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Markets, Shares, Cryptos, Miners, Social Media and Culture

March 27, 2026

Friday Down Under

Sydney, Australia to Wall Street, New York, and beyond the Blackstump and Internet Matrix Of Things!

Pop Culture themes

"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley)
"Gold" (Spandau Ballet)
"The Wall Street Hustle" (10cc)
"I've Got Friday On My Mind" (The Easybeats)
"Thursday’s Child" (David Bowie)
"Bulls on Parade" (Rage Against the Machine)

Markets

ASX 200 futures down 77 points/ 0.9 per cent: 8487

AUD -0.7% to US68.96¢

Bitcoin $68,576.84 -3.77%

Wall St:
Dow -1%
S&P -1.7%
Nasdaq -2.4%
VIX +2.97 to 28.30
Gold -2.1% to $US4412.99 an oz
Silver 68.078 0.043
Brent oil +3.1% to $US105.43 a barrel
Iron ore +2.2% to $US107.45 a ton
10-year yield: US 4.41% Australia 5.01%

News

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.6876 USD (down $0.0074 USD)
Iron Ore: $107.45 USD (up $1.85 USD)
Oil Price: $94.29 USD (up $3.02 USD)
Gold Price: $4,353.82 USD (down $172.16 USD)
Copper Price: $5.4540 USD (down $0.0635 USD)
Dow Jones: 45,960.11 (down 469.38 points)

News

Aust

Shares slip amid confusion on US-Iran talks

The Australian sharemarket edged lower on Thursday, with the S&P/ASX 200 easing 0.1 per cent to close at 8,525.7 points. Karoon Energy rose 3.7 per cent to $1.98, Nufarm was up 7.1 per cent at $1.97 and DroneShield added 5.2 per cent to end the session at $4.48. However, Resolute Mining fell six per cent to $1.26, WiseTech Global finished 3.2 per cent lower at $38.33 and the ANZ Bank was down 0.7 per cent at $36.65. (RMS)

News

Big dividend payouts a $23b boon to ASX

Australian-listed companies announced some $33bn worth of dividends during the February reporting season. Listed companies will pay shareholders about $10.7bn worth of dividends next week, following a $12.5bn payout this week. Much of this money is expected to be reinvested in the sharemarket, and Richard Coppleson from Bell Potter says this will "turbocharge" a relief rally following the recent financial market turmoil. Meanwhile, Solaris portfolio manager Charles Casey says the rising price of crude oil is providing a one-off "sugar hit" for energy groups such as Ampol and Woodside Energy, which should boost their earnings and dividends. (RMS)

News

Oil faces falling volatility, but unlikely prices

The US is offering Iran negotiations.

Without dialogue, we must be prepared for an escalation.

The oil market is nearing a mutually agreed conclusion, but the lack of mutual trust between the parties is significantly complicating the situation. The US has provided Iran with a list of 15 points, the completion of which would resolve the conflict in the Middle East. Previously, there were reports that Iran had presented its own conditions. These have not been officially confirmed, but we have heard on numerous occasions of demands for non-aggression guarantees and reparations for damage already inflicted.

At stake is the reopening of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 15 million barrels of crude oil and 5 million barrels of refined fuel previously passed. According to JP Morgan estimates, the current shortfall is approximately 16 million barrels per day. This figure will decrease as barrels from the strategic reserves of IEA member countries are released into the market and as Gulf states explore alternative routes, such as the Red Sea. Nonetheless, the global economy faces the threat of a long-term deficit of 10 million barrels per day, which increases the risk of stagflation and recession.

According to estimates by Oxford Economics, without a deal between Washington and Tehran, the Strait of Hormuz will only regain 50% of its pre-war capacity by May. Iran is gradually softening its stance, permitting tankers from countries not involved in the conflict to pass through while charging them a $2 million fee.

According to Israeli television reports, the US is seeking a one-month ceasefire to discuss a plan that includes dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme, ending support for terrorist groups, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Even in the most optimistic scenario, it will take months for Gulf countries to restore pre-war production levels. Coupled with difficulties in replenishing onshore stocks, this casts doubt on a quick fall in Brent prices. Most likely, North Sea crude will remain above $65–70 per barrel by the end of 2026.

The absence of constructive dialogue between the US and Iran could lead to further escalation, including other regional countries joining the US-Israeli coalition and possibly a ground operation by Washington. In such a scenario, Brent may rise to $160 a barrel. This is the price that some countries are already paying for oil from the Middle East that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz. (FxPro)

News

AI News (Aust)

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has told an event hosted by the media and creative sectors at Parliament House that Australia's existing copyright regime has served it well for many years. She said the federal government had said for some time that it has no plans to weaken copyright protections when it comes to artificial intelligence, while Australia's creative and media sector have made it clear that they are prepared to do licence deals with AI firms, and that existing copyright laws enable them to do just that. (RMS)

News

The miners to own in diesel crisis

Bell Potter's survey of Australian-listed mining companies concluded that diesel fuel accounted for up to 15 per cent of their operating costs prior to the start of the Iran war. Stuart Howe from Bell Potter says the war and the surge in crude oil prices will result in higher costs for much of the mining sector, while production could be impacted by the availability of diesel. Bell Potter recommends that investors rotate into mining stocks that are less exposed to diesel prices. Analysts note that miners with large-scale open-cut operations are most at risk of a supply crisis due to their heavy reliance on diesel-powered truck fleets. (RMS)

