Core Insights - FinanceAsia's annual Achievement Awards recognize excellence in Asia's financial markets, focusing on Deal Awards and House Awards to highlight key players' accomplishments in the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions [1][2]. Deal Awards Summary Best Bond Deals - Hysan's subordinated perpetual securities and junior subordinated bond private placement recognized as a top deal in APAC [4][7]. - Scentre Group's A$650 million hybrid issue noted in Australia [4]. - China Modern Dairy Holding Ltd's $350 million senior unsecured sustainability bond issuance highlighted in China Offshore [5]. Best Digital Bond Deals - Zhuhai Huafa Group Co Ltd.'s guaranteed digitally native bonds due 2027 recognized in China Offshore [13]. - BoComm Digital's floating rate digitally native notes acknowledged in Hong Kong SAR [13]. Best Equity Deals - CATL's $5.3 billion IPO recognized as a leading deal in APAC [15][16]. - Hyundai Motor India's $3.3 billion IPO noted in India [16]. Best Infrastructure Deals - La Gan Offshore Wind Project's $10 billion renewable energy development recognized in APAC [20]. - Central West Orana Renewable Energy Zone noted in Australia [20]. Best IPOs - CBS' VND10.8 trillion IPO recognized in APAC [25]. - Virgin Australia's A$685 million IPO highlighted in Australia [25]. Best Islamic Finance Deals - Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang's MYR300 million sustainability sukuk wakalah recognized in APAC [30]. - Republic of Indonesia's $2.2 billion sukuk sustainability bond noted in Indonesia [30]. Best M&A Deals - Reliance Industries and Walt Disney's merger of Indian media assets recognized in APAC [31][34]. - Chemist Warehouse's merger with Sigma Healthcare noted in Australia [31]. Best Private Equity Deals - KKR's acquisition of FUJI SOFT recognized in APAC [38]. - Access Healthcare's sale to New Mountain Capital highlighted in the US [39]. Best Project Finance Deals - Financing solution for Ørsted's offshore wind projects in Taiwan recognized in APAC [40]. - PHP150 billion senior secured term loan facility for Terra Solar Philippines noted in the Philippines [43]. Best Sustainable Finance Deals - AirTrunk's S$2.25 billion green loan for new hyperscale data centre development recognized in APAC [54]. - Kingdom of Thailand's inaugural THB30 billion sustainability-linked bond noted in Thailand [59].

The United Arab Emirates' new central bank law enacted recently brings digital assets and decentralized finance (DeFi) into traditional banking regulatory compliance and positions the country as a global financial innovation hub. The new law, which was enacted in September but made public this week, contemplates fines for unlicensed operations within the country of up to 1 billion dinars ($272 million) and states all crypto and blockchain organizations that conduct business in or from the UAE must be lice ...

Core Insights - Kevin Hassett is the frontrunner to become the chair of the Federal Reserve, with President Trump expected to announce his nominee soon [2][6] - Hassett has advocated for lowering interest rates, criticizing the current Fed leadership for not acting quickly enough [3][4] - The Federal Reserve has already cut interest rates by a quarter-point in its last two meetings and is expected to do so again in December [3][4] Economic Implications - If appointed, Hassett is likely to push for further interest rate cuts, which could stimulate the economy but also risk increasing inflation [4][7] - Hassett believes inflation will decrease to around 1% next year while economic growth accelerates, suggesting a bullish outlook on economic performance [4] - The debate within the Fed is ongoing, with officials divided on whether to prioritize lowering rates to support the job market or maintaining higher rates to combat inflation [3][7] Nomination Considerations - Hassett's nomination raises questions about the future independence of the Federal Reserve from the White House [8] - It is unclear who Hassett would replace on the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), as he is not currently a board member [8][9] - There are possibilities for an unprecedented power split where Powell could remain as FOMC chair while Hassett serves as chair of the Fed's board of governors [9]

