$FIVE

By Danilo Masoni MILAN (Reuters) - World shares turned lower on Wednesday and bond yields shot up after U.S. data showed inflation there slowed down less than expected last month, cementing expectations of aggressive rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. U.S. futures turned negative after data showed U.S. annual consumer price growth slowed to 8.3% in April from 8.5% in March, suggesting that inflation has probably peaked. The number, however, was above the 8.1% analyst had expected. Paolo Zanghieri, senior economist at Generali (BIT:GASI) Investments, said the data confirmed the view that the return of inflation to more tolerable values will take time. "Overall today's data add to the case of the strong front-loading called for by (|Fed Chair Jerome) Powell in the last meeting, who also suggested the possibility of two more 50bps rise in June and July," Zanghieri said. "However, this will keep concern on the possibility of a recession high, and ultimately weakening growth may lead the Fed to temper it tightening after the summer." MSCI's benchmark for global stocks was flat by 1247 GMT, having earlier risen as much as 0.3%. On Tuesday, the index fell to its lowest level since November 2020 on fears Fed tightening could significantly slow down the global economy. U.S. equity futures turned sharply negative, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 e-minis down 1% and 0.6% respectively. The pan-European STOXX 600 equity benchmark index also trimmed gains, and was last up 0.2%. Money markets ramped up bets of Fed rate hikes by end-2022 to 208 basis points after the U.S. inflation numbers, compared to around 195 bps before. Earlier in Asia, equities squeezed higher from near two-year lows. Chinese blue chips rose 1.4% after Shanghai officials said half the city had achieved "zero COVID" status, and after U.S. President Joe Biden said he was considering eliminating Trump era tariffs on China. Chinese data released on Wednesday, however, showed consumer prices rose 2.1% from a year earlier, more than expected and at the fastest pace in five months, partly due to food prices. YIELDS SHOOT UP After falling to their lowest levels in almost a week earlier on Wednesday, benchmark 10-year Treasury yields turned positive after the inflation data, marching back towards the three-year high of 3.203% hit on Monday. The 10-year yield was last up 6 basis points on the day to 3.0502%, while the 2-year yield, which often reflects the Fed rate outlook, jumped 11 bps to 2.717%. Euro area government bond yields also sold off following the U.S. data, sending German 10-year yields up 8 bps to 1.084%. Bets over aggressive Fed tightening have also supported the dollar this year. The dollar index, which measures its performance against six main peers, reversed earlier weakness and was last up 0.1% to 104.04, closer to the two-decade high of 104.19 reached at the start of the week. The Fed last week raised interest rates by 50 basis points and Chair Jerome Powell said two more such hikes were likely at the upcoming policy meetings. There has also been speculation in markets the U.S. central bank will need to move by 75 basis points at one meeting and currently money markets are pricing over 190 basis points of combined rate hikes by year. "The current problem is that the market is convinced that the Fed is determined to fight inflation and therefore willing to tolerate market volatility and some demand destruction more than in the past. Personally, I'm less convinced of this determination," said Giuseppe Sersale, fund manager at Anthilia. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) forecasts 2022 global economic growth to be less than half of last year's at 2.9%, down from a previous estimate of 3.2%. The U.S. bank also cut its year-end target for the S&P 500 by 11% to 3,900 points, while raising its U.S. 10-year yield forecast by 55 bps to 3.15%. Oil bounced back, buoyed by supply concerns as the European Union works on gaining support for a ban on Russian oil. [O/R] Brent rose 2.6% to $105.12 a barrel and U.S. crude rose 3% to $102.77. Spot gold dipped 0.1% to $1,836.2 an ounce.

By Alun John HONG KONG (Reuters) - Asian shares squeezed higher on Wednesday from close to two-year lows hit in the previous session while the dollar held steady, ahead of keenly awaited U.S. inflation data that will offer a guide to how aggressively the Federal Reserve will raise rates. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.8%, having fallen to its lowest since July 2020 the day before. Japan's Nikkei gained 0.3%. European markets also were set to open higher, with EUROSTOXX 50 futures up 0.7%. Nasdaq futures added 0.8% and S&P 500 futures gained 0.4%. Chinese blue chips led Asia's gains, rising 2% helped by Shanghai officials saying half the city had achieved "zero COVID" status, and U.S. President Joe Biden saying he was considering eliminating Trump era tariffs on China as a way to lower prices for goods in the United States. But, "the main factor for markets right now is inflation, inflation, inflation," said Carlos Casanova, senior Asia economist at UBP. "Indian inflation was higher this week, Chinese inflation was higher than expected today, and everyone is concerned about U.S. inflation and the possibility of recession in the U.S., which rises with every rate hike," he said. Chinese data released earlier on Wednesday showed consumer prices gained 2.1% from a year earlier, above expectations and the fastest pace in five months, partly due to food prices. Factory-gate inflation, while also above expectations, eased to a one-year low. U.S. consumer price data, due at 1230 GMT, could give an indication of whether the Fed will raise rates even more aggressively to combat inflation. The Fed last week raised its target for overnight bank-to-bank lending by a half a percentage point, and Chair Jerome Powell said two more such hikes are likely at the U.S. central bank's coming policy meetings. There has also been speculation in markets the Fed will need to go in for a massive 75 basis point hike at one meeting. Aggressive tightening has sent U.S. Treasury yields higher, and supported the dollar. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six main peers, was steady at 103.79, not far from the high of 104.49 reached at the start of the week is highest since December 2002. "The dollar's reaction to the CPI will be asymmetrical in our view," said CBA analysts in a note. "A positive surprise will encourage markets to increase pricing for a 75pt increase in the Funds rate later in the year and support the dollar, while a negative surprise will keep pricing for 50bp increases in June and July intact and leave the dollar steady." Analysts expect the U.S. consumer price index to show a sharp pullback in monthly growth, cooling to 0.2% in April from 1.2% in March. They also predict an annual increase of 8.1%, 0.4 percentage point lower than the prior 8.5%, which was the hottest reading since December 1981. U.S. Treasuries were also quiet ahead of the data. The benchmark 10-year note yield was little changed at 2.9774%, having fallen from a three-year high hit Monday. On the front end of the curve, the U.S. two-year yield, which often reflects the Fed rate outlook, was steady at 2.6228% Bitcoin was trading around $31,700, having staged a small recovery after falling below $30,000 on Tuesday for the first time since July 2021. Oil bounced back from declines the previous day as markets try to balance concerns that China's zero COVID policy will impact demand and that a proposed European Union ban on Russian oil will hit supply. U.S. crude rose 2.36% to $102.08 a barrel, having fallen below $100 on Tuesday for the first time this month. Brent rose 2.34% to $104.85. Spot gold as steady at to $1838.7 an ounce.

five black swans colliding into each other

you should switch your avatar to Johnny five with gold plate he changed at end of 2nd movie

By Florence Tan SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped on Monday, along with stock markets in Asia, sparked by weak China data and fears a global recession could dampen oil demand, with investors eying European Union talks on a Russian oil embargo that could tighten global supplies. Brent crude lost 41 cents, or 0.4%, to $111.98 a barrel by 0603 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was at $109.24 a barrel, down 53 cents, or 0.5%. Both contracts briefly turned positive after falling more than $1 earlier in the session. "The broader risk-off sentiment sparked by the recession fears, and China's lockdowns are the major factors that pressure the oil price," CMC Markets analyst Tina Teng said. Global financial markets have also been spooked by concerns over interest rate hikes and recession worries as tighter and wider COVID-19 lockdowns in China led to slower export growth in the world's No. 2 economy in April. Crude imports by China, the world's top oil importer, rose nearly 7% in April from a year earlier although imports for the first four months fell 4.8% on year. A price cut by Saudi Arabia also reflected worries over global oil demand, Teng said. Saudi Arabia, world's top oil exporter, lowered crude prices for Asia and Europe for June on Sunday. EU RUSSIA OIL EMBARGO Last week, the European Commission proposed a phased embargo on Russian oil as part of its toughest-yet package of sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, boosting Brent and WTI prices for the second straight week. However, the proposal requires a unanimous vote among EU members this week. The EU proposal was followed by a pledge by G7 nations on Sunday to ban or phase out Russian oil imports. Washington also imposed new sanctions against Gazprombank executives and other businesses. Japan, part of G7 and one of the world's top five crude importers, will ban Russian crude imports "in principle", Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Sunday. "It seems inevitable that both the EU and Japan will be competing for more non-Russia supplies in the future, and this is underpinning prices," said Jeffrey Halley, OANDA's senior analyst, in a note. Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister, however, said on Sunday that his country would veto EU oil sanctions on Russia if it does not get a derogation from the proposed ban. "The talks will continue tomorrow, on Tuesday too, a meeting of the leaders may be needed to conclude them. Our position is very clear. If there be a derogation for some of the countries, we want to get a derogation too," Vassilev told national BNT television. Bulgaria had earlier said it would seek an exemption from the proposed Russian oil ban if such opt-outs were allowed, but it was not clear if it was seeking a full exemption or a delay similar to the one proposed on Friday for Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Avalanche rebounds 25% in five days as AVAX price tests key level — big rally ahead? https://cointelegraph.com/news/avalanche-rebounds-25-in-five-days-as-avax-price-tests-key-level-big-rally-ahead

you know hold on to your enthusiasm for now. got to get above the damn 21ema first. then can high five