News

Batteries, coal push out east coast LNG shortage to 2029

The Australian Energy Market Operator now expects any gas supply shortage in the south-eastern states to occur in 2029, compared with its previous forecast of 2028. AEMO says gas shortfalls in 2029 are now regarded as a risk only during "extreme peak day demand conditions". It has cited a number of factors for its revised forecast, including expectations of lower demand for gas for power generation, an extension of the Eraring coal-fired power station's operating life and the estimated 30 gigawatts of battery storage projects that are currently being developed. Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the improved outlook shows that the federal government's "balanced" energy plan is working. (RMS)

News

WWE/Pop Culture/Pro Wrestling

Roman Reigns Spears CM Punk Through Table on Raw, Sets Mania Clash

On Monday Night Raw, Roman Reigns and The Usos ambushed World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk after he mocked their family ties, ending with Reigns' devastating spear that demolished the announce table. The beatdown builds hype for their title match at WrestleMania 42 on April 18 in Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium. Elsewhere, Paul Heyman provoked Seth Rollins into a wild stomping, Penta retained his Intercontinental Title against Dominik Mysterio, and Oba Femi dominated Brock Lesnar again, filling out a stacked Night 1 card. Media Man Peg-On: Ultra Hot WWE RAW. Makes one think of wrestling and tables in a whole new light. WrestleMania Season is heating up in the best way. Oba, Oba, Oba ... struting ... Penta-Mania, and it appears a new chapter of The Bloodline with Roman Reigns and co. Odds could be stacked against CM Punk.

News Lead Up

Streaming News Watercooler

Netflix CEO allegedly won’t speak to Meghan Markle on phone without lawyer

Meghan Markle is caught in a fresh Netflix storm with rumors claiming CEO Ted Sarandos is refusing to take her calls without a lawyer. Netflix denies everything but whispers of canceled deals and rising tension have fans questioning the truth!

News

The crypto market has pulled back, but hasn’t given up

Market Overview

The crypto market cap has declined by nearly 1% to $2.4T, once again approaching the 50-day moving average but still remaining above it (a bullish sign). Selling pressure is driven by renewed market fears arising from the situation in the Middle East. Technically, the market must make an early decision: either break through the uptrend line from early February or confirm the 50-day MA as support and break the downtrend.
Bitcoin fell below $70K on Thursday morning as investors exited risky assets in traditional markets. However, the leading cryptocurrency remains close to the psychologically significant round figure and is still above the 50-day moving average, maintaining hopes of a resumption of growth at the first signs of a shift.

News Background

Bitcoin ETFs have attracted $2.5 billion over the past month, offsetting nearly all of the outflows that had been ongoing since January, according to Bloomberg. BlackRock’s BTC ETF has ranked among the top 2% of ETFs by inflows since the beginning of the year.
The net outflow of the leading cryptocurrency from exchanges last month signalled a shift by investors towards an accumulation phase, notes analyst Darkfost. According to him, investors are buying coins and withdrawing them from platforms for self-custody.

Large investors are shunning a wide range of altcoins in favour of Bitcoin and Ethereum, while interest in the rest of the crypto market is waning, BlackRock notes. The investment firm considers most new projects to be ‘nonsense’ with no long-term value.

The Irish authorities have restored access to a wallet containing 500 confiscated bitcoins, which were previously considered inaccessible due to lost keys. The BTC wallet was successfully hacked thanks to cooperation with the European Cybercrime Centre.

The Ethereum Foundation has presented a roadmap for protecting the network against quantum computers. The plan includes four hard forks. According to the developers’ estimates, ‘cryptographically significant’ devices will not appear for at least eight or even 12 years. However, preparations for this must begin now. (FxPro)

News

A.I News

Australia

Watchdog warns against 'dangerously' positive AI advice amid crypto trading spike

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has expressed concern about the growing tendency for young Australians to use artificial intelligence platforms like ChatGPT for financial advice. Its figures show young people are following 'dangerously' positive AI recommendations about investing in risky investments such as crypto, with their faith in what has been referred to as 'unverified, risk-averse digital advice' occurring as many Australians are struggling with major cost of living pressures; ASIC's figures also show that 23 per cent of Gen Z now hold crypto assets – up from just 9 per cent in 2023. (RMS)

News

Resources

Drill, baby, drill: Boom for mineral, petroleum explorers

Advisory firm BDO has calculated that ASX-listed mineral and petroleum explorers raised a record $5.63 billion in the final quarter of last year. It broke the previous record for fund raising of $3.75 billion that was set in the same period in 2021, with the $5.63 billion in fund raising leaving mineral and petroleum explorers with record cash reserves of $12 billion. It comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that spending on mineral exploration hit a two-year high in the final quarter of 2025, while spending on petroleum exploration was at a decade high. (RMS)

News

A.I News

Global giants join Australia in fight to make AI companies pay for content

Both the US and the UK appear to be backing the stance of the federal government of wanting AI companies pay for their use of content that has been produced by artists, musicians and journalists. In a document released on Friday that was titled 'Respecting Intellectual Property Rights and Supporting Creators', the White House stated that US copyright laws - under which content theft for the training of AI models, or any other use, is illegal - will remain. For its part, the UK government stated last week that it no longer had a "preferred option" on copyright reform, which comes after it last year endorsed a proposal that would have allowed tech companies to use copyrighted work without permission unless rights holders 'opted out' of the process. Its change of stance follows a longrunning campaign – led by artists including Elton John and Thom Yorke from Radiohead – which warned that the unlicensed use of copyrighted material for training AI models was threatening the livelihoods of people working in the creative industries. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Bitcoin News Byte

Despite a 47% Price Drop, Bitcoin Traders Aren’t Selling:

A survey of U.S. Bitcoin holders and crypto subreddit posts found that despite anxiety and market turbulence, most investors (69%) held onto their Bitcoin, with only 8% panic selling.

