as a professional wrestler.
“Jake,
what I realized is that he is essentially an avatar
of the American dream, and I think Logan, in a very
similar parallel sense, also represents that,”
Woo said in an interview with FOX Business.
“When
Jake named Anti Fund, I think we all share the same
belief, that the people that create the future are
the crazy ones that believe they can do it.”
Business
Philosophy
The firm positions itself as founder-friendly, emphasizing
what it calls the intersection of capital and attention.
While capital remains a commodity, Anti Fund leverages
the Paul brothers’ cultural influence to source
founders and accelerate portfolio company growth.
Jake
Paul discussed his long-standing interest in venture
capital, noting he met with companies including Google,
Uber, and Twitter in Silicon Valley as a teenager.“
Not
only are we investors, but we can disrupt Logan with
PRIME, me with W, Betr is always in the top five in
the App Store is absolutely crushing it,” Paul
told FOX.
“And
these are companies that we’ve incubated ourselves,
because if no one else is building it and we see a
hole in the market, we can hire the best teams and
grow and scale these companies in a major way.”
Anti
Fund has incubated and funded several of Jake Paul’s
business ventures, including W and Betr Media.
Rudy
Sahay, founder and managing partner of Aquarian Holdings,
said the fund closing “validates the confidence
investors have in their strategy” and noted the
firm “carved out a unique position at the intersection
of frontier technologies and culture.”
Best Quotes
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
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
News
Media
Man Favs
TKO
$216.11 -1.33 -0.61%
Alphabet Inc Class A $313.56 +0.050 +0.016%
Netflix Inc $94.15 -0.32 -0.34%
Paramount Skydance Corp $13.50 -0.090 -0.66%
Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany
ADR $4.60 -0.040 +0.86%
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.54 +0.11 +0.63%
Markets,
Cryptos, Biz and Culture
Media
Man Group
All
That Glitters
Digital
Bush Telegraph - Australia to Hollywood and Silicon
Valley Edition; Media Watercooler
December
22, 2025
Sydney, Australia
December
21, 2025
Wall St, New York
Australian
Dollar: $0.6610 USD (down $0.0003 USD) Iron Ore: $104.50
USD (down $US0.50)
Oil: $56.52 USD (up $0.51 USD)
Gold: $4,340.10 USD (up $9.48 USD)
Copper: $5.4835 USD (up $0.0610 USD)
Bitcoin: $88,482.84 +0.23%
Dow Jones: 48,134.89 (up 183.04 points)
BTC
88,851.95 +0.26%
BNB $861.43 +0.84%
Dogecoin $0.1320 +0.04%
Market
Favs
Closed
Today
TKO
$213.44 +1.81 +0.86%
Alphabet Inc Class A +$307.16 +4.70 +1.55%
Netflix Inc $94.39 +0.39 +0.41%
News
Trading
Schwab
CEO Rick Wurster draws a ‘bright line’ between
investing and gambling
When
it comes to encouraging customers to invest for the
long haul or live in the fast lane, Rick Wurster says
he knows where his brokerage stands. And it is not
on the side of the guy dressed as a race-car driver.
Wurster, appointed Charles Schwab’s CEO in January,
has delivered higher profit this year thanks to individual
investors’ mounting confidence in trading everything
from stocks and bonds to options and exchange-traded
funds. An extended rally has led some ordinary Americans
into riskier, more-volatile markets.
News
Las
Vegas
30
years, millions of lights and one big party at downtown
Las Vegas’s Fremont Street Experience
In
Vegas time, 30 years is long enough to feel like forever.
It’s a monumental chunk of time wherein generations
of locals and visitors may have no understanding of
what came before. That’s how long we’ve
had the Fremont Street Experience—the historic
casino-lined five-block pedestrian promenade Downtown,
covered mostly by the 1,375-foot LED-screen canopy
flashing Viva Vision shows every night—instead
of “Glitter Gulch,” what we called Fremont
Street when you could drive your car there. When the
canopy came to life, there was no Stratosphere tower
in Las Vegas, no Bellagio fountains, no faux Eiffel
Tower.
News
US
Congressman
urges Commodity Futures Trading Commission to review
Kalshi-CNN deal
Congressman
Abe Hamadeh has called on federal regulators to review
the partnership between news broadcaster CNN and prediction
market platform Kalshi, warning that the deal posed
risks to market integrity and even national security.
In a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Acting Chairwoman Caroline D. Pham, Hamadeh requested
details on how the regulator is reviewing the partnership
between Kalshi and CNN. He argued that the arrangement
creates a conflict of interest as it allows a major
news organization to potentially profit from geopolitical
events.
News
More
Intel
Dec
19
Central
banks did not scare the dollar
Central
banks prefer to pause
The
strengthening of the dollar prevented gold from reaching
a record high. Global central banks are diverging
in their policy paths. In the wake of the Fed's decision,
Britain and Mexico have lowered rates, whereas the
eurozone, Norway, and Sweden have signalled a continued
pause. The Bank of Japan tightened its policy, raising
the overnight rate to its highest level since 1995
at 0.75%. Nevertheless, the US dollar strengthened
against major world currencies on expectations of
a prolonged pause in the process of lowering the federal
funds rate. The Bank of England lowered the repo rate
to 3.75% by five votes to four. Andrew Bailey warned
of limited room for manoeuvre in the monetary expansion
cycle in 2026. As a result, the futures market reduced
its expected scale to 25 basis points. The pound initially
strengthened, but a reassessment of US inflation data
brought GBPUSD back down to earth. As expected, the
ECB raised its eurozone GDP forecasts to 1.4% in 2025
and 1.2% in 2026. The central bank expects inflation
to remain below target until 2028. Christine Lagarde
did not encourage the ‘hawks’ who had previously
discussed raising deposit rates. The Frenchwoman repeated
the mantra that the European Central Bank is in a
comfortable position. The EURUSD's inability to break
through resistance at 1.176 resulted in a sell-off.
The Bank of Japan raised its overnight rate to 0.75%.
This outcome of the December meeting was predicted
by all 50 Bloomberg experts. In this regard, after
the BoJ's verdict, a sell-off of the yen began on
the facts. Moreover, the Governing Council did not
signal a continuation of the cycle of monetary tightening.
The US dollar strengthened against major world currencies
as investors ignored the slowdown in US core inflation
to 2.6% in November. This is the lowest level since
the beginning of 2021. After the shutdown, the BLS
is experiencing problems with data. It will take time
for confidence in it to return. The market's reluctance
to take US consumer price statistics at face value
played a cruel joke on gold. The precious metal hit
a new local high but failed to reach a record high
and was forced to retreat due to the strengthening
of the US dollar. According to Goldman Sachs, structurally
high demand from central banks for bullion and cyclical
support from the Fed's rate cuts will continue to
create tailwinds for XAUUSD. (FxPro)
News
U.S/Tech/Search/A.I
News
Google
executive addresses calls to slow AI, highlights security
and energy focus
Executive
cites cybersecurity and energy as key areas where
AI growth can be beneficial
Google
executive Royal Hansen responded to some lawmakers'
calls to slow the development of artificial intelligence
(AI) in the U.S., emphasizing the need to develop
and use the technology responsibly rather than fall
behind other countries.
"It's
really… this idea of being responsible as we
invest in and develop AI because there's a lot of
upside to using AI well, whether it's in energy production
or healthcare or science."
"But
in cybersecurity," he continued, "it's an
area where we need to keep people safe, help people
learn to use AI well at the same time."
News
Dec
22
Australia
Dodgy
$60m crypto mining scheme shut
The
Federal Court last week ordered that NGS Crypto and
two linked companies be wound up, with the three firms
known collectively as the NGS digital mining scheme.
The ruling followed an Australian Securities &
Investments Commission investigation into the dubious
scheme, with ASIC reporting that over 450 people invested
about $60 million with the NGS companies over a period
of six years. However, to date, only around $US4.5
million ($6.7 million) of that money has been traced.
(RMS)
News
Dec
20
Show
hits pay dirt, and some real gold
The
Discovery Channel Australia will broadcast the 10th
season of Aussie Gold Hunter from 8 January. The show
was the highest-rating factual series across Foxtel's
channels from 2017 and 2022, while it has an estimated
global audience of 40 million people in 140 countries.
Seven teams of gold prospectors will appear in the
new season of Aussie Gold Hunters; the program is
produced by Perth-based Electric Pictures, and executive
producer Andrew Ogilvie says much of its appeal lies
in its depiction of ordinary people finding gold -
or not finding it. (RMS)
News
Dec
22
New-age
'showman' stalking Hollywood
Netflix
and Paramount are battling for control of Warner Bros
Discovery, with Netflix's bid for much of Warner Bros
valued at $US72bn ($108.7bn). Some have claimed that
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is trying to destroy Hollywood
with its bid, but he has stated he views it as a win
for the entertainment industry. He promised in a speech
in Paris to keep films in theatres, although he told
a Time magazine event this year that he views traditional
filmgoing as being outmoded for most people. Producer
Greg Berlanti has stated that Sarandos "has that
old studio showman flair", while US President
Donald Trump has spoken highly of him. (A.I Newsfeed)
News
Gold
Gold
prices surged over 65% this year, nearing $4,400 per
ounce.
Rising
central bank buying and geopolitical risks are driving
gold demand and outlook.
It’s
hard to imagine gold having a better year in 2026
than it has this year.
The
precious metal is up more than 65% this year and has
been retesting highs set near Halloween, gaining 7.5%
in the last month to get within sniffing distance
of $4,400 per ounce.
Markets
that achieve that kind of vertical lift — and
gold prices as measured by SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)
are up 33.7% annualized and roughly 140% cumulative
over the last three years — nearly always have
similarly scary pullbacks, so investors’ gold
nerves are on edge.
And
while gold has always been considered a hedge against
rising prices and inflation has proven persistent
and sticky, gold’s recent rise appears to have
little to do with inflation and more to do with geopolitical
risk, tariff concerns, a weakened dollar, and more.
News
Dec
20
Sharemarket
caps weak year of returns amid blue-chip exodus
Australia's
benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is set to underperform its
global peers in calendar 2025. It is on track to post
a gain of about six per cent, compared with 8.4 per
cent in 2024 and 11.4 per cent in 2023; in contrast,
the US and UK bourses are set to post double-digit
returns, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong has
gained nearly 30 per cent. Tony Sycamore from IG notes
that the S&P/ASX 200's performance would have
been much worse if it had not benefited from a rally
by the resources sector, which has gained about 25
per cent in the year to date; this has been primarily
due to a surge in the price of gold. The S&P/ASX
200 rose 0.39 per cent to 8,621.4 points on Friday.
(RMS)
News
Flashback
Markets,
Biz, News, Resources, Culture
December
19, 2025
Sydney, Australia
Australia
and World
S&P/ASX
200 8588.20 +0.37%
S&P 500 6778.28 +0.85%
NIKKEI 49001.50 -1.03%
FTSE 9837.77 +0.65%
AUD/USD66.15 +0.23%
GOLD 4331.30 +0.23%
BITCOIN $84,747.60 -1.52%
News
Markets
ASX
futures up 44 points/0.5% to 8627
Wall
Street:
S&P 500 +0.8%
Dow Jones: +0.1%
Nasdaq +1.2%
Europe:
Stoxx 50 +1.1%
FTSE +0.7%
DAX +1%
CAC +0.8%
Australian
dollar +0.1% to US66.12 cents
Bitcoin
$85,077.30 -0.99%
Gold
-0.3% to $US4325.33 per ounce
US
oil +0.1% to $US55.98 a barrel
Brent
crude oil +0.1% to $US59.71 a barrel
Iron
ore +1.3% to $US105.00 per ton
10-year
yield:
US 4.11%
Australia 4.74%
Germany 2.85%
News
Mining/Energy/Resources
Demand
headwinds may put brakes on iron ore's run
The
iron ore price has risen by about seven per cent so
far in 2025, but Vivek Dhar from the Commonwelth Bank
warns that oversupply concerns could soon see the
price of the steel input fall below $US100 per tonne.
He notes that demand headwinds are accelerating in
China, while shipments from the Simandou project in
Guinea have commenced. UBS in turn says factors such
as rising iron ore port inventories, pressure on the
steel sector and Simandou pose downside risks to iron
ore prices. Despite the bearish outlook, the ASX 200
materials sector has gained 27 per cent in the year
to date. (RMS)
News
Iron
ore tipped to plunge into a bear market
Westpac
is particularly bearish about the outlook for the
iron ore price, forecasting that it will fall by 20
per cent to about $US83 per tonne by the end of 2026.
The pessimistic forecast comes amid ongoing signs
of a downturn in China's steel industry. Production
fell by 11 per cent year-on-year in November, declining
for a sixth consecutive month. In contrast, iron ore
imports into China reached a record high during the
first 11 months of calendar 2025, and inventories
at the nation's ports have reached their highest level
since March. (RMS)
News
US
miners take on Simandou play in Guinea
The
Rio Tinto-backed Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea
is currently the world's biggest mining project. However,
the Kon Kweni iron ore deposit in south-east Guinea
is estimated to be of higher quality. It is owned
by US-based Ivanhoe Atlantic, which has proposed a
$US1.8bn mine and rail project to produce iron ore
with 66.5 per cent purity. Ivanhoe Atlantic's president
and CEO Bronwyn Barnes says every ton of iron ore
produced at Kon Kweni will be reserved solely for
US and allied supply chains. The company expects to
start shipping ore in the first half of 2027, while
it has received preliminary approval to list on the
Australian sharemarket. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Bitcoin
is holding, while Solana is on the edge
Market
Overview
The
crypto market capitalisation fell to $2.91T (-2.4%
for the day). The surge at the start of the US session
on Wednesday only fuelled the bears, who drove the
market down to $2.89T by the end of the day, retreating
only slightly from these lows. Under intense pressure,
the major old altcoins — Ethereum, XRP, and Solana
— retreated to multi-month lows, losing about
4% over the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin
is trading near $87K, roughly where it was the day
before. A sharp jump in price above $90K hit a wall
of selling, and now just above this round level is
a significant short-term resistance line, which was
support until 14 December. However, it is also difficult
for the market to find reasons to go below the $85K
level, from which the price has been rebounding since
the beginning of the week. Additionally, it is worth
noting that BTC is trading significantly above its
late November lows of $80K, outperforming major altcoins.
Solana's
price fell to $123, testing an important support area
from March 2024. Since its peak in September, this
seventh-largest altcoin has lost half of its value.
The technical rebound that began at the end of November
has ended, and if support at $120 fails, the road
down to $90 or even $70 will open up.
News
Background
Long-term
Bitcoin holders have almost completed their active
selling phase, according to K33 Research, which anticipates
a decrease in selling pressure. Over the past two
years, 20% of the supply has returned to the market,
and this process is almost complete.
Institutional
investors have begun buying Bitcoin at a rate faster
than miners can mine it, Capriole notes. For the first
time since November, demand from companies has exceeded
the inflow of new coins into the market amid a more
than 30% drop in the asset from its October highs.
Strategy
bought 641 bitcoins daily in 2025, according to Finbold
Research. This allowed it to increase its holdings
by 223,800 BTC (a 50% increase) in less than a year.
The
capacity of the Lightning Network (LN) micropayment
network has reached a historic high, thanks to technical
improvements and the implementation of the solution
by major exchanges. The growth of this indicator is
a sign of demand for faster and cheaper transactions.
(FxPro)
News
The
dollar's wings have been clipped
Christopher
Waller's dovish rhetoric halted the bears' attack
on EURUSD.
Slowing
British inflation caused the pound to fall, while
the Bank of Japan is preparing to raise rates.
Christopher
Waller's comments had as much of an impact on the
US dollar as the US labour market statistics. The
rise in unemployment to 4.6% and the acceleration
in average private sector employment over three months
from 13,000 in the summer to 75,000 in the autumn
forced investors to change their views. They began
to expect a prolonged pause in the monetary expansion
cycle and a reduction in the federal funds rate to
3.75% in 2026. However, a senior FOMC official thinks
differently.
Christopher
Waller is one of the candidates for the position of
Fed chair. He believes that the neutral rate is 2.75%,
which is 100 basis points below current levels. This
is significantly lower than the forecasts of the futures
market. If the cost of borrowing falls to this level,
Treasury yields will decline and the USD index will
collapse. Moreover, the futures market is confident
that the ECB's monetary expansion cycle is coming
to an end. Investors are beginning to price in expectations
of a rise in deposit rates. This is usually done when
the risks of inflation accelerating increase or monetary
policy becomes too loose. Neither of these conditions
applies to the eurozone. It is too early to talk about
a new trump card for EURUSD. On the contrary, weak
data on business activity in the currency bloc and
German business confidence from the IFO are disappointing
ECB hawks and putting pressure on the euro. The regional
currency appears too expensive. Japan has a different
problem. The yen appears too cheap for a government
fighting inflation. Therefore, Prime Minister Sanae
Takaichi will not stand in the way of the Bank of
Japan's intention to raise rates. Investors are eagerly
awaiting Kazuo Ueda's signals about the regulator's
actions in 2026. The BoJ is expected to very slowly
normalise monetary policy. This fact supports the
bulls on USDJPY. The slowdown in British inflation
from 3.6% to 3.2% in November caused the pound to
plummet. The futures market is confident that by April,
the repo rate will be cut by 50 basis points to 3.5%.
Investors doubt that the Bank of England will take
a hawkish stance in December. They expect Andrew Bailey
to signal a continuation of the cycle of monetary
policy easing. (FxPro)
News
The
Lead Up
Dec
18
ASX
ends lower on oil stocks; miners rally
The
Australian sharemarket lost ground on Wednesday, with
the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.2 per cent to close
at 8,585.2 points. Woodside Energy was down 2.4 per
cent at $23.40, GrainCorp fell 15.5 per cent to $7.09
and DroneShield ended the session 12,1 per cent lower
at $2.47. However, Liontown Resources was up 11.8
per cent at $1.51 and Humm Group rose 10.6 per cent
to $0.73 in response to a takeover bid.
News
Markets/Resources/Commodities
Dec
18
Australian
Dollar: $0.6600 USD (down $0.0030 USD) Iron Ore: $103.60
USD (up $US1.15)
Oil Price: $56.13 USD (up $0.94 USD)
Gold Price: $4,339.35 USD (up $28.14 USD)
Copper Price: $5.4205 USD (up $0.0545 USD)
Bitcoin: $85,642.68 USD (down 2.38%)
Dow Jones: 47,974.02 (down 140.24 points)
News
Currency
Notes Under The Watercooler
Crypto
Winter Darwinism
Digital
asset treasuries were flying high earlier this year
until bitcoin's sudden October crash. Now many of
those companies are sitting on unrealized losses.
Over
180 public companies currently hold crypto on their
balance sheets, with roughly 100 of that total having
followed some version a the playbook that Strategy
co-founder Michael Saylor pioneered in 2020 by issuing
debt and equity to rapidly accumulate bitcoin.
Bitcoin's
more recent volatility has prompted a sell-off across
the digital asset treasury space.
Strategy's
stock has fallen roughly 40% since bitcoin's Oct.
10 liquidation.
Investors
have wrestled with Strategy's imitators even worse
over the past month. KindlyMD (NAKA) has dived 39%.
Eric Trump's American Bitcoin (ABTC) is down 60%.
Anthony Pompliano's ProCap Financial (BRR) has fell
65%.
Other
ether-holding treasury companies, like sports betting
company SharpLink Gaming (SBET) and computing firm
Bit Digital (BTBT), have seen their stocks tumble
about 40% over the past two months.
"Market
concerns on MSTR are overstated and there is no realistic
scenario which threatens the longevity of MSTR,"
analyst Gautam Chhugani wrote in a note on Dec. 1.
"However, several MSTR copy-cats may continue
to trade at discount to their NAVs without a clear
path to raise long term capital."
Restructuring
and stronger players acquiring weaker ones are possibilities,
according to Will Owens, a research analyst for Galaxy
Digital.
"In
other words, treasury companies are about to enter
a Darwinian phase," Owens wrote earlier this
month.
Bet
with your head, not over it!
Best
Quotes Of The Day
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
Markets,
Cryptos, Biz and Culture
Media
Man Group
All
That Glitters
Digital
Bush Telegraph - Australia to Hollywood and Silicon
Valley Edition; Media Watercooler
December
22, 2025
Sydney, Australia
December
21, 2025
Wall St, New York
Australian
Dollar: $0.6610 USD (down $0.0003 USD) Iron Ore: $104.50
USD (down $US0.50)
Oil: $56.52 USD (up $0.51 USD)
Gold: $4,340.10 USD (up $9.48 USD)
Copper: $5.4835 USD (up $0.0610 USD)
Bitcoin: $88,482.84 +0.23%
Dow Jones: 48,134.89 (up 183.04 points)
BTC
88,851.95 +0.26%
BNB $861.43 +0.84%
Dogecoin $0.1320 +0.04%
Market
Favs
Closed
Today
TKO
$213.44 +1.81 +0.86%
Alphabet Inc Class A +$307.16 +4.70 +1.55%
Netflix Inc $94.39 +0.39 +0.41%
News
Trading
Schwab
CEO Rick Wurster draws a ‘bright line’ between
investing and gambling
When
it comes to encouraging customers to invest for the
long haul or live in the fast lane, Rick Wurster says
he knows where his brokerage stands. And it is not
on the side of the guy dressed as a race-car driver.
Wurster, appointed Charles Schwab’s CEO in January,
has delivered higher profit this year thanks to individual
investors’ mounting confidence in trading everything
from stocks and bonds to options and exchange-traded
funds. An extended rally has led some ordinary Americans
into riskier, more-volatile markets.
News
Las
Vegas
30
years, millions of lights and one big party at downtown
Las Vegas’s Fremont Street Experience
In
Vegas time, 30 years is long enough to feel like forever.
It’s a monumental chunk of time wherein generations
of locals and visitors may have no understanding of
what came before. That’s how long we’ve
had the Fremont Street Experience—the historic
casino-lined five-block pedestrian promenade Downtown,
covered mostly by the 1,375-foot LED-screen canopy
flashing Viva Vision shows every night—instead
of “Glitter Gulch,” what we called Fremont
Street when you could drive your car there. When the
canopy came to life, there was no Stratosphere tower
in Las Vegas, no Bellagio fountains, no faux Eiffel
Tower.
News
US
Congressman
urges Commodity Futures Trading Commission to review
Kalshi-CNN deal
Congressman
Abe Hamadeh has called on federal regulators to review
the partnership between news broadcaster CNN and prediction
market platform Kalshi, warning that the deal posed
risks to market integrity and even national security.
In a letter to Commodity Futures Trading Commission
Acting Chairwoman Caroline D. Pham, Hamadeh requested
details on how the regulator is reviewing the partnership
between Kalshi and CNN. He argued that the arrangement
creates a conflict of interest as it allows a major
news organization to potentially profit from geopolitical
events.
News
More
Intel
Dec
19
Central
banks did not scare the dollar
Central
banks prefer to pause
The
strengthening of the dollar prevented gold from reaching
a record high. Global central banks are diverging
in their policy paths. In the wake of the Fed's decision,
Britain and Mexico have lowered rates, whereas the
eurozone, Norway, and Sweden have signalled a continued
pause. The Bank of Japan tightened its policy, raising
the overnight rate to its highest level since 1995
at 0.75%. Nevertheless, the US dollar strengthened
against major world currencies on expectations of
a prolonged pause in the process of lowering the federal
funds rate. The Bank of England lowered the repo rate
to 3.75% by five votes to four. Andrew Bailey warned
of limited room for manoeuvre in the monetary expansion
cycle in 2026. As a result, the futures market reduced
its expected scale to 25 basis points. The pound initially
strengthened, but a reassessment of US inflation data
brought GBPUSD back down to earth. As expected, the
ECB raised its eurozone GDP forecasts to 1.4% in 2025
and 1.2% in 2026. The central bank expects inflation
to remain below target until 2028. Christine Lagarde
did not encourage the ‘hawks’ who had previously
discussed raising deposit rates. The Frenchwoman repeated
the mantra that the European Central Bank is in a
comfortable position. The EURUSD's inability to break
through resistance at 1.176 resulted in a sell-off.
The Bank of Japan raised its overnight rate to 0.75%.
This outcome of the December meeting was predicted
by all 50 Bloomberg experts. In this regard, after
the BoJ's verdict, a sell-off of the yen began on
the facts. Moreover, the Governing Council did not
signal a continuation of the cycle of monetary tightening.
The US dollar strengthened against major world currencies
as investors ignored the slowdown in US core inflation
to 2.6% in November. This is the lowest level since
the beginning of 2021. After the shutdown, the BLS
is experiencing problems with data. It will take time
for confidence in it to return. The market's reluctance
to take US consumer price statistics at face value
played a cruel joke on gold. The precious metal hit
a new local high but failed to reach a record high
and was forced to retreat due to the strengthening
of the US dollar. According to Goldman Sachs, structurally
high demand from central banks for bullion and cyclical
support from the Fed's rate cuts will continue to
create tailwinds for XAUUSD. (FxPro)
News
U.S/Tech/Search/A.I
News
Google
executive addresses calls to slow AI, highlights security
and energy focus
Executive
cites cybersecurity and energy as key areas where
AI growth can be beneficial
Google
executive Royal Hansen responded to some lawmakers'
calls to slow the development of artificial intelligence
(AI) in the U.S., emphasizing the need to develop
and use the technology responsibly rather than fall
behind other countries.
"It's
really… this idea of being responsible as we
invest in and develop AI because there's a lot of
upside to using AI well, whether it's in energy production
or healthcare or science."
"But
in cybersecurity," he continued, "it's an
area where we need to keep people safe, help people
learn to use AI well at the same time."
News
Dec
22
Australia
Dodgy
$60m crypto mining scheme shut
The
Federal Court last week ordered that NGS Crypto and
two linked companies be wound up, with the three firms
known collectively as the NGS digital mining scheme.
The ruling followed an Australian Securities &
Investments Commission investigation into the dubious
scheme, with ASIC reporting that over 450 people invested
about $60 million with the NGS companies over a period
of six years. However, to date, only around $US4.5
million ($6.7 million) of that money has been traced.