By Danilo Masoni MILAN (Reuters) - World stocks rose slightly on Tuesday and U.S. 10-year Treasury yields held near 3% as investors prepared for the Federal Reserve's biggest rate hike since 2000. In a busy week for central bank meetings, Australia's central bank raised its key rate by a bigger-than-expected 25 basis points on Tuesday, lifting the Aussie dollar as much as 1.3% and hitting local shares. On Thursday, the Bank of England is expected to raise rates for the fourth time in a row. MSCI's benchmark for global stocks gained 0.1% by 1216 GMT as European shares rose after surviving a "flash crash" on Monday caused by a single sell order trade by Citigroup (NYSE:C). The pan-European STOXX 600 equity benchmark was up 0.2%, bouncing back from Monday's losses and supported by upbeat earnings reports and gains in banking stocks tracking higher bond yields. "These are small flashes of sunshine in the markets. The broader scenario however is not encouraging," said Enrico Vaccari, head of institutional sales at Consultinvest in Milan. "Even though there's room for stock markets to rally from oversold levels, in the long term the headwinds are too many, simply because the speed of the Fed's rate hikes will drive equity and especially bond market movements," he added. In the UK, the FTSE 100 index, which reopened following a long weekend, fell 0.4%. In France, BNP rose 4% after a sharp increase in trading activities helped the country's biggest lender top earnings growth expectations. In Asia, equities were mostly steady in holiday-thinned trade, with both China and Japan markets shut, but in Hong Kong, Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) shares fell as much as 9% on worries over the status of its billionaire founder Jack Ma. A state media report that Chinese authorities had taken action against a person surnamed Ma hit the stock hard, but it recouped losses after the report was revised to make clear it was not the company's founder. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up 0.1% and South Korea's KOSPI declined 0.3%. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index fell 0.4% as the central bank raised rates and flagged more hikes ahead to contain inflation. U.S. equity futures steadied, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 e-minis hovering between flat and a rise of 0.1%, held back by some underwhelming earnings reports. On Monday, Wall Street closed a seesaw session higher as investors bought into tech stocks in the last hour of trading amid bets they had been overly beaten down ahead of this week's Fed meeting. Investors expect the Fed to raise rates by 50 basis points at the end of a two-day meeting on Wednesday, although there was uncertainty around how hawkish Chair Jerome Powell will sound in comments following the decision. Around 250 basis points of rate hikes by the end of this year are already priced in by money markets, which some analysts say reduces the scope for hawkish surprises this week. U.S. treasury yields stayed near 3% in European trade, after breaching that key psychological milestone for the first time since December 2018 on Monday. The U.S. benchmark 10-year yield fell 2 basis points to 2.955%. In April, it rose 59 basis points, scoring its best month since 2009. Consultinvest's Vaccari said if 10-year U.S. yields were to reach 4%, there would be a "very strong shift towards bonds even though that risk today looks quite far away". The dollar, which has been supported by safe haven buying on worries over the economic outlook, stayed just below the nearly two-decade high reached in April and the euro steadied above the lowest level in more five than years hit last month. The dollar index was last at 103.25, down 0.3% on the day. The euro traded up 0.4% at $1.0546. RBA JOINS THE CLUB Elsewhere in currency markets, the Australian dollar jumped after the central bank raised its cash rate by a surprisingly large 25 basis points to 0.35%, the first hike in more than a decade. It also flagged more rate hikes to come as it pulls down the curtain on massive pandemic-related stimulus. "The RBA has joined the club, with a rate hike today that was a little larger than we had expected. The case to start to move policy off emergency settings was clear and the RBA has responded to that," said Jo Masters, chief economist at Barrenjoey in Sydney. The Aussie was up 0.9% at $0.712 as a majority of analysts in a Reuters poll had expected a rise to only 0.25%. The UK pound rose, moving away from its 22-month lows against the dollar as traders took profits on the recent surge in the greenback ahead of the Bank of England policy meeting. [GBP/] Sterling rose 0.3% to $1.253, against the low of $1.2412 hit last week. Oil prices slipped as concerns about the demand outlook due to prolonged COVID lockdowns in China outweighed support from a possible European oil embargo on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. [O/R] Brent crude fell 1.1% to $106.4 per barrel, and U.S. crude lost 1.2% to $103.9. London copper prices fell to three-month lows as COVID-19 restrictions in top consumer China and the prospect of aggressive U.S. rate hikes fuelled worries about weaker global growth hitting metals demand. [MET/L] Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange was down 2.5% at $9,525.50 a tonne. Gold prices hit their lowest since mid-February before recovering, as an elevated dollar and the imminent rate hike by the Fed dampened bullion's appeal as an inflation hedge. [GOL/] Spot gold was flat at $1,863 per ounce.

By Tom Westbrook SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Global stocks steadied on Thursday, taking comfort from company earnings, while a collapse in the yen after Japan doubled down on anchoring bond yields drove the dollar toward its highest levels in decades. The yen dropped to a 20-year low and breached the 130-to-the-dollar level after the Bank of Japan vowed to buy unlimited amounts of 10-year bonds daily to defend its yield target. The yen was last at 130.11 per dollar. The BOJ's move was in stark contrast with investors' conviction that U.S. interest rates are about to start going up fast and it jolted the dollar higher across Asia and against majors. [FRX/] The U.S. dollar index hit a five-year high of 103.55 and is not far from its 2017 peak of 103.82. An energy crisis in Europe hasn't helped the common currency, either, and the euro was testing major support at $1.05. The dollar also made a two-month high on the Aussie an 18-month high on the yuan, a 21-month high on the kiwi and an almost two-year top on the Swiss franc. "The most important theme (in markets) are the monetary policy differences between the U.S. and the rest of the world, especially Asia," said Kiyong Seong, lead Asia macro strategist at Societe Generale (OTC:SCGLY) in Hong Kong. "Even though the market already anticipated the BOJ would remain accommodative, finding out again has led to an exaggerated move," he said. In equities, Nasdaq 100 futures were up 1.4% and S&P 500 futures rose 0.8% after Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) owner Meta beat Wall Street forecasts and said it had eked out user growth, sending its shares up almost 20% after hours. A rally in Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) shares through Wednesday had also helped Wall Street indexes to a steady close. [.N] MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.6%, led by a 1% bounce in Australia's commodity-heavy bourse. (AX) Standard Chartered (OTC:SCBFF) also turned in a forecast-beating 6% rise in first-quarter profit on Thursday, sending its Hong Kong-listed shares up more than 12%. Japan's Nikkei rose 1.5% and was heading for its best day in two weeks as investors cheered the weaker currency and Bank of Japan's vows of policy support. Japanese government bonds had their best rally in a month. [JP/] "The BOJ is not promoting a weak yen, but their policy is in a way supporting a weak yen," said Bart Wakabayashi, branch manager at State Street (NYSE:STT) Bank in Tokyo. "I think most people would have agreed 130 is in play, but now it's a foregone conclusion." European futures rose 0.5% and FTSE futures rose 0.3%. FED UP Looming over markets is uncertainty about the economic fallout of war in Ukraine, highlighted by Russia's halt on gas supply to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday, and lingering lockdowns in China which are sharply curbing activity. Set against that is investors conviction that U.S. rates are rising and that next week's Federal Reserve meeting will bring the first of several consecutive 50-basis-point hikes. U.S. growth data, due later in the day, may temper that path a little bit if - as trade figures on Wednesday suggested - it is wavering, but a major focus is on consumers and whether they can keep company earnings ticking over even as rates go up. "Consumers are still, for now, taking higher prices in their stride. It's enough cheer for (stock) markets," said Seng Wun Song, an economist at CIMB Private Bank in Singapore. "It's all about whether consumers are confident enough to carry on." Treasuries were steady in the Asia session, nursing small Wednesday losses, with two-year yields at 2.5970% and benchmark 10-year yields at 2.8301%. [US/] Oil wobbled lower on Chinese demand concerns, and Brent crude futures were last down 1.5% at #103.71 a barrel.[O/R] Palm oil touched a seven-week high after major producer Indonesia widened its export ban.

By Shadia Nasralla (Reuters) -Oil prices dipped on Wednesday as a soaring dollar made barrels more expensive and Europe's biggest economy Germany was speeding up plans to wean itself off Russian oil while coronavirus outbreaks clouded China's economic outlook. Erasing earlier gains, Brent crude futures dipped 54 cents, or 0.5%, to $104.45 a barrel by 1259 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures dropped 79 cents, or 0.8%, to $100.91 a barrel. Russian energy giant Gazprom (MCX:GAZP) said on Wednesday it halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland in a major escalation of Russia's broader row with the West over Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russia was using fossil fuels to blackmail the EU but added the era of Russian fossil fuels in Europe was coming to an end. Germany is pushing ahead with attempts to become independent of Russian oil imports. German economy minister said plans to for Germany to take control of the PCK Schwedt refinery, majority-owned by Rosneft and the last big German buyer of Russian crude, were progressing. U.S. government data on oil inventories is due later on Wednesday. [EIA/S] Industry data on Tuesday showed U.S. crude and distillate stocks rose last week, while gasoline inventories fell. [API/S] Also capping oil price gains, the dollar rose to its highest in five years on Wednesday, making oil purchases more expensive for holders of other currencies. [FRX/] "A U.S. crude build last week and still solid Russian crude exports is limiting the upside for crude," said UBS commodity analyst Giovanni Stauvono. "This (is) a risk off environment with a stronger U.S. dollar and mobility restrictions in the second largest oil consumer, China." China's central bank said it would step up monetary policy support as Beijing races to stamp out a nascent COVID-19 outbreak in the capital and avert the same type of debilitating city-wide lockdown Shanghai has been under for a month. Any stimulus would boost oil demand. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that Asia faced a "stagflationary" outlook. Still, China's domestic flight demand has rebounded, travel data firm OAG said.

By Mohi Narayan Oil prices bounced on Tuesday, steadying after a sharp fall of 4% in the previous session as worries over China's fuel demand were soothed by the central bank's pledge to support an economy hit by renewed COVID-19 curbs. Brent crude futures were at $103.50, up $1.18, or 1.15%, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate contracts climbed to $99.41, up 87 cents, or 0.88% at 0448 GMT. Both contracts had settled down around 4% on Monday, with Brent falling as much as $7 a barrel in the session and WTI dipping roughly $6 a barrel. China will keep liquidity reasonably ample in financial markets, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement on Tuesday, a day after the central bank announced a cut to banks' foreign exchange reserve ratio to support its economy. "Coming on the heels of the central bank cutting the foreign currency reserve requirement ratio for banks, it provided some relief to investors," energy market analysis provider Vanda (NASDAQ:VNDA) Insights said in a note. China's capital Beijing expanded its COVID-19 mass testing from one district this week to most of the city of nearly 22 million, as they braced for an imminent lockdown similar to Shanghai's stringent curbs. "The hit from Chinese lockdowns is over a million barrels a day and the testing of 12 districts over the next five days will determine the next major move for crude prices," wrote Edward Moya, a senior market analyst for OANDA in a note. Separately, in a bearish signal for oil markets, five analysts polled by Reuters estimated on average that U.S. crude inventories increased by 2.2 million barrels in the week to April 22. Stockpiles of gasoline rose by about 500,000 barrels last week, and distillate inventories, which include diesel and heating oil, were expected to have decreased by 600,000 barrels. The poll was conducted ahead of the release of the inventory report from the American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, at 4:30 p.m. EDT (2030 GMT) on Tuesday. The official government Energy Information Administration data will be out on Wednesday. Analysts said that the supply side concerns over phasing out of Russian oil from the market will continue to support prices.