Bitcoin faced a dramatic market correction in early 2026, plunging 46% from its $126,000 all-time high and briefly dipping below $61,000 on February 6.

The drop erased over $1 trillion in market value and prompted headlines warning of a defining crypto moment. Social media feeds filled with reactions, yet most holders remained on the sidelines.

A survey by Oobit of 1,006 American Bitcoin holders and sentiment analysis of 117,630 posts across 10 major crypto subreddits reveals that fear did not translate into widespread selling.

News

Mining/Energy/Resources: Australia and World)

McEwan braces for exits as Craig takes BHP helm

Nearly 43 per cent of BHP's staff are female, and there were some who expected that Mike Henry would be replaced as CEO by an internal female candidate. Minerals Australia president Geraldine Slattery and chief development officer Catherine Raw were viewed as two such candidates, but BHP gave the job to mining engineer Brandon Craig. Asked if his appointment could mean the loss of skilled female executives who were overlooked for the job of CEO, BHP chairman Ross McEwan said he would not be surprised if unsuccessful candidates chose to leave the company. (RMS)

News

New coal mines at greenfield sites to be banned in NSW

NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee has described a decision by the state government to ban new coal mines on greenfield sites as "disappointing". The government announced the ban on Thursday as part of a new strategy aimed at managing the NSW coal sector until 2050, while it also announced new rules requiring major coal mines in NSW to reduce methane emissions caused by their operations; NSW coal mines produce around 30 per cent of the state's methane emissions and contribute around 11 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions. (RMS)

News

Cryptos

Crypto: the bulls may have their horns broken

Market Overview

The crypto market cap has fallen to $2.42 trillion, under pressure from sellers alongside risk assets, as the Fed pushes the next rate cut further into the future, boosting the dollar’s appeal. The decline also coincided with the upper boundary of the corrective rebound being touched. It is possible that cryptocurrencies were simply unable to ignore the significant deterioration in external sentiment, but they may soon return to outperforming other assets. Overall, however, we maintain a more pessimistic view, anticipating the bear market will continue, with bulls likely to be beaten soon, not least due to macro factors.

Bitcoin has fallen by 8.4% from its latest peak on Tuesday morning and briefly dipped below 70 at the start of the day on Thursday. At these levels, BTC is testing the 50-day moving average from above. As we have repeatedly warned previously, the upward momentum will face significant resistance at the boundary of a typical correction from the latest downward impulse. The leading cryptocurrency has more room to move within the $65K–$75K range.

Breaking out of this range may require more momentum to determine the market’s direction for the coming days or weeks.

News Background

Investment bank Citigroup has lowered its 12-month price targets for Bitcoin and Ethereum amid delays in the adoption of US cryptocurrency legislation. The forecast for Bitcoin has been lowered from $143,000 to $112,000, and for Ethereum from $4,304 to $3,175. In a negative scenario, BTC risks falling to $58,000 and ETH to $1,198.

Bitcoin still has two-thirds of its bear cycle ahead, said Willy Wu, co-founder of the Bitcoin Vector project, urging investors to remain cautious. In his view, it is premature to expect sustained growth without an improvement in market liquidity.

Ethereum developers are testing the Fast Confirmation Rule (FCR), which will speed up transfers between the mainnet and the second layer from 13 minutes to 13 seconds. (FxPro).

Media Peg-On (as seen burning up the LinkedIn and X newsfeeds with web traffic spikes)

Media Man Peg-On: Having your horns broken is one step better than having your you know what broken. Ball breaking headlines that hit you right between the Eye Balls! BTC for the true believers, for better or worse. A labor of love and for those who keep the dream alive. Remember our saying, "Bullish is a mindset", right Mr Michael Saylor of Strategy. MC is always good fodder for the crypto and tech media fodder and website traffic generation. MC, the media darling you love to hate! So, when's the running of the bulls then? Red flag to a bull!

News

Betting on Americas and keeping BHP whole

BHP has ended long-running speculation about succession planning after announcing that Brandon Craig will succeed CEO Mike Henry. The BHP veteran has ruled out demerging assets such as the resources group's copper mines during his tenure, which will start on 1 July. Craig says he believes that a diversified model is still superior, especially in the mining sector. He argues that BHP's ability to use its flagship iron ore division to fund projects such as copper and potash mines differentiates it from rivals. Craig says BHP may be open to mergers and acquisitions, although he says any such opportunities would need to be compelling to compete with its internal growth options. He has also indicated that BHP's focus will shift to the Americas, where many of its growth projects are located. (RMS)

News

March 27

Shares: NYSE

Alphabet Inc Class A
$280.96 -9.97 -3.43%

TKO Group Holdings Inc
$192.64 -1.30 -0.67%

Netflix Inc
$93.32 +1.04 +1.13%

Media Man Peg-On: Alpha and TKO down a bit from yesterday. Netflix holding strong and gaining.

News

X Newsfeed

WWE

Cody Rhodes and Matt Cardona Dish on Indie-to-WWE Return

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes hosted Matt Cardona on 'What Do You Wanna Talk About?', where Cardona detailed his path back to WWE after six years as the 'Indy God.' It started with his wife Chelsea Green nudging President Nick Khan during a TNA spot on NXT, leading to Cardona's direct text and a January 2026 SmackDown deal. They fantasy-booked a fun ladder match in WWE 2K26, and Cardona shouted out indie standouts Big Trouble Ben Bishop and Richard Holliday as future WWE stars, sparking excitement online about their friendship and the indie-WWE bridge. Media Man Peg-On: Cardona'a indi matches and feud with Killer Kross was excellent. Our Cardona indy highlight. Vs Holliday was great too, as was Kross vs Holliday.

