Group 1: Bitcoin and Market Dynamics - Bitcoin is classified as a commodity by the SEC and CFTC, yet it is currently facing significant selling pressure, remaining below $90,000 after peaking near $126,000 in October [1][2] - The general expectation among traders is that the downtrend observed in Q4 2025 is over, with prices anticipated to break higher soon [1] - The current market backdrop is concerning, with inflation and high interest rates causing nervousness among investors [3] Group 2: Impact of Oil Prices - Oil prices are rising rapidly, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude increasing nearly 12% this month to $64, which adds pressure on Bitcoin prices [2][5] - Higher energy prices contribute to inflation, leading to increased costs for consumers and businesses, which can negatively impact risk assets like cryptocurrencies [4][5] - The Federal Reserve closely monitors energy prices, as rising costs can lead to sustained high interest rates, further affecting the crypto market [5][6] Group 3: Geopolitical Tensions - Escalating tensions with Iran pose additional risks, particularly with the U.S. deploying an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East, which could impact oil supply routes [7] - Traders are concerned about a potential worst-case scenario involving the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for 20% of the world's oil [7]

Core Viewpoint - The A-share market is experiencing a mixed performance with over 2800 stocks declining, indicating a phase of high-level fluctuations and diverging expectations in the short term [1] Market Performance - As of the midday close, the Shanghai Composite Index fell by 0.1%, the Shenzhen Component Index saw a slight increase, the ChiNext Index decreased by 0.05%, and the STAR Market 50 Index dropped by 1.52% [1] - The total trading volume in the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and North markets reached approximately 2.03 trillion yuan [1] Sector Analysis - Sectors such as semiconductors, brokerage, pharmaceuticals, and military industries are showing declines, while media, real estate, oil, non-ferrous metals, liquor, insurance, and banking sectors are experiencing gains [1] - AI application concepts and rare earth concepts are becoming more active in the market [1] Investment Outlook - According to Zhongyin Securities, the market is expected to enter a phase of oscillation and game-playing before the holiday, with a focus on performance-driven stocks [1] - There is an anticipation for policies aimed at expanding domestic demand and curbing "involution" in industries, which may provide a temporary boost to cyclical stocks [1] - However, caution is advised regarding the impact of short-term regulatory easing on the incremental marginal weakening of ETF and leveraged funds in the market [1]

Group 1: Interest Rates and Economic Indicators - The central bank's policy rate remains at 2.25%, which was widely expected by economists [1] - The U.S. Federal Reserve has kept its key rate unchanged at approximately 3.6% after three cuts last year, indicating a stabilization in the job market and an upgrade in growth characterization from "modest" to "solid" [1] - Lower interest rates are particularly significant for Canadian homeowners, as many are renewing their mortgages this year [2] Group 2: Commodity Market Performance - Commodity prices positively influenced Canada's main stock index, which rose by 79.67 points to 33,176.07 [2] - The March silver contract increased by US$7.58 to US$113.53 per ounce, while the April gold contract rose by US$219.60 to US$5,340.20 per ounce [2] - Commodities are highlighted as a major sector for Canada, with silver and gold prices showing upward trends [3] Group 3: Stock Market Movements - The U.S. stock and bond markets remained stable, with the U.S. dollar stabilizing after a recent decline [4] - Seagate Technology experienced a significant gain of 19.1% after reporting better-than-expected profits, driven by demand from artificial intelligence applications [4] - Nvidia, a key player in the AI sector, rose by 1.6%, contributing to the S&P 500's performance, supported by a positive report from ASML regarding chip-making machinery [5] Group 4: Currency and Oil Prices - The Canadian dollar traded at 73.69 cents US, up from 73.42 cents US the previous day [5] - The March crude oil contract increased by US$0.82 to US$63.21 per barrel [5]

A dozen House Democrats on Wednesday sent a letter to 21 companies who attended a Jan. 9 White House meeting about developing Venezuelan oil resources, warning them that any transaction or investment ... ...

Core Viewpoint - President Donald Trump is increasing pressure on Iran, indicating that a "massive armada" is heading towards the country and emphasizing that time is limited for Tehran to finalize a nuclear deal [1] Group 1 - The U.S. administration is signaling a strong military presence in the Middle East as a means to influence Iran's nuclear negotiations [1] - The warning from President Trump suggests a potential escalation in U.S.-Iran tensions, which could impact regional stability and global oil markets [1]

Market Overview - U.S. stocks showed mixed performance, with the S&P 500 declining by approximately 0.1% on Wednesday, while the Dow increased by 0.02% to 49,012.75 and the NASDAQ fell by 0.10% to 23,792.17 [1] - Energy shares experienced a gain of 0.7%, while health care stocks decreased by 0.5% [1] Commodity Market - In commodity trading, oil prices rose by 0.9% to $62.92, gold increased by 4.1% to $5,290.30, silver saw a rise of 6.7% to $113.065, and copper rose by 0.8% to $5.9085 [3] European Market - European shares were generally lower, with the eurozone's STOXX 600 falling by 0.68%, Spain's IBEX 35 Index down by 0.99%, London's FTSE 100 decreasing by 0.37%, Germany's DAX down by 0.25%, and France's CAC 40 dipping by 0.87% [4] Asian Market - Asian markets closed higher, with Japan's Nikkei gaining 0.05%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index increasing by 2.58%, China's Shanghai Composite rising by 0.27%, and India's BSE Sensex up by 0.60% [5] Economic Indicators - The volume of mortgage applications in the U.S. decreased by 8.5% from the previous week during the week ending January 23 [6] - U.S. crude stocks fell by 2.296 million barrels in the week ended January 23, contrasting with market expectations of a 1.75 million-barrel increase [2][6]

Group 1 - Commercial crude oil stocks decreased by 2.3 million barrels [1] - Current crude oil stocks are approximately 3% below the five-year average for this time of year [1]

And sinking its oil revenues in the process https://t.co/Is5hkZbEk5 ...

A commission of Venezuela's National Assembly has received more than 80 proposals from politicians, lawyers and energy associations seeking changes to a reform of the country's main oil law, sources c... ...

Diezani Alison-Madueke accepted cash bribes and “vast quantities” of luxury perks in exchange for handing over lucrative government contracts when she served as Nigerian oil minister, prosecutors said on the first day of trial https://t.co/pzcoXJq2bT ...