(RMS)
News
Dec
20
Show
hits pay dirt, and some real gold
The
Discovery Channel Australia will broadcast the 10th
season of Aussie Gold Hunter from 8 January. The show
was the highest-rating factual series across Foxtel's
channels from 2017 and 2022, while it has an estimated
global audience of 40 million people in 140 countries.
Seven teams of gold prospectors will appear in the
new season of Aussie Gold Hunters; the program is
produced by Perth-based Electric Pictures, and executive
producer Andrew Ogilvie says much of its appeal lies
in its depiction of ordinary people finding gold -
or not finding it. (RMS)
News
Dec
22
New-age
'showman' stalking Hollywood
Netflix
and Paramount are battling for control of Warner Bros
Discovery, with Netflix's bid for much of Warner Bros
valued at $US72bn ($108.7bn). Some have claimed that
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos is trying to destroy Hollywood
with its bid, but he has stated he views it as a win
for the entertainment industry. He promised in a speech
in Paris to keep films in theatres, although he told
a Time magazine event this year that he views traditional
filmgoing as being outmoded for most people. Producer
Greg Berlanti has stated that Sarandos "has that
old studio showman flair", while US President
Donald Trump has spoken highly of him. (A.I Newsfeed)
News
Gold
Gold
prices surged over 65% this year, nearing $4,400 per
ounce.
Rising
central bank buying and geopolitical risks are driving
gold demand and outlook.
It’s
hard to imagine gold having a better year in 2026
than it has this year.
The
precious metal is up more than 65% this year and has
been retesting highs set near Halloween, gaining 7.5%
in the last month to get within sniffing distance
of $4,400 per ounce.
Markets
that achieve that kind of vertical lift — and
gold prices as measured by SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)
are up 33.7% annualized and roughly 140% cumulative
over the last three years — nearly always have
similarly scary pullbacks, so investors’ gold
nerves are on edge.
And
while gold has always been considered a hedge against
rising prices and inflation has proven persistent
and sticky, gold’s recent rise appears to have
little to do with inflation and more to do with geopolitical
risk, tariff concerns, a weakened dollar, and more.
News
Dec
20
Sharemarket
caps weak year of returns amid blue-chip exodus
Australia's
benchmark S&P/ASX 200 is set to underperform its
global peers in calendar 2025. It is on track to post
a gain of about six per cent, compared with 8.4 per
cent in 2024 and 11.4 per cent in 2023; in contrast,
the US and UK bourses are set to post double-digit
returns, while the Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong has
gained nearly 30 per cent. Tony Sycamore from IG notes
that the S&P/ASX 200's performance would have
been much worse if it had not benefited from a rally
by the resources sector, which has gained about 25
per cent in the year to date; this has been primarily
due to a surge in the price of gold. The S&P/ASX
200 rose 0.39 per cent to 8,621.4 points on Friday.
(RMS)
News
Flashback
Markets,
Biz, News, Resources, Culture
December
19, 2025
Sydney, Australia
Australia
and World
S&P/ASX
200 8588.20 +0.37%
S&P 500 6778.28 +0.85%
NIKKEI 49001.50 -1.03%
FTSE 9837.77 +0.65%
AUD/USD66.15 +0.23%
GOLD 4331.30 +0.23%
BITCOIN $84,747.60 -1.52%
News
Markets
ASX
futures up 44 points/0.5% to 8627
Wall
Street:
S&P 500 +0.8%
Dow Jones: +0.1%
Nasdaq +1.2%
Europe:
Stoxx 50 +1.1%
FTSE +0.7%
DAX +1%
CAC +0.8%
Australian
dollar +0.1% to US66.12 cents
Bitcoin
$85,077.30 -0.99%
Gold
-0.3% to $US4325.33 per ounce
US
oil +0.1% to $US55.98 a barrel
Brent
crude oil +0.1% to $US59.71 a barrel
Iron
ore +1.3% to $US105.00 per ton
10-year
yield:
US 4.11%
Australia 4.74%
Germany 2.85%
News
Mining/Energy/Resources
Demand
headwinds may put brakes on iron ore's run
The
iron ore price has risen by about seven per cent so
far in 2025, but Vivek Dhar from the Commonwelth Bank
warns that oversupply concerns could soon see the
price of the steel input fall below $US100 per tonne.
He notes that demand headwinds are accelerating in
China, while shipments from the Simandou project in
Guinea have commenced. UBS in turn says factors such
as rising iron ore port inventories, pressure on the
steel sector and Simandou pose downside risks to iron
ore prices. Despite the bearish outlook, the ASX 200
materials sector has gained 27 per cent in the year
to date. (RMS)
News
Iron
ore tipped to plunge into a bear market
Westpac
is particularly bearish about the outlook for the
iron ore price, forecasting that it will fall by 20
per cent to about $US83 per tonne by the end of 2026.
The pessimistic forecast comes amid ongoing signs
of a downturn in China's steel industry. Production
fell by 11 per cent year-on-year in November, declining
for a sixth consecutive month. In contrast, iron ore
imports into China reached a record high during the
first 11 months of calendar 2025, and inventories
at the nation's ports have reached their highest level
since March. (RMS)
News
US
miners take on Simandou play in Guinea
The
Rio Tinto-backed Simandou iron ore mine in Guinea
is currently the world's biggest mining project. However,
the Kon Kweni iron ore deposit in south-east Guinea
is estimated to be of higher quality. It is owned
by US-based Ivanhoe Atlantic, which has proposed a
$US1.8bn mine and rail project to produce iron ore
with 66.5 per cent purity. Ivanhoe Atlantic's president
and CEO Bronwyn Barnes says every ton of iron ore
produced at Kon Kweni will be reserved solely for
US and allied supply chains. The company expects to
start shipping ore in the first half of 2027, while
it has received preliminary approval to list on the
Australian sharemarket. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Bitcoin
is holding, while Solana is on the edge
Market
Overview
The
crypto market capitalisation fell to $2.91T (-2.4%
for the day). The surge at the start of the US session
on Wednesday only fuelled the bears, who drove the
market down to $2.89T by the end of the day, retreating
only slightly from these lows. Under intense pressure,
the major old altcoins — Ethereum, XRP, and Solana
— retreated to multi-month lows, losing about
4% over the past 24 hours.
Bitcoin
is trading near $87K, roughly where it was the day
before. A sharp jump in price above $90K hit a wall
of selling, and now just above this round level is
a significant short-term resistance line, which was
support until 14 December. However, it is also difficult
for the market to find reasons to go below the $85K
level, from which the price has been rebounding since
the beginning of the week. Additionally, it is worth
noting that BTC is trading significantly above its
late November lows of $80K, outperforming major altcoins.
Solana's
price fell to $123, testing an important support area
from March 2024. Since its peak in September, this
seventh-largest altcoin has lost half of its value.
The technical rebound that began at the end of November
has ended, and if support at $120 fails, the road
down to $90 or even $70 will open up.
News
Background
Long-term
Bitcoin holders have almost completed their active
selling phase, according to K33 Research, which anticipates
a decrease in selling pressure. Over the past two
years, 20% of the supply has returned to the market,
and this process is almost complete.
Institutional
investors have begun buying Bitcoin at a rate faster
than miners can mine it, Capriole notes. For the first
time since November, demand from companies has exceeded
the inflow of new coins into the market amid a more
than 30% drop in the asset from its October highs.
Strategy
bought 641 bitcoins daily in 2025, according to Finbold
Research. This allowed it to increase its holdings
by 223,800 BTC (a 50% increase) in less than a year.
The
capacity of the Lightning Network (LN) micropayment
network has reached a historic high, thanks to technical
improvements and the implementation of the solution
by major exchanges. The growth of this indicator is
a sign of demand for faster and cheaper transactions.
(FxPro)
News
The
dollar's wings have been clipped
Christopher
Waller's dovish rhetoric halted the bears' attack
on EURUSD.
Slowing
British inflation caused the pound to fall, while
the Bank of Japan is preparing to raise rates.
Christopher
Waller's comments had as much of an impact on the
US dollar as the US labour market statistics. The
rise in unemployment to 4.6% and the acceleration
in average private sector employment over three months
from 13,000 in the summer to 75,000 in the autumn
forced investors to change their views. They began
to expect a prolonged pause in the monetary expansion
cycle and a reduction in the federal funds rate to
3.75% in 2026. However, a senior FOMC official thinks
differently.
Christopher
Waller is one of the candidates for the position of
Fed chair. He believes that the neutral rate is 2.75%,
which is 100 basis points below current levels. This
is significantly lower than the forecasts of the futures
market. If the cost of borrowing falls to this level,
Treasury yields will decline and the USD index will
collapse. Moreover, the futures market is confident
that the ECB's monetary expansion cycle is coming
to an end. Investors are beginning to price in expectations
of a rise in deposit rates. This is usually done when
the risks of inflation accelerating increase or monetary
policy becomes too loose. Neither of these conditions
applies to the eurozone. It is too early to talk about
a new trump card for EURUSD. On the contrary, weak
data on business activity in the currency bloc and
German business confidence from the IFO are disappointing
ECB hawks and putting pressure on the euro. The regional
currency appears too expensive. Japan has a different
problem. The yen appears too cheap for a government
fighting inflation. Therefore, Prime Minister Sanae
Takaichi will not stand in the way of the Bank of
Japan's intention to raise rates. Investors are eagerly
awaiting Kazuo Ueda's signals about the regulator's
actions in 2026. The BoJ is expected to very slowly
normalise monetary policy. This fact supports the
bulls on USDJPY. The slowdown in British inflation
from 3.6% to 3.2% in November caused the pound to
plummet. The futures market is confident that by April,
the repo rate will be cut by 50 basis points to 3.5%.
Investors doubt that the Bank of England will take
a hawkish stance in December. They expect Andrew Bailey
to signal a continuation of the cycle of monetary
policy easing. (FxPro)
News
The
Lead Up
Dec
18
ASX
ends lower on oil stocks; miners rally
The
Australian sharemarket lost ground on Wednesday, with
the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.2 per cent to close
at 8,585.2 points. Woodside Energy was down 2.4 per
cent at $23.40, GrainCorp fell 15.5 per cent to $7.09
and DroneShield ended the session 12,1 per cent lower
at $2.47. However, Liontown Resources was up 11.8
per cent at $1.51 and Humm Group rose 10.6 per cent
to $0.73 in response to a takeover bid.
News
Markets/Resources/Commodities
Dec
18
Australian
Dollar: $0.6600 USD (down $0.0030 USD) Iron Ore: $103.60
USD (up $US1.15)
Oil Price: $56.13 USD (up $0.94 USD)
Gold Price: $4,339.35 USD (up $28.14 USD)
Copper Price: $5.4205 USD (up $0.0545 USD)
Bitcoin: $85,642.68 USD (down 2.38%)
Dow Jones: 47,974.02 (down 140.24 points)
News
Currency
Notes Under The Watercooler
Crypto
Winter Darwinism
Digital
asset treasuries were flying high earlier this year
until bitcoin's sudden October crash. Now many of
those companies are sitting on unrealized losses.
Over
180 public companies currently hold crypto on their
balance sheets, with roughly 100 of that total having
followed some version a the playbook that Strategy
co-founder Michael Saylor pioneered in 2020 by issuing
debt and equity to rapidly accumulate bitcoin.
Bitcoin's
more recent volatility has prompted a sell-off across
the digital asset treasury space.
Strategy's
stock has fallen roughly 40% since bitcoin's Oct.
10 liquidation.
Investors
have wrestled with Strategy's imitators even worse
over the past month. KindlyMD (NAKA) has dived 39%.
Eric Trump's American Bitcoin (ABTC) is down 60%.
Anthony Pompliano's ProCap Financial (BRR) has fell
65%.
Other
ether-holding treasury companies, like sports betting
company SharpLink Gaming (SBET) and computing firm
Bit Digital (BTBT), have seen their stocks tumble
about 40% over the past two months.
"Market
concerns on MSTR are overstated and there is no realistic
scenario which threatens the longevity of MSTR,"
analyst Gautam Chhugani wrote in a note on Dec. 1.
"However, several MSTR copy-cats may continue
to trade at discount to their NAVs without a clear
path to raise long term capital."
Restructuring
and stronger players acquiring weaker ones are possibilities,
according to Will Owens, a research analyst for Galaxy
Digital.
"In
other words, treasury companies are about to enter
a Darwinian phase," Owens wrote earlier this
month.
Bet
with your head, not over it!
Best
Quotes Of The Day
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
Markets,
Cryptos and Pop Culture
Culture
In Biz Edition
December
To Remember
Dec
10
Cryptos
Struggling; All That Glitters. TKO To Naysayers!
World Streaming Wars
Online Media vs Legacy Media: Disruptors
Media Pop Culture Theme: "Another Brick In The
Wall" aka "We Don't Need No Education"
(Pink Floyd)
"Schools Out" (Alice Cooper)
Silicon Valley theme: "Stretch Your Face"
(Tobacco)
"The Social Network" (score album for film)
"Hall of Fame" (The Script)
"Eight Days a Week" (The Beatles)
"The Wolf of Wall Street" ("Mercy,
Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley)
December
10, 2025
Sin
City Sydney, Australia
Australian
dollar +0.21% to 66.39 US cents
Wall
Street:
S&P 500 +0.04%
Dow Jones -0.26%
Nasdaq +.28%
Europe:
Stoxx 50 -0.13%
FTSE -0.03%
DAX -1.1%
CAC +0.49%
Bitcoin
$92,341.80 +2.12%
Gold
+0.42% to $US4208.41 per ounce
US oil -1.12 to $US58.22 a barrel
Brent crude oil -0.9% to $US61.93 a barrel
Iron ore -0.79% to $US106.42 per ton
10-year
yield:
US 4.18%
Australia 4.75%
Germany 2.85%
Bitcoin
Bitcoin:
(Near Live) $92,341.80 +2.12%
Ethereum
$3,317.79 +6.32%
XRP
$2.0989 +1.18%
News
Update: (Near Live)
News
New
York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
December To Remember!
Dec
9
After The Bell; Bells To Be Rung
NYC!
Cryptos
Today: (Near Live)
Cryptos
shining up a little!
Bitcoin
$92,572.31 +2.38%
Market
ups and downs! Mood: Medium: Still picking up. Play
the long game?! Hardcores keep dream, as always!
Media
Man Favs:
(Near
Live)
Bells
Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO hulks up! Christmas Grinch vs
Santa. Miners on hunt. Gamers full speed instead of
socials.. Tech heads grapplers watch streaming wars!
NYSE Bell Ringers With Trees! Prep for new Season's
Beatings! TKO kicks out heading towards Saturday Night's
Main Event
Wall
St, New York
TKO
Group Holdings Inc $197.11 -6.71 -3.29%
NVIDIA Corp $184.97 -0.60 -0.33%
Formula One Group Series $85.13 +1.63 +1.95%
Alphabet Inc Class A $317.08 +3.36 +1.07%
News Corp Class A $25.95 +0.22 +0.86%
Netflix Inc $96.71 -0.11 -0.11%
Caterpillar Inc $594.36 -2.14 -0.36%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $11.30 +0.20
+1.80%
Tesla Inc $445.26 +5.68 +1.29%
Walt Disney Co $107.02 -0.61 -0.57%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $124.22 -2.91 -2.29%
Meta Platforms Inc $656.96 -9.84 -1.48%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US) (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.71 -0.100 -0.56%
Rio Tinto Ltd $90.58 (US)
Paramount Skydance Corp $14.64 +0.070 +0.48%
Red Light Holland Corp $0.018 -0.00028 -1.53%
Volvo ADR (parent/owner of Muck Trucks) $30.89 -0.53
-1.69%
Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany
ADR $4.72 +0.020 +0.43%
Microsoft $492.02 +1.00 +0.20%
News
Crypto
market awaits the final battle of the year
Market
Overview
The
crypto market lost just over 1% in 24 hours to $3.08T,
falling back to the consolidation levels of late November.
Attempts to shake up the market at the beginning of
this month were unsuccessful for both bulls and bears.
Excluding this impulse, the market has been treading
water for almost two weeks, hovering around the 23.6%
correction rebound line from the October-November
decline. Such a shallow rebound could be a sign of
a strong bear market, but this will only be confirmed
if November's lows of $2.73T are updated.
Bitcoin
is trading near $90K, having crossed this level for
the fifth consecutive day. An upward trend line can
be drawn through the lows of late November, but BTC
is now trading dangerously close to this line. At
the same time, horizontal resistance has formed in
the $92K area, bringing the positions of bulls and
bears closer together over time and promising a decisive
battle by the end of this week. It could not only
be the last significant battle of the year but also
determine the trend for the coming months.
News
Background
Short
positions on Bitcoin have recorded their largest outflow
since March 2025, when the price of BTC was near its
lows. Investors likely believe that the current surge
in negative sentiment has bottomed out, according
to CoinShares.
According
to Glassnode, the reserves of long-term Bitcoin holders
fell to a cyclical low in November. This marks the
end of the spot sell-offs that have hindered market
growth throughout 2025.
Ethereum
exchange reserves have fallen to record lows, which
could signal an imminent supply crisis, according
to CryptoQuant. Since July 2025, the indicator has
fallen by about 20%.
The
largest American investment company, BlackRock, has
applied with the SEC to register an ETF that will
allow investors to earn income from staking Ethereum
without directly owning the cryptocurrency.
Strategy
has increased its weekly Bitcoin purchases to their
highest level since July. The company bought 10,624
BTC ($963 million) last week at an average price of
$90,615 per coin. Strategy now owns 660,624 BTC, purchased
for $49.3 billion at an average price of $74,696 per
Bitcoin. (FxPro)
News
Streaming
Wars: Netflix vs Paramount (for Warner Bros) aka WBD.
What's Up Doc?!
Paramount
makes hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Dec
9
Paramount
Skydance has directly approached Warner Bros Discovery's
shareholders with a takeover offer; it has opted to
bypass the rival media group's board, contending that
Warner's directors have backed an "inferior proposal".
Paramount has proposed a cash offer of $US30 per share,
valuing its bid for the entire company at about $US108bn.
It is seeking to trump Netflix's deal to acquire some
of Warner's assets for around $US83bn, which has been
approved by the boards of both companies. Warner has
rejected Paramount's claims that its sale process
had favoured a single bidder.
*Developing news story "The Streaming Wars"
News
Australia
- USA Connection
Praise
for Trump's review of AUKUS
Defence
Minister Richard Marles says the federal government
is currently "working through" the Trump
administration's now-completed review of the AUKUS
alliance. He adds that the US is "completely
supportive" of the deal to sell nuclear-powered
submarines to Australia. The review was headed by
US defence official Elbridge Colby, who has been a
notable critic of AUKUS in the past. The AUKUS alliance
is likely to be a key focus when Marles and Foreign
Minister Penny Wong hold the annual AUSMIN talks with
US counterparts Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio in Washington
DC next week.
News
24
hours ago
The
crypto market tries to form an uptrend
Market
Overview
The
crypto market soared by almost 7% over the past day,
reaching a capitalisation of $3.15T and forming a
higher local peak compared to Sunday. The mood on
the crypto market was buoyed by moves from institutional
giants Vanguard and Bank of America to open access
to digital assets for their clients. Combined with
the fact that the low point on December 1st is higher
than the lows on November 21st, we are seeing a series
of vital signs of an upward trend forming. However,
a conservative view suggests that fluctuations below
$3.38T are a correction from the previous decline.
Bitcoin
approached $94K on Wednesday morning, recovering half
of its losses from the sell-off between November 11th
and 21st. Considering the entire decline from its
October peak, BTCUSD remains trading below $ 98K as
part of the correction. The $98-100K range contains
three psychologically significant levels: the 50-day
average, early November support, and 61.8% of the
decline from the peak. Consolidation above this level
could convince buyers that crypto winter has not arrived.
News
Background
Vanguard,
the world's second-largest investment company by assets,
will open access to crypto ETF trading for its clients
on December 2nd. The company had previously stated
that it would avoid Bitcoin funds because cryptocurrency
is an “immature asset class” and does not
fit with the company's philosophy.
Bank
of America, one of the largest banks in the United
States, has recommended that its institutional clients
allocate 1% to 4% of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies.
Previously, investors were unable to access cryptocurrencies
because advisors were prohibited from recommending
such instruments.
The
four-year cycle theory has ceased to work, so Bitcoin
has a chance to reach new highs in 2026, according
to Grayscale. Analysts believe there are already some
signs that Bitcoin has likely bottomed out.
News
(from Friday: Sydney)
ASX
up as tech stocks rally, WiseTech gains
The
Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on Thursday,
with lower trading volumes ahead of Wall Street's
closure for Thanksgiving Day; the S&P/ASX 200
added 0.1 per cent to close at 8,617.3 points. WiseTech
Global was up 6.9 per cent at $69.72, Bellevue Gold
rose 3.2 per cent to $1.29 and Reece advanced four
per cent to $12.73. However, DroneShield was down
7.8 per cent at $2 and Santos fell 1.8 per cent to
end the session at $6.44. (RMS)
News
The
Dollar's new edge: from shield to sword
The
dollar is losing its safe-haven status. • The
scale of the Fed's rate cuts has been overestimated.
• The yen is the main favourite for 2026.
BoJ
may not raise rates until March. If the US dollar
was previously a shield, it is now turning into a
sword. (FxPro)
News
Pop
Culture News
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream
Match Series; Crack The Code!
Million
Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr Cardona
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match!
Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle
UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs NYC and Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins
again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling
(MLW)! Holliday working web?! Most Marketable?!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
NXT Gold Rush: Page & Green vs Hendry & Hail
Baszler vs Itoh - HOG Superclash - Nov 15
MSG, NY winning with WWE and UFC in Nov
The Vision vs WWE Lockerroom
John Cena vs Dirty Dom
Miz vs Management
Jericho vs Internet Marks
Mr Gold vs Mr Fool's Gold
Neo vs Mr Smith
PBR vs Others. No Bull?!
Aus Gvt vs Big Tech
Banks vs Cryptos
NVIDIA vs World
White House vs Wokes
Packer vs Devil D
Lucha Bros vs AAA Heels
WWE Black Scorpion/Masked Man vs Babyfaces
CM Punk vs The Hood
Starks vs Oba Femi - NXT Deadline
TNA Wrestling vs Dirtsheets
TKO vs Naysayers
John Cena vs Gunther: SNME
Chris Jericho and Mr X vs IWC
Mr Netflix vs Mr Paramount
News
Crypto
Movies/Docos
The
Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring
Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the
community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s
early days and its potential to disrupt finance.
Banking
on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots,
and impact on global financial systems through interviews
with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.
Cryptopia:
Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet
(2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives
into blockchain’s broader applications beyond
cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory
challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s
transformative potential.
Trust
Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by
Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal
impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems.
A comprehensive look at real-world applications.
Bitcoin:
The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin
as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized
financial systems. Features interviews with crypto
experts.
Deep
Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary
focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator,
Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in
dark web transactions.
Bitconned
(2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing
how three individuals defrauded investors during the
2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated
markets.
Feature
Films
Crypto
(2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth,
and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering
agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency
in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal
but praise its entertainment value.
Silk
Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of
the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin.
It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and
drama.
Dope
(2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin
as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin
for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association
with illicit activities.
Bonus
Mentions
Life
on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to
live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early
adoption challenges.
Bitcoin
Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers
chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.
Notes
Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing
on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology,
and real-world implications. They’re great for
beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Feature
films often dramatize crypto’s association with
crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating
for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.
For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like
Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many
of these are available.
News
Wall
Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a
drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial
world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young
stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled
with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate
raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,”
drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading
and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth
and power.
The
film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal,
with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father
(Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.
Key
Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie
Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin
Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).
Awards:
Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Notable
Aspects:
Gekko’s
“Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting
1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan
Boesky and Michael Milken.
A
sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued
the story.
Where
to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or
rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current
availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.
News
Best
Quotes
An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Media
Man "Bullish is a mindset"
Markets,
Crypto and Culture
Cryptos
Struggle again, Medium Bull Update: Round 1! Bloody
Noses and Black Eyes Cont! Red And Black Attack! All
That Glitters. Bells To Be Rung! Aussie - US Connection
November
24, 2025
Sin
City Sydney, Australia
Mad Monday Aussie
ASX
futures up 92 points/1.1% to 8519
Wall
Street:
S&P 500 +1%
Dow Jones: +1.1%
Nasdaq +0.9%
Europe: Stoxx 50 -1%
FTSE +0.1%
DAX -0.8%
CAC flat
Australian
dollar at US64.59 cents
Bitcoin +3.3% to $US87,532
Gold
-0.3% to $US4065.14
Oil -1.6% to $US58.06 a barrel
Brent crude oil -1.3% to $US62.56 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US104.25 per ton
10-year
yield:
US 4.06%
Australia 4.46%
Germany 2.70%
Bitcoin:
(Near Live) $87,749.31 +3.95%
News
Update: (Near Live)
News
New
York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
The November Man!
23 Nov
NYC!
Cryptos
Today: (Near Live)
Moody:
Cryptos lost shine!
Bitcoin
$87,749.31 +3.95%
Ethereum $2,833.20 +3.10%
Tether $1.0005 +0.06%
Binance Coin $853.96 +2.91%
XRP $2.0762 +6.95%
Solana $133.00 +4.96%
TRON $0.2755 +0.52%
Dogecoin $0.1470 +4.85%
Cardano $0.4158 +3.49%
Market
scares! Mood: Medium:; Picking up for some in traditional
sectors! Hardcores keep dream! Many bears selling
out!
Media
Man Favs:
(Near
Live)
Bells
Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO kicks out. Comeback! Christmas
Grinch Comes Early for some! Santa gives little for
miners, gamers, some tech heads and grapplers!
Wall
St, New York
TKO
Group Holdings Inc $178.17 +1.680.95%
NVIDIA Corp $178.88 -1.76 -0.97%
Formula One Group Series A $85.18 -0.72 -0.84%
Alphabet Inc Class A $299.66 +10.21 +3.53%
News Corp Class A $25.69 +0.89 +3.59%
Netflix Inc $104.31 -1.36 -1.29%
Caterpillar Inc $550.43 +4.30 +0.79%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $10.33
-0.020 -0.19%
Tesla Inc $391.09 -3.96 -1.00%
Walt Disney Co $104.28 +1.58 +1.54%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $119.60 +2.46 +2.10%
Meta Platforms Inc $594.25 +5.03 +0.85%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US) 53.08 +0.50 +0.95% (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $16.45 +0.32 +1.98%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US)
Rio Tinto Ltd $84.00 -1.00 - 1.18% (US)
Paramount Skydance Corp $15.89 +0.21 +1.34%
Red Light Holland Corp $0.018 -0.0013 -6.84%
News
The
Dollar's new edge: from shield to sword
•
The dollar is losing its safe-haven status. •
The scale of the Fed's rate cuts has been overestimated.