News

Wrestling/WWE/Pop Culture

Jade Cargill Calls Out Rhea Ripley in Heated SmackDown Face-Off

On Friday's SmackDown, WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill challenged Rhea Ripley directly, boasting she doesn't need the title or fans to be 'that b*tch.' Ripley, fresh from her Elimination Chamber win for a title shot, stood ready to strike back amid a roaring crowd. The intense promo ramps up their WrestleMania 42 rivalry, with fans praising Cargill's star power while craving the first brawl. Both bring unmatched athleticism and attitude to the collision course. Media Man Peg-On: Ripley our Uncrowned Women's Champion, belt or not! She's Got IT! NXT's Zaria shares some of the same attributes, as does Z's rival, Sol Ruca.

25 Years Since WCW Nitro's Final Episode Ended Monday Night Wars

On March 26, 2001, WCW Monday Nitro aired its last show from Panama City Beach, Florida, capping five and a half years of intense competition with WWF Raw. Key moments included Booker T winning the world title, a dramatic simulcast announcement of WWF purchasing WCW's assets for $4.2 million, and Sting defeating Ric Flair in the main event that echoed the show's debut. Fans today share live memories of the surreal night, clips of the McMahon surprise, and thoughts on WCW stars like Booker T and Sting who later succeeded in WWE.

News

Gold News

Gold is back in focus as markets react to geopolitics

The market is fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation driven by high energy prices. As a result, central banks are expected to adopt a tighter monetary policy, keeping rates at high levels or even raising them. This has a positive impact on fiat currencies and strips gold of its key feature as a store of value amid currency debasement. It is no surprise that the precious metal, which had got off to a strong start, has been losing out to Bitcoin and the US dollar since the start of the armed conflict in the Middle East. Although gold is generally regarded as a safe-haven asset, in the early stages of financial market turmoil, investors often choose to flee to liquidity. They favour fiat currencies and are far more willing to buy US dollar-nominated short-term treasuries.

Gold prices usually recover only if market shocks worsen, fears of recession or stagflation rise, and central banks start adding liquidity. Bank of America believes that the markets are still underestimating the scale of the potential consequences of geopolitical tension. They are fixated on the threat of accelerating inflation and are not considering a global economic downturn. Therefore, the longer the conflict between the US, Israel and Iran lasts, the better it is for the precious metal.

UBS Global Wealth Management notes that gold serves as a hedge against currency devaluation, rising budget deficits and recession. All of these could result from a geopolitical shock. The firm therefore maintains its bullish outlook on gold. In its view, the precious metal could rise to the $5,900-$6,200 range before the end of this year. However, gold must first weather the storm of numerous central bank meetings. The RBA has already raised its cash rate to 4.15%. Investors now expect ‘hawkish’ rhetoric from the rest. The ECB and the Bank of Japan are ready to tackle inflation, and the futures market expects them to tighten monetary policy. The Fed and the Bank of England are most likely to talk about prolonged pauses in their cycles.

Thus, gold appears to be a win-win option. It will gain if the conflict in the Middle East drags on, and will not lose if it ends. Investors just need to be patient for a little while. (FxPro)

News

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'Media Series Company Of The Month' award

The Australian Financial Review wins Media Man 'Newspaper Of The Month' award; Runner-up: The Australian

Google wins Media Man 'Search Engine Of The Month' award

Netflix wins Media Man 'Streaming Service Of The Month' award

WWE wins Media Man 'Wrestling Promotion Of The Month' award

UFC wins 'Combat Sports Brand Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: Most Valuable Promotions, Everlast, BKFC

Mack Trucks wins Media Man 'Truck Brand Of The Month' award

CAT wins Media Man 'Heavy Industry Brand Of The Month' award

Dynasty: The Murdochs wins 'Streaming Show Of The Month' award (Netflix)

Commodities News: Silver via Media Man and FxPro

October 22, 2024

Silver: Shakeout, but Not the End of the Mega-Rally Ahead

Silver revived last week and made a decisive move on Friday to renew multi-year highs. At the start of the new week, the price was above $34 per troy ounce, a level last seen in November 2012.

Since May this year, prices have pulled back several times, but silver broke through resistance at $32 and rose more than 7% on Friday, adding to Monday’s 1.3% gain.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has surged above 70 on the daily chart, indicating that silver may be approaching ‘overheated’ territory, particularly as RSI readings near 80. However, this range is also often accompanied by accelerating gains.

The next potential upside target for silver looks to be the $35 area, where the 2012 rally ended after the 2011 sell-off. However, a potential shakeout of short- and medium-term bullish positions in the $32–$35 range could pave the way for long-term buyers to step in decisively. This shift may set the stage for silver to target a new all-time high, potentially surpassing the $50 mark reached in April 2011.

News Flashback

Commodities News: Silver via Media Man and FxPro

May 16, 2024

After surpassing $30, silver may aim for $50

Silver climbed above $29.8, rewriting the highs from January 2021, but once again faced selling intensification from that level for the first time in four years and has pulled back to $29.40 at the time of writing.

