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January 2026

Sin City Sydney Australia to Wall Street, New York

Friday Into Satuday Energy, Mining, Media and Intel

Digital Bush Telegraph

Jan 10

ASX 200 futures up 29 points/0.3 per cent to 8714

AUD -0.1% to US66.90¢

Bitcoin $90,338.65 -0.95%

Wall St:
Dow +0.5%
S&P +0.7%
Nasdaq +0.8%
VIX -0.97 to 14.48
Gold +0.6% to $US4506.19 an ounce
Brent oil +1.7% to $US63.02 a barrel
Iron ore +0.4% to $US108.30 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.17%
Australia 4.68%

News

Geopolitics will destroy the euro

EURUSD falls due to geopolitics and expectations of tariff removal

Gold returns to debasement trading

The US dollar continued its advance on Forex thanks to a new batch of strong macro statistics. Jobless claims rose less than expected. Productivity rose to a two-year high, and the US trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed to its lowest level since 2009. Donald Trump's plan to balance foreign trade with import tariffs is working. However, the Supreme Court may rule the tariffs illegal by the end of the week on 9 January.

The cancellation of import duties would return funds to American companies and households, which have largely absorbed the cost of tariffs that previously weighed on economic growth. The US economy has continued to expand, supported by investment in artificial intelligence, rising productivity, and the wealth effect created by record equity markets that have boosted household prosperity. The return of tariff revenues would effectively act as a fiscal stimulus, increasing disposable income and corporate cash flow. As a result, GDP growth and inflationary pressures are likely to accelerate.

This combination will create another barrier to lowering the federal funds rate. Stephen Miron's calls to cut it by 150 basis points in 2026 seem like a voice crying in the wilderness. Most FOMC members understand perfectly well what the return of money from tariffs could lead to. The hawks will gain a strong trump card, the pause in the monetary expansion cycle will be prolonged, and the US dollar will benefit from this.

Rumours of additional sanctions against Russia are putting pressure on the EURUSD. Diplomatic efforts to bring peace to Ukraine are not yielding results, and the continuation of the armed conflict will continue to hold back the eurozone economy. Events in Venezuela and talk of Greenland joining the US are increasing geopolitical tensions. According to ECB Vice-President Luis Guindos, this could hurt business, and increased household savings will slow GDP growth.

Despite the strengthening of the US dollar, gold has managed to counterattack. The precious metal is able to benefit from the Supreme Court's repeal of tariffs. The return of money will lead to an increase in the US budget deficit and public debt. These processes underlie debasement trading. In 2025, it became one of the key drivers of the 65% rally in XAUUSD. (FxPro)

News

From gold to crypto, fundies name their top trades for 2026

It’s not all about gold in 2026 as investors reveal their high-conviction plays across the ASX, commodities, currencies and bitcoin.

Jan 7

Investors have headed into the new year convinced that the roaring bull market in safe havens like gold and silver will not be the only game in town for making money.

While the record run for gold is expected to hold its ground, fund managers and strategists say the road map for financial markets will start to broaden into slightly more adventurous territory.

After 12 months of the ASX struggling to keep pace with its international peers and the stubborn weakness in the Australian dollar, bitcoin is among the assets tipped to make a comeback.

The market is expected to shift its focus towards the changing of the guard at the US Federal Reserve and the path of global interest rates.

Against this backdrop, here are some of the top trades that professional investors have made across asset classes for 2026.

Commodities
Geologist turned fund manager Rick Squire at Acorn Capital says the multi-year rally in gold will continue, but he is betting that producers of the yellow metal and businesses with advanced development projects like Golden Horse Minerals and Rox Resources will be the biggest winners.

“The best gains will come from developers or companies starting up new operations,” he says. “Explorers may also start to run, but that will be in late 2026 or later.”

Argonaut’s David Franklyn is the most bullish on uranium as major global economies look to nuclear energy as a component of their base load power.

Perennial’s resource specialist Sam Berridge agrees, adding that uranium could be the next critical mineral that the US backs as a means of spurring investment in domestic supply.

“The nuclear renaissance 2.0 accelerated materially into the close of 2025,” Berridge says.

In a more contrarian pick, Richard Morrow, who runs the Lowell Resources Fund, believes oil will shrug off concerns about oversupply and bounce back as the US dollar continues to soften. Brent prices lost 16 per cent last year because of a global supply glut.

Stocks
While the broader sharemarket is tipped to grind higher in 2026, Australian Ethical head of Australian equities Nathan Parkin says some of the best opportunities are in building materials, particularly companies with meaningful US exposure such as Reece.

While the stock declined into the back half of 2025, causing it to slip out of the ASX 100, Parkin believes Reece’s earnings have finally bottomed. “The propensity for those earnings is to be sharply higher in the next few years,” he says.

Parkin also likes Reliance Worldwide, describing its focus more on home repair and maintenance rather than new builds that is still leveraged to a recovery in building demand.