• The yen is the main favourite for 2026. •
BoJ may not raise rates until March. If the US dollar
was previously a shield, it is now turning into a
sword. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
market accelerates decline
Market
Overview
The
crypto market is experiencing a sharp decline, losing
another 4% over the past 24 hours and falling back
to $3.07 trillion, its lowest level since early May.
The decline is accelerating relative to the trend
observed since 10 October. At this stage, the market
is being dragged down by major coins — Bitcoin,
Ethereum, XRP — which are losing more than 5%,
while some altcoins remain in the shadows. It is unlikely
that this should be considered a sign of strength
for coins such as Monero (+2.7%), Tron (-1.8%) or
Bitcoin Cash (-2.4%). It would be more accurate to
say that the bears have not yet reached them.
Bitcoin
fell below $90K, trading at its lowest levels since
the end of April. As expected, the dip below the 50-week
moving average at the end of last week triggered sellers,
confirming the breakdown of the bullish trend that
had lasted for the previous two years. Now, the working
scenario appears to be a chance for BTC to dip to
its 200-week moving average. In 2022, this path took
9 weeks, and over 30 weeks to form the bottom.
Ethereum
fell below $3,000, following Bitcoin, which rolled
back below its 50-week moving average. In this case,
the 200-week average (approximately $2,300) will deter
sellers, and we are considering a decline to $1,700
as a working pessimistic scenario.
News
Background
According
to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds declined
by $2.036 billion last week, marking the third consecutive
week of outflows. Investments in Bitcoin fell by $1.378
billion, in Ethereum by $689 million, in XRP by $16
million, and in Solana by $8 million. Investments
in Sui rose by $6 million, in Litecoin by $3 million,
and in ETFs with multiple crypto assets by $31 million.
The
fall of Bitcoin from its record highs in October was
triggered by the capitulation of short-term holders,
rather than the distribution of coins by long-term
investors, according to XWIN Research.
Ethereum
is entering a Supercycle phase like the one that brought
Bitcoin a hundredfold increase since 2017, said BitMine
CEO Tom Lee. In his opinion, the market decline is
attributed to issues with several large market makers
attempting to provoke liquidations in Bitcoin.
The
inflow of stablecoins to Binance reached $9 billion
in 30 days. The indicator is close to historical peaks,
which previously preceded strong market movements,
notes CryptoOnchain analyst. In his opinion, capital
in standby mode can quickly change the market dynamics
in favour of the ‘bulls’.
Strategy's
business model is entirely dependent on funds buying
its shares and is built on ‘fraud,’ said
Peter Schiff, a well-known cryptocurrency critic and
gold advocate. Since July, Strategy's shares have
fallen by more than 50%, and recently, its capitalisation
has fallen below the value of its assets. (FxPro)
News
The
crypto is set for a short-term rebound, not a full
recovery
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap has lost 9.5% over the past seven
days. The decline took place on weekdays last week,
with the level stabilising around $3.25 trillion over
the weekend. Among altcoins, the standout is the unsinkable
Zcash at $700, nearing its highs, and weak Solana
and Ethereum, which have lost 45% and 40% from their
August and September highs, respectively.
The
crypto sentiment index recorded values of 10 on Saturday
and Sunday, marking a return to the lows of late February
this year. Although this was a good point to buy on
the rebound in the following days, the downward trend
continued for almost a month and a half. Market dynamics
since the beginning of October have been reminiscent
of those seen at the end of January. This is good
news for short-term buyers but may cause medium-term
buyers to stay on the sidelines for a while.
Bitcoin
slipped below $93K during illiquid trading early in
the day, but found impressive buyer interest there,
rising to $95.6K. Whether this is a short-term rebound
or the beginning of a recovery can only be determined
after it consolidates above $100,000. There is a high
chance that the strategy of selling on rebounds will
remain prevalent.
News
Background
Outflows
from spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US continue for the
third week in a row. According to SoSoValue, net outflows
from spot BTC ETFs totalled $1.11 billion last week,
slightly lower than the previous week's outflows,
resulting in a total inflow of $58.85 billion into
these products since January 2024.
Net
outflows from spot Ethereum ETFs in the US continue
for the second week in a row, amounting to $728.6
million. The cumulative net inflow since the launch
of ETFs in July 2024 has fallen to $13.13 billion.
Inflows
into the recently launched Solana spot ETFs in the
US have continued for the third consecutive week,
totalling $382.1 million. However, during this time,
the price has fallen by a third, reinforcing the idea
that entering traditional financial markets does not
necessarily promise price growth.
Long-term
Ethereum holders have increased their sales to 45,000
ETH per day, the highest level since February 2021,
according to Glassnode. Long-term Bitcoin holders
are also actively selling their holdings. According
to CryptoQuant, they have dumped 815,000 BTC on the
market over the past month.
Miner
Bitfarms has announced a gradual phase-out of Bitcoin
mining and a transition to developing infrastructure
for artificial intelligence. The company reported
a net loss of $46 million in its third-quarter report.
(FxPro)
News
Gold
stabilised at $4,000, but the upward trend has already
broken down Gold has stabilised around the $4,000
mark over the last ten days, ending the week at roughly
the same level as it started. Attempts by sellers
to push the price below $3,900 are meeting with impressive
buying interest.
This
is facilitated by the Supreme Court, which is considering
the illegality of US tariffs. If Donald Trump is defeated,
the money will have to be returned. As a result, the
budget deficit and public debt will increase, leading
to chaos in the financial markets. Concerns about
this are prompting investors to seek refuge in safe-haven
assets. However, this all appears to be an attempt
to play the old card, which can only delay the inevitable.
According
to estimates by the World Gold Council, central bank
purchases of bullion in 2025 are expected to amount
to 750-900 tonnes. In each of the previous three years,
the figure exceeded 1,000 tonnes. China's cancellation
of VAT credits for precious metal retailers will increase
prices for the jewellery industry and lead to a decline
in demand. ETF stocks are falling.
HSBC,
Bank of America and Societe Generale continue to stick
to their forecasts of $5,000 per ounce. However, the
gold rally has broken down. Selling on the rise is
becoming relevant. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
bulls fail to maintain momentum
Market
Overview
The
crypto market has gained 1% over the past 24 hours,
the first increase after four days of decline. The
market is stabilising at levels just above $3.4 trillion,
close to May's local highs. The situation currently
resembles a pause in the decline rather than a serious
reversal, due to somewhat cautious sentiment in the
stock markets and the strengthening of the dollar
since the second half of September. Ironically, this
reversal coincides with the resumption of the easing
cycle of monetary policy. The sentiment index has
emerged from the zone of extreme fear, which also
coincided with a market rebound. According to the
creators of such an index, now is the right time for
bulls. Still, traders should be cautious with such
an interpretation, as the previous rebound from extreme
fear was not long-lasting, and the market is now 5%
below the local low of 17 Oct, when sentiment last
recovered from extreme anxiety. Bitcoin is trading
near $103,000, pausing its rebound but remaining far
from its recent lows. The bulls managed to bring the
coin back above the 50-week moving average, but there
is still a lot of time left until the end of the week,
and for now, time is on the bears' side. On intraday
charts, it looks as if the rebound has run out of
steam and sellers are ready to seize the initiative
again.
News
Background
Cryptocurrencies
are under pressure from general risk aversion in global
markets. Among the factors are concerns about the
Fed's interest rate and the situation in the credit
sector, according to Hashdex. Wintermute attributes
the worst performance of cryptocurrencies among all
other asset classes to the redistribution of cash
flows to other markets. Short-term Bitcoin holders
continue to sell cryptocurrencies at a loss, using
any rebound as an opportunity to sell, notes analyst
Darkfost. However, accumulator addresses — wallets
that only buy and never sell — have acquired
a record 375,000 BTC over the past month. Amid the
asset's decline, French company Sequans Communications,
which accumulates Bitcoin, was forced to sell 970
BTC to partially repay its convertible debt. The company's
reserves fell from 3,234 to 2,264 BTC. Japanese company
Metaplanet, on the other hand, is raising funds to
purchase bitcoins. On 31 October, the company received
a $100 million loan secured by its reserves. Ripple
announced that it had raised $500 million in strategic
investments (with a valuation of $40 billion) from
major institutional players. Zcash (ZEC) could become
an alternative to Bitcoin among those who fear the
centralisation of BTC due to Wall Street and are concerned
about the tracking of on-chain transactions, according
to Galaxy Digital. Supporters of the private coin
refer to it as ‘encrypted Bitcoin’ and a
return to the principles of the cypherpunks. (FxPro)
News
Lead Up
Price
Movements and Market Outlook
Spot
Gold Dips Slightly: Gold traded at $4,068.70 per troy
ounce on November 17, down 0.36% from the previous
day. This extends a two-day losing streak amid fading
bets for a December Fed rate cut, with the probability
dropping below 50%. However, the metal remains up
55.75% year-over-year, supported by broader safe-haven
demand.
Recent
Rally: Prices surged nearly 3% earlier in the week
to a two-week high, driven by soft U.S. economic indicators
that bolstered rate-cut hopes and lifted non-yielding
assets like gold.
Forecast:
Analysts see potential upside if gold sustains above
$4,100, targeting $4,140–$4,145, and possibly
$4,200. A break below $4,000 could accelerate declines
toward $3,900. A weaker USD and softer risk sentiment
are keeping a floor under prices, amid concerns over
the ongoing U.S. government shutdown impacting economic
momentum.
Global
Demand and Regional Updates
India
and China Cooling: Physical demand in India stayed
subdued due to volatile prices, leading to steep discounts
for the first time in seven weeks post-festivals.
In China, a state bank halted new retail gold accounts
after tax exemptions were tweaked, likely curbing
demand in the world's top consumer market. Premiums
rose in other Asian hubs as global rates eased.
Investment
Trends: First-time gold investing hit its strongest
levels since the Global Financial Crisis, per recent
surveys, signaling renewed interest amid uncertainty.
Buzz
on X (Recent Posts) Social discussions highlight gold's
role as a hedge against crypto volatility and inflation:
Users are buying gold amid Bitcoin's dip into the
$80Ks, viewing it as a tangible alternative to "digital
tulips."
News
Gold:
correction is not over yet
The
strengthening of the US dollar and higher Treasury
yields have brought the gold price back below $4000.
Yellow
metal is gradually losing its wild cards. It managed
to reach a record high thanks to devaluation trading,
expectations of aggressive monetary expansion by the
Fed, Donald Trump's threats of 100% tariffs against
China, geopolitics, pessimistic forecasts for the
global economy, and active purchases of bullion by
central banks.
However,
the White House is no longer attacking the Fed as
aggressively as before. The US and China have found
common ground. The Middle East conflict has been resolved,
and the global economy is proving resilient in the
face of tariffs. The Fed is cautious about lowering
rates, and central bank activity in the bullion market
is declining.
The
other two examples of similar velocity of gold rose
were 1979 and 2011. The experience of those years
shows that the surge and collapse were followed by
long periods of consolidation. In other words, after
a period of retreat from the top, the precious metal
will find its trading range and settle within it.
But for the weeks ahead, we continue to see more risks
of further decline. (FxPro)
News
Flashback
Oil
Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals
Weekly
data from the EIA noted that the US returned to record
oil production rates last week, supplying an average
of 13.6 million barrels per day to the market, according
to the latest EIA data. The trend towards increased
supply began in August, but producers have only now
returned to the peak levels recorded at the end of
last year. Despite a 5.5-million-barrel increase in
US commercial inventories over the past two weeks,
inventories stay at the lower end of the range seen
over the past decade, leaving considerable room for
growth. The same can be said for the strategic reserve,
which holds nearly 40% less oil than it did five years
ago, before the start of the active sell-off. It is
an interesting game in which, on the one hand, the
US (the largest oil producer) is increasing supplies,
while OPEC+ is increasing quotas on a monthly basis.
This extremely bearish combination of factors did
not cause oil prices to collapse; it was only because
of global trade in currency depreciation that caused
precious metals, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies
to rise. Oil prices have not peaked in recent weeks
.. To be cont .. (FxPro)
News
Gold
hits new highs due to political turmoil
Gold
is outside the realm of politics.
While
currencies and securities depend on the actions of
presidents and governments, precious metals do not.
Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use
them as safe-haven assets.
The
impressive 52% rally in gold started in April with
the introduction of tariffs on America's Liberation
Day. It continued due to the US government shutdown,
the political crisis in France, and the change of
leadership in Japan. he rise of gold above 4,000 dollars
per ounce is not only the result of the weakness of
fiat currencies. There are tectonic shifts in the
structure of investment portfolios and fears of financial
crises due to government recklessness.
The
share of precious metals is growing both in speculators'
assets and in the gold and foreign exchange reserves
of central banks. The indicator has already exceeded
the share of the euro. According to Eurizon Capital,
if it equals the share of the US dollar, the price
per ounce will soar to 8,500 dollars. The Supreme
Court's abolition of tariffs will inflate the US budget
deficit. France does not intend to reduce it, and
Japan plans to increase bond issuance. All this creates
a tailwind for commodity assets. (FxPro)
News
Pop
Culture News
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream
Match Series; Crack The Code!
Million
Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match!
Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs NYC and Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins
again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling
(MLW)!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
NXT Gold Rush: Page & Green vs Hendry & Hail
Baszler vs Itoh - HOG Superclash - Nov 15
MSG, NY winning with WWE and UFC in Nov
The Vision vs WWE Lockerroom
John Cena vs Dirty Dom
Miz vs Management
Jericho vs Internet Marks
Mr Gold vs Mr Fool's Gold
Neo vs Mr Smith
PBR vs Others. No Bull?!
Aus Gvt vs Big Tech
Banks vs Cryptos
NVIDIA vs World
White House vs Wokes
Packer vs Devil D
Lucha Bros vs AAA Heels
News
Cryptocurrency
Movies
Docos
The
Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring
Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the
community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s
early days and its potential to disrupt finance.
Banking
on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots,
and impact on global financial systems through interviews
with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.
Cryptopia:
Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet
(2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives
into blockchain’s broader applications beyond
cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory
challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s
transformative potential.
Trust
Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by
Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal
impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems.
A comprehensive look at real-world applications.
Bitcoin:
The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin
as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized
financial systems. Features interviews with crypto
experts.
Deep
Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary
focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator,
Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in
dark web transactions.
Bitconned
(2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing
how three individuals defrauded investors during the
2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated
markets.
Feature
Films
Crypto
(2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth,
and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering
agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency
in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal
but praise its entertainment value.
Silk
Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of
the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin.
It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and
drama.
Dope
(2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin
as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin
for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association
with illicit activities.
Bonus
Mentions
Life
on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to
live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early
adoption challenges.
Bitcoin
Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers
chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.
Notes
Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing
on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology,
and real-world implications. They’re great for
beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Feature
films often dramatize crypto’s association with
crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating
for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.
For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like
Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many
of these are available.
News
Wall
Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a
drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial
world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young
stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled
with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate
raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,”
drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading
and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth
and power.
The
film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal,
with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father
(Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.
Key
Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie
Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin
Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).
Awards:
Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Notable
Aspects:
Gekko’s
“Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting
1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan
Boesky and Michael Milken.
A
sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued
the story.
Where
to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or
rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current
availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.
News
Best
Quotes
An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Media
Man "Bullish is a mindset"
Markets,
Crypto and Culture
Bulls
Still Running Show; Cryptos Struggle, Medium Bull
Update: Round 1! Bloody Noses and Black Eyes Cont!
Red And Black Attack! All That Glitters. Bells Getting
Rung! Aussie - US Connection
November
17, 2025
Sin
City Sydney, Australia
ASX
futures down 17 points/0.2% to 8808
Wall
Street:
S&P 500 -0.1%
Dow Jones: -0.7%
Nasdaq +0.1%
Europe:
Stoxx 50 -0.9%
FTSE -1.1%
DAX -0.7%
CAC -0.8%
Australian
dollar: US65.33 cents
Bitcoin
-2% to $US93,961
Gold
-2.1% to $US4084.06 per ounce
Oil +2.4% to $US60.09 a barrel
Brent crude oil +2.2% to $US64.39 a barrel
Iron ore -0.3% to $US102.50 per ton
10-year
yield:
US 4.15%
Australia 4.43%
Germany 2.72%
News
Update: (Near Live)
Bitcoin:
$94,402.04 -1.29%
New
York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
The November Man!
16 Nov
Cryptos
Today: (Near Live)
Moody:
Cryptos loosing shine again!
Bitcoin
$94,489.19 -1.20%
Ethereum $3,101.05 -2.17%
Tether $1.0020 -0.20%
Binance Coin $928.81 -0.38%
XRP $2.4118 $2.2324 -0.67%
Solana $138.10 -1.20%
TRON $0.2931 -0.60%
Dogecoin $0.1594 -2.53%
Cardano $0.4862 -3.57%
Market
scares! Mood: Still somber-like for many; picking
up for some in traditional sectors! Regaining smiles
in selected cases! Hardcores keep dream! Many bears
sell out!
Media
Man Favs:
(Near
Live). Bells Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO kicks out, winning
again today! Christmas Grinch Comes Early for some!
Live ticket sales a talking point. Santa gives little
for miners, gamers, some tech heads and grapplers!
Wall
St, New York
TKO
Group Holdings Inc $184.09 +1.45 +0.79%
NVIDIA Corp $190.17 +3.31 +1.77%
Formula One Group Series A $90.12 -1.58 -1.72%
Alphabet Inc Class A $276.41 -2.16 -0.78%
News Corp Class A $26.15 -0.12 -0.46%
Netflix Inc $1,112.17 -42.06 -3.64%
Caterpillar Inc $554.03 +0.48 +0.087%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $11.07 -0.96
-7.98%
Tesla Inc $404.35 +2.36 +0.59%
Walt Disney Co $105.80 -1.81 -1.68%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $120.73 -2.28 -1.85%
Meta Platforms Inc $609.46 -0.43 -0.071%
BHP Group Ltd (NYSE) $55.23 -0.72 -1.29% (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.17 -0.11 -0.64%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US)
Rio Tinto Ltd $87.00 +0.53 +0.61% (US)
Paramount Skydance Corp $15.68 +0.31 +2.02%
Red Light Holland Corp $0.024 +0.0012 +5.38%
News
Good
news for Crypto bargain hunters
Market
Overview
The
cryptocurrency market jumped 4.5% in the last 24 hours,
following reports of progress in ending the US government
shutdown and promises by the US president to distribute
$2,000 checks to families, with the funds received
from tariffs. The positive effect of this news has
been amplified by the fact that a more than 20% pullback
from the peak has fuelled greed. Among the top coins,
Ethereum (+5.8%) and XRP (+8%) are growing steadily,
outperforming Bitcoin, which is up 4.5%.
Bitcoin
surpassed the $106K mark, breaking out of the $99–$
104K consolidation zone, where it spent most of last
week. At the same time, the first cryptocurrency is
trading below its 50- and 200-day moving averages.
Moreover,
a death cross is forming there, as the first of these
averages is about to fall below the latter.
The
technical picture for Ethereum is more favourable,
as the bulls did not allow the coin to consolidate
below the 200-day MA and pushed it up on the latest
positive news. From current levels near $3,600, the
nearest target for buyers appears to be $4,000, which
promises to be an important signal of market health.
News
Background
Following
the market crash on October 10-11, whales sold 32,500
BTC, while small investors actively bought on the
dips. This is an alarming sign for Bitcoin, as historically,
prices tend to follow the direction of whales, according
to Santiment.
Bitcoin's
deleveraging phase is ‘largely complete’
after the sell-off. The first cryptocurrency could
rise to $170,000 over the next 6-12 months, according
to JPMorgan's forecast.
The
‘sluggish dynamics’ of the crypto market
are linked to the rebalancing of hodlers' portfolios.
This may have a negative impact in the short term,
but is beneficial in the medium and long term, said
Galaxy Digital founder Mike Novogratz.
ARK
Invest CEO Cathie Wood said she was forced to revise
her long-term forecast for Bitcoin for 2030 from $1.5
million to $1.2 million. She cited the rapid growth
of stablecoins, which are displacing BTC among investors
in emerging markets.
According
to a survey by the Alternative Investment Management
Association (AIMA) and PwC, 55% of traditional hedge
funds owned cryptocurrencies in 2025. Last year, the
figure was 47%.
Ripple
denied plans to hold an IPO. The company does not
intend to go public in the near future, following
the example of several participants in the cryptocurrency
industry. (FxPro)
News
Gold
stabilised at $4,000, but the upward trend has already
broken down Gold has stabilised around the $4,000
mark over the last ten days, ending the week at roughly
the same level as it started. Attempts by sellers
to push the price below $3,900 are meeting with impressive
buying interest.
This
is facilitated by the Supreme Court, which is considering
the illegality of US tariffs. If Donald Trump is defeated,
the money will have to be returned. As a result, the
budget deficit and public debt will increase, leading
to chaos in the financial markets. Concerns about
this are prompting investors to seek refuge in safe-haven
assets. However, this all appears to be an attempt
to play the old card, which can only delay the inevitable.
According
to estimates by the World Gold Council, central bank
purchases of bullion in 2025 are expected to amount
to 750-900 tonnes. In each of the previous three years,
the figure exceeded 1,000 tonnes. China's cancellation
of VAT credits for precious metal retailers will increase
prices for the jewellery industry and lead to a decline
in demand. ETF stocks are falling.
HSBC,
Bank of America and Societe Generale continue to stick
to their forecasts of $5,000 per ounce. However, the
gold rally has broken down. Selling on the rise is
becoming relevant. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
bulls fail to maintain momentum
Market
Overview
The
crypto market has gained 1% over the past 24 hours,
the first increase after four days of decline. The
market is stabilising at levels just above $3.4 trillion,
close to May's local highs. The situation currently
resembles a pause in the decline rather than a serious
reversal, due to somewhat cautious sentiment in the
stock markets and the strengthening of the dollar
since the second half of September. Ironically, this
reversal coincides with the resumption of the easing
cycle of monetary policy. The sentiment index has
emerged from the zone of extreme fear, which also
coincided with a market rebound. According to the
creators of such an index, now is the right time for
bulls. Still, traders should be cautious with such
an interpretation, as the previous rebound from extreme
fear was not long-lasting, and the market is now 5%
below the local low of 17 Oct, when sentiment last
recovered from extreme anxiety. Bitcoin is trading
near $103,000, pausing its rebound but remaining far
from its recent lows. The bulls managed to bring the
coin back above the 50-week moving average, but there
is still a lot of time left until the end of the week,
and for now, time is on the bears' side. On intraday
charts, it looks as if the rebound has run out of
steam and sellers are ready to seize the initiative
again.
News
Background
Cryptocurrencies
are under pressure from general risk aversion in global
markets. Among the factors are concerns about the
Fed's interest rate and the situation in the credit
sector, according to Hashdex. Wintermute attributes
the worst performance of cryptocurrencies among all
other asset classes to the redistribution of cash
flows to other markets. Short-term Bitcoin holders
continue to sell cryptocurrencies at a loss, using
any rebound as an opportunity to sell, notes analyst
Darkfost. However, accumulator addresses — wallets
that only buy and never sell — have acquired
a record 375,000 BTC over the past month. Amid the
asset's decline, French company Sequans Communications,
which accumulates Bitcoin, was forced to sell 970
BTC to partially repay its convertible debt. The company's
reserves fell from 3,234 to 2,264 BTC. Japanese company
Metaplanet, on the other hand, is raising funds to
purchase bitcoins. On 31 October, the company received
a $100 million loan secured by its reserves. Ripple
announced that it had raised $500 million in strategic
investments (with a valuation of $40 billion) from
major institutional players. Zcash (ZEC) could become
an alternative to Bitcoin among those who fear the
centralisation of BTC due to Wall Street and are concerned
about the tracking of on-chain transactions, according
to Galaxy Digital. Supporters of the private coin
refer to it as ‘encrypted Bitcoin’ and a
return to the principles of the cypherpunks. (FxPro)
Newsfeed
If
the 4-year cycles are still alive, BTC faces a pullback
to $70K
Market
Overview
The
crypto market continues its impressive decline, losing
another 2.4% over the past 24 hours. Having fallen
to a low of $3.3 trillion, the market is now at its
lowest point since early July. A steady move below
the 200-day moving average and a drop of more than
20% from its peak are sure signs of a bear market.
Perhaps crypto enthusiasts are confident that this
is a temporary decline, similar to the one seen in
March and April.
However,
we would prefer not to rule out the possibility of
another bear market starting in the coming years.
At a time when many have buried the 4-year cycles,
we still see that they have only lost amplitude but
have generally retained their influence. According
to these patterns, the market is close to or has already
passed its peak for the next couple of years, which
explains the intense selling pressure since Oct.
Bitcoin
fell to five-digit price levels overnight, touching
lows just below $99,000 twice. BTC traded steadily
below these levels from February to May. And then
there was a psychologically significant consolidation
period in December and January. The market is now
undergoing a critical test. Another step down will
open the way to the $60,000-$70,000 range. However,
there is a theoretical chance that BTC will quickly
rebound by the end of the week from the 50-week moving
average, which has served as a global support since
the first half of 2023.
News
Background
Early
investors continue to sell off cryptocurrency. Over
the past 30 days, long-term holders have sold 400,000
BTC — about 2% of the total supply of the asset,
according to WeRate. Additional pressure is coming
from continued outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs.
The
US government shutdown, now in its second month, is
also putting pressure on Bitcoin. Another factor is
the Coinbase premium, which remains in negative territory,
according to CryptoQuant. This indicates sustained
pressure from US sellers.
At
the same time, there has been a record outflow of
stablecoins from exchanges, indicating a shift of
capital from risky assets to safe-haven dollar instruments.