Silver does not look overheated, as it is only now entering overbought territory on the RSI on the daily timeframes. Last month, silver was actively added for another three weeks after the RSI entered levels above 70. A two-week pullback in the second half of April later removed that overbought area. Technically, this clears the way up.

The upside potential after the pullback is also indicated by the April correction fitting into a classic Fibonacci pattern with a pullback to 61.8% of the initial rally from late February, followed by a quick recovery. A strong rise above the recent peaks will be an important confirmation of the growth extension and will make the $33 level a likely target for a new impulse.

We also note that the fresh assault on the 30 level came just a month after the previous one, and this rally started from a higher level than what we saw in March or 3-4 years ago.

Long-term trends are also on the bulls' side. In the last two years, they have been able to quickly turn the price to the upside after dips under the 200-week moving average. This year, the price is successfully pulling away from that line, but the most furious part of the rally may be ahead.

Silver could be ready to repeat the growth spurt it showed in 2010-2011. Back then, the multi-year resistance was at the $20 level, and the acceleration came after the 50-week moving average exceeded the 200-week moving average, and the price took that important round level. We have already gotten the first signal, so we must wait for the overcoming of $30 at the end of the week to confirm the bullish sentiment.

A move above $30 will make us seriously consider levels above $50/oz as a long-term target, repeating the 2011 and 1980 peaks.

News

Silver News/Profile via Grok

Silver, as a precious metal, holds both industrial and investment value, and here are some key points based on recent information:

Market Price: As of the latest updates, silver's spot price has shown some volatility but has been trading in a range around $31 to $33 per ounce, with some forecasts and market sentiments indicating potential for an increase. Recent posts on X and market analyses suggest that silver might be in a "buy the dip" zone around $32-$33, indicating a possible upcoming increase in value.

Market Sentiment: There's a mix of speculation and analysis on platforms like X suggesting that silver could be gearing up for a significant move. Some investors and analysts are looking at silver's price movements as setting up for a "ballistic phase" or expecting a "big green candle," which in trading terms means a substantial upward price movement.

Physical vs. Paper Silver: Discussions on X highlight a noted discrepancy between the physical silver market and the paper silver market (futures, ETFs, etc.). There's talk of a physical shortage, with massive daily trading volumes in the paper market significantly exceeding the global annual physical supply, suggesting manipulation or at least a disconnect that could lead to a price surge if physical demand increases or if there's a rush to physical delivery.

Investment and Strategic Moves: Some sovereign nations and large investors are reportedly increasing their silver reserves, which could be in anticipation of a price surge or as a hedge against currency fluctuations and inflation. This behavior supports the narrative of silver being undervalued or strategically important.

Technical Analysis: Various traders and market observers on X are discussing technical patterns like forming a right shoulder in what could be an inverse head and shoulders pattern, a bullish indicator in technical analysis. This pattern, if completed and followed through, would suggest a breakout to higher price levels.

Manipulation and Banking: There's ongoing commentary about silver price manipulation, with claims that banks might be facing mounting losses on short positions, potentially leading to a situation where they might need to flip their positions, which could drive the price up.

Global Economic Factors: The price of silver, like other commodities, is also influenced by broader economic conditions, including inflation rates, dollar strength, and geopolitical stability. Recent posts reflect an expectation of significant market movements influenced by these factors.

Remember, while these insights offer a snapshot based on recent discussions and analyses, the silver market can be influenced by numerous unpredictable factors, including but not limited to industrial demand, investment demand, mining supply, and global economic policies. Always consider such information as part of a broader research strategy when thinking about investments or market predictions. (Grok)

News

Gold News/Profile via Grok

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and atomic number 79, making it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. Here's a brief overview based on general knowledge up to 2024:

Physical Properties:

Color: Gold is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal in its pure form.

Density: Gold has a density of 19.3 g/cm³, which is one of the reasons it's considered heavy.

Conductivity: It is an excellent conductor of heat and electricity.

Chemical Properties:

Reactivity: Gold is one of the least reactive chemical elements. It does not react with oxygen, which means it does not rust or tarnish in air or water.

Corrosion: Gold is resistant to most acids, though it can dissolve in aqua regia (a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid), and in alkaline solutions of cyanide.

Uses:

Jewelry: Gold's most traditional and well-known use is in jewelry.

Investment: Gold is used as an investment or store of value. People invest in gold bars, coins, and ETFs.

Electronics: Due to its conductivity, gold is used in connectors, switch contacts, and in the circuitry of mobile phones and computers, although in minute quantities due to its cost.

Medicine: Gold compounds are used in the treatment of certain medical conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, and in some innovative medical technologies.

Dentistry: Gold alloys are used for fillings, crowns, bridges, and orthodontic appliances because of their corrosion resistance and biocompatibility.

Cultural and Economic Significance:

Currency: Historically, gold was used as currency; the gold standard was a monetary system where a country's currency or paper money had a value directly linked to gold. Although no country currently uses the gold standard, gold remains a global reserve asset.

Symbolism: Gold often symbolizes power, strength, wealth, warmth, happiness, love, hope, optimism, intelligence, justice, balance, and perfection.

Mining and Production:

Gold is mined on every continent except Antarctica. China, Australia, Russia, and the United States are among the leading producers of gold.

Market Dynamics:

The price of gold can fluctuate based on economic conditions, inflation rates, currency strength, geopolitical stability, and market speculation. As of my last update, gold prices can experience volatility due to these factors, often being seen as a "safe haven" investment during times of economic uncertainty.