Aaron Binsted of Lazard Asset Management, meanwhile, says he has shifted his focus to more long-term bets for 2026 and is betting on logistics and moving away from the local tech sector.

His top picks are New Zealand-based Mainfreight and Freightways.

“As the economy turns, we’re expecting those to be good long-term earnings per share and dividend growers,” Binsted says.

For Morningstar director of equity research Johannes Faul, the best opportunities are in the smaller retailers – specifically fast food and footwear. Faul says that stocks such as Domino’s Pizza have been unfairly beaten down, creating attractive entry points.

He’s also backing Accent Group, the firm behind several shoe retailers including Hype and Platypus. He says the company’s recent share price slump is “overdone” that has left the stock trading at a deep discount.

Foreign exchange
Currency strategists are betting on a stronger Australian dollar as the Reserve Bank of Australia keeps interest rates high, while other central banks like in Europe and the US look to cut.

Alvise Marino of UBS favours the Aussie against the euro as the German economy falters. He says Australia’s lower debt and higher rates make it the safer bet. “The Aussie is likely to retain an interest rate advantage,” he adds.

The strategist has forecast the euro to drop to $1.70 by late 2026, from $1.75 currently.

Westpac’s Richard Franulovich and NAB’s Ray Attrill, meanwhile, are backing the Aussie against the US dollar. They expect a “diverging” rate path with the Fed to cut the benchmark while the RBA could look to hike.

Attrill adds that a new and likely more “dovish” head of the Fed when chairman Jerome Powell steps down in May will provide an extra tailwind.

Cryptocurrency
In the world of digital assets, Merkle Tree Capital chief investment officer Ryan McMillin is expecting bitcoin to rebound later in the year as the Trump administration “runs the economy hot” heading into the midterm elections.

While bond markets imply at least two US rate cuts in 2026, McMillin is expecting even more easing to be priced once US President Donald Trump names the new Fed chief.

“We see 2026 as a year where market structure and macro finally catch up with the underlying progress,” he says. “Bitcoin to new all-time highs in the second half … led by institutional flows rather than retail leverage.”

Crypto exchange giant Coinbase believes bitcoin will lead a digital rally in the first half before smaller alt-coins play catch up later in the year.

Global head of institutional research David Duong notes that there is $US7.5 trillion ($11.2 trillion) sitting in US money market funds which will be partially redeployed into crypto markets as the Fed cuts rates.

Citi forecasts bitcoin will soar to a record $US143,000 this year, up from about $US93,747 currently, and ethereum will climb to $US4304, up from $US3224, driven by a rebound in demand for exchange-traded funds.

Fixed income
Matthew Wacher, Morningstar’s chief investment officer for Asia-Pacific, likes Australian 10-year government bonds. He argues that with yields of about 4.8 per cent, the bonds offer a better balance of reward and safety than riskier corporate loans or US debt.

“The safety of Aussie government bonds and such yields are pretty attractive. They can give your portfolio a lot of protection,” he says, noting they currently offer the best “risk-adjusted” returns for the year ahead.

Australia is one of only nine countries with a top-notch triple-A rating by the top three rating agencies.

In addition to Australian government bonds, Tim Hext at Pendal is also bullish on gilts, adding that he likes how both Australia and the UK governments are managing their budgets. “At the end of the day, fiscal policy matters more than monetary policy,” he says.

While the United States and Germany continue to spend freely, he says Australia and the UK are cutting public spending or raising taxes. It’s for this reason Hext is betting against US and German government bonds and expects both to perform poorly by comparison. (AFR) *Full article and coverage via subscription to The Australian Financial Review

News

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

News Lead Up

24 Hours ago

Jan 9

ASX 200 futures up 26 points/0.3 per cent to 8716

AUD -0.4% to US66.95¢

Bitcoin $91,020.37 -0.34%

Wall St:
Dow +0.5%
S&P -0.1%
Nasdaq -0.6%

VIX +0.19 to 15.57

Gold +0.1% to $US4459.27 an ounce
Brent oil +4.3% to $US62.55 a barrel
Iron ore -0.7% to $US108.25 a tonne
10-year yield: US 4.18% Australia 4.66%

News

Crypto fails to find support for a breakout

Market Overview

The crypto market remained under pressure throughout Wednesday and early trading on Thursday, losing about 4% of its capitalisation to $3.08 trillion over the day. The market once again confirmed its cautious sentiment, retreating from the upper boundary of the consolidation range of the last eight weeks. The retreat of the stock markets created an unfavourable backdrop, and cryptocurrencies were unable to move from a rebound mode after the decline to a full-fledged recovery.

Bitcoin plunged below $90K on Thursday morning after bears seized the initiative at the end of the day on 5 January. At its lowest point, BTC approached the 50-day moving average, above which it climbed at the start of the year. The end of the week will bring an answer to the question of whether this curve has become a support level or whether we saw a false breakout at the start of the year.

News Background

Bitcoin could reach a new all-time high this year, said Bill Miller, investment director at Miller Value Partners. According to him, major Wall Street players are once again showing interest in the asset.