Economic Growth Outlook - The economy is expected to see a slight pickup in growth, with GDP growth projected to be around 4.2% for Q3 and 4% for Q2 [25] - Job growth is anticipated to average around 80,000 for 2026, an increase from the recent average of 70,000 to 60,000 [19] AI's Impact on the Economy - AI spending currently represents about 1.5% of GDP, contributing approximately 25% to the overall GDP growth [6][7] - While AI is a significant driver of growth, it is not in bubble territory, and companies are expected to continue investing in AI [10][11] Federal Reserve Policy and Leadership - The potential nomination of Kevin Hasset as the next Fed chair may lead to a more dovish approach, but consensus among committee members will still be necessary [12][14] - The Fed is expected to implement two more rate cuts, but challenges remain in achieving a dovish policy due to elevated inflation [15][14] Labor Market Dynamics - The labor market is showing signs of strength, with a notable increase in construction employment and a rise in labor force participation [21][28] - The recent jobs report indicated a payroll increase of 119,000, although the unemployment rate rose to 4.4% [21]

Core Insights - The Beige Book indicates a decline in employment across various sectors, highlighting a slowdown in job growth and potential economic challenges ahead [1] - Persistent inflation remains a significant concern, with prices continuing to rise despite efforts to stabilize the economy [1] Employment Trends - Employment levels have decreased in several regions, suggesting a broader trend of weakening labor markets [1] - Specific sectors, such as retail and manufacturing, have reported notable job losses, contributing to the overall decline in employment [1] Inflation Dynamics - Inflation rates are reported to be consistently high, with consumer prices increasing at a rate that outpaces wage growth [1] - The ongoing inflationary pressures are affecting consumer spending and business investment decisions, leading to cautious economic outlooks [1]

Bitcoin (BTC) could climb to $240,000 over the long term, according to a recent JPMorgan note assessing the asset’s evolving market structure. The projection followed a weak stretch for the broader crypto market, with BTC falling from its early October peak of $126,000 to around $82,000 in November. At the time of writing, BTC had stabilized near $86,610. Crypto 'behaving like a macro asset,' JPMorgan says In the note, analysts wrote that crypto markets are now influenced more by macroeconomic forces th ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the expertise of Sensor Unlimited, who has a PhD in financial economics and has been covering the mortgage market, commercial market, and banking industry for the past decade [2] Group 1: Company Overview - Sensor Unlimited focuses on asset allocation and ETFs related to the overall market, bonds, banking and financial sectors, and housing markets [2] - The company offers two model portfolios: one for short-term survival/withdrawal and another for aggressive long-term growth [2] Group 2: Services Offered - Features include direct access via chat for discussing ideas, monthly updates on all holdings, tax discussions, and ticker critiques by request [2] - The investing group Envision Early Retirement, led by Sensor Unlimited, provides proven solutions to generate high income and high growth with isolated risks through dynamic asset allocation [2]

Group 1 - Ukraine has resumed discussions with hedge funds regarding the restructuring of its warrants, which is essential for managing its sovereign debt obligations and ensuring long-term financial stability [2][9] - The UK Chancellor Reeves provided a mixed economic outlook, indicating that new trade deals could enhance growth beyond current forecasts while also freezing income tax thresholds due to ongoing productivity challenges [3][4][9] - The U.S. natural gas market saw a significant increase, with futures rising by 3.1% following a larger-than-expected storage draw reported by the EIA, indicating either strong demand or tightening supply [5][9] - The U.S. housing market experienced a slight decrease in 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, which fell to 6.23% from 6.26%, potentially improving affordability for homebuyers [6][9]

Group 1 - Mortgage rates have decreased slightly, with the average 30-year mortgage rate at 6.23%, down from 6.26% the previous week, and the average 15-year mortgage rate at 5.51%, down from 5.54% [1][5] - The 10-year Treasury yield, which influences mortgage rates, has been declining as expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in December increase [2][3] - There is growing consensus for a December rate cut, with traders estimating an 83% chance of a 25 basis-point cut at the Fed's meeting on December 9-10 [3] Group 2 - Job losses at private employers have accelerated, indicating a weakening labor market, which is contributing to the expectation of a rate cut [3] - Mortgage applications for home purchases increased by 8% compared to the previous week, indicating a slight resurgence in buyer interest due to lower mortgage rates [5] - Contract signings for homes rose by 1.9% in October from the previous month, reflecting improved market activity [5]

Blackrock's ETF JPMorgan. Photo by BeInCrypto Welcome to the US Crypto News Morning Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead. Grab a coffee because as JPMorgan reveals Wall Street’s shift from spot ETFs to complex Bitcoin-linked derivatives designed around the halving cycle. What you read here today may be a hint at a new approach to trading BTC, amid a deeper shift in how institutions plan to approach the 2026-2028 halving cycle. Crypto News of the D ...