If you're looking for the latest updates on gold prices or market conditions as of October 2024, posts on financial news platforms or X would indicate that gold has been trading near or setting new highs in USD terms, influenced by various global economic factors including but not limited to safe-haven demand, monetary policies, and geopolitical events. However, for the most current price or detailed market analysis, checking real-time financial news or market data would be necessary. (Grok)

The Sydney Morning Herald - Business

News.com.au - Finance - Business

The Australian Financial Review - Companies AFR - Companies Index

The Australian Financial Review - Media and Marketing

Valuetainment - Business

Financial Times

In economics, a commodity is an economic good or service that has full or substantial fungibility: that is, the market treats instances of the good as equivalent or nearly so with no regard to who produced them.

The price of a commodity good is typically determined as a function of its market as a whole: well-established physical commodities have actively traded spot and derivative markets. The wide availability of commodities typically leads to smaller profit margins and diminishes the importance of factors (such as brand name) other than price.

Most commodities are raw materials, basic resources, agricultural, or mining products, such as iron ore, sugar, or grains like rice and wheat. Commodities can also be mass-produced unspecialized products such as chemicals and computer memory.

Hard and soft commodities

Soft commodities are goods that are grown, such as wheat, or rice.

Hard commodities are mined. Examples include gold ,silver, helium, and oil.

Energy commodities include electricity, gas, coal and oil. Electricity has the particular characteristic that it is usually uneconomical to store, and must therefore be consumed as soon as it is produced.

(Wikipedia)

Markets, Cryptos And Culture

January 2026

Digital Bush Telegraph

Wrestling With Numbers And Showbiz Edition; Mining For Intel!

Sin City Sydney, Australia
Wednesday January 14

Past High Noon Update

Wall Street, New York
Lucky/Unlucky Tuesday January 13

ASX futures up 5 points or 0.1% to 8789 near 6am AEST
AUD -0.4% at US66.85¢
Bitcoin $95,297.29 +4.38%
Dow -0.7% S&P -0.3% Nasdaq -0.3%
Gold +0.1% to $US4599.68 an ounce
Brent oil +2.9% at $US65.70 a barrel
Iron ore -0.9% at $US108.20 a ton

Numbers Double Check

Australian Dollar: $0.6680 USD (down $0.0033 USD) Iron Ore Feb Spot Price: $108.20 USD (down $0.85 USD)
Oil Price: $61.11 USD (up $1.60 USD)
Gold Price: $4,582.10 USD (down $26.34 USD)
Copper Price: $6.0015 USD (down 0.0210 USD)
Dow Jones: 49,082.27 (down 507.93 points)

News

BHP Group Ltd $48.02 +0.44 +0.91%

Elders Ltd $7.49 +0.16 +2.11% (ASX)

Rio Tinto plc ADR Common Stock $83.59 +0.71 +0.86%

Mineral Resources ADR $39.49

TKO Group Holdings Inc $208.89 +9.82 +4.94%

Tesla Inc $447.20 -1.76 -0.39%

Trump Media & Technology Group Corp
$13.99 +0.070 +0.50%

Palantir Technologies Inc $178.96 -0.45 -0.25%

NVIDIA Corp $185.81 +0.87 +0.47%

Netflix Inc $90.32 +0.91+1.02%

Paramount Skydance Corp $12.14 -0.0100 -0.082%

Alphabet Inc Class A $335.97 +4.11 +1.24%

Microsoft Corp $470.67 -6.51 -1.36%

Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR $4.37 -0.026 -0.59%

Volvo ADR $33.38 -0.51 -1.50% (Parent company of Mack Trucks)

Bally's Corp $16.64 -0.0100 -0.060%

Wynn Resorts Ltd $116.40 -0.44 -0.38%

MGM Resorts International $34.65 -0.17 -0.49%

Red Rock Resorts Inc $62.38 +0.51 +0.82%

News

Australia

ASX rallies as copper surge boosts BHP, Rio

The Australian sharemarket posted a solid gain on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.6 per cent to close at 8,808.5 points. The rising price of copper and gold boosted the resources sector, with BHP up 2.3 per cent at $47.58 and Northern Star Resources ending the session 3.6 per cent higher at $26.35. Suncorp Group in turn finished one per cent higher at $17.26 and Austral advanced 6.7 per cent to $8.73. However, Woodside Energy fell 1.7 per cent to $23.31 and GQG Partners was down 8.6 per cent at $1.64. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Mining (Australia and World)

Rio may finally land its Glencore megamerger

The prospects of a merger between Rio Tinto and Glencore may have been boosted by the former's appointment of Simon Trott as CEO last year. He is like to be more amenable to a deal than his predecessor, Jakob Stausholm, who is said to have objected to Glencore's proposal in previous merger talks that its CEO Gary Nagle rather than himself should head the combined group. Meanwhile, Rio Tinto's dual listing in Australia and the UK may be a challenge in sealing a merger. Glencore's coal mines are also likely to be problematic, given that Rio Tinto has exited the sector and these assets would conflict with its environmental, social and governance policy. (RMS)

News

Crypto: sell-the-growth continues

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation grew by 1% over the past day and is down 1% from a week ago. Bitcoin received a boost from reports of a criminal investigation against the head of the Federal Reserve, which created momentum for a flight from US assets. In our view, this precedent is negative for risk appetite.

Bitcoin jumped to $92,500 but saw a significant influx of sellers, returning to $90,300 at the time of writing. Testing of the 50-day moving average as support continues. A slip below $90K could have a strong psychological effect, quickly taking the price to $87K and then sending it lower below $80K.

