Treasuries edged lower after data showed the US economy expanded at the fastest pace in two years, denting expectations for interest-rate cuts in 2026 https://t.co/blRiJKnTWF ...

New Zealand business confidence soared to a three-decade high in December and the mood of consumers also surged, adding to signs of further economic expansion in the fourth quarter and into 2026 https://t.co/9g6vgSh4Ib ...

Key Takeaways CROX targets more than $5B in revenues by 2026, backed by brand investment, product expansion and margin gainsG-III Apparel gains from a shift to higher-margin owned brands, led by growth in Donna Karan and menswear.Dover is seeing steady booking growth, improving business trends and solid demand across most segments.The performance of cyclical stocks is closely linked with the overall health of the economy. The prices of these stocks tend to rise quickly during economic expansion and plummet ...

The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged for a fourth straight meeting as inflation hovers around target and the euro zone weathers global shocks. The deposit rate was kept at 2% on Thursday as predicted by all analysts in a Bloomberg survey. Fresh forecasts accompanied the decision, envisaging firmer economic expansion and inflation returning to 2% in 2028 after falling short of that level during the next two years. Jamie Rush of Bloomberg Economics has more. ...

Core Insights - The Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF (VO) is considered a staple investment due to its balanced exposure to companies of various sizes, which each offer unique advantages [2] - Mid-cap stocks are positioned between large-cap stability and small-cap growth potential, providing a favorable risk-reward profile [6] Investment Strategy - Long-term investment in ETFs is preferred, with a focus on maintaining a diversified portfolio to navigate different economic conditions [1][8] - The performance of VO since its inception in January 2004 has closely mirrored that of the S&P 500, with returns of 488% compared to the S&P 500's 490% [7] Market Dynamics - Large-cap stocks offer stability due to their established market presence and financial resources, while small-cap stocks present growth opportunities but come with higher risks [4][5] - Mid-cap stocks tend to outperform during early to mid-stages of economic expansion, making them an attractive investment during these periods [8][9]

France’s economy will continue to expand in the fourth quarter despite heightened political and budget uncertainty continuing to weigh on businesses, the central bank said https://t.co/qA2yqsgvAv ...

Spain’s economy is likely to maintain the rapid expansion that’s made it Europe’s standout performer, according to central-bank Governor Jose Luis Escriva https://t.co/YbmqCi6dS5 ...

Economic Growth - Saudi Arabia's economy experienced its fastest expansion since early 2023 in the third quarter [1] - The growth was driven by increased oil production and substantial state investments in non-oil sectors [1]

Group 1: Market Overview - US stock futures are rebounding as traders increase interest rate bets following comments from Fed Chair Powell, alongside a strong start to the corporate earnings season [1][4] - Gold prices have reached a new record of $4,200 per ounce, driven by geopolitical tensions and strong demand [2][21] - The Dow is expected to open about half a percent higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.75% and NASDAQ leading gains [5][4] Group 2: Bank Earnings - Morgan Stanley reported a 35% increase in trading revenue and a 44% boost in investment banking fees, while Bank of America saw a 43% increase in investment banking fees to $2 billion [2][7][9] - Bank of America also reported an 8% rise in client trading to $5.3 billion, indicating strong investor activity [8] - Both banks' strong earnings are attributed to a resurgence in deal-making and a record high rally in equity markets [11][34] Group 3: ASML Earnings - ASML reported strong demand driven by AI infrastructure spending, with bookings of approximately $6.3 billion for the quarter [3][14] - The company faces risks related to US export restrictions on chip sales to China, but it remains optimistic about future sales [3][15] - ASML's stock price increased over 4% in pre-market trading, reflecting positive market sentiment [13] Group 4: Trade Tensions - President Trump has threatened to end cooking oil purchases from China amid escalating trade tensions, which could impact US soybean exports [17][18] - China has not purchased any American soybeans recently, a significant drop from $12.8 billion worth last year [18][19] - The ongoing trade spat raises questions about the future of US-China trade talks and potential meetings between leaders [20] Group 5: Precious Metals Market - Gold has seen a 60% increase year-to-date, with predictions of reaching $5,000 by 2026 and possibly $10,000 by the end of the decade [22][24] - Silver prices have risen 75% year-to-date, driven by speculative inflows and a smaller market size compared to gold [26][27] - Goldman Sachs notes a supply crunch in the silver market, contributing to price increases [27] Group 6: Corporate Developments - Stellantis announced a $13 billion investment in the US, aiming to create over 5,000 jobs and increase domestic production by 50% [29] - Dollar Tree projected a compound annual growth rate of up to 15% in earnings per share over the next three years [30] - Papa John's shares rose following a reported bid from Apollo Global to take the company private at $64 per share, valuing it around $2 billion [32]

Market Analysis and Bitcoin Cycle - Bitcoin continues to trade within a range, with the lower end of the support range presenting buying opportunities [1] - The traditional four-year Bitcoin cycle, driven by the halving, may now be a five-year cycle, potentially peaking in Q2 2026 [2] - The Bitcoin cycle is correlated with the ISM (Institute for Supply Management) business cycle, a key indicator of US economic activity [3][4][5] - The current elongated business cycle, unlike previous cycles, is attributed to the extension of debt maturity from four to five years in 2021-2022 [8][9] - The average weighted maturity of the debt is 5.4 years, suggesting the ISM should peak by 2026 [10] - Despite the ISM remaining below 50, indicating economic contraction, any dips in Bitcoin price are considered buying opportunities, similar to patterns observed in 2015-16 and 2019-20 [11][12] Altcoin and AI Investment Opportunities - A new BitTensor fund has been launched, focusing on TOAO and BitTensor subnet alpha tokens, highlighting the potential of AI-related altcoins [12][13] - BitTensor subnets are providing AI models and companion apps at significantly reduced costs compared to traditional services like AWS [14] - SUI is positioned to dominate agentic commerce, particularly in AI-driven transactions, and has partnered with Google on AP2, an agentic payments framework [16][17] Swissborg (Borg) Token Buyback Program - Swissborg is using 50% of trading fees to buy back the Borg token, creating buy pressure [20][21] - Based on the previous week's stats, this equates to $400,000 weekly, $1.6 million monthly, and $20 million annually in buy pressure [21] - The buyback program could potentially pump Borg by 50% in a single week, given current liquidity and price impact [22]