By Stella Qiu and Tom Westbrook BEIJING (Reuters) - Asian shares wobbled on Friday and the Chinese yuan slid as investors fretted about an increasingly aggressive rate-hike outlook for the United States, and the fallout for the global economy from lockdowns in China. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.7% and touched a five-week low, weighed down by a 1.6% loss for Australia's resource-heavy index and a 0.8% drop in South Korean shares. Japan's Nikkei declined 1.6%. The European open is also looking weak, with EuroSTOXX 50 futures down 1.6% and FTSE futures down 1.2%. S&P 500 futures are down 0.1%. Chinese stocks staged a recovery in volatile trade, with the mainland's bluechips reversing early loses to gain 1% on hopes for policy support, but the currency remains under pressure as lockdowns in Shanghai take a bite out of growth. The yuan hit a seven-month low and is on course for its worst week since 2019. Analysts at HSBC expect a comprehensive easing package on all fronts, both monetary and fiscal, from China is needed, including loosening measures in the property sector, which has been hit hard by restrictions on access to credit. "The next key focus will be the China PMI data next week," said Jingyang Chen, a currency analyst at HSBC in Hong Kong, where a negative surprise could drive the yuan lower still. "High frequency data in April has suggested severe supply chain disruptions caused by the virus containment measures in the Yangtze River Delta region, which accounts for almost a quarter of China's GDP." Tech shares in Hong Kong were supported by signs of progress in resolving audit issues that have called into question the U.S. listings of Chinese firms, but rates worries kept most other asset classes on edge. U.S. RATE HIKES On Thursday, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said a half-point interest rate increase will be "on the table" when the Fed meets in May, adding it would be appropriate to "be moving a little more quickly." His remarks effectively confirmed market expectations of at least another half-percentage-point rate hike from the Fed next month, and Nomura now expects 75 basis point hikes at its June and July meetings, which would be the biggest of that size since 1994. Selling pressure persisted in bond markets, driving five-year U.S. Treasury yields to 3.04%, the highest late 2018, and two-year yields to a new high of 2.7620%. [US/] Elsewhere, markets were still reeling from comments by European Central Bank officials that the central bank might start hiking euro zone rates as early as July. German two-year yields hit an eight-year high on Thursday. In currency markets the yen steadied on talk of joint Japan-U.S. FX intervention, while the euro has given up Thursday's bounce as nerves about Sunday's French presidential election creep in. The yen last traded at 127.82 per dollar and the euro at $1.0848. Dollar gains drove the Australian and New Zealand dollars to multi-week lows. [FRX/] Oil prices fell on Friday, burdened by the prospect of interest rate hikes, weaker global growth and COVID-19 lockdowns in China hurting demand. Brent crude futures were down $1.30, or 1.2%, at $107.03 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures declined $1.27, or 1.2%, to $102.52. The looming U.S. rate hikes have weighed on gold. Spot gold was last down 0.02% to $1,951.32 per ounce. Wall Street indexes fell on Thursday, with the S&P 500 down 1.5% and the Nasdaq down 2%.

**@CNBC:** Elon Musk: "I’ll be surprised if we’re not landing on Mars within five years." (via @CNBCMakeIt) https://t.co/lgb5rsH3Z3 https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/1515011815083761672

Five-year Jail Term: Has Virgil Griffith Become Ethereum’s Ross Ulbricht? https://cryptonews.com/exclusives/five-year-jail-term-has-virgil-griffith-become-ethereums-ross-ulbricht.htm

chfjpy kept showing 300 points of profits many times , it was good for five 200 points scalps , not bad for a neutral call , neutrals can be worth more then performers if scalped correctly

Zilliqa's 'metaverse' debut pumps ZIL price 350% in just five days — selloff ahead? https://cointelegraph.com/news/zilliqa-s-metaverse-debut-pumps-zil-price-350-in-just-five-days-selloff-ahead

**@MorganStanley:** While you’re spring cleaning your home, consider ways to also tidy up your finances. Use these five strategies to help. https://twitter.com/MorganStanley/status/1509189295973797898

**@MorganStanley:** While you’re spring cleaning your home, consider ways to also tidy up your finances. Use these five strategies to help. https://twitter.com/MorganStanley/status/1509189274184437760

**@MorganStanley:** While you’re spring cleaning your home, consider ways to also tidy up your finances. Use these five strategies to help. https://twitter.com/MorganStanley/status/1509189289506189325

**@MorganStanley:** While you’re spring cleaning your home, consider ways to also tidy up your finances. Use these five strategies to help. https://twitter.com/MorganStanley/status/1509189281826451461

**@CNBC:** Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: BioNTech, Five Below, Lululemon and others https://t.co/Sg93xtcoZp https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/1509136651020378113

Opera integrates Bitcoin, Solana, Polygon and five other blockchains https://cointelegraph.com/news/opera-integrates-bitcoin-solana-polygon-and-five-other-blockchains

By Chuck Mikolajczak NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar slipped on Tuesday after a move higher the previous day as comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell faded and a rise in equities markets help boost risk-on sentiment. The greenback saw its biggest one day percentage gain since March 10 on Monday, as Powell opened the door for raising rates by more than 25 basis points at upcoming policy meetings in order to combat inflation. Traders are pricing in a 66.1% chance of a 50 basis point hike at the Fed's May meeting, according to CME's FedWatch Tool https://www.cmegroup.com/trading/interest-rates/countdown-to-fomc.html?redirect=/trading/interest-rates/fed-funds.html, up from slightly more than 50% a week ago. In the wake of Powell's comments, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) now anticipates the central bank to raise interest rates by 50 basis points at both its May and June meetings. Investors were in a risk-on mood, as U.S. stocks rose and dented some of the safe-haven appeal of the greenback, with equities getting a lift, in part, from bank shares on Fed rate hike expectations. "For the dollar, it is well supported by the Fed's increasingly hawkish rate stance but it is off its peaks, risk-appetite has something to do with that, with stocks higher that is kind of tempering the dollar’s gains," said Joe Manimbo, senior market analyst at Western Union (NYSE:WU) Business Solutions in Washington, DC. "At least for now, it seems the market is giving the Fed the benefit of the doubt that it can foster a soft landing and that is what is underpinning risk appetite and capping gains in the dollar." The dollar index fell 0.063%. The yen continued its recent weakness as the Bank of Japan renewed its stance on keeping its ultra-loose monetary policy intact. The yen hit a fresh six-year low of 121.03 and last weakened 1.03% versus the greenback at 120.70 per dollar. The yen also suffered against other currencies, with the euro hitting a five-month high of 133.33 and was last up 1.18% to $133.14. The Japanese currency slumped to a more than 6-1/2-year low against the Swiss franc at 128.91, with the franc last up 1.48% to $128.89. The euro was up 0.14% to $1.1029. The single currency has weakened over the past month as the conflict in Ukraine has escalated and served to increase energy prices. On Monday, European Central Bank (ECB)President Christine Lagarde said the Fed and ECB will move out of sync, as the war in Ukraine has very different impacts on their respective economies. ECB policymaker Francois Villeroy de Galhau said on Tuesday the central bank needs to look beyond short-term swings in energy prices and focus on underlying inflation trends. Sterling was last trading at $1.3249, up 0.64% on the day. In cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin last rose 4.18% to $42,874.48. Ethereum last rose 3.63% to $3,015.46.

By Geoffrey Smith and Liz Moyer Investing.com -- U.S. stocks rose ahead of the opening in New York on Wednesday, with a sharp turnaround in Chinese markets providing an upbeat start to a day that will be dominated by the Federal Reserve. By 9:50 AM ET, Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 385 points, or 1.1%, while the S&P 500 was up 1.5% and the NASDAQ Composite was up 2.2%. All three indexes made solid gains on Tuesday as crude oil prices tumbled, taking the sting out of one of the factors that have most hurt markets in the last two weeks. The Fed is expected to hike the target rate for fed funds by 25 basis points to a maximum of 0.5%, from 0.25% currently. Analysts expect at least five more such hikes in the course of the year in an effort to bring down inflation which is running at a 40-year high. Retail sales data for February rose 0.3%, slightly below expectations for 0.4% for the month. For the 12 months ended in February, retail sales rose 17.6%. Chinese ADRs are in turbocharged mode after the central bank and government issued coordinated statements pledging support to both the economy generally and financial markets in particular. Chinese cash stock markets had their biggest ever one-day gain in response, after a tumultuous few sessions overshadowed by Covid-19 lockdowns and the threat of forced delisting from U.S. exchanges. The prospects for a ceasefire in Ukraine appeared to brighten on Wednesday as Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that a neutrality model for Ukraine was on the table that would allow it to keep its own army - a big shift from Moscow's initial position of wanting to change the country's government and demilitarize it. Crude oil prices continued to slide, extending Tuesday's losses that were caused by fears for the strength of Chinese demand. China is currently enacting its most stringent lockdowns in two years to grapple with outbreaks of Covid in the manufacturing hub of Shenzhen and the northeastern province of Jilin. Public health measures have also forced Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) to shut its Shanghai factory for two days, according to the company. U.S. crude futures fell 0.4% at $96.00 a barrel, further weighed down by a new forecast from the International Energy Agency IEA says 3 million bpd of Russian oil, products could be shut in next month By Investing.com DNA 3rd party news - Mar 16, 2022 By Noah Browning LONDON (Reuters) -Three million barrels per day (bpd) of Russian oil and products... , which said global demand in 2022 could fall by one million barrels a day on average due to the effects of the war and the Western sanctions accompanying it. Gold futures were down 0.7% at $1.915 an ounce. This story was originally published at 7:07 AM ET and updated.