Demand for Bitcoin from institutional investors has
declined, according to Capriole. For the first time
in seven months, net purchases have fallen below the
daily issuance of the asset.
Bitcoin
has lost significant growth potential due to the influence
of large financial institutions and government structures,
according to Peter Thiel, the former PayPal CEO and
billionaire.
Strategy
intends to conduct its initial public offering on
the European stock market, issuing 3.5 million preferred
shares denominated in euros. The funds will be used
to purchase bitcoins and replenish working capital.
(FxPro)
News
Gold:
correction is not over yet
The
strengthening of the US dollar and higher Treasury
yields have brought the gold price back below $4000.
Yellow
metal is gradually losing its wild cards. It managed
to reach a record high thanks to devaluation trading,
expectations of aggressive monetary expansion by the
Fed, Donald Trump's threats of 100% tariffs against
China, geopolitics, pessimistic forecasts for the
global economy, and active purchases of bullion by
central banks.
However,
the White House is no longer attacking the Fed as
aggressively as before. The US and China have found
common ground. The Middle East conflict has been resolved,
and the global economy is proving resilient in the
face of tariffs. The Fed is cautious about lowering
rates, and central bank activity in the bullion market
is declining.
The
other two examples of similar velocity of gold rose
were 1979 and 2011. The experience of those years
shows that the surge and collapse were followed by
long periods of consolidation. In other words, after
a period of retreat from the top, the precious metal
will find its trading range and settle within it.
But for the weeks ahead, we continue to see more risks
of further decline. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
is on the verge of a bear market
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap has fallen to $3.47 trillion. This
is 4% lower than the previous day and 19% off from
the global peak set just four weeks ago. Sellers are
pushing cryptocurrencies into bear market territory
(unofficially, this occurs when there is a 20% decline
from the peak) in the hope that the sell-off will
be self-sustaining near this point. However, we are
also seeing signs of a similar accelerated sell-off
at the start of the week, following a lull from Friday
to Sun.
The
sentiment index has fallen to 21, the lowest level
since 9 April, indicating extreme fear. Last month,
entering this territory triggered a rebound, but the
market has already fallen below those levels. As we
previously suggested, the initial surge of extreme
fear levels is only the beginning of a prolonged period
of volatility in this territory. This period is also
characterised by an even more substantial decline
in altcoins compared to the first cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin
plummeted below $ 105K, shedding nearly 3% in the
past 24 hours. Excluding short-term slips last month,
BTC has not traded lower since June. By and large,
it is now testing levels that served as resistance
last December and Jan.
News
Background
According
to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds declined
by $360 million last week, following inflows the week
before. Only investments in Bitcoin declined, by $946
million. Investments in altcoins increased, with notable
gains in Ethereum by $58 million, in Solana by $421
million, in XRP by $43 million, and in Sui by $9 million.
QCP
Capital recorded large transfers of Bitcoin to the
Kraken exchange by early investors. According to analysts,
the current consolidation resembles the period before
the breakthrough in 2024. Otherwise, it could signal
the beginning of a crypto winter.
Bitcoin
is not showing growth as early investors pass the
baton to long-term holders. The recovery of the first
cryptocurrency is only possible after the ETF and
Strategy resume large-scale purchases, according to
CryptoQuant.
Strategy
bought 397 bitcoins last week at an average price
of $114,771. Strategy now owns 641,205 BTC worth $47.49
billion at an average purchase price of $74,057 per
coin. The company's weekly BTC purchase volumes remain
close to record lows.
Another
record was set in October by the Ethereum network,
with stablecoin transactions reaching $2.8 trillion
last month. Circle's USDC was the leader, accounting
for $1.6 trillion of the total turnover. (FxPro)
News
Flashback
Oil
Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals
Weekly
data from the EIA noted that the US returned to record
oil production rates last week, supplying an average
of 13.6 million barrels per day to the market, according
to the latest EIA data. The trend towards increased
supply began in August, but producers have only now
returned to the peak levels recorded at the end of
last year. Despite a 5.5-million-barrel increase in
US commercial inventories over the past two weeks,
inventories stay at the lower end of the range seen
over the past decade, leaving considerable room for
growth. The same can be said for the strategic reserve,
which holds nearly 40% less oil than it did five years
ago, before the start of the active sell-off. It is
an interesting game in which, on the one hand, the
US (the largest oil producer) is increasing supplies,
while OPEC+ is increasing quotas on a monthly basis.
This extremely bearish combination of factors did
not cause oil prices to collapse; it was only because
of global trade in currency depreciation that caused
precious metals, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies
to rise. Oil prices have not peaked in recent weeks
.. To be cont .. (FxPro)
News
Gold
hits new highs due to political turmoil
Gold
is outside the realm of politics.
While
currencies and securities depend on the actions of
presidents and governments, precious metals do not.
Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use
them as safe-haven assets.
The
impressive 52% rally in gold started in April with
the introduction of tariffs on America's Liberation
Day. It continued due to the US government shutdown,
the political crisis in France, and the change of
leadership in Japan. he rise of gold above 4,000 dollars
per ounce is not only the result of the weakness of
fiat currencies. There are tectonic shifts in the
structure of investment portfolios and fears of financial
crises due to government recklessness.
The
share of precious metals is growing both in speculators'
assets and in the gold and foreign exchange reserves
of central banks. The indicator has already exceeded
the share of the euro. According to Eurizon Capital,
if it equals the share of the US dollar, the price
per ounce will soar to 8,500 dollars. The Supreme
Court's abolition of tariffs will inflate the US budget
deficit. France does not intend to reduce it, and
Japan plans to increase bond issuance. All this creates
a tailwind for commodity assets. (FxPro)
News
Pop
Culture News
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream
Match Series; Crack The Code!
Million
Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match!
Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins
again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling
(MLW)!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
NXT Gold Rush: Page & Green vs Hendry & Hail
Baszler vs Itoh - HOG Superclash - Nov 15
MSG, NY winning with WWE and UFC in Nov
News
Cryptocurrency
Movies
Docos
The
Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring
Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the
community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s
early days and its potential to disrupt finance.
Banking
on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots,
and impact on global financial systems through interviews
with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.
Cryptopia:
Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet
(2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives
into blockchain’s broader applications beyond
cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory
challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s
transformative potential.
Trust
Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by
Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal
impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems.
A comprehensive look at real-world applications.
Bitcoin:
The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin
as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized
financial systems. Features interviews with crypto
experts.
Deep
Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary
focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator,
Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in
dark web transactions.
Bitconned
(2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing
how three individuals defrauded investors during the
2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated
markets.
Feature
Films
Crypto
(2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth,
and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering
agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency
in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal
but praise its entertainment value.
Silk
Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of
the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin.
It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and
drama.
Dope
(2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin
as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin
for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association
with illicit activities.
Bonus
Mentions
Life
on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to
live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early
adoption challenges.
Bitcoin
Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers
chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.
Notes
Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing
on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology,
and real-world implications. They’re great for
beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Feature
films often dramatize crypto’s association with
crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating
for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.
For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like
Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many
of these are available.
News
Wall
Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a
drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial
world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young
stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled
with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate
raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,”
drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading
and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth
and power.
The
film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal,
with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father
(Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.
Key
Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie
Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin
Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).
Awards:
Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Notable
Aspects:
Gekko’s
“Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting
1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan
Boesky and Michael Milken.
A
sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued
the story.
Where
to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or
rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current
availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.
News
Best
Quotes
An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Media
Man "Bullish is a mindset"
Markets,
Crypto and Culture
Super
Bulls Running Show; Cryptos Still Hurting; Medium
Bull Update: Round 5! Bloody Noses and Black Eyes!
Red And Black Attack! Black Friday! All That Glitters
... Elon Smiles Again!
November
10, 2025
Sin
City Sydney, Australia
Mad Monday!
ASX
futures up 23 points or 0.3% to 8794
Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.1%
Dow Jones: +0.2%
Nasdaq -0.2%
Europe:
Stoxx 50 -0.8%
FTSE -0.6%
DAX -0.7%
CAC -0.2%
Australian
dollar at US64.88 cents
Bitcoin
+3% to $US104,999
Gold
+0.6% to $US4001.26 per ounce
Oil +0.5% to $US59.75 a barrel
Brent crude oil +0.4% to $US63.63 a barrel
Iron ore -2.4% to $US101.45 per ton
10-year
yield:
US 4.10%
Australia 4.35%
Germany 2.66%
News
Update: (Near Live)
Bitcoin:
$104,464.32 +2.11%
New
York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
Cryptos
Today: (Near Live)
Moody:
Part Corrective agub! Mainly uphill. Salt Into The
Wound Again?! Or Salt Of The Earth. Red turns to green?
Bitcoin
$104,464.32 +2.11%
Ethereum $3,577.97 +5.00%
Tether $0.9999 -0.01%
Binance Coin $996.71 -0.13%
XRP $2.3401 +2.08%
Solana $165.15 +4.40%
TRON $0.2914 -0.16%
Dogecoin $0.1799 +2.26%
Cardano $0.5800 +2.27%
Market
part corrective! Mood: Still somber-like for many
but picking up! Upswing again! Suspicious! Regaining
smiles in selected cases! Hardcores keep the dream!
Media
Man Favs:
(Near
Live). Bells Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO kicks out and winning
again today! Christmas Grinch Comes Early for some!
Wall
St, New York
TKO
Group Holdings Inc $182.56 +1.59 +0.88%
NVIDIA Corp $188.15 +0.070 +0.037%
Formula One Group Series A $92.25 -1.46 -1.56%
Alphabet Inc Class A $278.83 -5.92 -2.08%
News Corp Class A $26.72 +1.64 +6.54%
Netflix Inc $1,103.66 +6.64 +0.61%
Caterpillar Inc $563.10 -6.68 -1.17%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $13.10 -0.23
-1.73%
Tesla Inc $429.52 -16.39 -3.68%
Walt Disney Co $110.74 +0.25 +0.23%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $126.14 +3.60 +2.94%
Meta Platforms Inc $621.71 +2.77 +0.45%
BHP Group Ltd (NYSE) $55.16 -0.45 - 0.81% (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $16.92 +0.22 +1.32%
Elders Ltd $6.69 -0.100 -1.47%
Rio Tinto Ltd $82.03 -2.012.39% (US)
News
Gold
stabilised at $4,000, but the upward trend has already
broken down
Gold
has stabilised around the $4,000 mark over the last
ten days, ending the week at roughly the same level
as it started. Attempts by sellers to push the price
below $3,900 are meeting with impressive buying interest.
This
is facilitated by the Supreme Court, which is considering
the illegality of US tariffs. If Donald Trump is defeated,
the money will have to be returned. As a result, the
budget deficit and public debt will increase, leading
to chaos in the financial markets. Concerns about
this are prompting investors to seek refuge in safe-haven
assets. However, this all appears to be an attempt
to play the old card, which can only delay the inevitable.
According
to estimates by the World Gold Council, central bank
purchases of bullion in 2025 are expected to amount
to 750-900 tonnes. In each of the previous three years,
the figure exceeded 1,000 tonnes. China's cancellation
of VAT credits for precious metal retailers will increase
prices for the jewellery industry and lead to a decline
in demand. ETF stocks are falling.
HSBC,
Bank of America and Societe Generale continue to stick
to their forecasts of $5,000 per ounce. However, the
gold rally has broken down. Selling on the rise is
becoming relevant. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
bulls fail to maintain momentum
Market
Overview
The
crypto market has gained 1% over the past 24 hours,
the first increase after four days of decline. The
market is stabilising at levels just above $3.4 trillion,
close to May's local highs. The situation currently
resembles a pause in the decline rather than a serious
reversal, due to somewhat cautious sentiment in the
stock markets and the strengthening of the dollar
since the second half of September. Ironically, this
reversal coincides with the resumption of the easing
cycle of monetary policy. The sentiment index has
emerged from the zone of extreme fear, which also
coincided with a market rebound. According to the
creators of such an index, now is the right time for
bulls. Still, traders should be cautious with such
an interpretation, as the previous rebound from extreme
fear was not long-lasting, and the market is now 5%
below the local low of 17 October, when sentiment
last recovered from extreme anxiety. Bitcoin is trading
near $103,000, pausing its rebound but remaining far
from its recent lows. The bulls managed to bring the
coin back above the 50-week moving average, but there
is still a lot of time left until the end of the week,
and for now, time is on the bears' side. On intraday
charts, it looks as if the rebound has run out of
steam and sellers are ready to seize the initiative
again.
News
Background
Cryptocurrencies
are under pressure from general risk aversion in global
markets. Among the factors are concerns about the
Fed's interest rate and the situation in the credit
sector, according to Hashdex. Wintermute attributes
the worst performance of cryptocurrencies among all
other asset classes to the redistribution of cash
flows to other markets. Short-term Bitcoin holders
continue to sell cryptocurrencies at a loss, using
any rebound as an opportunity to sell, notes analyst
Darkfost. However, accumulator addresses — wallets
that only buy and never sell — have acquired
a record 375,000 BTC over the past month. Amid the
asset's decline, French company Sequans Communications,
which accumulates Bitcoin, was forced to sell 970
BTC to partially repay its convertible debt. The company's
reserves fell from 3,234 to 2,264 BTC. Japanese company
Metaplanet, on the other hand, is raising funds to
purchase bitcoins. On 31 October, the company received
a $100 million loan secured by its reserves. Ripple
announced that it had raised $500 million in strategic
investments (with a valuation of $40 billion) from
major institutional players. Zcash (ZEC) could become
an alternative to Bitcoin among those who fear the
centralisation of BTC due to Wall Street and are concerned
about the tracking of on-chain transactions, according
to Galaxy Digital. Supporters of the private coin
refer to it as ‘encrypted Bitcoin’ and a
return to the principles of the cypherpunks. (FxPro)
Newsfeed
If
the 4-year cycles are still alive, BTC faces a pullback
to $70K
Market
Overview
The
crypto market continues its impressive decline, losing
another 2.4% over the past 24 hours. Having fallen
to a low of $3.3 trillion, the market is now at its
lowest point since early July. A steady move below
the 200-day moving average and a drop of more than
20% from its peak are sure signs of a bear market.
Perhaps crypto enthusiasts are confident that this
is a temporary decline, similar to the one seen in
March and April.
However,
we would prefer not to rule out the possibility of
another bear market starting in the coming years.
At a time when many have buried the 4-year cycles,
we still see that they have only lost amplitude but
have generally retained their influence. According
to these patterns, the market is close to or has already
passed its peak for the next couple of years, which
explains the intense selling pressure since October.
Bitcoin
fell to five-digit price levels overnight, touching
lows just below $99,000 twice. BTC traded steadily
below these levels from February to May. And then
there was a psychologically significant consolidation
period in December and January. The market is now
undergoing a critical test. Another step down will
open the way to the $60,000-$70,000 range. However,
there is a theoretical chance that BTC will quickly
rebound by the end of the week from the 50-week moving
average, which has served as a global support since
the first half of 2023.
News
Background
Early
investors continue to sell off cryptocurrency. Over
the past 30 days, long-term holders have sold 400,000
BTC — about 2% of the total supply of the asset,
according to WeRate. Additional pressure is coming
from continued outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs.
The
US government shutdown, now in its second month, is
also putting pressure on Bitcoin. Another factor is
the Coinbase premium, which remains in negative territory,
according to CryptoQuant. This indicates sustained
pressure from US sellers.
At
the same time, there has been a record outflow of
stablecoins from exchanges, indicating a shift of
capital from risky assets to safe-haven dollar instruments.
Demand for Bitcoin from institutional investors has
declined, according to Capriole. For the first time
in seven months, net purchases have fallen below the
daily issuance of the asset.
Bitcoin
has lost significant growth potential due to the influence
of large financial institutions and government structures,
according to Peter Thiel, the former PayPal CEO and
billionaire.
Strategy
intends to conduct its initial public offering on
the European stock market, issuing 3.5 million preferred
shares denominated in euros. The funds will be used
to purchase bitcoins and replenish working capital.
(FxPro)
News
Gold:
correction is not over yet
The
strengthening of the US dollar and higher Treasury
yields have brought the gold price back below $4000.
Yellow
metal is gradually losing its wild cards. It managed
to reach a record high thanks to devaluation trading,
expectations of aggressive monetary expansion by the
Fed, Donald Trump's threats of 100% tariffs against
China, geopolitics, pessimistic forecasts for the
global economy, and active purchases of bullion by
central banks.
However,
the White House is no longer attacking the Fed as
aggressively as before. The US and China have found
common ground. The Middle East conflict has been resolved,
and the global economy is proving resilient in the
face of tariffs. The Fed is cautious about lowering
rates, and central bank activity in the bullion market
is declining.
The
other two examples of similar velocity of gold rose
were 1979 and 2011. The experience of those years
shows that the surge and collapse were followed by
long periods of consolidation. In other words, after
a period of retreat from the top, the precious metal
will find its trading range and settle within it.
But for the weeks ahead, we continue to see more risks
of further decline. (FxPro)
News
Crypto
is on the verge of a bear market
Market
Overview
The
crypto market cap has fallen to $3.47 trillion. This
is 4% lower than the previous day and 19% off from
the global peak set just four weeks ago. Sellers are
pushing cryptocurrencies into bear market territory
(unofficially, this occurs when there is a 20% decline
from the peak) in the hope that the sell-off will
be self-sustaining near this point. However, we are
also seeing signs of a similar accelerated sell-off
at the start of the week, following a lull from Friday
to Sunday.
The
sentiment index has fallen to 21, the lowest level
since 9 April, indicating extreme fear. Last month,
entering this territory triggered a rebound, but the
market has already fallen below those levels. As we
previously suggested, the initial surge of extreme
fear levels is only the beginning of a prolonged period
of volatility in this territory. This period is also
characterised by an even more substantial decline
in altcoins compared to the first cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin
plummeted below $ 105K, shedding nearly 3% in the
past 24 hours. Excluding short-term slips last month,
BTC has not traded lower since June. By and large,
it is now testing levels that served as resistance
last December and January.
News
Background
According
to CoinShares, global investment in crypto funds declined
by $360 million last week, following inflows the week
before. Only investments in Bitcoin declined, by $946
million. Investments in altcoins increased, with notable
gains in Ethereum by $58 million, in Solana by $421
million, in XRP by $43 million, and in Sui by $9 million.
QCP
Capital recorded large transfers of Bitcoin to the
Kraken exchange by early investors. According to analysts,
the current consolidation resembles the period before
the breakthrough in 2024. Otherwise, it could signal
the beginning of a crypto winter.
Bitcoin
is not showing growth as early investors pass the
baton to long-term holders. The recovery of the first
cryptocurrency is only possible after the ETF and
Strategy resume large-scale purchases, according to
CryptoQuant.
Strategy
bought 397 bitcoins last week at an average price
of $114,771. Strategy now owns 641,205 BTC worth $47.49
billion at an average purchase price of $74,057 per
coin. The company's weekly BTC purchase volumes remain
close to record lows.
Another
record was set in October by the Ethereum network,
with stablecoin transactions reaching $2.8 trillion
last month. Circle's USDC was the leader, accounting
for $1.6 trillion of the total turnover. (FxPro)
News
Flashback
Oil
Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals
Weekly
data from the EIA noted that the US returned to record
oil production rates last week, supplying an average
of 13.6 million barrels per day to the market, according
to the latest EIA data. The trend towards increased
supply began in August, but producers have only now
returned to the peak levels recorded at the end of
last year. Despite a 5.5-million-barrel increase in
US commercial inventories over the past two weeks,
inventories stay at the lower end of the range seen
over the past decade, leaving considerable room for
growth. The same can be said for the strategic reserve,
which holds nearly 40% less oil than it did five years
ago, before the start of the active sell-off. It is
an interesting game in which, on the one hand, the
US (the largest oil producer) is increasing supplies,
while OPEC+ is increasing quotas on a monthly basis.
This extremely bearish combination of factors did
not cause oil prices to collapse; it was only because
of global trade in currency depreciation that caused
precious metals, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies
to rise. Oil prices have not peaked in recent weeks
.. To be cont .. (FxPro)
News
Gold
hits new highs due to political turmoil
Gold
is outside the realm of politics.
While
currencies and securities depend on the actions of
presidents and governments, precious metals do not.
Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use
them as safe-haven assets.
The
impressive 52% rally in gold started in April with
the introduction of tariffs on America's Liberation
Day. It continued due to the US government shutdown,
the political crisis in France, and the change of
leadership in Japan. he rise of gold above 4,000 dollars
per ounce is not only the result of the weakness of
fiat currencies. There are tectonic shifts in the
structure of investment portfolios and fears of financial
crises due to government recklessness.
The
share of precious metals is growing both in speculators'
assets and in the gold and foreign exchange reserves
of central banks. The indicator has already exceeded
the share of the euro. According to Eurizon Capital,
if it equals the share of the US dollar, the price
per ounce will soar to 8,500 dollars. The Supreme
Court's abolition of tariffs will inflate the US budget
deficit. France does not intend to reduce it, and
Japan plans to increase bond issuance. All this creates
a tailwind for commodity assets. (FxPro)
News
Pop
Culture News
Dream
Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream
Match Series; Crack The Code!
Million
Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets
Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match
Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation
Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr H
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match!
Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins
again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling
(MLW)!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
News
Cryptocurrency
Movies
Documentaries
The
Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring
Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the
community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s
early days and its potential to disrupt finance.
Banking
on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots,
and impact on global financial systems through interviews
with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.
Cryptopia:
Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet
(2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives
into blockchain’s broader applications beyond
cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory
challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s
transformative potential.
Trust
Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by
Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal
impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems.
A comprehensive look at real-world applications.
Bitcoin:
The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin
as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized
financial systems. Features interviews with crypto
experts.
Deep
Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary
focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator,
Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in
dark web transactions.
Bitconned
(2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing
how three individuals defrauded investors during the
2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated
markets.
Feature
Films
Crypto
(2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth,
and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering
agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency
in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal
but praise its entertainment value.
Silk
Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of
the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin.
It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and
drama.
Dope
(2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin
as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin
for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association
with illicit activities.
Bonus
Mentions
Life
on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to
live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early
adoption challenges.
Bitcoin
Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers
chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.
Notes
Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing
on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology,
and real-world implications. They’re great for
beginners and enthusiasts alike.
Feature
films often dramatize crypto’s association with
crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating
for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy.
For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like
Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many
of these are available.
News
Wall
Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a
drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial
world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young
stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled
with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate
raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,”
drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading
and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth
and power.
The
film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal,
with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father
(Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.
Key
Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie
Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin
Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).
Awards:
Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Notable
Aspects:
Gekko’s
“Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting
1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan
Boesky and Michael Milken.
A
sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued
the story.
Where
to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or
rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current
availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.
News
Best
Quotes
An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Media
Man "Bullish is a mindset"
Markets
and Cryptos
April
28. 2025
Sydney,
Australia
Markets:
ASX
futures up 2 points/0.02% to 8078
AUD -0.1% at US63.91¢
BTC +0.1% to $US94,422
Dow +0.1% S&P +0.7% NAS +1.3%
Gold -0.9% to $US3319.72 an ounce
Oil +0.5% at $US66.87 a barrel
Iron ore -0.9% at $US98.60 a ton
Cryptos
Today:
Bitcoin
$94,380.95 USD -0.08%
Ethereum $1,803.59 USD -0.80%
Tether $1.00 USD -0.14%
XRP $2.28 USD +3.50%
BNB $606.29 USD -0.46%
Solana $149.14 USD +0.08%
USD Coin $0.9995 USD -0.12%
Dogecoin $0.182 USD +0.42%
Cardano $0.7146 USD +0.94%
TRON $0.2474 USD -2.16%
Markets
and Cryptos
April
24, 2025
Markets:
ASX
futures down 8 points/0.1% to 7925
AUD -0.2% at US63.57¢
BTC +2.1% to $US93,467
Dow +0.9% S&P +1.5% NAS +2.3%
Gold -2.7% to $US3291.17 an ounce
Brent oil -2.1% at $US66.02 a barrel
Iron ore +1.7% at $US100.30 a ton
Cryptos
Today:
Bitcoin
$93,462.51 USD +0.36%
Ethereum $1,793.04 USD +2.35%
Tether $1.00 USD +0.18%
XRP $2.22 USD -0.49%
BNB $606.23 USD -0.68%
Solana $150.92 USD +2.35%
USD Coin $0.999 USD -0.01%
Dogecoin $0.1784 USD +0.43%
Cardano $0.6953 USD +3.18%
TRON $0.2469 USD +0.02%
Markets
and Cryptos
Markets:
April
23, 2025
ASX
futures up 103 points/1.3% to 7939
AUD -0.7% at US63.68¢
BTC +4.5% to $US91,358
Dow +2.7%
S&P +2.1%
NAS +2.5%
Gold -1.5% to $US3371.27 an ounce
Oil +1.5% at $US67.22 a barrel
Iron ore -0.7% at $US98.65 a ton
Cryptos
Today:
Bitcoin
$91,075.31 USD +4.29%
ETH $1,695.23 USD +7.53%
Tether $1.00 USD -0.02%
XRP $2.16 USD +3.57%
BNB $607.70 USD +1.95%
Solana $144.34 USD +5.47%
USD Coin $0.9994 USD -0.08%
Dogecoin $0.1728 USD +9.13%
Crypto,
FinTech, Comms, Mining, Politics and News Media
Under
The Media Man Watercooler
April
16, 2025
News
Crypto
Today:
Bitcoin
-0.78% to $US84,112 on Bitstamp at 6.23am AEDT
The
S&P 500 fell 0.17 per cent, the Nasdaq 100 was
down 0.05 per cent and the Dow Jones Industrial Average
fell 0.38 per cent. Bitcoin fell 1 per cent to $US83,970.85
and Ether was down 1.6 per cent to $US1608.22.
News
U.S.
Bans Nvidia H20 Chip Exports to China
The
U.S. government has issued a ban on Nvidia's export
of H20 chips to China, citing national security concerns.
Nvidia has announced an anticipated $5.5 billion charge
to its Q1 earnings due to this ban, leading to a significant
drop in its stock price. This decision reflects ongoing
U.S.-China tech tensions, influencing both tech supply
chains and market dynamics. (Grok)
News
Movement
Labs Under Internal Review; Co-Founder Takes Leave
Movement
Labs has launched an internal investigation following
issues with a market maker linked to their MOVE token.
