Erik Voorhees, the early Bitcoin advocate and founder of ShapeShift, is making a bold pivot into gold. The move comes as gold recovers following a 21% crash, with prospects for further gains if analyst projections are any guide. Erik Voorhees’ Gold Move Signals a Shift Beyond Bitcoin Lookonchain reports that Voorhees created nine new wallets and spent $6.81 million in USDC. The Bitcoin OG purchased 1,382 ounces of PAXG, a gold-backed token just like Tether Gold, at an average price of $4,926 per ounce. ...

Core Viewpoint - Precious metals, particularly silver and gold, experienced significant declines, with silver plunging nearly 17% and gold dropping over 3%, largely due to a strengthening dollar and easing geopolitical tensions [1][2][3]. Market Impact - Indian markets were heavily affected, with MCX silver March futures falling over 8% and MCX gold trading 1% lower. Equity markets also suffered, with Axis Silver ETF collapsing by up to 21% and Nippon India Silver ETF dropping 13% [2][14]. Reasons for Price Decline - **Strengthening Dollar**: The dollar reached a near two-week high, making dollar-priced gold more expensive for foreign currency holders, thus reducing demand for precious metals [3][14]. - **Geopolitical Easing**: Reduced tensions, particularly between the US and Iran, diminished gold's appeal as a safe-haven asset [6][14]. - **US-China Relations**: A positive phone call between US President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping alleviated concerns about escalating economic tensions, further dampening demand for safe-haven assets [8][14]. Analyst Perspectives - Some analysts view the selloff as a healthy consolidation rather than a trend reversal, suggesting that the broader uptrend for gold remains intact despite recent volatility [10][15]. - Others express caution, indicating that the decline in silver and other metals may continue, with MCX Silver March prices expected to drop to ₹235,000/kg amid weak international trends [11][15]. Tactical Guidance - Recommendations include buying gold above ₹154,000 with a target of ₹156,800-₹158,500 and silver above ₹270,000 with a target of ₹278,000-₹284,000, indicating potential recovery points [12][15]. - Analysts from Standard Chartered expect continued volatility in gold prices until there is more certainty regarding monetary policy, while structural drivers for precious metals remain intact [13][15].

Core Insights - Gold and silver have experienced their steepest declines in years, reversing a powerful rally that had pushed prices to record levels, with gold prices falling approximately 10.31% over the past five days and 5.35% in the most recent session [1][4][11] Market Drivers - Geopolitical risks have been a primary driver of market volatility in 2026, compounded by renewed tariff frictions and U.S. military actions, which have increased demand for defensive and safe-haven assets [2] - A stronger U.S. dollar, which has increased by 1.25% over the past five days, has put additional pressure on gold and silver prices [5] - Heavy speculative inflows have turned precious metals into a crowded trade, leading to profit-taking and further declines in prices [3][11] Margin Requirements Impact - The CME Group's hike in margin requirements has contributed to a fresh wave of selling in metals, limiting speculative activity and curtailing liquidity [6][11] Investment Strategies - In light of the volatility in precious metals, investors are encouraged to explore alternative defensive ETFs that focus on low volatility, high-quality balance sheets, and stable cash flows [8][10] - Increasing allocations toward value, quality, and consumer staple ETFs can provide stability and cushion portfolios during market turmoil [9][13][14][15] - Passive, long-term strategies such as buy-and-hold or dollar-cost averaging are recommended to navigate potential near-term pullbacks while positioning for sustainable returns [16][17]

分组1 - Gold prices continued to rise as investors sought safety amid geopolitical and economic uncertainties, with silver nearing $120 [2] - Disney reported better-than-expected earnings in its first fiscal quarter, with its experiences division generating $10 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time [2][3] - The entertainment industry is anticipating the announcement of Disney's new CEO, with the board expected to vote on the successor this week [3] 分组2 - The government partially shut down due to Congress's failure to pass a funding bill, with the House expected to address the Senate-approved spending package [4][5] - Food producers are restructuring by splitting or divesting underperforming businesses in response to regulatory scrutiny and declining consumer demand for processed goods [8] - A Bain survey indicated that 42% of merger-and-acquisition executives in the consumer product sector are preparing to sell assets within the next three years [9] 分组3 - Amazon's documentary "Melania" achieved $7 million at the domestic box office in its debut, marking the highest-grossing opening for a non-music documentary in over a decade [10] - The film's audience was primarily women and individuals over 55, who together accounted for more than 70% of ticket sales [11] - Amazon invested an estimated $40 million to acquire the film and an additional $35 million on marketing, despite mixed critical reviews [11]

