Core Viewpoint - Kevin Hassett is emerging as a frontrunner to be the next Chair of the Federal Reserve, aligning closely with President Trump's economic views and interest rate policies [1][74]. Group 1: Candidate Profile - Kevin Hassett is seen as aligned with President Trump's views on the economy and monetary policy, advocating for interest rate cuts [2][3]. - He has criticized the Federal Reserve for its handling of inflation during the pandemic, suggesting a need for operational changes [3][6]. - Hassett's potential appointment could reshape the Federal Reserve's approach to monetary policy, focusing on job creation and reducing interest rates [5][7]. Group 2: Selection Process - The selection process for the next Fed Chair is being led by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, with interviews ongoing for five candidates [4][10]. - An announcement regarding the new Fed Chair could come by Christmas, with the current Chair, Jerome Powell, remaining in position until May 2026 [11][12]. Group 3: Market Reactions - Following the news of Hassett's frontrunner status, equity markets reacted positively, with the S&P 500 rising by 0.8% and the Russell 2000 gaining over 2% [78]. - The two-year yield, sensitive to Fed policy, dropped to approximately 3.46%, indicating market expectations of potential interest rate cuts [78]. Group 4: Economic Implications - The next Fed Chair could adopt a narrative prioritizing job growth over inflation concerns, depending on economic conditions [7][8]. - If inflation trends towards the Fed's 2% target, there may be opportunities to lower interest rates, but persistent inflation could complicate this [8][9]. - The economic outlook remains uncertain, with potential fiscal stimulus from tax cuts expected to impact growth and inflation dynamics in 2026 [25][26].

Standard Chartered has been appointed as the new digital asset custodian for 21Shares, a leading issuer of cryptocurrency exchange-traded products (ETPs). This partnership highlights the growing involvement of traditional financial (TradFi) institutions in the crypto market by providing bank-grade custody for digital assets, now backing the 21Shares products. This looks like a new trend in 2025, with more examples like US Bancorp in the US and BBVA in Spain partnering with Ripple. According to the announ ...

I'm a social scientist. I study human behavior. For the last few years, I've been thinking, what kind of talent do we need to thrive in the age of artificial intelligence? And moreover, will that talent be more specialist in nature or more generalist in nature? At school, I was terrible at maths. My parents told me that um can you do better? And I worked hard and moved from not so good to average, which was a big deal, right? [laughter] And then my parents said, "Yes, but can you do even better. " I said, " ...

Core Insights - Synovus has made a donation of $50,000 to Feeding America® to support communities in the Southeast that are experiencing food insecurity [1] Company Actions - The donation aims to assist in addressing food insecurity issues in the Southeast region [1]

Core Viewpoint - President Trump is actively searching for a replacement for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, with a potential announcement expected before Christmas [1][2]. Group 1: Nomination Process - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that Trump could announce his nominee to replace Powell by Christmas, emphasizing that the Fed should take a less prominent role [1][2]. - Powell's term is set to expire in May, but the White House is already pursuing candidates for his replacement [3]. Group 2: Finalists for Fed Chair - The five finalists for the Fed Chair position include Christopher Waller, Kevin Hassett, Kevin Warsh, Michelle Bowman, and Rick Rieder [3][19][25][28]. - Christopher Waller is currently favored by prediction markets to replace Powell, having recently gained an edge over Kevin Hassett [6][8][12]. Group 3: Candidate Profiles - **Christopher Waller**: A Fed Governor with experience, he has been involved in discussions with Bessent and believes he fits the criteria the White House is looking for [6][7]. - **Kevin Hassett**: Former director of the Council of Economic Advisors, he has lost his lead in prediction markets and has faced criticism for his past economic models [12][13]. - **Kevin Warsh**: Former Fed Governor with a background in Wall Street, he has been vocal about the need for a "regime change" at the Fed [20][21]. - **Michelle Bowman**: Appointed by Trump, she has shown dissent against the Fed's rate decisions and has a background in banking [25][26]. - **Rick Rieder**: Chief investment officer at BlackRock, he manages approximately $2.4 trillion in assets and has significant Wall Street experience [28]. Group 4: Candidates No Longer Under Consideration - Several candidates, including David Zervos, Lorie Logan, and James Bullard, have reportedly been removed from consideration for the Fed Chair position [33][34].