Concurrently, co-founder Rushi Manche has taken an
indefinite leave from the company. There are conflicting
reports on whether this leave is temporary or permanent,
with Manche himself stating he is 'still' at Movement
Labs. (Grok)
News
The
crypto market gathers strength after the rebound
Market
Picture
The
cryptocurrency market added 8% over 7 days, stabilising
at the $2.7 trillion level since Saturday. This is
where the market tried to find support in the last
days of March before collapsing at the start of April.
A move higher could bolster hopes for further gains,
but these expectations will only be confirmed after
a solid consolidation above the 200-day moving average,
which is now near $2.97 trillion.
Bitcoin
continues its cautious rise, trading above its 50-day
moving average and reaching $85.7K. This is an important
technical attempt to reverse the downtrend. Interestingly,
the 200-day average is quite close, so a second confirmation
of a trend change could come quite quickly. However,
from a pessimistic point of view, it is worth noting
that bitcoin has entered a resistance accumulation
zone where the strength of the initial rebound may
fade.
Solana
has added 20% over the past seven days. From a technical
perspective, this is an attempt to get back into the
bull market zone. Solana is recovering faster than
many of the major altcoins, trading at its 50-day
moving average near $130. A consolidation above this
level will open the way to $145, the area of previous
peaks. A sustained move above them will signal a break
of the downtrend and could lead to a move towards
$180.
News
Background
According
to CoinShares, global investments in crypto funds
fell by $795 million last week after outflows of $240
million a week earlier. Bitcoin investments were down
$751 million, Ethereum was down $38 million, and Solana
was down $5 million, but investments in XRP were up
$3.4 million, and Algorand and Avalanche were up $0.25
million.
Coinshares
noted that recent tariff changes have led to record
outflows of $7.2bn, effectively levelling out almost
all of the inflows since the start of the year.
Call
options on Bitcoin at $100K were the most popular
on the Deribit platform, with a total open interest
of nearly $1.2bn, according to CoinDesk analyst Omkar
Godbole. The $70K put options were the second most
popular, with $982 million in open interest.
Project
Mantra's MANTRA token (OM) collapsed by 90%, and its
market capitalisation dropped from $5.5 billion to
$765 million. The crypto community suspects fraud,
calling it the biggest rug pull since the collapse
of LUNA and FTX. (FxPro)
News
Gold
Reaches New Peak at $3,267, Predicted to Rise Further
Gold
prices have surged to a new all-time high, reaching
approximately $3,267 per ounce, influenced significantly
by trading activities in Asia, particularly China.
Financial analysts from Goldman Sachs have predicted
that gold could potentially increase by an additional
38% by the end of 2025, projecting a price around
$4,500 per ounce. This spike is seen in the context
of increased global liquidity and a shift towards
safe-haven investments amid market volatility. (Grok)
News
Markets
Australian
Dollar: $0.6350 USD (up $0.0025 USD)
Iron Ore May Spot Price (SGX): $98.75 USD (up $0.85
USD)
Oil (WTI): $61.53 USD (down $0.07 USD)
Gold: $3,229.93 USD (up $19.36 USD)
Copper (CME): $4.6155 USD (down $0.0430 USD)
Bitcoin: $84,152.84 USD (down 0.50%)
Dow Jones: 40,368.96 (down 155.83 points)
News
Update
ALL
ORDS 7,987.30 +0.22%
ASX 200 7,783.90 +0.29%
AUD/USD 0.6350 +0.13%
OIL 61.14 -0.31%
GOLD 3,294.30 +1.66%
Bitcoin AUD 131,734.02 -1.91%
XRP AUD 3.28 -3.06%
AUD/EUR 0.5598 -0.24%
News
Crypto
Today: Update
Pi
Network. $0.6621. -10.94%
XRP. $2.13. -1.40%
Bitcoin. $84,961.00. -0.96%
Dogecoin. $0.1561. -2.73%
Shiba. $0.000012. -2.16%
Pi Network [IOU... pi. $0.6600. -10.62%
MEME. $0.000110. +12.36%
Solana. $129.75. -1.81%
News
Bitcoin
Movie News
Satoshi
Nakamoto Film: A feature-length movie about Bitcoin’s
enigmatic founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, is in development,
directed by Sophia Banks. Based on Andrew O’Hagan’s
article “The Satoshi Affair,” it explores
the mystery behind Bitcoin’s creator through
investigative storytelling.
Biggest
Heist Ever (Netflix Documentary): Released in December
2024, this documentary covers the 2016 Bitfinex heist
by Ilya Lichtenstein and Heather Morgan, dubbed “Bitcoin’s
Bonnie and Clyde.” They stole nearly 120,000
Bitcoin (worth $4.5 billion today), causing a 20%
drop in Bitcoin’s value at the time. The documentary
faced cease-and-desist demands from Morgan’s
lawyers for alleged privacy violations and false claims.
Crypto
Man (South Korean Film): A major crypto-themed movie
based on true events, “Crypto Man,” was
released in South Korean theaters in January 2025.
It’s generating buzz for its realistic portrayal
of the crypto world.
G20
(Amazon Prime Movie): Released in April 2025, this
action film starring Viola Davis features Bitcoin
and digital currencies as a central plot element,
reflecting crypto’s growing cultural presence.
Posts on X highlight its pro-Bitcoin stance, with
the plot involving governments attempting to control
digital currencies, countered by Bitcoin’s decentralized
nature.
Aimy
in a Cage: This 2015 dystopian horror film, directed
by Hooroo Jackson, was the first movie fully funded
by Bitcoin investments, notable for its independence
from studio interference.
Cold
Wallet: A 2025 thriller about cryptocurrency fraud,
presented by Steven Soderbergh, has been praised for
its suspenseful take on the crypto world.
These
projects reflect Hollywood’s increasing fascination
with Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, blending real-world
events with dramatic storytelling. For more details
on specific films, I can dive deeper into any of these!
(Grok)
News
Australia
ASX
edges up as CSL climbs; Belleveue sinks
The
Australian sharemarket posted a small gain on Tuesday,
with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.2 per cent to close
at 7,761.7 points. Iluka Resources was up 5.2 per
cent at $3.62, CSL advanced 2.6 per cent to end the
session at $244.10 and Westpac rose 0.8 per cent to
$30.76. However, Bellevue Gold shed 21.8 per cent
to finish at $0.895 and Collins Foods was down 7.7
per cent at $8. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Stock
market: Famous Quotes:
"An
investment in knowledge pays the best interest."
— Benjamin Franklin
"Bottoms
in the investment world don't end with four-year lows;
they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim
Rogers
"Be
fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when
others are fearful." — Warren Buffett
Markets
April
15, 2025
ASX
futures up 31 points/0.4% to 7805
AUD
+0.7% to US63.32¢
Bitcoin
+0.3% to $US84,895
Wall
Street:
Dow+1%
S&P +0.9%
Nasdaq +0.9%
VIX -5.94 to 31.62
Gold -0.9% to $US3209.82 an ounce
Oil -0.3% to $US64.58 a barrel
Iron ore +0.8% to $US97.90 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.36% Australia 4.40%
Cryptos
Today:
Pi
Network. $0.7407. -1.07%
XRP. $2.14. -1.38%
Bitcoin. $84,578.00. -0.22%
Dogecoin. $0.1605. -3.55%
Shiba. $0.000012. -1.06%
Pi Network [IOU... pi. $0.7411. -1.01%
MEMES. $0.000100. +0.06%
Solana. $129.78. -1.17%
Markets
April
12, 2025
ASX
futures up 23 points/ 0.3% to 7683
AUD
+1% to US62.86¢
Bitcoin
+5.2% to $US83,813
Wall
St:
Dow
+1.6%
S&P +1.8%
Nasdaq +2.1%
VIX -3.08 to 37.64
Gold +1.9% to $US3235.90 an ounce
Brent oil +2.2% to $US64.72 a barrel
Iron ore +0.1% to $US97.20 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.48% Australia 4.39%
Cryptos
Today:
BTC.
$83,838.53. 5.57%
ETH. $1,570.31. 3.55.
USDT. $0.9996. 0.02%
XRP. $2.0561. 4.70%
BNB. $589.40. 2.45%
SOL. $120.77. 8.53%
USDC. $0.9999. 0.00%
DOGE. $0.1606. 4.79%
Cryptocurrency,
Fintech, Biz, Metals, Comms and News
Cryptos
Today:
BTC-USD.
85279.47. ( +2.25% )
AAPL. 198.15. ( +4.06% )
XRP-USD. 2.16. ( +6.66% )
ETH-USD. 1643.50. ( +4.87% )
SOL-USD. 132.26. ( +8.83% )
News
Crypto
and gold are both alternative assets, but they differ
significantly:
Crypto
(e.g., Bitcoin, Ethereum):
Pros: Decentralized, high growth potential (Bitcoin
up ~100% in past year as of Apr 2025), borderless
transactions, tech-driven (blockchain). Some coins
like Bitcoin have capped supply, mimicking scarcity.
Cons:
Volatile (prices can swing 10-20% daily), regulatory
uncertainty, energy-intensive (Bitcoin mining uses
~150 TWh annually), no physical backing, vulnerable
to hacks/theft.
Use
case: Speculative investment, digital payments, store
of value for some.
Gold:
Pros: Stable (less volatility, ~10-15% annual return
long-term), tangible, universal acceptance, inflation
hedge (retains value over centuries), no counterparty
risk.
Cons:
Low growth (underperforms stocks/crypto in bull markets),
storage costs, no yield (doesn’t generate income),
less liquid for small transactions.
Use
case: Safe-haven asset, portfolio diversification,
jewelry/industrial demand.
Data
point: As of Apr 2025, Bitcoin’s market cap ($1.5T)
is ~10% of gold’s ($15T). Gold’s price is
~$2,600/oz, up 30% in 2 years; Bitcoin’s ~$75,000,
up 150% in same period.
Verdict:
Crypto offers higher reward/risk, suits tech-savvy
speculators. Gold’s for stability, long-term
wealth preservation. Mix depends on risk tolerance—younger
investors lean crypto, conservatives prefer gold.
(Grok)
News
China
Raises Tariffs on U.S. Goods to 125% Amid Trade War
China
has announced an increase in tariffs on all U.S. imports
from 84% to 125%, effective April 12. This move is
seen as a retaliation to the United States' earlier
imposition of a 145% tariff on Chinese goods. The
escalation marks a significant development in the
ongoing trade war between the two nations, with potential
implications for global trade dynamics and economic
relations. (Grok)
News
ChatGPT
Enhances Memory with 'Moonshine' Feature
OpenAI
has introduced an update to ChatGPT that enhances
its memory capabilities, allowing the AI to reference
all past conversations to provide more personalized
responses. This feature, known as 'Moonshine', is
rolling out to Plus and Pro users globally, except
in the EEA, UK, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and
Liechtenstein. Team, Enterprise, and Edu users will
gain access in the coming weeks. Users have the option
to opt out of this feature at any time through the
settings, maintaining control over their data and
privacy. (Grok)
News
Crypto
helped by dollar weakness
April
11, 2025
Market
Picture
Crypto
market capitalisation remained at $2.59 trillion on
Friday morning, in line with the previous day's values,
despite a dip to $2.50 trillion overnight and a subsequent
recovery on Friday morning. This contrasts with the
slide in stock indices because a falling dollar supports
cryptocurrencies. Like a rising tide, the dollar's
decline is lifting other assets.
Sentiment
in the crypto market has returned to the extreme fear
zone, sending the index to the 25 level.
Bitcoin has been rising since early Friday, climbing
above $81.4K, after closing just below $80K on Thursday.
However, the first cryptocurrency has yet to confirm
a growth reversal. The key area along the way is the
$85K level, where the 50-day moving average passes.
Its overcoming will be an important confirmation of
the bullish sentiment, while fluctuations below it
will remain market noise.
XRP
and Tron found support this week on the decline to
the 200-day moving averages. This small but encouraging
signal suggests that market participants are still
adhering to a ‘buy on dips’ strategy, believing
in the continuation of the bullish trend.
News
Background
•
A combination of on-chain metrics and technical indicators
point to the need for Bitcoin to return above $93K
to regain upward momentum, Glassnode noted. The correction
has intensified selling by medium-term holdings, but
their activity is slowing.
•
New Bitcoin sell-offs are possible in the coming weeks,
but the bear market is likely to start in September,
according to ‘il Capo of Crypto’. The analyst
attributes this to the expected process of ‘global
economic reset’, which may be accompanied by
a major crisis - the first in BTC history.
•
The US Senate has approved the nomination of Paul
Atkins to the post of SEC chairman. He is expected
to focus on developing permanent standards for the
regulation of digital assets.
•
The SEC authorised the listing and trading of options
on spot Ethereum-ETFs from BlackRock, Bitwise and
Grayscale. In September, the regulator already gave
a similar authorisation for derivatives based on BTC-ETFs.
News
Top
10 Memecoins This Week
Here's
a list of the top 10 memecoins trending this week,
based on market performance, community engagement,
and recent price action as of April 13, 2025. Note
that memecoin rankings can shift rapidly due to volatility
and hype, so always do your own research before investing:
Dogecoin
(DOGE)
Still the king of memecoins, holding strong with a
massive community and consistent market cap dominance.
Recent price stability keeps it at the top.
Market Cap: ~$1.65T
Shiba
Inu (SHIB)
A long-time favorite, SHIB has seen renewed interest
with ecosystem updates like Shiba Name Service. Its
300% weekly rally earlier this year lingers in investor
memory.
Market Cap: ~$15B
Pepe
(PEPE)
The frog meme coin continues to thrive, driven by
viral social media buzz and a loyal community. It’s
a top pick for speculative traders.
Market Cap: High-ranking, exact figures fluctuate
Official
Trump (TRUMP)
Launched in January 2025, this Solana-based coin tied
to Donald Trump has exploded due to political hype
and exchange listings.
Market Cap: ~$38B
Bonk
(BONK)
Solana’s dog-themed memecoin remains a community
darling, with integrations across DeFi and NFTs boosting
its appeal. Up 2.01% this week.
Market Cap: ~$2.3B
Floki
Inu (FLOKI)
Evolving from a meme to a Web3 project with NFT and
DeFi utility, Floki stays relevant with strong marketing
and Elon Musk ties.
Market Cap: Growing steadily
dogwifhat
(WIF)
A Solana-based memecoin with quirky branding, WIF
rides the wave of dog-themed coin popularity and DEX
trading volume.
Market Cap: Competitive in top 10
Fartcoin
(FARTCOIN)
A humorous Solana coin gaining traction for its absurd
branding. Up 35% recently, showing the power of meme-driven
pumps.
Market Cap: ~$475M at $0.4755
SPX6900
(SPX)
Ethereum-based coin with a “flip the stock market”
slogan. Its 8000% surge late last year keeps it in
the spotlight.
Market Cap: ~$860M
Pudgy
Penguins (PENG)
A
newer entrant leveraging NFT community hype, PENG
combines cute branding with growing exchange availability.
Market
Cap: Rising fast
Notes:
Rankings
are based on recent data and sentiment from sources
like CoinGecko, CoinMarketCap, and X posts, but exact
positions vary by source. Memecoins are highly speculative,
and prices can crash as fast as they pump.
I
avoided obscure coins like $FRADWARD or $RETARDIA
mentioned on X, as they lack verified traction and
could be pump-and-dump schemes.
Always
check real-time data on exchanges like Binance, Coinbase,
or DEXs like PancakeSwap, as memecoin volatility is
extreme.
News
Dogecoin
wins Media Meme 'Memecoin Of The Month' award
News
Flashback
AFP
Press Release
March
20, 2025
Australian
victims warned over rising cryptocurrency exchange
impersonation scams
This
is a joint media release between the Australian Federal
Police, National Anti-Scam Centre, and Binance Australia
Editor's
note: Scam text example image available via Hightail.
Authorities
have hit send on a text and email blitz to warn Australian
cryptocurrency customers about scammers impersonating
a high-profile exchange.
The
National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC), in partnership with
the AFP-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination
Centre (JPC3), has today (20 March, 2025) reached
out to more than 130 potential victims alerting them
to the impersonation scam targeting the Binance cryptocurrency
exchange.
They
were identified through messages found on an end-to-end
encryption platform.
In
scams similar to what is seen in traditional finance,
targets were allegedly contacted via SMS and encrypted
messaging platforms by someone claiming to be a Binance
representative who said their cryptocurrency accounts
had been breached.
The
messages allegedly contained fake verification codes
and were often 'spoofed', meaning they appeared in
a legitimate existing message thread from the well-known
cryptocurrency exchange.
A
support phone number was also sent, but when the targets
called it, they were instructed to protect their accounts
by transferring their cryptocurrency to a 'trust wallet',
which was controlled by the scammer and allowed the
assets to be stolen.
Under
Operation Firestorm, a global operation launched in
2024 to address and disrupt offshore organised crime
networks deceiving Australians through romance, cryptocurrency
and investment scams, the JPC3 identified more than
130 Australian-based victims targeted by the crypto
scam through collaboration with foreign law enforcement
partners.
AFP
Commander Cybercrime Operations Graeme Marshall said
once the funds were transferred to an account controlled
by scammers, they were generally quickly transferred
through a network of wallets and money laundering
accounts making seizure or recovery difficult.
"The
AFP has worked closely with our partners at the NASC
to ensure any victims in Australia targeted by these
scammers were identified swiftly and given advice
to help protect their cryptocurrency accounts,"
Commander Marshall said.
"Anyone
who received an SMS or email warning from the NASC
must take it very seriously.
"If
you have already transferred your cryptocurrency to
a so-called trust wallet, report it to your bank or
digital currency exchange immediately, then to police
via ReportCyber quoting the reference number AFP-068."
Australian
Competition & Consumer Commission Deputy Chair
Catriona Lowe said impersonation scams had become
common, and it was vital that people verified all
communications they received, even where they appeared
to come from trusted organisations.
"Impersonation
scams rely on people trusting that the text, email
or phone call they get is legitimate and scammers
go to significant lengths to create the appearance
of legitimacy," Ms Lowe said.
"We
urge all Australians to contact an organisation directly
using official contact details from their website
or app to verify any communication they receive."
Binance
Chief Security Officer Jimmy Su said protecting their
users was Binance's top priority, and education was
key in the fight against scams.
"Scammers
often impersonate trusted platforms — like Binance
and others — by exploiting certain telecom loopholes
to manipulate sender names and sender phone numbers
to create urgency," Mr Su said.
"To
stay safe, always verify communications using Binance
Verify — our tool to confirm official Binance
channels. Never share sensitive information like your
seed phrase or transfer funds under pressure. If in
doubt, stop and verify through official sources.
"Binance
remains committed to working with law enforcement
and the community to combat fraud and enhance user
security."
Impersonation
scams
An
impersonation scam occurs when scammers pretend to
be trusted businesses, government agencies, law enforcement,
or even friends and family to steal money or personal
information.
Warning
signs
Unsolicited
contact from someone claiming to be from Binance,
a well-known cryptocurrency exchange, about an 'account
breach'.
Pressure
to act quickly due to suspicious activity or security
concerns.
Being
asked to provide sensitive information, such as your
seed phrase or account balance.
Unusual
requests to transfer money or make payments to a different
account under the guise of securing your funds.
Insisting
on secrecy and not discussing the matter with family
or friends, claiming the situation is sensitive.
Protect
yourself
If
you receive a call, email or text claiming to be your
Digital Currency Exchange (DCE) provider, use the
official contact details on your provider's website
to confirm the legitimacy of the request.
Don't
click on any links or download attachments from unsolicited
messages.
Be
extremely wary of urgent requests asking you to act
immediately.
Keep
your devices secure by ensuring your software is always
up to date.
Never
provide your personal information, particularly your
seed phrase.
What
to do if you're a victim
Report
it to police quoting the reference number AFP-068.
Report
it to Scamwatch to help others avoid similar scams.
Stop
all communication with the scammer.
Notify
your DCE provider.
If
you are concerned your identity has been compromised,
contact the national identity and cyber support service,
IDCARE.
Situations
such as this can be upsetting. If you, or someone
you know, needs help, we encourage you to contact
Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.
They provide 24/7 support services.
About
the JPC3
The JPC3 brings together Australian law enforcement
and key industry and international partners to fight
cybercrime and prevent harm and financial loss to
the Australian community.
We
are committed to equipping all Australians with the
knowledge and resources to protect themselves against
cybercrime.
Watch
our cybercrime prevention videos and protect yourself
from being a victim of cybercrime.
If
there is an immediate threat to life, or risk of harm,
call 000.
If
you are a victim of cybercrime, report it to police
using Report Cyber.
About
the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC)
The
National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) is run by the ACCC.
The NASC promotes and participates in public and private
sector collaboration to make Australia a harder target
for scams.
The
NASC runs the Scamwatch service (http://scamwatch.gov.au)
which receives intelligence from the public and provides
information about how to spot and avoid scams.
(Credit:
Australian Federal Police)
News
Gold
Price
Gold
extended its rose above the $3,250 per ounce mark
on Friday, a new record, lifted by a weaker US dollar
and surging demand for safety following further escalation
in the US-China trade war. China lifted its tariffs
on the US to 125% as of April 12th and stated it will
ignore further US responses after a series of increases
in tariffs by the White House topped at 145%. The
current measures are due to impact nearly $700 billion
of goods exchanged between the world's largest economies
every year, paring risk assets tied to global growth
and supporting inflows into safety. On the monetary
policy front, the Federal Reserve gave no indication
that it will intervene in policy to cap the surge
in long-dated yields, but further evidence of disinflation
in the March CPI report supported the case for rate
cuts this year, also supporting bullion assets.
News
Best
Quotes Of The Day
"Blockchain
is the tech. Bitcoin is merely the first mainstream
manifestation of its potential." — Marc
Kenigsberg
"Blockchain
is the biggest opportunity set we can think of over
the next decade or so." — Bob Greifeld
"Blockchain
is the most disruptive technology I’ve seen in
decades." — William Mougayar
"Blockchain
will do for trusted transactions what the internet
did for information." — Ginni Rometty
"Blockchain
is the future of financial transactions." —
Blythe Masters
"Blockchain
technology is a way to truly democratize power and
wealth." — Laura Shin
"Decentralization
is the keyword for blockchain’s value proposition."
— Vitalik Buterin
"The
great thing about blockchain is that it has the potential
to create new industries." — Patrick Byrne
"Blockchain’s
transparency makes it the perfect tool for accountability."
— Balaji Srinivasan
"Blockchain
is the backbone of the internet of value." —
Don Tapscott
News
Bitcoin
Gaming: News
$GAMES
Token Surge: The $GAMES token, touted as the first
Bitcoin gaming token on http://Gate.io, spiked 35%
as it entered price discovery. It's tied to the "Game
of Bitcoin" project, stirring buzz around a potential
recovery in crypto gaming markets.
Japanese
Developer Enish's Bitcoin Move: Enish, a Japanese
game developer, bought 100 million yen (~$670,000)
worth of Bitcoin to deepen its blockchain gaming expertise.
Their game "De Lithe Last Metsoires" already
uses blockchain, aiming to enhance gameplay and business
models.
Web3
Gaming Momentum: Projects like Big Time Studios and
Star Atlas are gaining traction in Web3 gaming, focusing
on player ownership and sustainable economies. Star
Atlas emphasizes decentralized governance, letting
players shape in-game policies, which could integrate
Bitcoin or crypto rewards.
Bitcoin
Casino Rankings: New 2025 rankings highlight Bitcoin
casinos like Ignition, BitStarz, and mBit for no-KYC,
fast payouts, and provably fair games. These platforms
support Bitcoin alongside other cryptocurrencies,
offering slots, poker, and live dealer options.
Play-to-Earn
Growth: Play-to-earn (P2E) games like http://Casino.bet
Wheel let players earn Bitcoin without deposits, blending
simple gameplay with crypto rewards. These models
are drawing attention for accessible crypto gaming.
News
ASX
News
ASX
Metals & Mining:
BHP
Group Limited (ASX:BHP): Showed a decrease of 2.25%.
Fortescue Ltd (ASX:FMG): Currently has a positive
percentage change.
Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO): Showed a decrease.
Northern Star Resources Limited (ASX:NST): Has a positive
percentage change.
Industrial
Metals:
Copper (Comex): Showed a positive change of +18.65.
3Mo Copper (LME): Showed a positive change of +166.50.
3Mo Aluminum (LME): Showed a positive change of +26.50.
3Mo Zinc (LME): Showed a positive change of +10.50.
Precious
Metals:
Gold: Prices are fluctuating.
Silver: Prices are fluctuating.
Platinum: Prices are fluctuating.
Palladium: Prices are fluctuating
News
Gold:
The price of gold is currently around $5,148.58 per
ounce in Australian dollars.
Silver:
The price of silver is around $51.52 per ounce in
Australian dollars.
Cryptocurrency,
Fintech, Markets, Comms, Biz, Politics
April
7, 2025
Markets
ASX
futures down 331 points/4.3% to 7388
AUD -0.3% at US60.21¢
Bitcoin -4.3% to $US79,283
Dow -5.5%
S&P -6.0%
Nasdaq -5.8%
Gold -2.5% to $US3038.24 an ounce
Brent oil -6.5% at $US65.58 a barrel
Iron ore flat at $US98.00 a tonne
News
April
7, 2025
Crypto
Today:
BTC.
$78,820.93. 4.67%
ETH. $1,577.20. 10.02.
USDT. $0.9998. 0.03%
XRP. $1.9566. 7.10%
BNB. $552.66. 6.00%
USDC. $1.0002. 0.03%
SOL. $106.55. 9.74%
DOGE. $0.1499. 9.96%
News
Countries
Respond to U.S. Tariffs with Negotiation Offers
Following
President Trump's announcement of new tariff policies,
Vietnam and Taiwan have both offered to eliminate
all tariffs on U.S. goods. Additionally, over 50 countries
have reached out to the U.S. to begin trade negotiations,
as stated by U.S. National Economic Council Director
Kevin Hassett. These actions are in response to the
U.S. imposing tariffs, with countries seeking to negotiate
new trade deals to mitigate the impact of these tariffs.