XRP is losing for the seventh day in a row, like Bitcoin, rolling back to the 50-day MA and close to the round level of $2.0. The coin is still up 10% since the beginning of the year, but the initial momentum has clearly lost steam, as there are too many people in the markets willing to sell on the rise. Most likely, this change in strategy for all cryptocurrencies will characterise the market in the coming months.

News Background

The total open interest in Bitcoin derivatives has fallen to its lowest level since the end of 2022, according to CryptoQuant. Historically, reaching such levels has preceded periods of consolidation or even bullish reversals.

Bitcoin could reach $2.9 million by 2050 in a base case scenario, according to VanEck's forecast. This will happen if the first cryptocurrency becomes a currency for international settlements and enters the reserves of central banks. The main obstacle to mass adoption remains the scalability of the network. VanEck emphasised the importance of developing second-level solutions that will speed up transactions and reduce commissions.

Monero (XMR) is regaining its status as the leading anonymous coin amid the crisis in the Zcash ecosystem following the departure of its development team. The asset has been growing steadily for several weeks, outperforming most of its competitors in the sector.

There are more and more signs in the crypto market pointing to the end of the sell-off. Among them are the stabilisation of outflows from ETFs, the situation with perpetual futures and positions on the CME, according to JPMorgan.

MSCI's decision on 6 January regarding companies accumulating cryptocurrencies is also favourable for cryptocurrencies. The global provider of stock indices has decided not to exclude them from its indices during the review in February 2026. (FxPro)

News

Crypto market grows with risk appetite in stocks

Market Overview

The crypto market gained 0.75% over the past 24 hours to $3.13T in another attempt to turn towards growth, pushing off the 50-day moving average. Appetite for crypto grew amid a rebound in US financial markets during Monday’s trading and continued growth in Japanese stocks on Tuesday morning. Steady risk appetite began to spread to cryptocurrencies, which had underperformed the market for many weeks.

Bitcoin has exceeded $92K since Monday evening, attempting to climb above levels seen a week ago. There were wide fluctuations on Monday, with an impressive increase in sales when the price rose above $92K, but this did not deter the bulls from continuing their attempts. It would be too hasty to conclude sustained risk appetite while the price remains below previous local highs of $95K. An optimistic view of the situation considers a series of rising local lows since November.

Ethereum is holding above $3,000, carefully forming a bottom at this level over the past five days. At the end of last month, a similar support level was near $2,920. As with Bitcoin, ETH is trading above the 50-day MA, but still below the local peak on 6 January.

News Background

Retail investors continue to offload loss-making assets due to fears of volatility, which is increasing selling pressure, according to CryptoQuant.

Profit-taking and shifting expectations in the options market indicate that investors are postponing bullish expectations to a later date, not believing in a quick rally. Optimism about a breakout in the first quarter is fading, QCP Capital notes.

Views of cryptocurrency content on YouTube have fallen to their lowest levels since 2021, ITC Crypto notes. A similar decline in social interest has also been recorded on social network X.
According to Arkham Intelligence, the DAT company BitMine has increased the amount of locked assets on the Ethereum network to 1.08 million coins. The value of the portfolio exceeded $3 billion.

The theory of Ethereum’s ‘demise,’ based on its prolonged decline against Bitcoin, is untenable, said MN Trading founder Michael van de Poppe. In his opinion, the ETH/BTC rate has already bottomed out. The key argument in favour of growth is the increase in the volume of stablecoins on the Ethereum network.

South Korea has lifted its ban on corporate investment in cryptocurrencies. Legal entities will be able to allocate up to 5% of their share capital to coins from the top 20 by market capitalisation, excluding stablecoins. (FxPro)

News

The yen returned to the Takaichi trade

The dollar resumed its growth after the lawsuit against the Fed chairman

Rumours of early elections in Japan drove up USDJPY quotes. ‘We’re screwed!’ -- that’s how Donald Trump described the possible Supreme Court’s ruling against his tariffs. The US will have to return hundreds of billions of dollars, not to mention the cancellation of investments that other countries intended to make in exchange for lower import duties. In fact, the White House screwed up a little earlier when the Justice Department informed Jerome Powell about the lawsuit. The Fed chairman and the markets perceive this event as a factor putting pressure on the central bank. Lowering rates under pressure from the president could lead to uncontrolled inflation, as has occurred in several emerging market countries in the past. Investors will demand a higher risk premium on bonds. Higher Treasury yields will weigh on the economy.

The greenback is poised to benefit from both the Supreme Court’s repeal of tariffs and the lawsuit against Jerome Powell. The latter led to a rise in EURUSD and allowed the euro to be sold at a higher price. The refund of previously paid fees could be seen as a fiscal stimulus that will boost the US economy. The strength of the dollar was one of the reasons for the USDJPY’s surge to its highest level since July 2024. The second factor was rumours of early elections in Japan. The new prime minister’s ratings are high, and she intends to strengthen the Liberal Democratic Party’s position in parliament. As a result, investors are returning to a so-called ‘Takaichi trade’ with stocks rising while the yen is weakening.

The USDJPY rally is forcing the government to return to verbal interventions. Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama expressed concern about the speculative nature of the yen’s weakening at a meeting with her American counterpart. She said that Scott Bessent is also unhappy with what is happening on Forex.

Now the markets are trying to determine the levels of Tokyo’s potential intervention in the international currency market. In 2024, it resorted to currency interventions four times near the 160 level, a very close call with 159 now.