Core Insights - Naver Financial is set to launch a stablecoin wallet in Busan to support the city's blockchain economy initiative [1][3][9] - The wallet will allow conversion of fiat currencies into a stablecoin version of the local currency, Dongbaek-jeon, enhancing digital payment options for users [4][5][9] - The project is a collaboration with Hashed and the Busan Digital Asset Exchange, aiming to modernize the payment system for approximately 1.5 million monthly users [3][5][9] Company Developments - Naver has completed the development of the stablecoin wallet, which is currently undergoing final checks before its launch next month [3] - The wallet will be integrated with Naver Pay Wallet, which already supports crypto custody, although full functionality may be limited until regulatory clarity on local-currency stablecoins is achieved [6] - Naver is reportedly pursuing a merger with Dunamu, the operator of Upbit, which could lead to a Nasdaq listing [7] Financial Performance - Naver reported third-quarter revenue of 3.14 trillion Korean won ($2.32 billion) and an operating profit of 570.6 billion won ($422.6 million) [7] - Dunamu also experienced significant growth, with a revenue increase of 35% to 385.9 billion won ($262.9 million) and a net profit surge of 145% to 239 billion won ($162.8 million) [8]

All pensioners in India need to annually submit their Life Certificate (LC) or Jeevan Pramaan Patra to pension disbursing agencies on or before the November 30 deadline in order to keep receiving their pension payments.Pension receiving central and state government employees can submit the document either in person at the relevant authorities or now have the option to submit a Digital LC within the deadline.With the deadline fast approaching and as the government has not announced an extension on the same, ...

Market Overview - Major stock indices experienced a significant rally on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing at 46,448, up 0.43%, the S&P 500 at 6,705, up 1.55%, and the NASDAQ at 22,872, up 2.69%, marking its best day since May [2] - The market rally was attributed to an oversold condition, a bounce-back from Friday's performance, and positive commentary regarding AI, data centers, and hyperscalers, which helped alleviate concerns over high AI spending and increasing debt [2] Treasury Bonds - Treasury yields decreased as buying interest increased, supported by comments from Fed Governor Christopher Waller advocating for a potential rate cut due to persistent low inflation and a struggling job market [3] - The 30-year long bond yield closed at 4.68%, while the benchmark 10-year note was at 4.03% [3] Oil and Gas - Energy markets saw a rebound on Monday, driven by optimism regarding potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts that could stimulate economic growth and fuel demand [4] - Brent Crude oil finished at $63.44, up 1.41%, and West Texas Intermediate at $58.96, up 1.55%, while natural gas prices fell by 1.31% to $4.52 [4] Seasonal Trends - Analysts suggest the market may be positioning for a seasonal "Santa Claus rally," as concerns about a Thanksgiving sell-off have lessened [5]

Taurus has expanded its institutional digital-asset infrastructure to the Canton Network, joining the blockchain as a Super Validator and adding custody support for the Canton Token Standard, the company said in a press release Tuesday. The Geneva-based firm will help validate transactions and operate Canton’s Global Synchronizer, the coordination and settlement layer for applications built on the public, permissionless network. The move strengthens Canton’s institutional focus as banks and market operato ...

Market Overview - Bitcoin has experienced a downward trend, losing 1% recently and currently priced at $87K, reflecting a risk-off attitude in global markets [1] - The S&P 500 futures are down 0.19% following a 1.55% increase in the previous session, with mixed performance in Asia and flat-to-down movement in Europe [1] Sentiment Shift - A significant shift in sentiment is observed in the crypto market, with Bitcoin and gold previously rising together until October 6, driven by a "safe haven" narrative [2] - The narrative has changed, as Bitcoin and gold have diverged, with gold moving towards record highs while Bitcoin's market capitalization has fallen by approximately 24% (over $1 trillion) since its peak in October [4] Gold Performance - Gold has had an exceptional year, with prices surging over 50% in 2025, marking its best performance since 1979 [5] Factors Influencing Bitcoin and Gold - The unwinding of Bitcoin ETF trades has led to significant outflows, with hundreds of millions of dollars exiting these funds, negatively impacting Bitcoin's price [6] - Each $1 billion that exits a Bitcoin ETF results in a 3.4% decrease in Bitcoin's price [7] - Tether, the issuer of the USDT stablecoin, has become a significant buyer of gold, matching central bank buying levels, which has contributed to gold's price increase [8]