Institutional investors are again buying more Bitcoin through ETFs than miners are mining per day, notes analyst Charles Edwards. On-chain demand is still weak, but there are signs of a return of liquidity on Binance.

The main catalyst for Ethereum's growth in the new year will be crypto neobanks, not speculative traders, according to http://Ether.fi. Such platforms are capable of attracting many more crypto users than spot ETFs.

On 7 January, Ethereum developers implemented the Blob Parameter-Only (BPO) fork on the main network, which increases the BLOB object limit from 15 to 21. This will allow more transactions to be processed simultaneously, increasing the efficiency of the blockchain without the direct risk of overload.

Ripple has announced that it has no plans to go public, despite Wall Street's $40 billion valuation. Ripple's strong institutional support and overall treasury size have virtually eliminated the need for additional funding.

Privacy is a critical feature necessary for the development of global finance on the blockchain, which is why it will become a major focus in the crypto industry in 2026, according to a16z crypto. (FxPro)

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.6693 USD (down $0.0027 USD) Iron Ore: $108.25 USD (down $0.75 USD)
Oil Price : $58.22 USD (up $2.02 USD)
Gold Price: $4,456.72 USD (down $0.58 USD)
Copper Price: $5.7915 USD (down 0.0565 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,235.09 (up 239.01 points)

Media Man Favs

TKO Group Holdings Inc $202.09 -0.85 -0.42%

Tesla Inc $435.80 +4.39 +1.02%

Rio Tinto Ltd $144.53 -8.10 -5.31% (ASX)

Netflix Inc $90.53 -0.19 -0.21%

Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR $4.45 -0.020 -0.45%

Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.42 -0.11 - 0.63%

Volvo ADR (Parent of Mack Trucks) $33.31 -0.100 -0.30%

Microsoft Corp $478.11 -5.36 -1.11%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $118.27 +1.90 +1.63%

MGM Resorts International $35.15 +1.03 +3.03%

News

Australia

ASX gains on tech and health; Ansell dives 6pc

The Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.3 per cent to close at 8,72.8 points. WiseTech Global was up 2.2 per cent at $68.28, CSL advanced 2.6 per cent to $174.45 and Monadelphous Group finished 2.2 per cent higher at $27.37. However, BHP fell 0.8 per cent to end the session at $47.34, Beach Energy was down 1.4 per cent at $1.07 and takeover target BlueScope Steel shed 1.6 per cent to close at $29.40. (RMS)

News

Employment Hero settles with rival Seek

Human resources technology company Employment Hero has dropped its legal action against recruitment firm Seek, which is both an investor in Employment Hero and a rival. Employment Hero launched its action after Seek cut off access to its application program interface (API), which is a tool that permits companies such as Employment Hero to directly post job ads to Seek and to manage job candidate applications. Employment Hero had claimed that Seek's action amounted to anti-competitive conduct, but the two firms have advised that the matter has been resolved. Employment Hero's access to Seek's API will be permanently reinstated, and a three-week hearing scheduled for September will not go ahead. (RMS)

News

Nvidia's platform to slash AI costs

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has used the CES, the world's biggest consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, to announce the release of a new hardware platform. Known as Rubin, it promises to reduce the cost of operating large scale artificial intelligence models by 90 per cent, while Huang also announced that Nvidia has entered into a partnership with Mercedes to create the world's first ‘thinking' and 'reasoning' car; he says Nvidia's vision is that every car and truck will be autonomous at some stage in the future (RMS)

News

Sports

As Aussies seal Ashes victory, economists hit Bazball for six

England's aggressive batting style known as 'Bazball' is under renewed scrutiny after losing the 2025-26 Ashes series 4-1. E61 Institute economists Adit Maitra and Matthew Maltman have analysed England's performance in Test matches since Bazball was introduced by incoming team coach Brendon McCullum in 2022. They found that England had initial success, winning 13 Tests during the first 18 months of the Bazball era; the team lost four matches and just one resulted in a draw. However, England's win rate has fallen sharply since the 2023 Ashes series, as opposing teams have adjusted their own playing style in response to the Bazball tactics; it should also be noted that England did not tour Australia or India - two of the highest-rated Test nations - during the initial phase of the Bazball era. (RMS)

News

Resources/Energy

Defence demand tipped to boost copper stampede

S&P Global has forecast that worldwide demand for copper will top 42 million tonnes by 2040, compared with 28 million tonnes in 2025. However, the firm warns that the demand-supply deficit could reach 10 million by 2040 unless there is a big increase in copper production. Carlos Pascual from S&P Global emphasises that copper supply is now a national security issue, given its importance to industries such as defence and artificial intelligence, and the fact that copper processing is now dominated by China. BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue are amongst the big miners that are ramping up their exposure to copper. (RMS)