By Andrew Galbraith SHANGHAI (Reuters) - An afternoon surge in Chinese equities lifted a broad gauge of Asian shares on Wednesday on rising hopes Beijing will roll out more economic stimulus, while investors continued to watch Ukraine-Russia peace talks and the U.S. Federal Reserve. The Fed is expected to raise rates for the first time in three years later on Wednesday (1800 GMT) and give guidance on future tightening. European bourses were poised to open stronger. Pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures and German DAX futures were up about 0.9% in early deals, and FTSE futures were 0.6% higher. U.S. stock futures also pointed higher, with S&P 500 e-minis, up 0.2%. The rise in Asian shares came a day after mainland China and Hong Kong equity indexes had tumbled in reaction to spiking coronavirus infections in China and fading expectations for a rate cut by the People's Bank of China. Chinese market volatility continued on Wednesday, with a strong early rebound in China's CSI300 index evaporating by late morning. But it charged higher after Vice Premier Liu He indicated China plans to take measures to boost the economy and would also announce policies favourable to capital markets. The CSI300 was last up more than 3.5%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also extended gains in the afternoon, surging more than 8% at one point, leading a more than 3% rise in MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan. Elsewhere, Australian shares and Seoul's Kospi were up about 1.1%, while Japan's Nikkei stock index rose 1.6%. Liu's comments helped to ease worries that encouraging economic data for January and February were leading to complacency among policymakers in Beijing. "People are concerned that (Chinese) policymakers would believe that the economy is doing much better and growth is rebounding and there's no need for further policy easing measures," said Ting Lu, chief China economist at Nomura. China has seen increasing positive changes in its economic performance backed up by surprisingly good economic data, but the impact of the latest COVID-19 resurgence need to be watched, a statistics bureau spokesman said on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Chinese health authorities reported a slight drop in new cases compared to a day earlier, although major Chinese cities continue to grapple with controlling the spread of the virus. The gains in Asia followed a relief rally overnight on Wall Street driven by hopes of a resolution in Ukraine. The S&P 500 gained 2.14%, the Nasdaq Composite jumped 2.92% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.82%. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday peace talks were sounding more realistic but more time was needed, as Russian air strikes killed five people in the capital Kyiv and the refugee tally from Moscow's invasion reached 3 million. EYES ON FED Analysts at ING said in a note that market moves in Asia would be "cautious" ahead of the Fed meeting later in the global day. Investors are expecting the U.S. central bank to raise interest rates by at least 25 basis points amid surging prices. Traders will also be closely watching the Fed for details on how it plans to end its bond-buying program. U.S. bond yields fell in Asian trade, with the benchmark 10-year note yield at 2.1545%, after earlier rising to 2.169%, the highest since June 2019. The two-year yield was last at 1.8433% from a close of 1.857%. The U.S. dollar was down slightly against a basket of peers, trading at 98.861, and lower against the yen at 118.22 albeit still near a five-year high. The euro edged up 0.16% to $1.0969. Oil prices, which had traded lower early in the session, turned higher, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine continuing to stoke volatility. Global benchmark Brent crude rose 0.93% to $100.84 per barrel, and U.S. crude added 0.44% to $96.86. Highlighting the impact of global disruptions and soaring oil costs, Japan reported a wider-than-expected trade deficit in February as an energy-driven surge in import costs caused by massive supply constraints added to vulnerabilities for the world's third-largest economy. Spot gold was little changed at $1,916.61 per ounce.

BITCOIN WON'T RALLY AGGRESSIVELY AS FED TIGTHTENS: NOVOGRATZ *NOVOGRATZ MAINTAINS $500,000 FORECAST FOR FIVE YEARS OU

US' HAINES: IT IS IMPROBABLE THAT CHINA AND RUSSIA WOULD FORM A NATO-LEVEL ALLIANCE WITHIN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

**@mark_dow:** Five months ago https://t.co/8vxSczZJJO https://twitter.com/mark_dow/status/1501659331577536513

By Rowena Edwards LONDON (Reuters) -Oil prices rose on Tuesday, with Brent surging past $129 a barrel on expectations that the United States will announce a formal ban on Russian oil imports, stoking supply concerns. Benchmark Brent crude for May had climbed by 5.4% to $129.91 a barrel by 1345 GMT. U.S. crude for April delivery was up 5% at $125.47. Prices climbed after a source said the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, could announce a ban on Russian oil imports as soon as Tuesday in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The White House said U.S. President Biden would announce actions to hold Russia accountable at 1545 GMT, after sources said Washington was willing to impose such a Russian oil import ban even without its European allies. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Monday that oil prices could climb to more than $300 if the United States and the European Union banned imports of Russian oil. But some analysts said Washington might stop short of such a ban and that this would prevent a dramatic supply crunch. "Assuming the U.S. does not impose any secondary sanctions, thereby forcing other countries likewise to halt their Russian oil imports, we believe that the impact of any unilateral U.S. move would be limited," Commerzbank (DE:CBKG) analyst Carsten Fritsch said. Many buyers, however, are already avoiding Russian oil to avoid becoming entangled in existing sanctions. Shell (LON:RDSa) said it would stop all spot purchases of Russian crude, after drawing criticism for a purchase on March 4. Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) hiked its Brent forecast for 2022 to $135 from $98, and its 2023 outlook to $115 a barrel from $105, saying that the world economy could face the "largest energy supply shocks ever" because of Russia's key role. Dimming expectations of a return of Iranian crude to global markets soon have added to upward pressure on prices, amid a slowdown in talks between Tehran and world powers over its nuclear activity. Oil supply disruptions come as inventories continue to fall worldwide. Five analysts polled by Reuters estimated on average that U.S. crude stockpiles decreased by about 800,000 barrels in the week to March 4. The poll was conducted before weekly inventory reports from the American Petroleum Institute, an industry group, on Tuesday and the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Wednesday.

Reuters) - Russian troops are in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson and forced their way into the council building, the mayor said after a day of conflicting claims over whether Moscow had made the first major gain of a city in its eight-day-long invasion. The invasion was denounced by the United Nations in a historic vote, as global brands exited Russia and the rouble hit record lows. MORE HEADLINES * The International Criminal Court opened an investigation into possible war crimes committed in Ukraine, following a request to do so by 39 of the court's member states. * Top Japanese automakers including Toyota were forced to halt production in Russia as sanctions scrambled logistics and cut supply chains. * At least five superyachts owned by Russian billionaires were anchored or cruising in Maldives, an Indian Ocean island nation that does not have an extradition treaty with the United States, ship tracking data showed. * A Ukrainian delegation has departed for a second round of talks with Russia, Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters. * Japan Airlines and ANA said they would cancel all flights to and from Europe on Thursday, citing safety concerns following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. * Senior Chinese officials told senior Russian officials in early February not to invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, the New York Times reported. * More than one million people have fled Ukraine since the fighting began, most crossing into Poland and Romania. * The European Union and United States imposed new sanctions on Belarus for its supporting role in the invasion. * Russian businessman Roman Abramovich said he would sell London's Chelsea Football Club and donate money from the sale to help victims of the war. * A Russian-run online store on Chinese e-commerce platform JD (NASDAQ:JD).com thanked Chinese shoppers for their support after it sold out of most items including chocolate and fabric softener, saying it showed the country's friendship in "difficult" times. * Commodity markets extended their bull runs, with aluminium, coal and palm oil all hitting new records while crude oil and wheat scaled multi-year highs as Russia's invasion of Ukraine disrupted global raw material flows. QUOTES * "Russia is increasingly an economic island....Nothing is off the table in terms of future sanctions," U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said. * "There were armed visitors in the city executive committee today," Kherson Mayor Igor Kolykhayev said in a statement. "My team and I are peaceful people - we had no weapons and there was no aggression from our side... I didn't make any promises to them... I just asked them not to shoot people."

By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks tumbled, oil shot back above $100 a barrel and there was a stampede for U.S. and German government bonds on Tuesday as markets struggled with massive uncertainty caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russia's equity markets remained suspended and some bond trading platforms were no longer showing prices, but dealing in the major financial centres both in Europe and in Asia overnight was orderly, albeit jittery. Losses for the pan-European STOXX 600 mounted again, with the index down nearly 2% by midsession (EU) and Wall Street was expected to open between 0.5% and 1% lower. [.N] There had initially been gains for mining and oil & gas stocks in Europe but even those had soured and a heavy 4% slump in bank stocks showed investors were now sensing that interest rate hikes might now get delayed or at least scaled down. (EU) That sense saw the yields on U.S. 10-year Treasuries, which are a key driver of global borrowing costs, fall sharply to five-week lows. Staggeringly, the equivalent 10-year German Bund yield was heading for its biggest one day fall since 2011. [GVD/EUR] Paul Jackson, global head of Asset Allocation Research, Invesco said: "assuming no rapid resolution to this conflict, we fear that global GDP could be reduced by 0.5%-1.0%." "That's enough to aggravate the ongoing slowdown but not enough to produce recession," although he cautioned that some parts of Europe could see a recession and that inflation was also likely to stay higher for longer. High-level talks between Kyiv and Moscow on Monday had ended with no agreement except to keep talking, and nerves were acute as a huge Russian armoured column bore down on Kyiv on Tuesday after lethal shelling of civilian areas in Ukraine's second largest city Kharkiv. With Russia one of the world's largest oil and producers, Brent crude futures tore up $5.15, or 5.3%, to $103.12 a barrel. That was just below a seven-year high of $105.79 hit after Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine last week. [O/R] European natural gas prices leapt nearly 15% too. Both oil and gas prices are now up nearly 60% since fears of an invasion of Ukraine began to escalate in November. "The fragile situation in Ukraine and financial and energy sanctions against Russia will keep the energy crisis stoked and oil well above $100 per barrel in the near-term and even higher if the conflict escalates further," Louise Dickson, senior oil market analyst from Rystad Energy, wrote in a note.