(Grok)
News
Bitcoin
Dips Below $80,000, Hits $78,000 Amid Market Liquidation
On
April 6, 2025, Bitcoin experienced a significant price
drop, falling below $80,000 and reaching as low as
approximately $78,000. This decline was accompanied
by a $200 million liquidation from the cryptocurrency
market within the past hour. Ethereum also saw a decrease,
falling below $1,700, marking a notable downturn in
the broader crypto market. (Grok)
News
Trump's
Tariffs Prompt Global Trade Shifts
President
Trump has recently imposed tariffs on several countries,
prompting a variety of responses globally. Vietnam
has proposed eliminating tariffs on U.S. goods following
discussions with Trump, with plans to send diplomats
to Mar-a-Lago to finalize the agreement. In the UK,
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged the failure
of globalization and expressed understanding of Trump's
tariff strategy. Meanwhile, business leaders like
Elon Musk have advocated for a zero-tariff system
between the U.S. and Europe to establish a free trade
zone. Public opinion on these tariffs is divided,
with some seeing an increase in Trump's approval ratings,
while others, including investors, express concerns
over economic impacts. (Grok)
World
News, Biz, Markets, Resources, Politics, Media
April
4, 2025
Tariff
wars made the dollar a risky asset
Gold
Movements
in metals have been monumental. A 3% rise deep into
the region of all-time highs for Gold was followed
by a collapse of more than $100 from $3,170 to $3,050
an ounce. On Friday, trading stabilised near $3100,
minimally adding to levels at the opening of the week.
Tactically,
this is a good time for the bulls to exhale and lock
in profits. This is confirmed by the fulfilment of
an important growth target and the entry into extreme
overbought on weekly timeframes on RSI. Multi-week
corrections started in similar conditions in 2024.
Oil
Oil
took a double hit in the week in less than 24 hours
when it came under pressure from the macroeconomy
due to tariffs and OPEC+ actions. Tired of waiting
for the global economy to accelerate, the Cartel switched
gears in the battle for market share, pledging to
ramp up production faster than the previously announced
plan.
Similar
moments occurred in March 2020 and December 2014.
On both occasions, oil dipped below $30 a barrel before
finding support in the form of coordinated action
by global producers. In theory, coordination is now
at a higher level, but that doesn't negate the powerful
pressures expected due to the trade shock and supply
expansion.
Technically,
oil is breaking through the bottom of the three-year
range, and the 50-week moving average worked as resistance
for the third time since September. (FxPro)
News
Cryptos
Today
BTC.
$83,789.09. 0.70%
ETH. $1,812.44. 0.36.
USDT. $0.9997. 0.00%
XRP. $2.1330. 2.61%
BNB. $596.22. 0.09%
SOL. $120.95. 3.74%
USDC. $1.0000. 0.01%
DOGE. $0.1696. 3.20%
News
Markets
ASX
200 futures are pointing down 93 points/1.2 per cent
to 7786
AUD
+0.4% to US63.22¢
Bitcoin
-4.7% to $US82,018
Wall
St:
Dow -4%
S&P -4.8%
Nasdaq -6%
VIX +8.26 to 29.77
Gold -0.9% to $US3108.38 an ounce
Brent oil -6.7% to $US69.91 a barrel
Iron ore -1.5% to $US101.25 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.04% Australia 4.26%
News
Germany
Considers Gold Withdrawal from U.S. Vault
Germany
is contemplating the withdrawal of approximately 1,200
tons of gold, valued at around $124 billion, from
a U.S. Federal Reserve vault in New York. This consideration
comes in the context of recent U.S. tariffs imposed
by President Trump. The decision-making process involves
senior officials from the Christian Democratic Union
(CDU) Party, who are set to lead the next German government
in the Bundestag. The potential repatriation of gold
has not occurred since World War II, highlighting
the significance of the current deliberations. (Grok)
News
Bitcoin
Holds Steady Amid Stock Market Turmoil
On
April 4, 2025, the US stock market experienced a significant
drop, with over $1.5 trillion in value being erased.
Amidst this turmoil, Bitcoin has shown resilience,
maintaining its value around $80,000. Some observers
and investors view this as a sign of Bitcoin decoupling
from traditional financial markets and emerging as
a potential safe haven asset, similar to gold. US
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly stated
that 'Bitcoin is becoming a store of value,' reflecting
a viewpoint that is gaining traction among some in
the financial community. (Grok)
News
Coffee
Tariffs Prompt Debate on U.S. Production
The
United States is currently facing a discussion around
proposed tariffs on imported coffee, which could impact
consumer prices. While coffee is grown in the U.S.,
primarily in Hawaii, the production volume is significantly
less than the national demand. Increasing domestic
production to meet this demand presents logistical
and time-related challenges, as coffee plants require
several years to mature and produce a full crop. Opinions
vary on the feasibility and desirability of relying
more heavily on American-grown coffee to circumvent
the potential tariff-induced price increases.
Markets
April
4, 2025
ASX
futures down 74 points or 0.9% to 7805
AUD
+0.6% to US63.35¢
Bitcoin
-4.6% to $US82,296
Wall
St:
Dow
-3.3%
S&P -4.1%
Nasdaq -5.2%
VIX +6.02 to 27.53
Gold -0.7% to $US3112.12 an ounce
Brent oil -6.5% to $US70.09 a barrel
Iron ore -1.5% to $US101.25 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.05% Australia 4.26%
Cryptos
Today:
BTC.
$81,846.87. 5.49%
ETH. $1,774.30. 6.24.
USDT. $0.9997. 0.02%
XRP. $2.0101. 6.23%
BNB. $587.77. 2.64%
USDC. $1.0000. 0.01%
SOL. $113.95. 12.19%
DOGE. $0.1581. 8.06%
Markets
March
29, 2025
ASX
futures down 91 points/1.1% to 7929
AUD -0.3% at US62.87¢
Bitcoin -3.9% to $US83,810
Dow -1.7%
S&P -2%
Nasdaq -2.7%
Gold +0.7% to $US3077.49 an ounce
Brent oil -0.6% at $US73.61 a barrel
Iron ore -0.2% at $US103.25 a tonne
Markets
March
24, 2025
ASX
futuresdown 0.5 per cent or 41 points to 7945
AUD
flat at US62.73¢
Bitcoin
+1.2% to $US85,147
Wall
St:
Dow +0.1%
S&P
+0.1%
Nasdaq
+0.5%
VIX
-0.52 points to 19.28
Gold
-0.8% to $US3022.15 an ounce
Brent
oil +0.2% to $US72.16 a barrel
Iron
ore -0.5% to $US100 a tonne
10-year
yield: US 4.25% Australia 4.39%
Crypto
Today
BTC.
$85,293.57. 1.15%
ETH. $2,001.72. 0.75.
USDT. $1.0001. 0.03%
XRP. $2.4026. 0.56%
BNB. $622.52. 0.78%
SOL. $132.21. 2.11%
USDC. $1.0003. 0.02%
ADA. $0.7082. 0.59%
Markets
March
24, 2025
ASX
futuresdown 0.5 per cent or 41 points to 7945
AUD
flat at US62.73¢
Bitcoin
+1.2% to $US85,147
Wall
St:
Dow +0.1%
S&P
+0.1%
Nasdaq
+0.5%
VIX
-0.52 points to 19.28
Gold
-0.8% to $US3022.15 an ounce
Brent
oil +0.2% to $US72.16 a barrel
Iron
ore -0.5% to $US100 a tonne
10-year
yield: US 4.25% Australia 4.39%
Crypto
Today
BTC.
$85,293.57. 1.15%
ETH. $2,001.72. 0.75.
USDT. $1.0001. 0.03%
XRP. $2.4026. 0.56%
BNB. $622.52. 0.78%
SOL. $132.21. 2.11%
USDC. $1.0003. 0.02%
ADA. $0.7082. 0.59%
Media
Man Group Market Feed
News,
Crypto, Markets, Biz, Politics, Media
March
13/14, 2025
Crypto:
just a bumpy downtrend
Market
picture
The
crypto market declined during the week to a total
capitalisation of $2.5 trillion, a third lower than
the peaks in December last year. However, towards
the end of the week, we could see attempts to stabilise
the market, with a rebound of $2.67 trillion.
Despite
the growth attempts, only if the market breaks above
its 200-day moving average will we be able to take
it as a signal of a return to growth. For now, the
market dynamics resemble no more than just a bumpy
downtrend.
The
story is similar in Bitcoin, where the bears are regaining
control of the market on bounces to the $83,500 area.
A 200-day moving average is near this level.
Ethereum
is in a steep decline, having pulled back below $1900.
At its low point, it was below $1750. It hasn't been
this cheap since October 2023, losing over half of
its price since its peak in mid-December.
News
Background
Outflows
from spot bitcoin-ETFs in the US continue for the
seventh day in a row, with 19 trading sessions out
of 21 already.
CryptoQuant
calls the range of $75,000 - 78,000 as support, which
coincides with the lower boundary of the realised
price. If the quotes are fixed below this zone, the
$63,000 mark may become a benchmark.
Senator
Cynthia Lummis introduced an updated Bitcoin Act bill
in the US Senate that would allow the government to
store more than 1 million bitcoins as part of a newly
created crypto reserve. The US can buy 200,000 BTC
each year for five years, reallocating funds from
the Fed and Treasury Department.
The
US SEC has extended the deadlines for several applications
to launch spot ETFs based on XRP, Solana, Litecoin
and Dogecoin. Bloomberg called the regulator's move
‘expected’ and in line with standard procedures.
(FxPro)
News
The
crypto bounces back from extreme fear
Market
picture
The
cryptocurrency market bounced 2% in the last 24 hours
to $2.67 trillion. So far, the situation looks like
a small rebound after the collapse. We should not
talk about the beginning of recovery as long as the
market is below its 200-day moving average of $2.83
trillion.
Sentiment
in the crypto market has shifted from dread to fear
at 34. The indicator was last higher more than three
weeks ago, indicating that now is a good time to buy.
However, it's worth paying attention to the nervous
stock market before considering investments in more
volatile cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin
was climbing above $83,000 on Tuesday, hitting resistance
in the form of the 200-day moving average. If a long-term
trend line is repurposed as resistance, that's a worrisome
bearish fact.
Ethereum
ended Tuesday with growth and was trading near $1900
at the start of Wednesday, but this is a timid rebound
within the steep peak the coin has been in since February
24th and the broader downtrend of the past three months.
News
Background
CryptoQuant
states a sharp drop in open interest in Bitcoin and
Ethereum futures, suggesting a ‘leverage washout’
and a chance of market stabilisation. The Kobeissi
Letter admits a wave of short position unwinding in
risk assets after extreme fear levels are reached.
Clearstream,
the post-trading arm of Deutsche Börse, will
offer cryptocurrency settlement and custody services
to institutional clients as early as next month, starting
with Bitcoin and Ethereum. It then plans to add support
for other cryptocurrencies and services for staking,
lending and brokerage.
Glassnode notes that Solana fell below its realised
price of $134 for the first time in three years. The
metrics show the average cost for investors to purchase
the coin.
According
to Arkham Intelligence, on 11 March, bankrupt exchange
Mt. Gox transferred 11,501 BTC (~$905 million) to
an unknown address. Mt. Gox-related addresses hold
a total of 35,915 BTC worth $2.89bn. (FxPro)
News
Gold
hits fresh record
March
14, 2025
Spot
gold hit a fresh record high on Friday after the US
threatened higher tariffs on the EU, adding to growing
concerns that levies could hamper economic growth.Prices
rose as high as $US2990.02. It came after spot gold
notched its biggest intraday gain this year on Thursday,
rising 1.9 per cent. US President Donald Trump overnight
threatened to impose 200 per cent tariffs on alcohol
from the European Union, after the block set a 50
per cent tariff on American whisky.
News
Trump
crypto venture has talked to Binance about doing business
March
14, 2025
World
Liberty Financial, one of the Trump family’s
crypto ventures, has discussed doing business with
the world’s largest digital-asset exchange, Binance
Holdings, according to four people with knowledge
of the talks.
The
exchange’s founder pleaded guilty to failing
to take required measures to prevent terrorists, child
abusers and entities in sanctioned nations from using
its services.
It’s
not clear what stage the discussions have reached
or whether they’ll result in any transactions
or ventures, said the people, who asked not to be
named because the talks are private.
Two
of the people who spoke said conversations have included
the possibility of Binance developing a stablecoin
– a dollar-backed cryptocurrency – with
World Liberty, which President Donald Trump and his
sons began promoting in September. The Trumps receive
three-quarters of World Liberty’s net revenue,
according to its founding documents.
In
addition, representatives of the Trump family have
held talks with Binance about taking a stake in its
US arm, Binance US, The Wall Street Journal reported
on Thursday (Friday AEDT), citing people familiar
with the matter. In a post on X, Binance founder Changpeng
Zhao said he has not held discussions about a Binance
US deal with anyone.
Zhao
pleaded guilty in 2023 to anti-money laundering failures
that allowed Binance to be used by criminal groups
and terrorist organisations, including Hamas.
Zhao,
known as “CZ”, was released from a halfway
house in Long Beach, California, in September after
serving a four-month sentence. Binance paid a $US4.3
billion fine. Zhao has been pushing for the Trump
administration to grant him a pardon, according to
the Wall Street Journal’s report.
Three
months after leaving the halfway house, Zhao met with
Steve Witkoff, a co-founder of World Liberty, in Abu
Dhabi at the Bitcoin MENA 2024 conference, two of
the people said. Witkoff is the president’s Middle
East envoy. He is slated to meet with Russian President
Vladimir Putin this week as part of the Trump administration’s
efforts to halt the fighting that began when Russia
invaded Ukraine three years ago.
The
substance of Witkoff’s meeting with Zhao in December
is not clear. Talks between the crypto companies they
founded have taken place since then, according to
the four people with knowledge of the matter.
Witkoff
did not immediately respond to a request for comment,
nor did a White House spokesperson. Witkoff has said
he’s in the process of divesting from his crypto
assets as well as his holdings in real estate, transferring
holdings to his sons to manage potential conflicts
of interest.
A
representative for Binance US declined to comment
on Thursday, and representatives for World Liberty
did not respond to requests for comment.
Zhao
is still Binance’s controlling shareholder, with
a net worth of $US36.9 billion ($58.7 billion), according
to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. He stepped down
as its chief executive officer in November 2023, when
he pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an anti-money
laundering program.
Richard
Teng, who replaced Zhao, said in February that he
sees an opportunity for a “fresh reset and a
restart” under Trump, though he did not specify
any plans. (Full article and coverage via subscription
to The Australian Financial Review)
News
SEC
Proposes XRP as Key U.S. Financial Asset
The
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has
released a document titled 'Comprehensive Proposal:
XRP as a Strategic Financial Asset for the U.S.' This
proposal explores the potential for XRP to become
a key financial asset, discussing the replacement
of the SWIFT system, legal clarity for XRP, and economic
benefits like unlocking $1.5 trillion in banking liquidity.
Discussions are also underway regarding whether XRP
should be classified as a commodity, similar to Ethereum,
which could influence its regulatory and market future.
News
Rumble's
Strategic Bitcoin Acquisition
March
13, 2025
Rumble,
a video platform and competitor to YouTube, has announced
the purchase of 188 Bitcoins for approximately $17.1
million. This acquisition is part of Rumble's strategy
to integrate Bitcoin into its treasury management,
aiming to hedge against inflation and participate
in the growing trend of corporate cryptocurrency adoption.
The move reflects a broader acceptance of Bitcoin
as a legitimate financial asset among companies.
March
11, 2025
Bitcoin
Plunge and U.S. Crypto Reserve Plan
Bitcoin
experienced a significant price drop, falling below
$80,000 after reaching a high of over $84,000. This
decline contributed to a market cap loss of $100 billion
in the cryptocurrency sector. Concurrently, the U.S.
government has announced plans for a Strategic Bitcoin
Reserve, intended to hold cryptocurrency forfeited
through legal actions, sparking discussions on market
stability and government involvement in crypto. (Grok)
News
US
confirms its critical minerals agenda as fallen miner
AVZ chases an improbable African prize
A
spokesman for the US State Department has confirmed
that the Trump administration is interested in entering
into a critical minerals partnership with the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DRC). DRC President Felix Tshisekedi
is said to want to strike a deal with the US to help
resolve a conflict with Rwanda-backed M23 rebels,
while any deal between the DRC and the US could help
Australian company AVZ Minerals. AVZ is seeking to
regain control of the Manono lithium deposit, which
it contends was illegally seized from it by Chinese
company Zijin, and it is understood that the Trump
administration would want to see AVZ regain control
of at least some part of Manono as part of any deal
with the DRC. (Roy Morgan Summary)
News
Markets
Australian
Dollar: $0.6282 USD (down $0.0035 USD)
Iron Ore Apr Spot Price (SGX): $102.20 USD (up $1.60
USD)
Oil: (WTI): $66.61 USD (down $1.09 USD)
Gold: $2,983.88 USD (up $52.14 USD)
Copper (CME): $4.9240 USD (up $0.0815 USD)
Bitcoin: $80,472.06 USD (down 2.82% in last 24 hours)
Dow Jones: 40,813.57 (down 537.35 points)
News
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Company Of The
Month' award
News Media
Australia
Peter Dutton More Crypto Friendly And Switched On
Than Albanese (Media Man Group)
News
"Dutton
A Genuine Contender" (Sky News Australia)
Crypto,
Fintech, Markets, News and Politics via Media Man
March
12/13, 2025
The
crypto bounces back from extreme fear
Market
picture
The
cryptocurrency market bounced 2% in the last 24 hours
to $2.67 trillion. So far, the situation looks like
a small rebound after the collapse. We should not
talk about the beginning of recovery as long as the
market is below its 200-day moving average of $2.83
trillion.
Sentiment
in the crypto market has shifted from dread to fear
at 34. The indicator was last higher more than three
weeks ago, indicating that now is a good time to buy.
However, it's worth paying attention to the nervous
stock market before considering investments in more
volatile cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin
was climbing above $83,000 on Tuesday, hitting resistance
in the form of the 200-day moving average. If a long-term
trend line is repurposed as resistance, that's a worrisome
bearish fact.
Ethereum
ended Tuesday with growth and was trading near $1900
at the start of Wednesday, but this is a timid rebound
within the steep peak the coin has been in since February
24th and the broader downtrend of the past three months.
News
Background
CryptoQuant
states a sharp drop in open interest in Bitcoin and
Ethereum futures, suggesting a ‘leverage washout’
and a chance of market stabilisation. The Kobeissi
Letter admits a wave of short position unwinding in
risk assets after extreme fear levels are reached.
Clearstream,
the post-trading arm of Deutsche Börse, will
offer cryptocurrency settlement and custody services
to institutional clients as early as next month, starting
with Bitcoin and Ethereum. It then plans to add support
for other cryptocurrencies and services for staking,
lending and brokerage.
Glassnode
notes that Solana fell below its realised price of
$134 for the first time in three years. The metrics
show the average cost for investors to purchase the
coin.
According
to Arkham Intelligence, on 11 March, bankrupt exchange
Mt. Gox transferred 11,501 BTC (~$905 million) to
an unknown address. Mt. Gox-related addresses hold
a total of 35,915 BTC worth $2.89bn. (FxPro)
News
SEC
vs Ripple Case: Negotiations Underway for Settlement
Recent
developments indicate that the legal dispute between
Ripple Labs and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC) could be nearing a conclusion. Reports suggest
that Ripple's legal team is currently negotiating
more favorable terms related to a $125 million fine
and an injunction on XRP sales to institutional investors.
The anticipation of a settlement has led to increased
interest and speculation within the cryptocurrency
community regarding the outcome and its potential
impact on XRP. (Grok)
News
U.S.
Plans Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Acquisition
Senator
Cynthia Lummis has reintroduced the BITCOIN Act, which
proposes that the United States government purchase
one million Bitcoins over five years to create a strategic
reserve. This legislative move reflects a growing
acknowledgment of Bitcoin as a digital asset for national
economic strategy, garnering support from both traditional
financial sectors and cryptocurrency advocates. Alongside
this, there is an ongoing debate about the implications,
risks, and potential benefits of such a reserve. (Grok)
News
Trump's
Crypto Banking Deregulation
President
Donald Trump is reportedly planning to sign an executive
order that would reverse regulations set by the Biden
administration aimed at restricting banking activities
for cryptocurrency firms. This move could impact how
crypto companies interact with the Federal Reserve,
potentially leading to greater integration of cryptocurrencies
within the traditional financial system. (Grok)
News
Rumble's
Strategic Bitcoin Acquisition
Rumble,
a video platform and competitor to YouTube, has announced
the purchase of 188 Bitcoins for approximately $17.1
million. This acquisition is part of Rumble's strategy
to integrate Bitcoin into its treasury management,
aiming to hedge against inflation and participate
in the growing trend of corporate cryptocurrency adoption.
The move reflects a broader acceptance of Bitcoin
as a legitimate financial asset among companies. (Grok)
News
Trump
Predicts Market Surge Amid Economic Indicators
President
Trump has publicly stated his belief that the U.S.
financial markets are poised for significant growth,
making his comments at an event with business leaders.
This optimistic forecast follows recent economic indicators
showing inflation cooling to levels not seen in years,
despite mixed responses from markets regarding Trump's
economic policies including tariffs. (Grok)
News
Ethereum's
Lowest BTC Ratio Since 2020 Triggers Liquidation Risk
The
Ethereum Foundation faces potential liquidation of
over $100 million in assets if Ethereum's price drops
to $1,100, amidst a historic low in the ETH/BTC trading
ratio not seen since May 2020. This financial maneuver
is part of Ethereum's strategy to manage its treasury
through decentralized finance (DeFi), highlighting
both the risks and innovative approaches to crypto-asset
management in a volatile market. (Grok)
News
Gold
funds burst out of the blocks in 2025 as returns rocket
Australian
gold funds are shaping up for a bumper year as mining
companies start to capitalise on record prices, helping
the stocks to finally catch up to the performance
of the precious metal.
Portfolio
managers were left frustrated last year after a jump
in production costs held back ASX-listed gold producers
from riding the rally in the spot prices to record
levels. The VanEck Gold Miners exchange-traded fund
climbed nearly 20 per cent in 2024 versus a 38 per
cent rally for the gold price in Australian dollars.
But
easing cost inflation that has plagued the mining
sector for the last three years and an ongoing surge
in prices has seen the trend reverse course. VanEck’s
Gold Miners ETF is up 17 per cent already this year
while the Aussie dollar spot price has climbed 6.3
per cent.
Local
fund managers are bullish that gold has much further
to run after the US dollar price climbed above $US2942
an ounce for the first time and the Australian dollar
gold price breached $4500 an ounce.
Victor
Smorgon Partners’ Resource Gold Fund returned
a chunky 13.3 per cent in January and portfolio manager
Cameron Judd believes the valuations of ASX gold stocks
still don’t reflect the outlook for the yellow
metal.
“Gold’s
performance in times of uncertainty or crisis could
see it push towards $US3600,” Mr Judd said. “Despite
the strong gold price performance and fundamentals
supporting further appreciation, gold miners are trading
at discounted valuations on the ASX.”
Wall
Street’s biggest banks believe a $US3000 price
tag is imminent. Citi said it was possible within
the next three months, while JPMorgan has a year-end
target of $US3150. Bank of America said on Thursday
that gold could reach $US3500 an ounce if investment
demand rises 10 per cent this year.
The
unprecedented surge in the gold price has been fuelled
by investors seeking safe haven assets as US President
Donald Trump unleashes aggressive trade and geopolitical
policies. There are fears the president will accelerate
inflation, forcing central banks to raise rates in
a way that damages global growth.
Victor
Smorgon’s top holdings include ASX-listed Vault
Minerals and the world’s largest gold miner,
US-based Newmont, which recently acquired Newcrest.
The fund also owns Australia’s biggest gold miner
Northern Star, which agreed to buy rival De Grey in
a $5 billion deal. (AFR) *Full article and coverag
via subscription to The Australian Financial Review.
News
Australia
Northern
Star paying top dollar for gold rival
Northern
Star has offered $5 billion to buy De Grey Mining,
with De Grey shareholders to vote on the offer on
16 April. De Grey is the company behind the Hemi gold
prospect in Western Australia, which is thought to
hold at least 11 million ounces of gold and which
is slated to produce 530,000 ounces annually in its
first decade of operation. KPMG, which was engaged
to provide an independent assessment of Northern Star's
offer, has valued DeGrey at between $4 billion and
$4.79 billion, inclusive of a premium for control.
It concludes that the offer is "fair and reasonable
and therefore is in the best interests of De Grey
shareholders, in the absence of a superior proposal".
(Roy Morgan Summary)
News
March
12, 2025
Crypto
market tumbles after stocks
Market
picture
Crypto
market capitalisation has been falling to $2.5 trillion
following the rumbling fall of the US stock market.
It is dipping below the peaks of early 2024 and late
2021. Previously, a similar decline would complete
a corrective pullback, attracting buyers. However,
the chances of such an outcome are now lower than
in previous years due to the powerful influence of
traditional financial companies, which has strengthened
the link between the crypto market and stock dynamics.
For
now, though, we can argue that there is less terror
in crypto. The Fear and Greed Index is at 24 (+4 points
for the day), while the low point was a week earlier
at 10.
Bitcoin
slipped towards $76.5K in the early hours of Tuesday
but has popped above $80K at the time of writing,
approaching Monday’s consolidation levels. A
bearish pattern persists on the daily timeframes,
which suggests a strengthening sell-off after a failure
under the 200-day moving average. The scenario of
a pullback to the $70-74K area still looks the most
probable for us. This is all the truer as the consolidation
and rebound in early March has taken the short-term
oversold stance out of the market.
Ethereum
is trying to find a pivot point after falling towards
$1750 at the start of Tuesday. These were the lowest
values in the last 17 months. On weekly timeframes,
the RSI oscillator hit its lowest point since mid-2022
- near the bottom of the bear market. Does this signify
an opportunity for the recklessly bold or a breakdown
in the leading altcoin? We will find out in the coming
days.