News

'Like a sauna': World's hottest location

While 40-degree temperatures in Victoria this week amounted to a near record for that state, such temperatures are commonplace in Western Australia's Pilbara region. It is home to much of WA's $150 billion resources sector, but extreme heat there is becoming a material risk and is forcing mining companies to put in measures to protect their assets and their workforces. Dee Egan, who is a resident of the Pilbara town of Onslow, which has endured 45-degree heat for the better part of the past week, says living there feels like you are in a sauna all day. (RMS)

News

Oil stocks are cheap for a reason

Shares in Woodside Energy, Santos and Beach Energy have fallen in value by between eight per cent and 44 per cent over the last five years. In contrast, shares in the world's biggest oil companies have risen by up to 161 per cent over this period. Sharemarket experts contend that there are a number of reasons why Australian oil producers are trading at a discount; they include government policy headwinds and the fact that takeover bids are unlikely, as well as company-specific issues. Meanwhile, analysts say the Trump administation's military action in Venezuela is likely to drive the crude oil price lower, while rebuilding the nation's oil industry is expected to take years. (RMS)

News

Jan 8

ASX miner cheers Trump's 'involvement' in Greenland

Energy Transition Minerals' MD Daniel Mamadou contends that the potential for increased US involvement in Greenland is a "positive", and that it will benefit companies which operate in the Danish self-governed territory. Energy Transition Minerals is engaged in a long-running dispute with the Greenland government over its Kvanefjeld rare earths project; the deposit also contains uranium, and the government banned uranium mining in 2021. Kvanefjeld is estimated to contain up to one billion tonnes of rare earth minerals, including terbium. Energy Transition Minerals' share price rose 44.9 per cent to $0.145 on Wednesday. (RMS)

News

Nickel price offers respite for last few Australian mines

The price of nickel has risen to $US18,785 per tonne in London trading, which is its highest level since October 2024. The rally follows Vale's decision to suspend nickel production in Indonesia until the nation's government approves its annual production plan. Meanwhile, Fitch Ratings subsidiary BMI has downgraded its nickel price forecast for 2026 due to expectations that the global surplus will rise; the firm now expects the nickel price to average $US15,000 per tonne. However, BMI is upbeat about the longer-term price outlook, contending that rising demand for nickel will reduce the glut. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

The Lead Up

January 8, 2026

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

ASX 200 futures down 4 points/0.1%: 8680
AUD -0.2% to US67.27¢
BTC $91,005.03 -1.57%

Wall St:
Dow -0.7% S&P -0.2% NAS +0.3%
VIX +0.24 to 14.99
Gold -0.8% to $US4457.23 an oz
Oil -0.9% to $US60.16 a b
Iron ore +2.4% to $US109.00 a ton

10-yr yield:
US 4.13%
AUS 4.76%

News

NYSE: News

On January 7, markets were mixed with some retreat from records as momentum cooled, but no major downturn reported.

Markets showed strength early in 2026, driven by AI optimism, chip sector gains, and positive sentiment around technology.

Latest Closes (January 6-7, 2026 session data)

Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): Closed at a record 49,462.08 (up ~0.99% on January 6), briefly surpassing 49,000 for the first time before minor pullback.

S&P 500: Closed at a record 6,944.82 (up ~0.62% on January 6), with intraday highs on January 7.

Nasdaq Composite: ~23,547.17 (up ~0.65% on January 6).

NYSE Composite Index: ~22,570.82 (up ~0.62% on January 6). Key Drivers:

Semiconductor and AI-related stocks (e.g., Nvidia commentary at CES 2026, memory/storage chipmakers hitting records).

Broader market optimism despite geopolitical headlines (e.g., Venezuela developments affecting oil).
Early 2026 gains built on strong 2025 performance, with chip indexes up significantly year-to-date. (Grok)

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

Markets, Crypto And Culture

January 2026

Jan 7

Sydney, Australia

Mood: Bullish

AUD +0.3% to US67.34¢
Bitcoin $93,010.79 +1.21%

Wall Street: By Mr Wolf

Dow +1.1%
S&P +0.6%
Nasdaq +0.6%
VIX -0.19 to 14.71
Gold +0.7% to $US4481.38 an ounce
Brent oil -1.9% to $US60.61 a barrel
Iron ore +0.7% to $US106.55 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.17%
Australia 4.79%

News

Numbers/Data Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.6730 USD (up $0.0015 USD)
Iron Ore: $106.55 USD (up $0.75 USD)
Oil Price: $56.89 USD (down $1.41 USD)
Gold Price: $4,484.96 USD (up $44.37 USD)
Copper Price: $6.0535 USD (up 0.0515 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,487.98 (up 510.80 points)

The Lead Up

Jan 6

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York, USA

Bullish Today

ASX 200 futures up 30 points/0.3 percent to 8746
AUD +0.3% to US67.17¢

Bitcoin $94,149.31 +3.17%

Wall St:

Dow +1.4%
S&P +0.7%
Nasdaq +0.7%
VIX +0.46 to 14.97
Gold +2.6% to $US4445.21 an ounce
Brent oil +1.7% to $US61.77 a barrel
Iron ore +0.4% to $US105.80 a ton