By Natalia Zinets and Aleksandar Vasovic KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine (Reuters) - Russian forces invaded Ukraine on Thursday in a massed assault by land, sea and air, the biggest attack by one state against another in Europe since World War Two. Missiles rained down. Ukraine reported columns of troops pouring across its borders from Russia and Belarus and landing on the coast from the Black and Azov seas. Ukrainian troops fought Russian forces along practically the entire border, and fierce fighting was taking place in the regions of Sumy, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odessa and at a military airport near Kyiv, an adviser to the presidential office said. Explosions were heard before dawn and throughout the morning in the capital Kyiv, a city of 3 million people. Gunfire rattled, sirens blared, and the highway out of the city choked with traffic as residents fled. The assault brought a calamitous end to weeks of fruitless diplomatic efforts by Western leaders to avert war, their worst fears about Russian President Vladimir Putin's ambitions realised. "Russia treacherously attacked our state in the morning, as Nazi Germany did in the WW2 years," tweeted Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. "Russia has embarked on a path of evil, but Ukraine is defending itself & won't give up its freedom no matter what Moscow thinks." Calling on Ukrainians to defend their country, he said arms would be given to anyone prepared to fight. He also urged Russians to take to the streets to protest against their government's actions. U.S. President Joe Biden called the Russian action an "unprovoked and unjustified attack". EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc would impose a new round of sanctions that would hit Russia's economy severely. EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said: "These are among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War." RUSSIAN BOMBING In an early-morning declaration of war, Putin said he had ordered "a special military operation" to protect people, including Russian citizens, subjected to "genocide" in Ukraine - an accusation the West calls baseless propaganda. "And for this we will strive for the demilitarisation and denazification of Ukraine," Putin said. "Russia cannot feel safe, develop, and exist with a constant threat emanating from the territory of modern Ukraine" He added: "All responsibility for bloodshed will be on the conscience of the ruling regime in Ukraine." A resident of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second biggest city and close to the Russian border, said windows in apartment blocks were shaking from constant blasts. Blasts could be heard in the southern port of Mariupol, near a frontline held by Russian-backed separatists. On a highway leading out, a Ukrainian armoured column thundered along the road, with soldiers atop turrets smiling and flashing victory signs to cars which honked their horns in support. Civilians in Mariupol packed bags: "We are going into hiding," a woman said. Ukrainian officials said Russian helicopters attacked Gostomel, a military airport near Kyiv, and Ukraine downed three of them. Ukrainian border officials said the Russians were trying to penetrate Kyiv region and the Zhytomyr region on the Belarusian border, and they were using Grad rockets. Initial unconfirmed reports of casualties included Ukrainian civilians killed by Russian bombardment and border guards defending the frontier. Regional authorities of Ukraine's southern Odessa region said 18 people were killed in a missile attack. At least six people were killed in Brovary, a town near Kyiv, authorities there said. Ukraine reported five people killed when one plane was shot down. Ukraine's military said it had destroyed four Russian tanks on a road near Kharkiv, killed 50 troops near a town in Luhansk region and downed six Russian warplanes in the east. Russia denied reports its aircraft or armoured vehicles had been destroyed. Russian-backed separatists claimed to have downed two Ukrainian planes. 'RUSSIA ALONE IS RESPONSIBLE' Even with a full-blown invasion under way, Putin's ultimate aim is obscure. He said he did not plan a military occupation, only to disarm Ukraine and purge it of nationalists. The outright annexation of such a vast hostile country could be beyond Russia's military capabilities. But if the aim is just to replace Zelenskiy's government, it is hard to see Ukrainians accepting any new leadership Russia might try to install. "I think we must fight all those who invade our country so strongly," said one man stuck in traffic trying to leave Kyiv. "I would hang every single one of them from bridges." Biden has ruled out sending U.S. troops to defend Ukraine, but Washington has reinforced NATO allies in the region with extra troops and planes. The West has pledged to impose severe sanctions. "Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its Allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way," Biden said. Russia is one of the world's biggest energy producers, and both it and Ukraine are among the top exporters of grain. War and sanctions will disrupt economies around the world already facing a supply crisis as they emerge from the pandemic. Stocks and bond yields plunged; the dollar and gold soared. Brent oil surged past $100/barrel for the first time since 2014. [MKTS/GLOB] At least three major buyers of Russian oil said they had been denied letters of credit from Western banks, needed for shipments to go ahead. A democratic country of 44 million people, Ukraine is Europe's biggest country by area after Russia itself. It voted overwhelmingly for independence at the fall of the Soviet Union, and aims to join NATO and the European Union, aspirations that infuriate Moscow. Putin, who denied for months he was planning an invasion, has called Ukraine an artificial construct carved from Russia by its enemies, a characterisation Ukrainians see as an attempt to erase their more than 1,000-year-old history. While many Ukrainians, particularly in the east, speak Russian as a native language, virtually all identify as a separate nationality. 'WE'RE AFRAID' Queues of people waited to withdraw money and buy supplies of food and water in Kyiv. Cars stretched for dozens of kilometres (miles) on the highway leading from the capital west towards Poland, where Western countries have prepared for the likelihood of hundreds of thousands of refugees. "We're afraid of bombardments," said Oxana, trying to flee and stuck in her car with her three-year-old daughter on the backseat. "This is so scary." Three hours after Putin gave his order, Russia's defence ministry said it had taken out military infrastructure at Ukrainian air bases and degraded its air defences. Earlier, Ukrainian media reported that military command centres in Kyiv and Kharkiv had been struck by missiles, while Russian troops had landed at Odessa and Mariupol. Russia announced it was shutting all shipping in the Azov Sea. Russia controls the strait leading into the sea where Ukraine has ports including Mariupol. Ukraine appealed to Turkey to bar Russian ships from the straits connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. In Russia, where state media have for weeks been airing footage of purported Ukrainian attacks that Western countries call crudely staged fakes, the broadcast regulator said all news outlets must cite only official Russian sources on Ukraine. An activist who called for anti-war demonstrations was detained.

Metaverse Land Prices Are Driven by These Five Factors, Says Hedge Fund Investor https://cryptonews.com/news/metaverse-land-prices-are-driven-by-these-five-factors-says-hedge-fund-investor.htm

GS hedge fund trend monitor: "hedge funds slashed positions in Tech in favor of Energy and Financials. Nonetheless, the “FAAMG” stocks rank as the top five on our VIP list of popular hedge fund long positions"

Five key takeaways from the official Indian crypto ads guideline https://cointelegraph.com/news/five-key-takeaways-from-the-official-indian-crypto-ads-guideline

By Andrew Osborn and Polina Nikolskaya MOSCOW/DONETSK (Reuters) -Germany froze a new gas pipeline and Britain hit Russian banks with sanctions on Tuesday, as the West responded to Moscow's recognition of two separatist regions in Ukraine and a speech by President Vladimir Putin suggesting more belligerent aims. Russia's parliament approved treaties with the two breakaway regions in Ukraine's east, a day after Putin announced he was recognising the independence of enclaves controlled by Russian-backed fighters since 2014. The prospect of a disruption to energy supplies and fears of war, stoked by reports of shelling and movements of unmarked tanks in the city of Donetsk, rattled international markets and sent oil prices surging to their highest level since 2014. Germany is Russia's biggest customer for natural gas, and the decision by Chancellor Olaf Scholz to halt the Nord Stream 2 pipeline -- built but still not opened -- was widely seen as one of the strongest measures Europe could take. Scholz said he had asked the economy ministry to take steps to ensure that certification could not take place for now. "This is a morally, politically and practically correct step in the current circumstances," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted. "True leadership means tough decisions in difficult times. Germany's move proves just that." Putin said Russia would keep global gas supplies flowing. "Russia aims to continue uninterrupted supplies, including liquefied natural gas, to the world markets, improve related infrastructure and increase investments in the gas sector," he said in written remarks for a gas summit in Qatar. EU DISCUSSES SANCTIONS EU foreign ministers in Paris were discussing sanctions that would hit Russian banks. Britain announced sanctions on three Russian billionaires and five of its banks. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was "inconceivable" that the European Champions League soccer final could go ahead in Russia as scheduled in May. The United States has discussed sanctions, but so far limited to measures directly related to the separatist regions, apparently preferring to keep a much larger planned sanctions package against Russia itself in reserve for now. Russia's recognition of the separatist areas, and Putin's authorisation of "peacekeeping" troops there, still stops far short of the massed large scale invasion that Western countries have said for weeks they fear Moscow is planning. It leaves Western leaders guessing as to Putin's intentions for a force of up to 190,000 troops deployed on Ukraine's borders. But Western countries saw ominous signs in Putin's rambling televised address on Monday, in which he characterised the Ukrainian leadership as illegitimate and the Ukrainian state as artificial, and wrongly wrested from Moscow after the fall of the Soviet Union. Ukrainians consider such descriptions offensive and false. Kyiv is older than Moscow and, while parts of Ukraine were captured by Russian tsars, other parts were not ruled by Moscow until World War Two. Kristina Kvien, the top U.S. diplomat in Ukraine, said Putin's "outrageous statements about Ukraine and the Ukrainian people were delusional, reflecting a warped vision reminiscent, not of a global leader, but of Europe's worst authoritarians." President Volodymr Zelenskiy said Ukraine may sever diplomatic ties with Russia and urged allies not to wait for a further escalation to impose sanctions. Russian parliamentary approval of friendship treaties with the two regions could pave the way for Moscow to build military bases there. The Kremlin said it hoped Russia's recognition would help restore calm and that Moscow remained open to diplomacy with the United States and other countries. MORE VIOLENCE Ukraine said two soldiers had been killed and 12 wounded in shelling by pro-Russian separatists in the east in the past 24 hours, and reported new hostilities on Tuesday morning. U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order to halt U.S. business activity in the breakaway regions. "We've got to ensure that, whatever happens, Russia will feel the pain ... to make sure Russia has absolutely no incentive to go further," said Ireland's Europe minister, Thomas Byrne. The West, which imposed sanctions on Russia after it annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, appears likely to hold back on its toughest sanctions for now. A U.S. official said deployment of Russian troops to the breakaway regions did not merit the harshest sanctions Washington and its allies have prepared in the event of a full-scale invasion, as Russia already had troops there. EU sanctions could include putting hundreds of politicians and officials on black lists, a ban on trading in Russian state bonds and an import and export ban on separatist entities, EU diplomats and officials said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov brushed off the threat of sanctions. "Our European, American, British colleagues will not stop and will not calm down until they have exhausted all their possibilities for the so-called punishment of Russia," he said. The Russian-backed separatists in Donetsk and Luhansk broke away from Ukrainian government control in 2014 and proclaimed themselves independent "people's republics" after a pro-Moscow Ukrainian president was ousted in Kyiv. It was not immediately clear whether Russian troops would stay in territory controlled by the separatists, or seek to capture territory beyond them, a move that would increase the likelihood of conflict.