News
Background
According
to CoinShares, global crypto fund investments fell
by $876 million last week after record outflows of
$2.911 billion a week earlier. Investments in Bitcoin
fell by $756 million; in Ethereum, by $89 million.
Investments in Solana rose by $16 million, in XRP
by $6 million, and in Sui by $3 million.
As
a result of another recalculation, Bitcoin mining
difficulty increased by 1.43% to 112.15T. The growth
did not compensate for a 3.15% drop two weeks ago.
However, the figure came close to the all-time high
of 114.17T reached in January.
Strategy
(former MicroStrategy) intends to raise $21bn through
the sale of preferred shares as part of its At-The-Market
program. The proceeds will be used to buy Bitcoin
and other corporate purposes. (FxPro)
News
March
11, 2025
US
Senator And Congressman Introduce Strategic Bitcoin
Reserve Bills To Buy One Million BTC
Speaking
at the “Bitcoin for America” summit, lawmakers
announced their plans to create a federal bitcoin
reserve that would see the U.S. buy one million BTC.
Today
at the Bitcoin Policy Institute’s “Bitcoin
for America” summit in Washington DC, U.S. Senator
from Wyoming Cynthia Lummis announced that she is
going to reintroduce her strategic Bitcoin reserve
legislation in the Senate today.
“I
am so pleased to announce that today I will be reintroducing
The Bitcoin Act,” Senator Lummis stated. “And
I’ll be joined here shortly by Senator Justice
of West Virginia, who is one of the cosponsors. And
we have several other additional cosponsors. And a
lot of it is a result of the excitement that’s
been building.” (Bitcoin Magazine). *Full article
via Bitcoin Magazine
News
XRP
wins Media Man 'Crypto Of The Month' award
News
Markets
Australian
Dollar: $0.6317 USD (up $0.0020 USD)
Iron Ore Apr Spot Price (SGX): $100.60 USD (up $0.15
USD)
Oil (WTI): $67.70 USD (up $1.14 USD)
Gold: $2,931.74 USD (up $13.03 USD)
Copper (CME): $4.8425 USD (up $0.0500 USD)
Bitcoin: $82,880.91USD (up 0.32% in last 24 hours)
Dow Jones: 41,350.93 (down 82.55 points)
News
Roy
Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Company Of The
Month' award
News
Media
Australia
Peter
Dutton More Crypto Friendly And Switched On Than Albanese
(Media Man Group)
News
"Dutton
A Genuine Contender" (Sky News Australia)
March
10, 2025
ASX
futures are pointing up 69 points, or by 0.9 per cent,
to 8011.
All
US prices are as of 4.15pm Sunday in New York:
Bitcoin
-3.7% to $US83,138
On
Wall St: Dow +0.5% S&P +0.6% Nasdaq +0.7%
VIX -1.5 to 23.37
Gold -0.1% to $US2909.10 an ounce
Brent oil +1.3% to $US70.36 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US100.70 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.3% Australia 4.4%
January
10, 2025
ASX
futures up 33 points or 0.4%
AUD
-0.3% to 61.98 US cents
UK pound -0.4% to $US1.2309
Bitcoin -2.9% to $US91,275 at 7.23am AEDT
US markets closed for Jimmy Carter’s funeral
Stoxx 50 +0.4% FTSE +0.8% DAX -0.1% CAC +0.5%
Spot gold +0.3% to $US2671.00/oz at 1.55pm in New
York
Brent crude +1.2% to $US77.08 a barrel
Iron ore +1% to $US97.40 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.69% Australia 4.48% Germany 2.56%
US prices as of 1.59pm in New York
Media
Man Group Market Feed
March
10, 2025
ASX
futures are pointing up 69 points, or by 0.9 per cent,
to 8011.
All
US prices are as of 4.15pm Sunday in New York:
Bitcoin
-3.7% to $US83,138
On
Wall St: Dow +0.5% S&P +0.6% Nasdaq +0.7%
VIX -1.5 to 23.37
Gold -0.1% to $US2909.10 an ounce
Brent oil +1.3% to $US70.36 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US100.70 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.3% Australia 4.4%
Markets
March
1, 2025
ASX
futures down 12 points or 0.2% to 8120
AUD -0.6% at US61.96¢
Bitcoin +0.4% to $US84,447
Dow flat
S&P -0.1%
Nasdaq -0.2%
Gold -1.1% to $US2845.82 an ounce
Oil -1% at $US73.3o a barrel
Iron ore -2.2% at $US102.00 a tonne
The
Australian Financial Review - Markets
The
Australian Financial Review - Markets Live
The
Australian Financial Review - Commodities
News
The
Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper
Of the Month' award
Google
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Finance
Markets
January
7, 2025
Under
The Media Man Watercooler And On The Floor
ASX
futures up 12 points or 0.2%
AUD
+0.5% to 62.46 US cents
Bitcoin +3.7% to $US102,068 at 8.33am AEDT
On Wall St: Dow -0.1% S&P +0.6% Nasdaq +1.2%
In New York: BHP -0.7% Rio -0.4% Atlassian +1.7%
Tesla +0.2% Apple +0.7% Nvidia +3.4% Microsoft +1.1%
Alphabet +2.5% Amazon +1.5% Meta +4.2%
VIX -0.09 to 16.04 QQQ +1.2% TLT -0.5%
Stoxx 50 +2.4% FTSE +0.3% DAX +1.6% CAC +2.2%
Spot gold -0.2% to $US2635.63/oz at 1.53pm in New
York
Brent crude -0.7% to $US76.00 a barrel
Iron ore -1.2% to $US97.00 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.61% Australia 4.47% Germany 2.44%
US prices as of 4.29pm in New York
Markets
January
4, 2025
ASX
futures up 23 points or 0.3% near 8am AEDT
AUD
+0.2% to 62.16 US cents
Bitcoin
+1.2% to $US98,195 at 8.27am AEDT
On
Wall St at 4pm: Dow +0.8% S&P +1.3% Nasdaq +1.8%
In
New York: BHP -0.8% Rio -0.3% Atlassian +3.3%
Tesla
+8.2% Apple -0.2% Nvidia +4.7% Microsoft +1.1%
Alphabet
+1.3% Amazon +1.8% Meta +0.9%
Mara
+14.1% MicroStrategy +13.2% Iren +8.4%
VIX
-1.8 to 16.13 QQQ +1.6% TLT -0.3%
Stoxx
50 -0.9% FTSE -0.4% DAX -0.6% CAC -1.5%
Spot
gold -0.7% to $US2639.37oz at 4.51pm in New York
Brent
crude +0.9% to $US76.58 a barrel
Iron
ore -2.6% to $US98.30 a tonne
10-year
yield: US 4.60% Australia 4.38% Germany 2.42%
US
prices as of 4.54pm in New York
Markets
and Commodities
November
1, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6579 USD (up $0.0009 USD)
Iron
Ore Nov Spot Price (SGX): $104.10 USD (up $0.30 USD)
Iron
Ore Dec Spot Price (SGX): $103.80 USD (up $0.28 USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $70.51 USD (up $1.57 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,746.76 USD (down $38.62 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.3600 USD (up $0.0030 USD)
Bitcoin:
$69,991.53 USD (down 2.58% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 41,763.46 at 4.09pm NY time (down378.08 points
on yesterday's close)
Markets
and Commodities
October
10, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6710 USD (down $0.0040 USD)
Iron
Ore Nov Spot Price (SGX): $105.15 USD (unchanged -
public holiday)
Oil
Price (WTI): $73.36 USD (down $0.55 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,607.14 USD (down $15.75 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.4080 USD (down 0.0605 USD)
Bitcoin:
$60,908.07 USD (down 2.11% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 42,512.00 at 4.20pm NY time (up 431.63 points
on yesterday's close)
Markets
and Commodities
October
4, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6840 USD (down $.0040 USD)
Iron
Ore Nov Spot Price (SGX): $108.75 USD (down $0.20
USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $73.71 USD (up $2.70 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,656.04 USD (down $2.97 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.5435 USD (down 0.1195 USD)
Bitcoin:
$60,801.67 USD (up 0.09% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 42,011.59 (down 184.93 points on yesterday's
close)
Market,
Commodities and Financial News
Snapshot
via Media Man
October
4, 2024
ASX
futures down 33 points or 0.4% to 8209 near 6am AEST
AUD
-0.6% to $US68.44¢
Bitcoin
+1.3% to $US60,954
Dow
-0.6%
S&P
-0.4%
Nasdaq
-0.3%
FTSE
-0.1%
DAX
-0.8%
CAC
-1.3%
Gold
-0.1% to $US2657.32 an ounce
Brent
oil +5.2% to $US77.77 a barrel
Iron
ore +0.6% to $US108.75 a tonne
Markets
and Commodities
September
11, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6650 USD (down $0.0010 USD)
Iron
Ore Oct Spot Price (SGX): $91.00 USD (down $1.35 USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $66.31 USD (down $2.49 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,516.51 USD (up $11.13 USD
Copper
Price (CME): $4.1050 USD (down 0.0365 USD)
Bitcoin:
$57,669.72 USD (down 0.38% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 40,736.96 at 4.59pm NY time (down 92.63 points
on yesterday's close)
Market,
Commodities and Financial News
Snapshot
via Media Man
September
11, 2024
ASX
futures down 3 points or 0.04% to 7997 near 6am AEST
AUD
-0.1% to 66.58 US cents
Bitcoin
+1.4% to $US57,885
Dow
-0.3%
S&P
+0.4%
Nasdaq
+0.8%
FTSE
-0.8%
DAX
-1.0%
CAC
-0.2%
Gold
+0.3% to $US2514.88 an ounce
Brent
oil -3.2% to $US69.52 a barrel
Iron
ore -0.8% to $US91.00 a tonne
Markets
And Commodities
August
20, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6728 USD (up $0.0063 USD)
Iron
Ore Sep Spot Price (SGX): $95.00 USD (up $2.70 USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $74.43 USD (down $2.22 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,504.11 USD (down $4.07 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.1975 USD (up $0.0470 USD)
Bitcoin:
$59,144.75 USD (down 1.09% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 40,896.53 (up 236.77 points on Friday's close)
Market,
Commodities and Financial News
Snapshot
via Media Man
July
29, 2024
ASX
futures up 60 points or 0.8% to 7938 near 3am AEST
AUD
+0.2% to 65.48 US cents
Bitcoin
-0.6% to $US67,636
Dow
+1.6%
S&P
+1.1%
Nasdaq
+1%
FTSE
+1.2%
DAX
+0.7%
CAC
+1.2%
Gold
+1.0% to $US2387.19 an ounce
Brent
oil -1.5% to $US81.13 a barrel
Iron
ore +2.5% to $US102.40 a tonne
Markets
and Commodities
July
18, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6730 USD (unchanged)
Iron
Ore Aug Spot Price (SGX): $105.05 USD (down $2.10
USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $83.10 USD (up $2.28 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,458.69 USD (down $10.15 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.4165 USD (down $0.0405 USD)
Bitcoin:
$64,196.81 USD (down 0.80% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 41,198.08 at 4.20pm NY time (up 243.60 points
on yesterday's close)
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
Shares
In Hot Fintch Company Block Fall After Latest Hindenburg
Report
(Chartr)
crypto.com
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Markets
and Commodities
July
9, 2024
Australian
Dollar: $0.6735 USD (down $0.0003 USD)
Iron
Ore Aug Spot Price (SGX): $108.75 USD (down $1.50
USD)
Oil
Price (WTI): $82.30 USD (down $0.86 USD)
Gold
Price: $2,358.93 USD (down $32.66 USD)
Copper
Price (CME): $4.6035 USD (down $0.0645 USD)
Bitcoin:
$56,215.84 USD (down 1.75% in last 24 hours)
Dow
Jones: 39,344.79 (down 31.08 points on Friday's close)
(Roy
Morgan Summary)
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James
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Employment Tag Team - 6th July 2011
Cryptocurrency
News via Media Man and FxPro
FxPro
PxPro:
News
July
1, 2024
Buyers
failed to pick up on the crypto market
Market
picture
The
crypto market has been enjoying an influx of buyers
since Saturday, with a visible acceleration on Monday.
Over the past 24 hours, capitalisation has risen 3.6%
to $2.33 trillion. Last week’s drop in the crypto
sentiment index to 30 (fear zone) reversed the price
twice, showing that the market is dominated by a ‘buy
the dip’ pattern.
Bitcoin
is trading near $63.3K, adding 5% since Saturday morning
and reaffirming the importance of support at 61.8%
of the Jan-March rally. From another perspective,
Bitcoin is adding and bouncing off the lower boundary
of the downward channel. Likely, the price is now
moving towards the upper boundary at $67K. However,
cautious buyers may prefer to wait for confirmation
with the price rising above $72-73K - the pivot area
of the last four months - which would be confirmation
of the start of a new impulsive wave of growth.
Bitcoin
ended June down 8.5% to $61.9K. In terms of seasonality,
July is considered quite successful for BTC, adding
eight times (22.3% on average) out of the last 13
and declining on five occasions (-7.8% on average).
News
background
In
terms of on-chain analysis, quotes have crossed the
realised price level of short-term holders at $62,000,
which historically can act as support during corrections
in bull markets.
According
to Arkham data, German authorities sent another 595
BTC worth ~$36.6 million to crypto exchanges on 26
June. Authorities began actively moving the cryptocurrency
on 19 June, when some of it first hit the Kraken and
Bitstamp exchanges.
Bitwise
forecasts net inflows into spot ETH-ETFs in the US
of $15bn in the first 18 months. Bloomberg expects
trading in the new product to start on 2 July.
Solana
Foundation has launched tools that enable it to turn
any website or app into a gateway for cryptocurrency
payments and other blockchain transactions.
On
26 June, the Blast development team completed the
first phase of an airdrop, distributing 17 billion
BLAST tokens (17% of the total issuance). Blast is
an Ethereum-based layer 2 (L2) network that was launched
in November 2023 by Blur founder under the pseudonym
Pacman. In terms of blockchain value locked (TVL),
the Blast ecosystem is ranked sixth in the DeFi Llama
ranking with a value of $1.58bn.
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News
Asia
Pacific Mega Gambling News Update, by Greg Tingle
- 9th April 2011
Newcastle
NSW War Pokie Laws...
New
poker machine restrictions proposed by Tasmanian independent
Andrew Wilkie will "annihilate" pubs and
clubs in the Hunter, leaving hundreds out of work,
ClubsNSW Newcastle councillor Jon Chin says. Clubs
Australia is launching a $20 million advertising campaign
on Monday in an attempt to prevent the introduction
of mandatory pre-commitment technology for all poker
machines. Banjo, a John "Singo" Singleton
company is behind the campaign. Mandatory pre-commitment
requires pokies users to commit to a spending limit
before they begin gambling. Once they reach that limit
they will be unable to gamble again until the following
day or longer, depending on what restrictions the
player sets for themselves. Chin said the cost of
implementing the new technology in the Hunter region
would surpass $100 million. This figure did not include
the 40% in revenue clubs would experience once the
restrictions were imposed, he said. "This means
Hunter clubs will lose another $100 million, making
it impossible for us to sustain our businesses,"
he said. Australian Hotels Association Hunter sub-branch
vice-president Bruce Woods said there was no evidence
to suggest the restrictions would discourage people
from gambling. "This won't help pathological
gamblers at all but it will lead to a loss of jobs,"
he said. "We support the clubs' campaign against
this, it will affect pubs just as much as clubs".
Online
Gaming Strong Growth In Asia...
Online
gaming industry has grown into a $US3 billion business
that provides a good standard of living to migrant
workers in Asia who play games all day and sometimes,
all night! Virtual currency is all the rage, it sometimes
gets sold to punters abroad for cash. A World Bank
study demonstrates an emerging industry in which firms
seeking to boost their brands' popularity pay low-skilled
workers overseas to become their Facebook fans or
Twitter followers. The study, Knowledge Map of the
Virtual Economy, is the World Bank's first in-depth
look at the impact of online gaming and social media
in the developing world. Vili Lehdonvirta, a co-author
of the report, advised that the bank should not pour
its money into the industry, because he said the deal
making violated some of the game publishers' terms
of service and was cheating. Known in the business
as "gold farming", the game-playing boomed
in the early 2000s with games like World of Warcraft
and has evolved considerably. Labourers in Asia spend
numerous hours each day advancing through levels of
an online game, picking up gold, swords and gems that
enhance a game player's status. Then gaming studios,
which employ the players, sell those virtual goods
to online retailers. Next step, the retailers sell
on those goods to more than 120 million players globally,
many of them in Europe and North America, who don't
want to play the games day and night to gather their
own. The bank's report indicates that online gaming
has a positive impact in Asia because 70% of the industry's
revenue remains in the gaming countries, with most
of that money going to the gaming studios. Compared
with the $US70 billion coffee market...in which only
a tiny fraction of the revenue remains in the bean-growing
countries...the gaming industry had a "much better
development impact", the report states. A report
survey checks out on a group of 26 players and studio
managers that offers a rough, yet rare demographic
look at their lives. Most of the players work out
of studios in China, in Beijing or Changsha, capital
of Hunan province. They earn an average wage of $US2.70
an hour, $US1 more than Beijing's minimum wage for
part-time factory work. "The larger point is
that online gaming is often viewed as exploitation,
Lehdonvirta said. "Certainly it's not a dream
career, but the players are not at sweatshop levels."
The gaming studios keep about 60% of the industry's
$US3 billion in revenue. Readers, would you like to
be a prize gather for the gaming studios on that level
of pay? Better not answer!
Samoan
Casino Proposal Has Social Concerns For Kiwi, Samoan
Locals...
All
these places have land based casinos - Las Vegas,
Monte Carlo, Macau, Melbourne and just maybe soon
- Apia in Samoa. Some business folks have earmarked
it as a future gambling destination, and Kiwi group,
the Problem Gambling Foundation of New Zealand, is
advising against it, citing social harms of a casino
will outweigh any economical benefits that the Samoan
government will hope to achieve. In an admission of
the dangers of gambling, the proposed casino in Apia
will attempt to bar locals by only allowing the holders
of foreign passports to gamble. Problem #1... many
locals have duplicate passports, so getting in to
a casino for locals may not be that hard, and don't
even bring up the subject of fake ID. Will the region
get a land based casino? Stay tuned for updates.
Clubs
Australia War On Gillard Labor Government Re Pokie
Laws...
Clubs
Australia has declared "open warfare" on
the Gillard government, preparing a $20 million media
campaign to try to stop laws to limit how much punters
can spend on poker machines. Last year "Tasmanian
Devil" (MM satire) independent MP Andrew Wilkie
backed Labor to form a minority government in return
for a clampdown on the use of poker machines. Now,
the lobby that represents clubs and pubs is wrestling
and punching back, with a media blitz targeting Wilkie
and Prime Minister Julie Gillard. Both Wilkie and
Gillard are in big trouble in the popularity polls,
with Labor set to lose the next federal election,
following their NSW loss, where it was bloody and
crimson mass. Billboards, a website, beer coasters
and more It's war on nationwide. The campaign has
been criticised as misleading for claiming punters
will need a licence to gamble. Clubs Australia executive
director Anthony Ball rejects that. "What we
do know is that everyone who plays a poker machine
will need to register and obtain a card, and then
insert it into a poker machine and set a binding limit.
There needs to be player tracking, because how else
does the machine know what the player is doing? It
will have your private details and your gambling history
on it. Now if that's not a licence, I don't know what
is." Under Wilkie's master plan, gamblers would
have to nominate a dollar figure for how much they
are prepared to lose before they start gambling, a
scheme known as "mandatory pre-commitment".
Wilkie wants the law in place by 2014 and he has the
backing of South Australian independent Senator Nick
'Mr X' (MM satire) Xenophon. Senator Xenophon describes
the Clubs Australia campaign as a "joke".
"This industry is willing to spend $20 million
of tax-break money that they get from community clubs
- effectively taxpayers' monies, indirectly - to peddle
lies in terms of a campaign where they haven't even
seen what the final report will say. Whether it's
$20 million or $200 million, this mob can spend as
much as they like, but they can't spin that they are
causing enormous damage out in the community. There
are 300,000 Australians who either have a severe gambling
problem because of poker machines, or are already
showing the signs of one."
Proposed
Pokie Laws With Cost 10,000's of Aussie Jobs...
Clubs
Australia advise the changes will cost jobs. They
want it to be a voluntary scheme and have rejected
a government request to hold off on the ad war. "It
will cost jobs, for the simple reason that asking
Australians to sign on to this licence to gamble will
mean they'll do something else," Mr Ball said.
"They'll go and gamble online where none of these
controls exist, or they they'll go to the TAB - they
won't do it at the club.Even the proponent of this,
Andrew Wilkie, is saying that this will cost up to
40% of revenue."
It's all hot fodder in Aussie Parliament too. Liberal
Steve Ciobo sits on the joint committee on gambling
reform, which has been hearing arguments pro and con
against a mandatory pre-commitment scheme. "The
committee was charged by the Labor party with the
responsibility to look at a roll-out of pre-commitment,"
he said. "But Coalition members will be putting
in a dissenting report because the evidence is clear
that it's going to cost jobs, it's going to cost investment,
and I'm concerned based on the evidence that it will
make problem gambling potentially worse." The
committee is due to report in the next few weeks.
The states and territories have until the end of May
to decide if they will agree to the Wilkie-led reforms.
If they refuse, the Commonwealth believes it has the
power to introduce overriding legislation to impose
a national scheme. The pokie industry has shown the
willingness to wrestle all the way to the next election,
and perhaps even beyond. It's the lovers VS the haters.
Who will win, and when will the final victor emerge.
Stay tuned.
Sky
City Entertainment Group Stocks Fall From Sky...
Sky
City Entertainment Group, the casino and hotel operator,
fell 0.9% to $3.41 amid media reports that overseas
competitors were looking to hire the 500 staff made
redundant or on leave without pay due to the closure
of the Christchurch Casino. SkyCity owns a 50% stake
in the business.
Casino
Bouncer Thought Disabled Bloke Was Drunk...
A
South Australian man with deasiese cerebral palsy
says he was refused entry to the Adelaide Casino because
the bouncer thought he was drunk. Mark Thiele was
on a big night out with friends when he attempted
to enter the casino, but was refused by a bouncer
aka "gorilla". Thiele says the bouncer mistakenly
thought he was drunk, but the casino is sticking by
its decision. "I had said to the man that I wasn't
a drunk, I was crippled," said Thiele, talking
about his rejection on 7.30 South Australia. "He
had said to me he was convinced I was intoxicated
even though we said that I had only had a few drinks
earlier on in the evening. "So I can't see why
I was singled out and everybody else in my party wasn't.
There was no difference between any of us besides
the obvious. It's a mystery to me really." Last
month, he and his friends had walked to the casino
from the city's Hindley Street entertainment strip
a few blocks away. Thiele has trouble moving his body
and for him, walking distances is a big effort. His
mate Aaron Nettlebeck says the casino bouncer did
not understand. "Walking that sort of distance
does get very, very sweaty over that sort of short
period. It was a bit infuriating that it happened
like that after such a nice evening." Thiele
says he has not had a problem at venues until now.
"For the vast majority it's never been a problem.
Bouncers that I've come into contact with have been
understanding and even let me skip the line a few
times just to put me at ease," he said. "Obviously
it's a stamina thing that I can't walk these long
distances and stand in lines and all of these things."
He says he is considering lodging a complaint with
the commission or under South Australia's liquor laws.The
casino's general manager, David Christian, has offered
an apology of sorts. "It was certainly not our
intention that Mark would have felt discriminated
against and I'm sorry that he does feel that way,"
he said. But he is defending the actions of his staff.
"They believe that they made the right call.
I would believe that with the calibre we have and
the training we put into our security officers, and
the level of management that oversees it, that they
would be right most of the time."
New
Zealand Christchurch Casino Workers Hurting From Earthquake
Financial Aftershocks...
Financial
and emotional aftershocks are still be felt by the
casino sector after a series of earthquakes that rocked
the Asia Pacific - Japan and New Zealand region. Christchurch
Casino workers are feeling disappointed and even depressed
after having failed attempt to get a bigger redundancy
payday.In excess of 500 formally happy and motivated
casino employees were offered redundancy at the central
Christchurch casino last weekend, which was badly
damaged in the February 22 quake and has stayed closed
ever since the act of mother nature. Anyone who wants
to stay at the casino will be paid their holiday pay
as either a weekly amount or in a "lump sum".
Simply put, they will remain as employees of the land
based casino on leave without pay until the the gambling
den opens again. The SFWU (Service and Food Workers'
Union), which reps for 100 plus casino workers, has
a meeting with the casino's managers on Thursday.
SFWU strategic industry boss Len 'Razor' (MM tag)
Richards said workers were sombre but firm in their
desire about securing a more attractive redundancy
package. The union power that be were also asking
for continued pay for employees that choose to stay
on until the casino opens again. However, he advised
management was not prepared to increase the amount
of redundancy pay for staff, but did agree to request
for a government wage subsidy. Due to a private insurance
deal and policy in place, the land based casino has
not relied upon the $1.5 million government subsidy
available for quake-affected businesses. Richards
stated that the union has contacted earthquake recovery
minister Gerry Brownlee to request assistance to help
pay workers who remain employed. SkyCity, half owner
of the famous Christchurch Casino, has projected a
$130 million plus profit this year. It's not known
how much financially the quake cost Christchurch Casino
or SkyCity. Christchurch Casino top sheep er top dog...chief
executive Brett 'Ask Him' (MM satire) Anderson said
about 70% of employees have indicated they will stay
with the company rather than take the offered redundancy.
He said a number of employees are also being offered
jobs offshore. Anderson elaborated "I'm getting
phone calls from Australia looking for our people
and likewise all over New Zealand, and a few of them
have spread their wings. More than a few have gone
over to the Gold Coast. It's a lot warmer, it's a
lot more stable, you can swim in the sea, the pay
rates are better." Anderson said he still does
not know when the casino will reopen.Employees have
a deadline until Monday to decide whether they will
take the redundancy package or stay on. Yep, it's
the money or the box. Workers who have not contacted
the company by showdown at 5pm on Monday will be deemed
to have left their jobs and will be paid out a four-weeks-notice
payment, along with their annual leave entitlements.
Casino workers, did you get that. D Day is approaching.