Core Viewpoint - Ray Dalio emphasizes the existence of multiple forms of wars, including financial, technological, geopolitical, and military, which are destabilizing the global order and eroding trust among nations [1][5]. Group 1: Global Economic and Political Landscape - Dalio warns that the current global balance of power is shifting, with the U.S. foreign policy becoming less predictable, leading to significant market volatility, as evidenced by a notable dip in the S&P 500 in April 2025 due to U.S. tariffs [4]. - The potential for military conflict over strategic locations like Greenland is highlighted, with implications for capital and economic stability [2][3]. - Dalio describes a developing civil conflict in the U.S., characterized by irreconcilable differences among the populace, which could further destabilize the nation [5]. Group 2: Public Sentiment and Political Division - Political opinion in the U.S. is sharply divided, with a reported 71% of Republicans satisfied with the state of affairs, compared to only 12% of Democrats, indicating a growing dissatisfaction across the political spectrum [7]. - Despite some satisfaction among Republicans, 61% of Americans express dissatisfaction with the current administration, reflecting a broader sense of discontent [7]. Group 3: Investment Strategies in Turbulent Times - Dalio advocates for diversification in investment portfolios, particularly emphasizing gold as a crucial asset during economic downturns, suggesting that 15% of a portfolio should be allocated to gold due to its performance during crises [10][11]. - Gold has seen a significant increase in value, climbing over 90% year-over-year, reaching an all-time high of over $5,000 per ounce, making it an attractive investment during times of uncertainty [12]. - Real estate is also highlighted as a resilient asset class, with Warren Buffett recommending ownership of tangible assets like farms and apartment buildings to hedge against inflation and economic instability [16][17].

ToplineGold and silver prices surged early Thursday morning, with silver toppling the $120 mark and gold nearing an all-time high of $5,600, up more than $200 from just one day ago as tensions between the United States and Iran mount and the dollar weakens. The prices of gold and silver have surged this week. (Photo by Yoray Liberman/Getty Images)Getty ImagesKey FactsThe price of gold is about $5,535.10 as of 9:30 a.m. EST, up more than 4.3% today but slightly down from an all-time high of $5,586.20 earlier ...

Market Overview - The cryptocurrency market capitalization is largely unchanged, currently at $3.05 trillion, with a slight increase of 0.1% over the past 24 hours [5] - 77 of the top 100 coins have posted price increases, indicating a mixed performance across the market [5][4] - Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $87,702, having decreased by 0.1%, while Ethereum (ETH) rose by 0.3% to $2,901 [4][10] Price Movements - River (RIVER) experienced a significant drop of 32.6%, reverting nearly all gains from the previous day, now priced at $58.14 [2] - Provenance Blockchain (HASH) saw a notable increase of 19.3%, reaching $0.02739, while Hyperliquid (HYPE) rose by 22.6% to $27.28 [2] - Among the top 10 coins, Solana (SOL) had the highest increase at 1%, currently priced at $123, while Tron (TRX) fell by 0.3% to $0.2942 [3] Investor Sentiment - The crypto market sentiment remains in the fear zone, with the fear and greed index at 29, unchanged from the previous day [12][13] - Investors are currently favoring traditional safe-haven assets due to rising geopolitical risks, leading to a defensive stance among both retail and institutional crypto investors [6][4] ETF Activity - US BTC spot ETFs broke a five-day outflow streak, recording inflows of $6.84 million, bringing total net inflows to $56.5 billion [13][14] - In contrast, US ETH ETFs outperformed BTC ETFs with inflows of $116.99 million, breaking a four-day red streak, resulting in total net inflows of $12.42 billion [15][16] Technical Analysis - The $90,000 level for Bitcoin is identified as a psychological battleground, with resistance now at the $90,500-$91,200 zone [11][9] - If Bitcoin falls below $86,400, it could drop to $84,400, while a move above $90,500 could lead to prices reaching $89,500, $90,500, $93,300, and $95,500 [11] - Ethereum's price movements indicate that a rise above $2,950 could push it back above $3,000, while a drop could lead to levels between $2,750 and $2,850 [12]

The US president has wasted no time in upending the global order in 2026 - Jonathan Ernst/Reuters The dollar has slumped to its lowest level in more than four years in the wake of Donald Trump’s assault on America’s traditional allies. The US currency fell to its weakest level against the euro since September 2021 on Monday, while the pound touched a four-month high. The slump came after Mr Trump threatened to impose 100pc tariffs on Canada over the weekend in a row over Ottawa’s embrace of China. Inv ...

Gold’s rally is showing little sign of slowing as global markets head into 2026 with investors increasingly looking for refuge in traditional safe-haven assets amid geopolitical uncertainty. According to Gracy Chen the CEO of crypto exchange Bitget says gold continues to act as “the world’s ultimate insurance policy,” as demand remains firm while broader financial markets adjust to shifting macroeconomic risks. “Technically, the market is still in expansion mode,” Chen said pointing to Fibonacci extensi ...

Group 1 - The core viewpoint is that despite a year of record highs for gold, the outlook for 2026 remains positive among banks and market participants, suggesting another impressive performance for the yellow metal [1] - The NEOS Gold High Income ETF (IAUI) offers a unique investment approach by providing elevated income through a covered call strategy, which is particularly appealing as gold traditionally does not yield dividends or interest [2][3] - IAUI has demonstrated strong income potential with a distribution rate of 12.53% and a 30-day SEC yield of 1.81% as of December, making it an attractive option for investors seeking exposure to gold during a bull market [3] Group 2 - There is a sustained commitment from advisors and investors towards gold, especially in the form of ETFs, which bodes well for IAUI in 2026 [4] - Global gold ETFs experienced a seventh consecutive month of inflows in December, primarily driven by North American funds, with managed money net longs increasing by US$11 billion (59 tons) for the month [5] - The geopolitical landscape is increasingly uncertain, which typically drives investors towards safe-haven assets like gold, potentially benefiting IAUI [6][7] Group 3 - Macro factors are expected to influence gold's trajectory in 2026, with sustained central bank demand, hedging needs amid policy uncertainty, and diversification requirements in a high stock-bond correlation environment being key drivers [8]