By Carolyn Cohn LONDON (Reuters) - Global stocks hit three-week lows and oil rose on Monday as worries increased that Russia will invade Ukraine. Russian forces killed a group of five saboteurs who breached the country's southwest border from Ukraine on Monday, news agencies quoted the military as saying, an accusation that Kyiv dismissed as the latest in a series of fakes. Kyiv and the West fear that a border incident near eastern Ukraine could be used as a pretext for Moscow to attack its neighbour. Russia denies such plans. Markets are on high alert for any escalation in the crisis. MSCI's world equity index fell 0.4% to 700.11, with Monday's public holiday in the United States, which will keep Wall Street closed, thinning trade and adding to the volatility. S&P 500 stock futures fell 0.66%. Nasdaq futures dropped 1.2%. European stocks dropped 1.65% to their lowest in more than four months. British stocks fell 0.5%. Shares in companies exposed to Russia and Ukraine fell heavily. U.S. stock futures and European stocks lost earlier gains made on news that U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed in principle to hold a summit on the Ukraine crisis. The Kremlin said there were no concrete plans in place for a summit, though a call or meeting could be set up at any time. "The Kremlin made clear today that they are in no rush for a summit with Biden," said Tim Ash, strategist at BlueBay Asset Management. British foreign minister Liz Truss said she was stepping up preparations with allies for a worst-case scenario, adding that a Russian invasion of Ukraine was highly likely. In a reminder of the stakes, Reuters reported Biden had prepared a package of sanctions that includes barring U.S. financial institutions from processing transactions for major Russian banks. The rouble slid nearly 3% against the dollar and Russian shares slumped 9% their lowest in 14 months. The U.S. dollar index dipped 0.1% to 95.668, well short of a 1-1/2 year high of 97.441 hit last month. The euro was little changed at $1.1327, while yields on German 10-year government bonds, seen as Europe's safest asset, hit two-week lows at 0.185%. [FRX/] A preliminary Purchasing Managers' Index survey showed the euro zone economy rebounded sharply this month as an easing of coronavirus restrictions gave a boost to the dominant service industry. "A Russian invasion of Ukraine would make the job of central banks across Europe much harder," said Matteo Cominetta, senior economist at Barings Investment Institute. "Investors should position for even higher uncertainty and probability of policy mistakes." Markets are also expecting aggressive policy tightening by the U.S. Federal Reserve as inflation runs rampant. The Fed's favoured measure of core inflation is due out later this week and is forecast to show an annual rise of 5.1% - the fastest pace since the early 1980s. At least six Fed officials are set to speak this week and markets will be hyper-sensitive to their views on a possible hike of 50 basis points in March. Recent commentary has leant against such a drastic step and futures have scaled back the chance of a half-point rise to around 20% from well above 50% a week ago. In oil markets, Brent crude rose by $1 to $94.41 on the Ukraine crisis, while U.S. crude also gained $1 to $91.98. Oil had suffered its first weekly loss in two months last week, taking it off seven-year highs, amid signs of progress on an Iran deal that could release new supply into the market. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said "significant progress" had been made in talks to revive Iran's 2015 nuclear agreement on Monday after a senior European Union official said on Friday that a deal was "very, very close". [O/R] Gold has benefited from its status as one of the oldest of safe harbours, climbing to nine-month highs of $1,908 an ounce, before dropping back to $1,893 an ounce. [GOL/]

nice five minute bounce

By Geoffrey Smith Investing.com -- U.S. stock markets opened mostly higher on Friday as the market recovered from the latest inflation shock. By 9:45 AM ET (1445 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 172 points, or 0.5% at 35,414 points. The S&P 500 was also up 0.5% and the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.4%. The publication of the highest annual rate of inflation in 40 years on Thursday was followed by a raft of forecast revisions from Wall Street banks to reflect an even faster tightening of monetary policy than previously foreseen. Short-term interest rate futures now attach an 80% likelihood of a 50 basis point hike in the Fed Funds target rate when the Federal Reserve's policy-making committee meets in March, while Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) analysts now predict seven quarter-point increases this year from the Fed. The market has been quick to internalize the new situation, suggesting that many participants feel either that an aggressive tightening is already priced in or, as seems increasingly likely, tighter monetary policy may tip the economy into recession, removing the need for rate hikes. However, there are still plenty of willing sellers into any strength. Gains were trimmed within the first half-hour of trading, with selling in long-duration tech names again prominent, pushing the Nasdaq slightly into negative territory. Bears were supported by fresh signs that the boom in consumer spending since the start of the pandemic is coming to an end. The Michigan Consumer Sentiment index for February fell to 61.7 from 67.2 a month earlier, defying hopes for a modest increase to 67.2. The survey showed a pronounced drop in assessments of current conditions, but five-year inflation expectations remained unchanged at 3.1%. With the week's biggest earnings releases over, there were few big moves from any stocks large enough to affect broader sentiment. Affirm Holdings (NASDAQ:AFRM), the Buy-Now-Pay-Later fintech whose partnership with Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) raised such high hopes for the stock at the end of last year, fell 11% after it published a wider net loss caused largely by stock-based compensation. That leaves it testing a nine-month below, well below where it was before the Amazon announcement. Zillow (NASDAQ:Z) stock, by contrast, bounced from its recent lows after its quarterly report late on Thursday showed that the property market is still hot enough to wind down its ill-judged home-flipping business without too much financial pain. Zillow stock rose 10.8% but is still only worth a little more than a quarter of its peak a year ago. There was also evidence of further exits from some of the market's most richly-valued large caps. Chipmaker stocks Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) and Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) fell over 2% each, while Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) stock dipped below $900 again, losing 1.4% at the end of a week punctuated by recall announcements. There was better news from the travel sector, where Expedia (NASDAQ:EXPE) stock rose 1.9% after its numbers encouraged hopes that the disruptions from the pandemic are largely over.

The idea is to have 1st level pending order at 500 points away at full stake , and the 2nd level 1,000 points aways at 1/2 stake . This will put a stop loss occurence at -6,500 points . Saving us 1,000 points from previous refinement . Is nice because , whenever the system trigers the 1st level pending order or more below , then we receive 1,500 points or more when the profit line hits . That said with 2 high TPs and 6 five hundred points TPs , with 8 signals per month , is a total of 8,000 points . Thus accounting 1 stop loss per month and still passing 1,500 points worth of profit at the end of so . That said , do not forget that our efficiency is at a minimum of 20 wins per 1 loss or better . Our live record is 9 W - 0 L .

By Bansari Mayur Kamdar (Reuters) - The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose on Monday after a week of choppy trading spurred on by mixed quarterly results from big technology companies, while Peloton jumped on media reports of interest from potential buyers including Amazon. Five of the 11 major S&P sectors advanced, with consumer discretionary stocks leading morning gains. The tech-heavy Nasdaq had a choppy start to February after Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) owner Meta Platforms lost $200 billion from its market value on disappointing results last week, while Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) gained just as much on plans of hiking its Prime subscription rate. "Markets finished out pretty decently last week after a tough month of January, so it does seem that you had capitulation on that Monday, and since then the market is trying to work its way up," said Thomas Hayes, managing member at Great Hill Capital LLC in New York. "Higher earnings are helpful in the sense that estimates finally ticked up." Of the 278 companies in the S&P 500 that have posted earnings as of Friday, 78.4% reported above analysts' expectations, according to Refinitiv data. Meatpacker Tyson Foods Inc (NYSE:TSN) climbed 10.3% after its first-quarter profit nearly doubled and surged past estimates, boosted by higher prices. Peloton Interactive (NASDAQ:PTON) Inc jumped 28.4% on media reports that Amazon and Nike (NYSE:NKE) are exploring potential buyout offers for the exercise bike maker. At 09:47 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 70.00 points, or 0.20%, at 35,019.74, the S&P 500 was up 5.66 points, or 0.13%, at 4,506.19, and the Nasdaq Composite was up 104.79 points, or 0.74%, at 14,202.80. An unexpectedly strong jobs report last week raised concerns about aggressive policy tightening by the U.S. Federal Reserve, ahead of key inflation data for January that is due on Thursday. Markets are now pricing in a one-in-three chance the Fed might hike by a full 50 basis points in March and the prospect of rates reaching 1.5% by year end. [FEDWATCH] Budget airline Frontier Group Holdings fell 2.9% after agreeing to buy rival Spirit Airlines (NYSE:SAVE) Inc in a $2.9 billion deal. Spirit Airlines surged 15.2%, while other carriers United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ:UAL) Inc, Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) and American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) Group Inc rose about 3% each. U.S.-listed shares of China's Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) Group Holding fell 6.3% after the company registered an additional 1 billion American depositary shares, raising speculation that it could allow large shareholder SoftBank Group Corp to sell its stake more easily. Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 1.42-to-1 ratio on the NYSE and a 2.29-to-1 ratio on the Nasdaq. The S&P index recorded two new 52-week highs and four new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 18 new highs and 25 new lows.

By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar rose from two-week lows on Friday, after data showed the world's largest economy created far more jobs than expected, raising the chances of a larger Federal Reserve interest rate hike in March. The dollar index, a gauge of its value against six major currencies, rose 0.3% to 95.597, after falling to a two-week low of 95.136 earlier amid a resurgent euro. But the dollar was still down 1.7% on the week, on pace for its largest weekly percentage decline since November 2020. Data showed U.S. nonfarm payrolls grew by 467,000 jobs last month. Data for December was revised higher to show 510,000 jobs created instead of the previously reported 199,000. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 150,000 jobs added in January. Estimates ranged from a decrease of 400,000 to a gain of 385,000 jobs. Market participants were prepared for a weaker-than-forecast reading given the decline in the ADP U.S. private payrolls report released earlier this week. That report showed a decline due to the impact of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Average hourly earnings, a measure of wage inflation and a closely-watched measure, also rose 0.7% last month, and 5.7% on a year-on-year basis. "You have average hourly earnings coming in much hotter than expected, which is just fuelling that theme of everything is just leading to more inflation," said Edward Moya, senior market analyst, at OANDA in New York "This report just screams inflation and inflationary pressures and is making anyone that was on the fence between the Fed raising 25 or 50 basis points in March now think they're going to go 50 and that's why you're seeing Treasury yields really skyrocket," he added. U.S. two-year yields, which reflect interest rate expectations, rose to 1.2970%, the highest since late February 2020, at the start of the global coronavirus pandemic. Following the U.S. jobs data, U.S. rate futures implied more than five rate hikes this year, or about 131 basis points in policy tightening. The probability of a 50 basis-point increase next month rose to about 32% from 18% before the data release. The euro was still up on the day, rising 0.1% at $1.1455. It was up 1.7% on the week, on track for its best weekly performance since late March 2020, supported after a hawkish turn by the European Central Bank (ECB) rippled through markets. ======================================================== Currency bid prices at 9:28AM (1428 GMT) Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct Change YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Session Dollar index 95.5180 95.3620 +0.17% -0.152% +95.6460 +95.1360 Euro/Dollar $1.1439 $1.1439 +0.00% +0.62% +$1.1483 +$1.1422 Dollar/Yen 115.2500 114.9950 +0.22% +0.11% +115.3900 +114.7700 Euro/Yen 131.84 131.53 +0.24% +1.17% +132.0000 +131.4600 Dollar/Swiss 0.9240 0.9200 +0.44% +1.30% +0.9255 +0.9195 Sterling/Dollar $1.3528 $1.3599 -0.52% +0.03% +$1.3614 +$1.3505 Dollar/Canadian 1.2763 1.2677 +0.67% +0.94% +1.2788 +1.2663 Aussie/Dollar $0.7068 $0.7140 -0.98% -2.74% +$0.7151 +$0.7052 Euro/Swiss 1.0568 1.0522 +0.44% +1.92% +1.0595 +1.0522 Euro/Sterling 0.8455 0.8412 +0.51% +0.65% +0.8469 +0.8406 NZ $0.6604 $0.6664 -0.87% -3.48% +$0.6683 +$0.6590 Dollar/Dollar Dollar/Norway 8.7845 8.7205 +0.93% -0.09% +8.8160 +8.6995 Euro/Norway 10.0505 9.9494 +1.02% +0.38% +10.0787 +9.9603 Dollar/Sweden 9.1474 9.0863 +0.62% +1.44% +9.1718 +9.0641 Euro/Sweden 10.4653 10.4007 +0.62% +2.26% +10.4855 +10.3900