10-year yield:
US 4.16%
Australia 4.79%

News

Double Check On Numbers

Australian Dollar: $0.6715 USD (up $0.0029 USD) Iron Ore: $105.80 USD (up $0.40 USD) Oil Price: $58.30 USD (up $0.98 USD) Gold Price: $4,440.59 USD (up $108.23 USD) Copper Price: $6.0020 USD (up 0.3040 USD) Dow Jones: 49,102.86 (up 720.47 points)

News

ASX swings as mining rally offsets tech drop

The Australian sharemarket posted a slight gain on Monday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.0092 per cent to close at 8,728.6 points. BHP was up 1.6 per cent at $46.48, Paladin Energy advanced 7.1 per cent to $10.85 and Northern Star Resources ended the session 2.1 per cent higher at $24.95. However, Beach Energy was down 2.1 per cent at $1.14 and Zip Co fell 5.7 per cent to $3.16. (RMS)

News

Mining
Australia

Geologists uncover Earth's largest iron ore deposit ever recorded, worth $5.7 trillion

It was previously thought that the Pilbara Craton's iron ore bodies were formed at least two billion years ago. However, new dating techniques applied at key sites in the Hamersley Basin have concluded that these ore bodies were formed between 1.4 and 1.1 billion years ago; the new age range has been confirmed across multiple ore bodies in the region. The research has also found that the Pilbara Craton may contain about 55 billion metric tonnes of ore; this would be worth more than $5.7trn based on the current price of iron ore. (RMS)

News

Bullish start to the year in crypto

Market Overview

The cryptocurrency market added 3.6% to its capitalisation over the past seven days and approximately 0.6% in 24 hours, reaching $3.14 trillion.

At the start of trading on Monday, there was a slight decline to $3.18 trillion, but a return to monthly highs attracted local buyers. Active growth since the beginning of the year has not only pushed the market away from the ‘bottom’ where prices had been hovering for two weeks prior, but also ensured a break above the 50-day moving average, which we have not seen in almost three months. In the near term, we are closely monitoring the market’s attempts to consolidate at $3.20T. An increase in selling will confirm the shift to a bear market. The ability to grow will indicate the end of a long and relatively deep correction, setting the stage for a rapid approach to highs above $4T. By default, we are in favour of a bearish scenario until proven otherwise.

Bitcoin surpassed the $92K mark, marking its fifth consecutive daily growth candle today and reaching its highest level since December 12th. Last month, market participants actively sold off the first cryptocurrency in the $92–95K range, halting attempts to form a rebound after the October-November sell-off. Has the market changed during this time? It is unlikely that it has become stronger, with no prospects for accelerated economic growth or more dovish monetary policy sentiment.

News Background

Retail investors actively bought Bitcoin in the second half of last year, while large players were passive or took profits at October highs. Santiment calls this dynamic alarming. At the same time, there has been a decline in interest in the asset in the media and on social networks.

In December, large holders sold 20,000 BTC. However, the volume of leveraged positions grew by $2.4 billion, despite a 40% decline in trading activity, notes analyst Crazzyblockk. The current market situation does not signal that the bottom has been reached.

Long-term Bitcoin holders have stopped selling for the first time since July, according to VanEck. The current sideways movement of Bitcoin against the backdrop of record growth in gold and silver is comparable to the ‘calm before the storm,’ which is usually followed by a rally in the crypto market, a Bull Theory analyst hopes.

According to Lookonchain, an investor with $11 billion in assets has opened long positions on futures for the three leading cryptocurrencies worth $749 million. In October, he correctly predicted the market crash.

In the near future, Bitcoin and Ethereum are expected to receive a significant influx of capital due to the end of the rally in the precious metals market, according to Garrett Jean, former CEO of the now-defunct BitForex exchange.

According to Etherscan, the Ethereum network set a new record of 2.2 million transactions processed per day. Transaction costs fell to historic lows ($0.17).

Bitcoin has now turned 17. The anonymous creator of Bitcoin, under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, launched the network for the first cryptocurrency on January 3rd 2009. It was on this day that the very first block in the network was created, known as the genesis block, which contained 50 BTC. (FxPro)