A
Media Man spokesperson said "In the current global
economy anyone with a decent job should be grateful,
especially in the casino or gaming sector. Well done
to Christchurch Casino management for doing their
utmost to assist in their difficult times. Employers
will always want to ask for more... its in the nature.
Land based casinos generally remain popular around
the world so good staff will always be in demand."
Media
Man and Gambling911 wish all parties well with their
dealings, and hopefully some win - win - wins will
still be possible.
States
Probe Sports Betting Ads...
Aussie
states are uniting to consider a crackdown on an explosion
in advertising of sports betting, Victoria's Gaming
Minister says. Michael O'Brien last night revealed
the betting blitz on sport was being examined by the
Council of Australian Governments. "There is
growing concern at the extent to which is becoming
inseparable from the coverage of major sporting events.
Kids are being exposed to it constantly just by watching
the footy or cricket," he said.AFL chief executive
Andrew Demetriou said the league had expressed its
concerns to stadium managers. Goal posts, boundary
line fences and scoreboards at the MCG and Etihad
Stadium have been plastered with ads from bookmakers.
Demetriou said the alarm was raised during last year's
Brownlow Medal telecast. "There seemed to be
an enormous amount of (gambling) advertising after
each break," he told press. O'Brien said the
AFL, which enjoys lucrative sponsorship arrangements
with gambling giants, could take responsibility through
its media and stadium deals. "It may be that
there's an opportunity for this influence to be exercised
to ensure the promotion of sports betting isn't allowed
to detract from family-friendly objectives of (such)
sports," he said. This week, former Demon Daniel
Ward revealed in the the newspapers his battle with
gambling. "It's always in your face," he
said of the ads. "It's like being a drug addict
and an advert comes on saying, 'The first 50 people
to ring will get a free bag of marijuana'."
Hawkins
Former Ms Univervese Lookalike Kahili Blundell Wins
Ralph Swimwear Title At Star...
Sin
City Sydney babe Kahili Blundell has snatched the
Ralph Australian Swimwear Model of the Year comp.
The Crows Nest bikini super babe bested more than
2000 babes from all over Australia and Kiwi land to
grab the coveted title at Sin Sydney's Star City Casino
on Thurday. "I feel more than special right now,
I'm blown away and so honoured to be given this position,"
Blundell said. "I was expecting him to call another
number and I stood there thinking 27, is that me?
"It's also my boyfriend's birthday, but I realised
it was me and I was shivering." The 21-year-old
Jennifer Hawkins lookalike works as a personal assistant
and dabbles in makeup artistry in her spare time.
Blundell says modelling has been tough, slogging it
out for 3 years. "Since November I've been training
every week for this, thinking about it every night,"
she said. "I've been brought up to eat very healthy,
so I don't have too much trouble doing that, but I
definitely exercise a lot. I've been working very
hard so thank god it's all paid off." The comp
saw the 38 finalists strut their stuff in catwalk
parades. Sex bikinis were all the rage. A select group
of a bakers dozen were picked, then reigning champ
Emmi Moore handed over her sash and championship title
to Blundell. "I've been doing this for three
years now and this is exactly what I've been dreaming
and hoping for," Blundell said. "I'm open
to any opportunity and I love challenges. I've obviously
done well in the bikini field, so I might just continue
on this track for a little while." Burlesque
babe Sina King from Underbelly home Melbourne snatched
runner-up while second runner-up went to 21-year-old
writer - journo type Tiffany Baker from Fremantle
in Western Australia.
Australian
Boxer Katsidis To Fight Guerrero In MGM Grand Casino
Las Vegas Bloody Sunday...
Down
under's Australia's Michael Katsidis and his opponent
in Sunday's (AEST) interim lightweight world-title
fight at Las Vegas' MGM Grand Casino, America's Robert
"The Ghost" Guerrero, also have powerful
stories. Guerrero's world was crushed big time circa
2007 when his wife, Casey, was diagnosed with leukemia.
The Californian gave up boxing, giving up his world-title,
so he could be by Casey's side and stay close to their
young children as she underwent a bone-marrow transplant.
Things are now looking up for Guerrero. "Casey
has been cancer free for almost a year now,"
28-year-old Guerrero, the number one ranked lightweight
in the world and a former featherweight and super
featherweight champion, said. Last year Katsidis'
was having a dream run. The likable 30-year-old blokefrom
Toowoomba celebrated his first wedding anniversary
with wife Kumiko. He loved being a dad to their one-year-old
daughter Kalia and was preparing for the biggest bout
of his career, a world-title fight in Las Vegas against
Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez. Things quickly
went downhill when five weeks before the Marquez fight
he learned his 31-year-old brother, champion Australian
jockey (horse racing) Stathi Katsidis, had passed
away. Just days later Katsidis' longtime trainer,
Brendon Smith, received two more bad news calls. Smith's
nephew got paralysed from the chest down in an accident
and one of the trainer's former boxers passed away.
"We got it all within three weeks and just before
the Marquez fight," Smith said. Katsidis and
Smith made the call to keep training at their Thai
boxing camp and take on Marquez at the MGM Grand Casino,
a match that would be voted the Fight of the Year
after Katsidis floored Marquez to the mat in the third
round. Marquez guts and balls by getting up and pounding
Katsidis so badly ref Kenny Bayless ended the match
in the ninth round, giving Marquez a ninth round technical
knockout victory. On the eve of the Guerrero fight,
Katsidis and Smith, who kept quite before the Marquez
bout, finally opened up about their personal tragedies.
Katsidis did not sleep two days before the Marquez
fight. "He was emotionally spent before he got
in the ring and to do what he did under the circumstances
was incredible," Smith said. "I believe
if something doesn't kill you it only makes you stronger,"
Katsidis said. Guerrero has 22 knockouts in his 27
professional victories. "This is truly a fight
for boxing fans," Guerrero, who has a 28 win
(18 KO), one loss professional record, said. "You
are going to see two guys go at it and give it their
all." The winner of the match will be named the
interim World Boxing Association and World Boxing
Organisation lightweight champions. Promoter 'Golden
Boy' Oscar De La Hoya has named the MGM card "Action
Heroes", with another Mexican legend, Erik Morales,
fighting Argentina's exciting welterweight contender
Marcos Maidana and in another welterweight battle,
Brooklyn's Paulie Malignaggi VS Jose Miguel Cotto.
The matches will be broadcast live in Australia on
Sunday from 11am AEST by Main Event pay-per-view.
"For a boxing card, sounds like it will be value
for money for a bit of a change", said a Media
Man insider.
News
Australia
Day Special, by Greg Tingle - 26th January 2011
G'day
and Happy Australia Day everyone. Ok, we know some
of you punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales,
entertainment news junkies, politicians, insiders,
outsiders and legal eagles are from across the globe
are not Australia, nor have ever been down under,
but you get the idea. Did you know that some indigenous
Australia's call Australia Day 'Invasion Day'! That's
because most history books show that Captain James
Cook and his crew invaded Australia on this day in
1988. They are known by a new names including the
First Fleet, while some aborigines will always think
of them and murderous mongrels, who stole their land
and pride. It's easy for many of us to get the point
of the blackfellas (affectionate). Media
Man and Gambling911
with a bush tucker bag full of Australian gambling,
casino, poker, media and sports news. Fair winds...
Queensland
Banana Bender State: Pub Pokies And Online Pokies
Becoming More Popular?...
One
armed bandits are maintaining their popularity in
'The Sunshine State'. It's understand that punters
might have only a 1 in a million chance of winning
really big, lotto - millionaire style, but they just
keep coming back for more. Yep, throw another dime
in the pokie baby. Queenslanders "invested"
close to $2 billion last year as the punters passion
for the slots maintained its fever pace. The total
pokies expenditure of $1.81 billion was slightly down
on the previous year, it was the third year consecutively
the number exceeded $1.8 billion. We're also learned
that the 2008 figure of $1.83 billion was an all-time
record. Now, this is important - those numbers Do
Not take into account the rabid take up and roll our
of online poker or sports betting. You know, betting
over the global medium - the internet. Overall, Queenslanders
spent $7 million less on pokies than last year and
$28 million less than in 2008, but it still works
out at in excess of $150 million every month down
the slots August was the year's biggest month for
slot gamblers, who put close to $170 million in the
throats of the one armed bandits. August was also
the biggest month for gamblers in 2008, with more
than $173 million lost. Pokies remain by far the most
popular games for punters in Australia, bringing in
most of the estimated $17 billion spent on all forms
of gambling down under each year. Some insiders think
that the reduction in official spending was more a
sign of the increased popularity of internet and sports-based
gambling. Concentrating on pokie figures, it appears
Queenslanders gambled more at the height of the global
financial crisis two years ago than they did throughout
2010.
Tassie
'Devil' Gambling Tycoon Devilish Quotes...
David
Walsh from Tasmania was such a big hit with the readership
we thought we would dig up a few more of the red hot
'The Devil's' quotes, that are too good not to share.
First a refresher...Art and gambling do mix, at least
that's the experience of Brits Damian Aspinall, Phil
'Tuffers' Tufnell, Australian artist Gina Sinozich,
Media Man
(bodypaint and burlesque "fetish") and Tasmanian
gambling whale - tycoon, David 'Wicked' (satire) Walsh.
You will pick up on Dave's affectionate nickname by
us later. We like you David, ok mate. Tasmania's most
famous or infamous gambling figure, millionaire, David
Walsh yesterday gave us a peak into his art exhibit...the
biggest (and weirdest) private art gallery in Tasmania,
if not the Asia Pacific. The $110 million Museum of
Old and New Art is nestled on the banks of Hobart's
Derwent River.
Quotes
By The Tasmanian Devil!...
"FUCK
the art, let's rock'n'roll."
"I
think formal curation is a form of mental masturbation."
"I'm
not really that interested in a bunch of big names.
Most of the works are by people most people haven't
heard of and still won't have heard of because there's
no wall labels."
"I
don't want to lose control (or) something that ends
up looking like a pale version of the National Gallery
of Victoria".
"Subversive
adult Disneyland".
"Please
see reception if you are planning a pool party or
a ritualistic orgy."
"It's
the opportunity to mess with your head. I like the
idea of people having a couple of beers and looking
at the art, having a couple more and changing their
mind."
"Just
a privileged guy with a megaphone"
"It’s
like a rich man’s soap box. I’m standing
on my soapbox and I’m shouting my views like
they mean something."
"I’ll
take all the popular stuff out. And if you go to the
toilet two or three times we’ll recommend a good
urologist."
“My
brother once said about me that I’d rather be
outside a barrel pissing in than inside the barrel
pissing out. I’m anti this idea that we know
what we’re doing with certainty. I kinda think
that most things that are good happen to people largely
by accident, but then they start looking for explanations.
You see the views of rich, successful people on television,
and they tell you why they got rich and successful;
they don’t interview all the people who went
through the same process and didn’t. I think
most things are complete crap. I want to show that
you can be fortunate without believing that your fortune
was anything other than fortune."
"There
are so many things we do that we hide from. We hack
open cows and eat their guts but we compartmentalise
that away from our lives so we can pretend it’s
not happening. And on a larger, more important scale,
if each of us acted individually to say ‘OK,
we f…ed up the atmosphere, it is our personal
responsibility’, humanity would behave in a very
different way."
"One
of the things about having money is that … I
feel a bit of guilt and a level of privilege, and
it seems to be an obligation to do something, and
since art is what I’ve been doing....but it wasn’t
really like that. It was: I bought this small gallery,
bought a bigger one, and gradually it became something
of this scale. It’s become a lot more serious
endeavour than I intended it to be. There’s a
bit of thumbing my nose at the establishment and trying
to bypass academia, but mainly I just wanted it to
be a bit of fun. And it is. And it will be."
"The
gambling is all a computer thing that is going on
right now".
Website
Museum
of Old and New Art
Queensland:
Cairns Reef Hotel Casino Poised To Raise Big Bucks
For Flood Relief On Australia Day...
Punters,
let's all spare a thought for those who have been
attacked by the floods on Australia Day. Numerous
events are being planed around Australia, from 'Sound
Relief' to and initiative from the Cairns Reef Hotel
Casino 'Bring on the Sun' It will be one of the biggest
events on the Australia Day calendar for the city
and all funds raised will go to the Premier’s
Flood Relief Appeal. There's a good old fashioned
sausage sizzle, competitions and female performers
including the Marlins’ cheer squad. "The
whole idea is slanted towards the female performer,"
entertainment manager Bruce Stewart said. "We’ve
got an eclectic blend of female artists coming to
perform as well." Cazalys, El Mundo Tapas Bar
and the Marlin Coast Bowls Club will also host events
to raise money for flood victims. Cairns Regional
Council will hold events across the region, including
the ever-popular celebrations on the Esplanade. Mayor
Val Schier said the council was expecting a good attendance
as usual with residents keen to get outside and celebrate
our sunburnt country in the green and gold. "Even
last year when it poured, a huge number of people
came to the Aussie breakfast; we expect the same will
happen this year, rain, hail or shine. It is one of
those days where people can come together as a community
and help celebrate why it is great to be an Australian.
We live in a fantastic country and it is good for
people to get out and enjoy it." Pubs and clubs
will also get into the Aussie spirit with a number
of activities on offer. Paradise Palms Resort and
Country Club has a patriotic, fun-filled day planned
with activities that pay homage to Australia’s
heritage such as the much-anticipated pie-eating competition.
"Everybody is welcome to come along and have
some fun while tucking into our Aussie selection of
meat pies, icy beers, lamingtons and classic Australian
music by DJ Danny from Millennium Sounds," director
of sales and marketing Darlene Holdsworth said.
Events
Join
the celebrations
Paradise
Palms Resort and Country Club Australia Day celebrations
What’s on: Australian menu served from noon in
Restaurant 59, pie-eating and thong-throwing competitions
start at 1.30pm. Pies, icy beers, lamingtons and classic
Australian music on offer at the resort.
Time: 12pm. Entry free.
Bring on the Sun at Cairns Reef Hotel Casino
What’s on: Entertainment, sausage sizzle, raffles,
jumping castle and more with all proceeds going to
the Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal.
Time: 2pm. Entry free.
Shane Warne And Poker Mates Get VIP Star Treatment
At Australian Open Tennis Sunday Night...
The
spinner got there at 8pm hoping to get star VIP treatment
for 14 of his closest mates. In the mix was was Joe
Hachem, who he had earlier caught up with at the launch
of the Aussie Millions Poker Tournament at Crown Casino.
Warne requested an escort (no, not that type silly)
when he arrived and posed mostly for photographs with
his sunglasses on. He also spent time in Andy Roddick's
player's box during his loss to Swissman Stanislas
Wawrinka. It been a big couple of days for "poker
her" for the legend, playing rendezvous with
Liz Hurley in LA. He is expected to play in the second
round of the poker tournament and could face off against
Gary Ablett Jr and Jeff Fenech tomorrow. Blett made
it through to the second round.
Australian Financial Review Goes Gaga For Lady Gaga;
Gets Facts Wrong (We Think)...
It
took us a few months of going through newspapers but
we finally found the AFR to make a slip up, and its
a doozy....An article reads "the complex will
have a few upmarket bars, including one on the roof,
and an events theatre to house live acts – think
Lady Gaga – as well as awards nights." With
Gaga's level of popularity she would require a much
larger venue than Star City. Earlier this year, she
- they played two concerts at the Sydney Entertainment
Centre, capacity 12,000 or thereabouts. Do the math.
Australia's
Kylie Minogue To Do The Colosseum At Caesars Palace
Las Vegas: Aphrodite Live...
Mark
is down Kylie fans the word over. She's doing Ceasers
Sunday May 22, 2011 8pm
Melbourne: Aussie Joker Comedian Performs At Packer's
Crown; Raises Cash For Flood Relief...
Melbourne
folks at Crown Casino recently enjoyed 'The Jokers
Comedy That Rocks' at Crown Casino. James Packer's
casino donated all proceeds from last Friday night’s
show to Queensland flood victims. Organiser William
Leitch has happy with the way things went and showcased
an evening with some of the city’s top stand-up
artists, including Brad Oakes, Christine Basil and
Greg Fleet. It's understood he got close to 150 people
to come along, and he may be invited back on upcoming
Friday nights.
Top 100 ASX Listed Companies Respond To Flood Cry
For Help; Gambling And Gaming Industry Steps Up; Mining
Firms and Banking Bastards Lead Charge...
1.
BHP Billiton: $1.3 million (in addition, matching
employee donations)
2.
CBA: $1.35 million
3.
Westpac: $1 million
4.
ANZ: $1 million
5.
NAB: $1 million
6.
News Corp: $500,000 and Blue Ribbon campaign
7.
Rio Tinto: $1 million ($700,000 to Premier Relief,
$300,000 to Emerald community)
8.
Wesfarmers: $7.5 million (plus $3.5 million from Coles
customers)
9.
Telstra Corp: up to $1 million by matching staff contributions
(so far $338,000; is also supplying phones and free
calls to people affected)
10.
Woolside Petroleum: $122,395 (corporate + employees)
11.
Woolworths: $6.9 million (matching customer donations
in Woolies, Big W, Dick Smith dollar for dollar)
14.
Fortescue Metals: Matching staff donations dollar
for dollar
15.
CSL: $250,000
16.
QBE Insurance: not releasing a statement
17.
Origin energy: $1 million
18.
Macquarie Group: $200,000 (combined staff and company
effort with fundraising activities continuing both
here and overseas)
19.
AXA Asia Pacific: No response
20.
Santos: $500,000 plus use of helicopters and vehicles
for clean up. Also $50,000 for flooding in WA
21.
Coal and Allied Industries: (see Rio Tinto)
22.
AMP: $250,000 + matching employee contributions to
WA flood appeal up to $250,000
23.
Suncorp Group: $100,000 (staff and customers have
donated $1.5million)
24.
Foster's Group: $500,000
25.
Brambles: No response
26.
Leighton Holdings: No response
27.
Orica: No response
28.
Oil Search: No response
29.
Stockland: Donated $250,000 to the Premier's flood
relief appeal, another $30,000 to the Mayoress Rockhampton
regional flood appeal and are matching employee donations
dollar for dollar
30.
Coca. Cola Amatil: No response
31.
Amcor: No response
32.
Westfield Retail Trust: No response
33.
IAG: No response
39.
Crown: Donation tins in Crown complexes and have committed
to matching all donations as well as staff contributions
52.
Tabcorp Holdings: $1 million
78.
Tatts Group: Going to run a dedicated lottery for
the Queensland flood appeal where all profits will
go to the Premier's Flood Appeal. They ran the same
thing in Victoria after the Black Saturday bushfires.
It will run on Wednesday 2 Feb in Queensland and is
expected to raise $200,000. In addition, another donation
will be made from the unclaimed prizes fund of an
as. yet undecided amount
79.
Fairfax Media: Matching staff donations
100.
Seek: Reported it had made a donation to the Premier's
Flood Appeal but chose not to disclose how much
Brisbane:
Flood Relief Money Gets Spend On Pokies, Vice - Piss
Up At Pubs...
It's
been reported in a number of Queensland newspapers
that the $1000 flood relief grants that went to many
good folks in Granville are being used to feed slots
and buy piss (beer) rather than food and necessities.
Two Maryborough publicans say that in some instances
the answer to that is yes, and they are disgusted.
One of the publicans was so incensed by the misuse
of flood relief money she telephoned Fairfax Media
to complain. "A man came in bragging about how
he’d got the $1000 payout because he told Centrelink
he was stuck in Granville – but he was here the
whole time. It makes me sick that people are openly
admitting they’ve got the money for nothing,
while there are people who’ve died or lost everything."
She said Centrelink should have screened the applications
more carefully to make sure only people who were genuinely
in need received the cash. Another pub owner said
his one armed bandits had not stopped buzzing since
the grants became available. "We were quiet during
the actual floods but this week’s been totally
different. The pokies and the bottle shop have been
going non-stop." Yeah, Aussie continue to love
a punt, rain, hail, shine or flood!
Aussie
Millions Game 8 Results...
The
London based chap took down the $1,100 8 game mixed
event title at Crown Casino in Melbourne adding AUD$23,800
to his almost $1.2 million in career tournament earnings.
He entered the final table as the short stack, but
managed to grind his way to victory and nudge away
Australia's Bruno Portaro for the victory. The event
marked Ashby's 8th final table appearance at the Aussie
Millions that includes a side-event win back in 2005
and a seventh-place finish in the main event in 2009.
Ashby also won his first WSOP bracelet this summer
in the $1,500 7 Card Stud event and went well in the
$10k H.O.R.S.E. for his biggest career score of $378,027.
The 2011 Aussie Millions $1,100 8-Game Mixed event
drew 68-players and paid the final 7.
Here
are the results:
1 Richard Ashby AUD$23,800
2 Bruno Portaro AUD$16,320
3 Casey Kastle AUD$10,880
4 Daniel Ospina AUD$6,800
5 Oliver Gill AUD$4,760
6 Dane Coltman AUD$3,400
7 Paul Ravesi AUD$2,040
Aussie
Main Event Day 1b: PartyPoker And Full Tilt Poker
Players Feel The Pain...
PartyGaming's
PartyPoker
and Full Tilt Poker's powers that be likely won't
be celebrating. Ok, they got news coverage and exposure,
but its because their players are out. Yep, history
maties. Full Tilt went well on Day 1a but Day 1b was
rooted. Many of the big name pros went down for the
count as locals stepped up. 209 players entered the
Crown Poker room but after 7 levels of play, 80 remained.
David Oppenheim, Annette Obrestad, Carlos Mortensen,
David Benyamine, Andrew Feldman, Steve Yea, Andy Bloch
and Gus Hansen were some of the Full Tilt players
who died. Other casualties included Luke Santo, Raj
Ramakrishnan, George Moussa, Michael Pedley, Graeme
Putt, Martin Comer, Dennis Huntly, Jamie Pickering,
Bruno Portaro, Casey Kastle, Ben Savage and Tim Marsters.
2005 World Champion Joe Hachem (tweeting he struggled
with jetlag following a recent trip to the PokerStars
Caribbean Adventure.) Defending champ, 2010 Aussie
Millions Main Event winner Tyron Krost (PartyGaming's
PartyPoker
pro went down too). A new champ will be crowned in
2011 with plenty of Aussies still in contention. The
field kicked off with Jeff Rossier in the lead with
154,900, closely followed by Michael Ottobra (143,400)
and Martin Drewe, After winning the Opening Event
last week and going deep in another event, Drewe is
now set in the chip leaders in the Main Event after
getting to 136,100. Jay “SEABEAST” Kinkade
did nicely with 128,700, Haibo Chu (113,900), Manny
Stavropoulos (85,600), Sorel Mizzi (74,400), Michael
Egan (61,100), Kent Hunter (56,400), Jeff Lisandro
(55,000), Eric Assadourian (50,300), Scott Montgomery
(49,200), Chris Ferguson (45,400), Lee Nelson (30,200),
Neil Channing (28,800), Roland de Wolfe (26,100),
Aleks Brkovic (24,600), Jackie Glazier (21,900), Grant
Levy (18,300), Gary Benson (10,500) and Mel Judah
(7,200) amongst those who will return on Day 2. The
3rd and final flight of the 2011 Aussie Millions Main
will commence Tuesday with another strong field and
a few big names expected. Even Van Marcus will front
up. Van, is your Red Ferrari safe this time mate?
We're looking for more good fodder to write about.
How about do a publicity stunt and make world wide
headlines ago. Maybe someone at Crown Casino - Crown
Limited might be open to it. Stanger things have happened...
like Ferrari's getting stolen on site, casino fights
and a man getting stuck in the Crown Casino kitchen
grease vacuum.
Aussie
Millions Event #9 Day 1b: Rossiter In Front...
It
was down to business with players investing AUD$10,600
to buy in all with the goal of becoming the 2011 Aussie
Millions Champion. 7 seven levels of play, and the
209-player field went to 80. Jeff Rossiter is in front
with 154,900. Martin Drewe, 2011 Aussie Millions Event
#1 winner with 136,100 - now 3rd on the leaderboard.
Australian Jay Kinkade is on 128,700, and European
Poker Tour mainstay Jeff Sarwer sits 5th with 120,500.
Randy "nanonoko" Lew has 110,000 and Gavin
Griffin 101,700 in 9th ninth and 10th place. Sorel
Mizzi, Jeffrey Lisandro, Eric Assadourian, Team Full
Tilt's Chris Ferguson, Full Tilt Poker Red Pros Scott
Montgomery and Roland de Wolfe, Neil Channing, and
Lee Nelson have also all made it to Wednesday's Day
2, but it was touch and go for some of them, testing
the skill VS luck debate. Full Tilt Poker $25,000
Shootout Invitational winner David Oppenheim, Annette
Obrestad, Carlos Mortensen, Andy Bloch, David Benyamine,
Andrew Feldman, Gus Hansen, Joe Hachem, and David
Steicke all had to say goodnight nurse. PartyGaming's
- PartyPoker
Tyron Krost was eliminated in a hand VS Gavin Griffin
where his Ace-Queen couldn't best Griffin's Aces.
The 3rd and final Day 1 flight commences Tuesday in
Melbourne, Australia at 12:30 p.m. local time.
Getting
board of poker yet? If so, try your luck er skill
at Baccarat or Craps. If your more into luck, check
out the slots like Cleopatra, Sinatra, Rambo, Goanna
Gold and The Terminator. Rumour goes PartyGaming
also have, or will soon get, a World
Poker Tour themed online slot game. We recommend
punters open an account with PartyCasino,
PartyGaming
and World
Poker Tour, just to have all based covered. Party
appears to still be the most popular online casino
brand in Australia despite big efforts by the likes
of 888. Marvel
slot games are forecast to be some of the most
popular of this year with Captain
America and Thor
tipped to hit Australia cinema's this year, with Spider-Man
also getting a remake. Whatever your casino game of
choice, good luck, and let us know how you go guys
and girls. Spin to win.
Take
the time to research and learn games before placing
down money
Media
Man, Casino
News Media and Gambling911
are website portals. Not casinos as such, however
are recognised as world leading websites that cover
the sector and act as central points to games, news,
reviews and more.
Readers...
er, punters, how did you like our report? Tell us
in the forum.
If
you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over
it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet
portal development company. Gaming is just one of
a dozen sectors covered
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