The Five Big Risk Vectors of DeFi https://www.coindesk.com/layer2/2022/02/03/the-five-big-risk-vectors-of-defi/

CNBC ask me to pay and join Cramer's club.....no, no way.....I am a five star investment guru......100% better than Cramer......

By Marc Jones LONDON (Reuters) - European stocks fell heavily again on Friday as worries about a sudden halt to central bank stimulus and rising tensions between Western powers and Moscow drove one of the worst ever starts to a year for world stock markets. Strong earnings from Apple provided some encouragement for battered tech and U.S. markets [.N], but traders were struggling to draw a line under a global selloff that has now firmly taken root. The pan-European STOXX 600 tumbled nearly 1.5%, on course for its fourth straight weekly drop, (EU) while volatile U.S. futures prices indicated traders weren't exactly sure which way Wall Street will go when it opens shortly. [.N]. MSCI's 50-country main world index is now down 8.1% for the month, slicing roughly $7 trillion from its value and putting it on the brink of its worst January since the 2008 global financial crisis year. The dollar, meanwhile, is on track for its best week in seven months on bets that U.S. interest rates could now go up as many as five times this year. [/FRX] "With the Federal Reserve sounding a lot more hawkish, it has shaken the markets," said Jeremy Gatto, a multi-asset portfolio manager at Unigestion in Switzerland. "Markets can live with rate hikes, but the main question remains around the balance sheet," he added. Markets have been driven up by all the stimulus pumped in during the COVID-19 crisis, "so if it starts reducing liquidity, that changes the game". GRAPHIC - World stocks suffer January plunge " onerror="this.style.display='none'" class="msg-img" /> The Fed indicated this week that it is likely to raise rates in March, as widely expected, and reaffirmed plans to end its pandemic-era bond purchases that month before launching a significant reduction in its asset holdings. The prospect of faster or larger U.S. interest rate hikes, and possible stimulus withdrawal, lifted the dollar to a 20-month high of $1.1119 per euro and to 115.50 yen - close to a high of year so far of 116.35 yen. [/FRX] In the big government bond markets that drive global borrowing costs, benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yields dipped to 1.82% from 1.84% earlier as the Fed's favored inflation gauge, the core personal consumption expenditure (PCE) price index, rose no more than had been expected. In the 12 months through December, the PCE price index increased 5.8%. That was the largest advance since 1982 and followed a 5.7% year-on-year increase in November. The two-year yield, which is even more sensitive to rate hike expectations, was last at 1.20%, having started the year at roughly 0.75%. European bond yields also rose further. Germany's 10-year yield, the benchmark for the euro zone, was up 4 bps to -0.0008% as it threatened to break through the key zero threshold. [GVD/EUR] Focus was also on Italy, where bond yields there were also up as its parliament struggled to elect a new president. GRAPHIC - Global bond yields are rising " onerror="this.style.display='none'" class="msg-img" /> OIL PRESSURE U.S. stock futures recovered from an earlier dip to be broadly flat after the inflation data and as Apple shares (NASDAQ:AAPL), which have slumped nearly 10% this month, jumped 3.5% in premarket trading after posting record sales for its flagship phones. Apple is the world's largest company by market value but it and other tech shares have been hit particularly hard in the current selloff as the prospect of global rate rises give those who were already worried about stratospheric valuations the perfect reason to sell. In the commodity markets, oil prices remained strong and set for their sixth weekly gain amid concerns about tight supplies as major producers continue to limited output despite rising demand. Brent crude futures climbed 1.9%, to $91 a barrel - its highest level since October 2014. A sixth week of gains will also mark the longest weekly winning streak for Brent since October last year, when prices climbed for seven weeks while U.S. WTI prices gained for nine. This year, prices have risen about 15% amid geopolitical tensions between Russia, the world's second-largest oil producer and a key natural gas provider to Europe, and the West over Ukraine, as well as threats to the United Arab Emirates from Yemen's Houthi movement that have raised concerns about energy supply. "Where Brent crosses the $90 level, we see some selling from a sense of accomplishment, but investors start buying again when the prices fall a little as they remain cautious about possible supply disruptions due to rising geopolitical tensions," said Tatsufumi Okoshi, senior economist at Nomura Securities. "The market expects supply will stay tight as the OPEC+ is seen to keep the existing policy of gradual increase in production," he said. The market is focusing on a Feb. 2 meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, a group known as OPEC+. It is likely to stick with a planned rise in its oil output target for March, several sources in the group told Reuters. GRAPHIC - Apple sours, oil on the boil " onerror="this.style.display='none'" class="msg-img" />

By Peter Nurse Investing.com - European stock markets are expected to open in a mixed fashion Friday, helped by strong earnings from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) but with investors remaining cautious over the recent hawkish turn by the Federal Reserve as well as Russia’s intentions for Ukraine. At 2 AM ET (0700 GMT), the DAX futures contract in Germany traded 0.5% lower, CAC 40 futures in France dropped 0.1%, while the FTSE 100 futures contract in the U.K. rose 0.2%. Global stock markets received a boost late Thursday after Apple, the largest company in the world by market capitalization, posted record sales over the important holiday quarter, the iPhone-maker successfully navigating the supply-chain challenges which have hurt many of its peers. That said, investors are still digesting the latest comments from the Federal Reserve after the U.S. central bank indicated on Wednesday it was likely to raise rates in March and reaffirmed plans to end its pandemic-era bond purchases that month. Money markets are now pricing in as many as five Fed hikes in 2022 in line with the U.S. central bank’s hawkish tone, up from the three expected as recently as December. Back in Europe, concerns remain over Russia’s plans for Ukraine after Moscow said on Thursday it was clear the United States was not willing to address its main concerns, which revolve around the possibility of Ukraine joining NATO. Russia has massed troops near Ukraine, prompting Western fears of an invasion. Such an incursion could have severe repercussions for Europe’s energy supplies if Russia limits its natural gas output to the region in response to the expected Western sanctions. The economic data slate offered up some good news, as France saw its strongest growth in over five decades last year. The French economy grew by 0.7% in the final three months of the year, and by 7% in 2021 as a whole, the strongest since 1969, after an 8% contraction in 2020. In corporate news, UniCredit (MI:CRDI) will be in the spotlight after the Italian bank reported better-than-expected full-year revenues and underlying profit, despite a fourth-quarter loss that was due to one-off hits from CEO Andrea Orcel's new strategy. Nordic telecom operator Telia (ST:TELIA) reported quarterly core earnings ahead of market expectations on Friday, helped by growth in service revenue in several markets, while Swiss fragrance and flavour maker Givaudan (SIX:GIVN) posed a weaker-than-expected rise in net profit and dividend for 2021. Oil prices pushed higher Friday, on course for their sixth consecutive weekly gain, with the market remaining concerned over supply levels ahead of the latest meeting of top producers. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies led by Russia, a group known as OPEC+, is expected to stick with its plan to increase output in a cautious manner in March when it meets next week. By 2:05 AM ET, U.S. crude futures traded 0.6% higher at $87.14 a barrel, having climbed to a seven-year high of $88.54 on Thursday, while the Brent contract rose 0.5% to $88.63, just off the previous session’s peak, which was the highest since October 2014. Additionally, gold futures rose 0.1% to $1,795.33/oz, while EUR/USD traded largely flat at 1.1144.