News

Forex runs to safe havens

Growing political risks in Britain are putting pressure on European currencies

Geopolitics are reviving investor interest in gold The rise in geopolitical risks against the backdrop of the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by the US has increased demand for the US dollar as a safe-haven currency. Coupled with expectations of a prolonged pause in the Fed's monetary expansion cycle and political turmoil in Europe, this has allowed EURUSD bears to mount a counterattack and push the pair below 1.17. The futures market estimates the chances of a cut in the federal funds rate at the January FOMC meeting at 17% and 48% at the March meeting. The Fed intends to sit on the sidelines until at least spring. This plays into the hands of the US dollar. It is strengthening against major world currencies amid a wide spread between US bonds and their European and Asian counterparts. Moreover, there are signs of trouble brewing in Europe. Keir Starmer's approval rating has fallen to its lowest level among all British prime ministers in the last half-century. It is worse than that of Liz Truss, who is known for her quick resignation due to turmoil in the financial markets. As a result, the Labour Party is discussing a change of leader. Keir Starmer warns that his removal from power will plunge the country into complete political chaos and open the door to Nigel Farage, who is leading in the polls, for a new prime minister. The rise in political risks in Britain is putting pressure not only on the pound but also on other European currencies. Following GBPUSD, EURUSD is falling off a cliff. Politics and geopolitics are forcing investors to seek safe havens. The best option appears to be gold, which shone in 2025. The precious metal managed to rebound from local lows thanks to a spectacular operation by US special forces in Venezuela. Investors successfully bought up the dip in the XAUUSD pair. However, the market may quickly come to the conclusion that events in Latin America will have a muted impact on both the global economy and oil. Venezuela, with its production falling from 3.5 million bpd in the 1970s to 1 million bpd today, is only the 18th largest producer of black gold in the world. If investors decide that the regime change in Caracas will not lead to turmoil, they will dump safe-haven assets. At the same time, pressure on gold may come from the strengthening of the US dollar amid a prolonged pause in the Fed's cycle of monetary policy easing. 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

Media Man Favs

Jan 5 towards Jan 6

TKO $203.72 -3.11 -1.50%

Alphabet Inc Class A $316.21 +1.06 +0.34%

Netflix Inc $91.47 +0.48 +0.52%

Paramount Skydance Corp $13.00 -0.19 -1.40%

Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR $4.57 -0.11 -2.35%

Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.68 -0.38 -2.10%

Formula One Group Series A $90.10 +1.03 +1.16%

Caterpillar Inc $616.86 +18.48 +3.09%

Volvo ADR (Owner of Mack Trucks) $32.64 +0.30 +0.92%

Tesla $451.67 +13.60 +3.10%

Microsoft Corp $472.85 -0.090 -0.019%

Mineral Resources Ltd $55.81 +0.37 +0.67% (ASX)

Rio Tinto Ltd $149.59 +1.90 +1.29% (ASX)

BHP Group Ltd $46.48 +0.72 +1.57% (ASX)

The Lead Up

Jan 5

Sydney, Australia

ASX futures up 11 points/ 0.1%: 8718
AUD +0.3% at US66.93¢
Bitcoin $91,320.85 +0.79%
Dow +0.7% S&P +0.2%
NAS flat
Gold +0.3% to $US4332.29 an ounce
Brent oil -0.2% at $US60.75 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% at $US105.40 a ton

News

Double Check On Numbers

Australian Dollar: $0.6686 USD (up $0.0016 USD)
Iron Ore: $105.40 USD (up $US1.40 USD)
Oil Price: $57.32 USD (down $0.10 USD)
Gold Price: $4,332.36 USD (up $6.92 USD)
Copper Price: $5.6980 USD (up 0.0040 USD)
Dow Jones: 48,382.39 (up 319.10 points)

News

Australia/ASX

ASX to grind higher as rate talk dominates

Future pricing on Friday night suggested that Australian equities will gain around 0.1 per cent when the market opens on Monday. Stephen Miller from GSFM expects equity markets to 'grind' slightly higher in 2026; he adds that there will eventually be a correction, but contends that the US military operation in Venezuela is unlikely to provide the catalyst for a major pullback. Meanwhile, the upcoming release of Australia's monthly CPI data for November will be a key focus for local investors in the coming week, and may influence the Reserve Bank's interest rate decision in February. The S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.15 per cent to 8,727.8 points on Friday. (RMS)

News

Paspaley family's hospitality pivot as pearling profits lose their lustre

Filings with the corporate regulator show profits at Pearl Corporation of Australia were at $13.5 million in the 12 months to 30 June, down from $27.8 million a year earlier. The Pearl Corporation of Australia is one of the major vehicles of the Paspaley family, one of Australia's most noted pearling dynasties. With an estimated fortune of $1.52 billion, the family has been moving away from its historical roots towards hotels and luxury cruising operations, as pearl sales take a hit. (RMS/AFR)

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Curious case of Fortescue's copper target

Iron ore miner Fortescue is set to acquire Alta Copper in a deal worth more than $151 million, with Fortescue having held a stake of almost 20 per cent in the South American explorer for almost six years. By the time it announced its bid for Alta in December, Fortescue had lifted its stake to nearly 36 per cent, while disclosures made by Alta to the Toronto Stock Exchange in the last few days before Christmas show that Fortescue had made three prior overtures to acquire the company over the past four years. (RMS)

News

Snapshot/Profile: TKO Group

TKO is a media and live event company that owns the popular WWE and UFC brands. The company’s third-quarter fiscal 2025 earnings report showed revenue of $1.12 billion, adjusted EBITDA of $360 million (with a 32% margin), and increased full-year guidance to an upward range of $4.72 billion and $1.58 billion for revenue and adjusted EBITDA, respectively.