By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. economy notched its strongest growth in nearly four decades in 2021 after the government injected trillions of dollars in COVID-19 relief, and is seen soldiering on this year despite headwinds from the pandemic, strained supply chains as well as high inflation. The Commerce Department's report on Thursday showed the economy accelerating in the fourth quarter as businesses replenished depleted inventories to meet strong demand for goods. Last year's robust growth supports the Federal Reserve's pivot towards raising interest rates in March. Fed Chair Jerome Powell told reporters on Wednesday after a two-day policy meeting that "the economy no longer needs sustained high levels of monetary policy support," and that "it will soon be appropriate to raise" rates. The sharp rebound in growth last year could offer some cheer for President Joe Biden whose popularity is falling amid a stalled domestic economic agenda after the U.S. Congress failed to pass his signature $1.75 trillion Build Back Better legislation. It, however, could diminish prospects of more money from the government. The government pumped nearly $6 trillion in pandemic relief. "While Omicron will lead to weaker growth in the first quarter, activity is expected to rebound nicely once the latest pandemic wave abates and supply-chain glitches ease," said Sal Guatieri, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto. "The Fed will need to be 'humble and nimble' as it navigates underlying economic strength, worsening labor shortages, and stubbornly high inflation." The economy grew 5.7% in 2021, the strongest since 1984. It contracted 3.4% in 2020, the biggest drop in 74 years. The stunning reversal came as gross domestic product increased at a 6.9% annualized rate in the fourth quarter. That followed a 2.3% growth pace in the third quarter. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast GDP growth rising at a 5.5% rate last quarter. Estimates ranged from as low as a 3.4% rate to as high as a 7.0% pace. The momentum, however, appears to have faded by December amid an onslaught of COVID-19 infections, fueled by the Omicron variant, which contributed to undercutting spending as well as disrupting activity at factories and services businesses. Inventory investment increased at a $173.5 billion rate, contributing 4.90 percentage points to GDP growth, the most since the third quarter of 2020. Businesses had been drawing down inventories since the first quarter of 2021. Spending shifted during the pandemic to goods from services, a demand boom that pressured supply chains. Excluding inventories, GDP grew at a moderate 1.9% rate. JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL Growth last quarter was also lifted by a jump in consumer spending in October before retreating considerably as Omicron spread across the country. Consumer spending, which accounts for more than two-thirds of economic activity, grew at a 3.3% rate after rising at a 2.0% pace in the third quarter. It has been hampered by shortages of motor vehicles and other goods. A global chip shortage is hurting production. Reduced household purchasing power, with inflation way above the Fed's 2% target, also hindered consumer spending at the tail end of the fourth quarter. Support to GDP growth last quarter also came from business spending on equipment, which rebounded after being held back in the July-September period by shortages of trucks. Trade made no contribution after being a drag on GDP growth for five straight quarters, while investment in homebuilding contracted for a third consecutive quarter. The sector is being constrained by expensive building materials, which has resulted in a record backlog of homes yet to be built. There are, however, signs that the impact from the Omicron-driven outbreak in infections is easing. A separate report from the Labor Department on Thursday showed initial claims for jobless benefits dropped 30,000 to a seasonally adjusted 260,000 during the week ended Jan. 22. Claims shot up to a three-month high in early January. Unadjusted claims tumbled 73,357 to 267,573 last week. There were sharp declines in Illinois, Kentucky, Texas, New Jersey, New York as well as Pennsylvania. The labor market is viewed as being at or close to maximum employment. Employers are desperate for workers, with 10.6 million job openings at the end of November. Though the economy appears to have hit a soft patch in the first quarter because of challenges from the never-ending pandemic, the worst inflation in decades, supply chain bottlenecks and upcoming interest rate increases, a pickup is anticipated by the second quarter. Growth estimates for the year are as high as 3.9%. "We see the economy continuing to grow above its natural speed limit through this year amid still-solid demand, a need to replenish severely depleted inventory levels and manufacturers' obligation to meet record levels of backlogged orders," said Sam Bullard, a senior economist at Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) in Charlotte, North Carolina.

By Andrew Galbraith SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Asian shares plunged to their lowest in nearly 15 months, short-term U.S. yields hit 23-month highs and the dollar strengthened on Thursday after the Federal Reserve's chairman signalled plans to steadily tighten policy. The share rout looked set to continue into European and U.S. trading. Pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures tumbled 2.88%, FTSE futures lost 1.98%, Nasdaq futures dropped 1.73% and S&P 500 e-minis shed 1.56%. At the same time, rising investor concerns over political tensions between Russia and Ukraine exacerbated worries over tight energy market supply, keeping oil prices elevated at multi-year highs despite some profit-taking. In its latest policy update on Wednesday, the Fed indicated it is likely to raise U.S. interest rates in March, as has been widely expected, and reaffirmed plans to end its bond purchases that month before launching a significant reduction in its asset holdings. But in the follow-up press conference, Powell warned that inflation remains above the Fed's long-run goal and supply chain issues may be more persistent than previously thought. "There was a marked shift in terms of a relatively dovish statement and then a relatively hawkish press conference," said David Chao, global market strategist, Asia Pacific (ex-Japan) at Invesco. "Powell (is) not committing to the size or the frequency of rate hikes and also the timing of the balance sheet reduction. I think that buys him a bit of wiggle room as to how quickly and with what velocity he wants to normalise monetary policy in the U.S." said Chao, adding that moves would depend on upcoming economic data. Fed funds futures showed traders pricing in as many as five hikes by December, after previously fully pricing for four increases. [FEDWATCH] Concerns that the Fed will increasingly prioritise fighting inflation walloped share markets. MSCI's broad gauge of regional markets outside Japan fell 2.2% on Thursday to its lowest level since Nov. 5, 2020, and is on track for its worst week since Feb. 2021. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell 2.4%, Australian shares lost 1.77% and Chinese blue-chips dropped to their lowest level since Sept. 30, 2020 as Refinitiv flows data pointed to heavy selling by foreign investors through the country's Stock Connect scheme. In Tokyo, the Nikkei fell more than 3%, touching its lowest point since Nov. 2020. U.S. YIELDS JUMP Expectations of Fed tightening sent the policy-sensitive U.S. 2-year yield to a top of 1.1920% in Asian trade, a level last reached in February 2020. The benchmark 10-year yield was steady at 1.8495% having hit a high of 1.88% on Wednesday. These in turn helped the dollar, lifting the dollar index, which measures the greenback against major peers, to 96.604, near five-week highs.. The greenback rested against the yen on Thursday at 114.6 yen per dollar, having gained 0.67% the day before, while the euro was at a six-week low of $1.2301 "The interesting play seems to be that yield differentials matter again, so we've got a decent set-up on dollar-yen. If you look at the yield differential between the 2-year on the U.S. and the Japanese, it's just shot up," said Matt Simpson, senior market analyst at City Index in Sydney. The spread between the U.S. and Japanese 2-year yield widened to 124.22 basis points on Thursday, its highest since late February 2020. In commodities markets, oil prices eased but remained elevated near $90 per barrel, a level last seen in October 2014, on festering tensions between Russia and Ukraine. The United States said on Wednesday it had set out a diplomatic path to address sweeping Russian demands in eastern Europe, as Moscow held security talks with Western countries and intensified its military build-up near Ukraine with new drills. On Thursday, global benchmark Brent crude fell 0.8% on profit taking to $89.15 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 0.94% at $86.53. U.S. officials say they are in talks with major energy-producing countries and companies worldwide over a potential diversion of supplies to Europe if Russia invades Ukraine, although the White House said it faces challenges finding alternative sources of energy supplies. Spot gold slipped 0.3% to $1,813 an ounce, having been as high as $1,853.6 earlier in the week. "When you see gold falling with stocks it's usually a signal that things aren't so well, but you can really tie everything back to the Fed raising rates, the dollar screaming higher with the yields, everything else is going the opposite way," said Simpson at City Index.

Five Star Bank Goes Bitcoin, Picasso NFTs, Binance Unfreezes SEPA Deposits + More News https://cryptonews.com/news/five-star-bank-goes-bitcoin-picasso-nfts-binance-unfreezes-sepa-deposits-more-news.htm

By Andrew Galbraith SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Asian share markets broke a five-day slide, pushing higher on Thursday as China underscored its diverging monetary and economic picture by cutting benchmark mortgage rates. The rise was set to continue in Europe, where strong earnings helped to support gains a day earlier. In early deals, pan-region Euro Stoxx 50 futures were up 0.32%, German DAX futures were 0.2% higher and FTSE futures rose 0.46%. Despite the bounce, analysts at ING said geo-political risks, notably the possibility of Russia invading Ukraine, could continue to weigh on global shares, adding to existing pressure from the rising rates outlook. "Markets may soon start to take into account a greater risk of a conflict flare-up between Russia and Ukraine, which is one reason why stocks may continue to sell and why Treasury yields aren't on a one-way ticket higher." U.S. President Joe Biden predicted on Wednesday that Russia will make a move on Ukraine, saying a full-scale invasion would be "a disaster for Russia" but suggesting there could be a lower cost for a "minor incursion." Expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will move more quickly to hike interest rates to combat inflation hit technology shares particularly hard overnight, pushing the Nasdaq down more than 1% into correction territory. The sell-off hit bonds as well, pushing U.S. Treasury yields to two-year highs on Wednesday, and taking Germany's 10-year yield into positive territory for the first time since May 2019 as investors bet policymakers will curb years of stimulus in order to fight rising inflation exacerbated by supply chain disruption. "There comes a point when you've offloaded, you might want to stop offloading. If bonds start to rally a little bit, and you saw yields ease off yesterday in the U.S., it kind of feels like ... we might actually not get a follow-through," said Matt Simpson, senior market analyst at City Index in Sydney. In stark contrast with the global move toward tighter policy and higher rates, China on Thursday cut its mortgage reference rate for the first time in nearly two years. The move followed a surprise cut to the central bank's rate for one-year medium-term loans on Monday. Chinese monetary authorities have signalled that they will take more easing steps this year to shore up slowing growth in the world's second-largest economy. Data released on Monday showed weakness in consumption and the property sector darkening the outlook despite a strong headline growth figure. China's blue-chip CSI300 index rose more than 1% on Thursday and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up nearly 3% in afternoon trading. Shares of Chinese property developers boosted gains in the broad index amid hopes that government measures would help ease a funding squeeze in the embattled sector, even as another developer warned of default. The rise in Chinese shares lifted MSCI's broadest index of Asian shares outside Japan 1% higher. Seoul's Kospi rose 0.68% and Australian shares gained 0.14%. In Tokyo, the Nikkei added 1.11%. The gains in Asia came after investors on Wall Street looked past robust earnings at the outlook for inflation and rate rises. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.96% and the S&P 500 lost 0.97%. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.15%, putting it more than 10% below its Nov. 19 record closing high to confirm a correction. In the Asian session, U.S. yields edged up, but remained below their highs in the previous session. The benchmark 10-year yield rose to 1.8540% from a U.S. close of 1.827%, and the policy-sensitive two-year yield touched 1.0555% compared with a U.S. close of 1.025%. The pause in Treasury yields' march higher kept the greenback in check, with the dollar index which measures the greenback against six major peers at edging down to 95.553 as commodity currencies benefited from high oil prices. The Aussie dollar was 0.26% higher. The U.S. dollar edged up 0.17% against the Japanese yen to 114.50 and the euro rose 0.07% to $1.1349. In commodity markets, oil prices remained elevated after touching their highest levels since 2014 on Wednesday on strong demand and short-term supply disruptions. Global benchmark Brent crude was last down 0.1% at $88.36 per barrel and U.S. crude rose 0.36% to $87.27 per barrel. [O/R] Gold paused after marking its best session in three months a day earlier. Spot gold gave up 0.08% to $1,838.40 an ounce.