It’s no wonder TKO shares are up 53% so far this year – and they could rise more. MoneyFlows data shows how Big Money investors are betting heavily on the stock.

TKO Group Draws Institutional Interest

Institutional volumes reveal plenty. In the last year, TKO has enjoyed strong investor demand, which we believe to be institutional support.

Plenty of discretionary names are under accumulation right now. But there’s a powerful fundamental story happening with TKO Group.

TKO Group Fundamental Analysis

Institutional support and a healthy fundamental backdrop make this company worth investigating. As you can see, TKO has had strong sales growth:

1-year sales growth rate (+67.4%)

3-year sales growth rate (+38.3%)

Source: FactSet

Also, EPS is estimated to ramp higher this year by +155.8%.

Now it makes sense why the stock has been generating Big Money interest. TKO has a track record of strong financial performance.

TKO Group Price Prediction

The TKO action isn’t new at all. Big Money buying in the shares is signaling to take notice. Given the historical gains in share price and strong fundamentals, this stock could be worth a spot in a diversified portfolio.

News

NYSE

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and broader US markets are open today (Monday, January 5, 2026) for regular trading hours (9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET).

This is the second full trading week of the year, following the New Year's holiday closure on January 1 and the first trading session on January 2.

Recent Market Performance

The first trading day of 2026 (Friday, January 2) saw mixed but mostly positive results:S&P 500: Closed slightly higher (up ~0.19% to around 6,858), supported by gains in semiconductors.

Dow Jones Industrial Average: Ended higher, snapping a prior losing streak, with boosts from chips (e.g., Nvidia, Intel) and industrials like Boeing.

Nasdaq Composite: Closed nearly flat (down ~0.03%), despite intraday gains in tech.

Advancers outnumbered decliners on the NYSE, with semiconductor stocks rallying (Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up ~4%).

Notable movers included furniture retailers (e.g., Wayfair +6%, RH +8%) after delayed tariff hikes on certain categories.

Key Context and Outlook for 2026

2025 was a strong year: S&P 500 up ~16-17%, Nasdaq ~21%, Dow ~14% — marking three consecutive years of double-digit gains.

Wall Street analysts are optimistic for 2026, with average S&P 500 year-end targets around 7,600–8,000 (implying 11–16% upside).

Expectations include continued AI-driven growth, potential Fed rate cuts (possibly more dovish under new leadership), and moderate economic expansion.

Upcoming catalysts: December jobs report (recently released or imminent), Q4 earnings season starting mid-January (e.g., JPMorgan on Jan. 13), and ongoing focus on tariffs, inflation, and Fed policy.

News

The Lead Up

Summary and In-Depth Option

Media Man Biz Watercooler

Jan 3

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York

AUD +0.3% to US66.89¢

Bitcoin +1.9% to $US89,854

Wall St:
Dow +0.7%
S&P +0.2%
Nasdaq -0.04%
VIX -0.34 to 14.61
Gold -0.00% to $US4319.21 an ounce
Brent oil -0.1% to $US60.77 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US105.40 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.19% Australia 4.83%

News Flashback

The Lead Up

Media Man Favs

Jan 2

TKO $206.94 -2.06 -0.99%

Alphabet Inc Class A $315.15 +2.15 +0.69%

Netflix Inc $90.99 -2.77 -2.95%

Paramount Skydance Corp $13.18 -0.22 -1.64%

Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR $4.68 +0.080 +1.74%

Mercedes Benz Group ADR $18.06 +0.49 +2.79%

Formula One Group Series A $89.07 -0.31 -0.35%

Caterpillar Inc $598.41 +25.54 +4.46%

Volvo ADR (Owner of Mack Trucks_ $32.34 +0.40 +1.25%

Tesla $438.07 -11.65 -2.59%

Microsoft Corp $472.94 -10.68 -2.21%

Mineral Resources Ltd $55.44 +1.06 +1.95% (ASX)

Rio Tinto Ltd $147.69 +0.87 +0.59% (ASX)

BHP Group Ltd $45.76 +0.27 +0.59% (ASX)

News

NYSE

New York Stock Exchange

The NYSE floor was active on January 2, with traders marking the start of trading in the new year

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) resumed trading on January 2, 2026, after being closed on New Year's Day (January 1). Markets kicked off the new year on a positive note, snapping a four-day losing streak from the end of 2025.Key Market Performance on January 2, 2026:The S&P 500 closed slightly higher, supported by gains in semiconductor stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended higher, boosted by names like Nvidia, Intel, and Boeing.

Chip stocks led the rally, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index up around 4%.

Overall, U.S. markets started 2026 positively amid optimism for continued tech-driven growth, though no "Santa Claus rally" materialized at the end of 2025.

2025 Year-in-Review Highlights:

The S&P 500 finished 2025 up 16.4%, marking its third consecutive year of gains over 15%.

Tech and AI-related stocks dominated performance in 2025.

Notable Stock Movements and News:

Semiconductor and AI-related shares (e.g., Nvidia, Applied Materials, Western Digital) rallied strongly on January 2.

Tesla shares dipped after Q4 deliveries missed estimates, but analysts remain bullish on its autonomous and robotics potential for 2026.

Software stocks like Salesforce and CrowdStrike faced pressure.

Upcoming Focus for 2026:

Investors eye Federal Reserve policy, interest rate cuts, and corporate earnings growth.

Expectations for further market gains persist, with AI and tech themes continuing to drive sentiment.

News

ASX

As of January 3, 2026, the S&P/ASX 200 (commonly referred to as the ASX 200) is trading around 8,729.60 points, up approximately 0.18% (+15.30 points) during the session.

Market Status: The ASX is open today (Saturday is not a trading day; normal hours are Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM AEDT).

Recent Performance:

Closed 2025 at approximately 8,714 points (December 31, 2025).

First trading day of 2026 (likely January 2) saw modest gains, with reports of the index closing or trading around 8,728–8,730 points amid thin holiday liquidity.

The index tracks the performance of the 200 largest companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange by float-adjusted market capitalization, serving as Australia's primary stock market benchmark.

News/Overview

Mag 7

These companies collectively represent about one-third of the S&P 500's market capitalization and have significantly influenced broader market trends.

In 2025, performance diverged: Alphabet and Nvidia were top performers (with Alphabet leading strongly in Q4), while others like Amazon lagged (single-digit gains). The group as a whole outperformed the average S&P 500 stock but showed rotation toward AI-focused names.Heading into 2026, analysts see continued potential from AI investments, though risks include high valuations, competition, and regulatory scrutiny. There's also an ETF for equal-weight exposure: the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS).

The Magnificent Seven (Mag 7) refers to a group of seven leading U.S. tech stocks that have dominated market performance in recent years, driven by innovation in AI, cloud computing, e-commerce, and more.

As of early 2026, the standard list remains:

Apple (AAPL)
Microsoft (MSFT)
Alphabet (GOOGL/GOOG) (Google's parent)
Amazon (AMZN)
Meta Platforms (META) (Facebook's parent)
Nvidia (NVDA)
Tesla (TSLA)

News

Tech Stock News

Major Tech Stock Overview as of January 3, 2026

Markets were closed on January 1, 2026 (New Year's Day), and the first trading day was January 2, 2026 (a Friday).

On that day, major indices showed mixed performance with a boost from semiconductor stocks:

S&P 500: Closed up 0.19% at approximately 6,858.
Nasdaq Composite: Closed down slightly at 23,236.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: Closed higher, snapping a prior losing streak.

Tech stocks, particularly chips, led gains amid ongoing AI enthusiasm, while some software names pulled back.

Key "Magnificent Seven" Tech Stocks

These are the leading large-cap tech companies (Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet/Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Tesla).

Exact closing prices for January 2 aren't detailed in reports, but highlights include:

Nvidia (NVDA): Up ~1.5%, continuing strong momentum as the AI leader.

Semiconductor-related names like Micron and AMD rose significantly (Micron +7%, AMD +3%), lifting the sector.

Overall, tech remains a dominant theme entering 2026, with analysts optimistic about AI-driven growth but noting high valuations and potential for rotation to other sectors.

Broader Tech Sector Trends

AI and chips are expected to drive gains in 2026, with capex from Big Tech projected at massive levels.

Analysts' top picks often include Nvidia, Microsoft, and others from the Magnificent Seven.

Risks: Elevated valuations and potential AI "bubble" concerns

News

Bulls And Bears def

Bull and bear refer to market trends and investor sentiment: a bull market signifies rising prices, optimism, and growth (like a bull thrusting horns up), while a bear market means falling prices, pessimism, and contraction (like a bear swiping paws down), with investors buying in bull markets and selling in bear markets, influencing overall market direction.

News

The Lead Up

ASX futs down 33 pnts/0.4% to 8674
AUD +0.2% at US66.80¢
BTC $89,838.67 +1.90%
Dow +0.2%
S&P -0.2%
NAS -0.4%
Gold -0.1% to $US4314.82 an ounce
Brent oil -0.4% at $US60.62 a barrel
Iron ore +0.3% to $US105.40 a ton

News

Gold And Silver

Gold spot price is trading around $4,330–$4,350 per troy ounce, extending gains from a remarkable 2025 where it rose over 64% year-over-year, marking its strongest annual performance in decades.Silver spot price is around $72–$74 per troy ounce, up significantly after surging more than 144% in 2025, driven by industrial demand and safe-haven flows.

The gold/silver ratio currently sits near 59–63, meaning it takes about 60 ounces of silver to buy one ounce of gold—lower than historical averages, reflecting silver's stronger relative performance lately.

News

Fun Facts

Silicon Valley

Silicon Valley is home to iconic tech giants with sprawling campuses:

Apple

Apple Park (the "Spaceship" in Cupertino).

Google (Alphabet)

Googleplex in Mountain View.
Meta (Facebook) in Menlo Park.

Nvidia, Intel, Cisco, and more.
News

Best Quotes