Gold took advantage of the growing distrust of fiat currencies. It reached a new record high. As a result, CME changed its margin calculation methodology to reduce volatility. Its increase at the end of 2025 caused precious metals to retreat. (FxPro)

News

Crude Oil counteracts

While developments in Venezuela acted as a headwind for oil prices, events surrounding Iran provided clear support. Expectations of an influx of cheaper supply from Latin America pushed Brent crude to its lowest level in eight months. However, escalating tensions in the Middle East helped North Sea crude find a floor and rebound. The four-day rally in black gold highlights a renewed rise in geopolitical risk premiums.

According to Capital Economics, mass protests, oil workers' strikes, the blockade of the shadow fleet, and Tehran's threats to close the Strait of Hormuz could push Brent prices up by $15-20 per barrel. Iran is a much larger oil producer than Venezuela, ranking fourth in OPEC. It accounts for about 3% of global production, or 3.3 million barrels per day. Exports are estimated at 2 million barrels per day, with about 90% going to China. The country's share of China's black gold imports is estimated at 15%. Venezuela's share is only 2%. Western sanctions have significantly undermined Tehran's potential. At the peak of its glory in the 1970s, Iran's share of global production was 10%. Investors are hedging against the risks of Brent's rally continuing at its fastest pace since the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran last summer. At the same time, the market is considering two key scenarios for further developments. Either there will be a supply crisis, or the resumption of the trade war between the United States and China will deal a blow to the world economy and global demand for oil. Following Donald Trump's announcement of additional 25% tariffs on countries doing business with Tehran, such a scenario is quite likely. Such a rapid rally in Brent would not have happened if speculators had not built up huge short positions in North Sea crude against the backdrop of events in Venezuela. Their unwinding is leading to a rebound. Demand for oil call options has jumped to its highest level since October. A significant share of them are trading with strike prices at $80 per barrel. (FxPro)

News

Sports Culture

NRL broadcast deal focus for game changes

The Australian Rugby League Commission's chairman Peter V'landys still hopes the NRL's next broadcasting rights deal will be worth at least $5bn. He contends that in order to achieve a record rights deal the NRL must evolve by making rule changes that will make the sport more exciting and attract new viewers. The ARLC and the NRL are currently consulting with the league's 17 clubs regarding a number of proposed rule changes for the 2026 season; they include giving the team that concedes a try the option of either kicking off or receiving the ball. V'Landys notes that previous rule changes have boosted NRL viewership from just 137 million in 2019 to 224 million in 2025. (RMS)

News

Jan 12

Tech/A.I

Joint statement from Google and Apple

Apple and Google have entered into a multi-year collaboration under which the next generation of Apple Foundation Models will be based on Google's Gemini models and cloud technology. These models will help power future Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri coming this year.

After careful evaluation, Apple determined that Google's Al technology provides the most capable foundation for Apple Foundation Models and is excited about the innovative new experiences it will unlock for Apple users. Apple Intelligence will continue to run on Apple devices and Private Cloud Compute, while maintaining Apple's industry-leading privacy standards. (Source: Google/Alphabet)

https://blog.google/company-news/inside-google/company-announcements/joint-statement-google-apple/

News

Pop Culture

NETFLIX BECOMES OFFICIAL HOME OF WWE LIBRARY IN UNITED STATES

January 6, 2026 – Netflix and WWE today announced an expansion to their long-term partnership that will see the world’s leading entertainment service become the home of WWE’s library in the U.S.

Beginning immediately, Netflix is the new U.S. home for WWE’s library of Premium Live Events (prior to September 2025) including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble, as well as award-winning documentaries and original programming.

This follows the January 2025 launch of WWE on Netflix, where Monday Night Raw has become a weekly staple in the global English Top 10. Past episodes of Monday Night Raw are also available as part of the WWE library on Netflix.

The arrival of WWE’s library on Netflix also comes ahead of Season 2 of original behind-the-scenes documentary series WWE: Unreal on January 20.

News

Pop Culture

Pro Wrestling

AJ Styles Returns to TNA Wrestling LIVE January 15 on Premiere of Thursday Night iMPACT! on AMC

Jan 9, 2026

The premiere of Thursday Night iMPACT! on AMC will be PHENOMENAL.

For the first time since Slammiversary, AJ Styles makes his jaw-dropping return to TNA Wrestling as a new era begins LIVE January 15 from the Curtis Culwell Center in Dallas, Texas.

What will "The Phenomenal One" have in store as TNA Wrestling makes history once again?

Also on the loaded lineup:

Frankie Kazarian vs. Mike Santana for the TNA World Championship

The IInspiration vs. The Elegance Brand for the TNA Knockouts World Tag Team Championship

Elijah and The Hardys vs. Order 4

Plus more!

Thursday Night iMPACT! on AMC debuts January 15, 2026 at 9/8c LIVE from the Curtis Culwell Center in Dallas, Texas.

News

Pop Culture

Pro Wrestling: WWE - Studio/Production News

WWE is set to be an important part of a new initiative that Fanatics is launching.

It was announced today that Fanatics and production company OBB Media have linked up to launch Fanatics Studios, which will see Fanatics produce its own feature films and documentaries, unscripted and scripted original programming, live event specials, premium digital series, and more. WWE is listed among the partners — with a “multi-project commitment across unscripted and digital content.”

"YEE(A)T with The Usos: Fanatics Studios will debut an unscripted culinary series with WWE Superstars Jimmy and Jey Uso, who will take their tag team efforts on the road with a BBQ travel show featuring fellow WWE superstars and celebrity friends distributed across WWE’s social and YouTube channels"

News

Jan 12

Netflix - WWE News

“Netflix members welcomed WWE with a bang (but thankfully, no permanent injuries). In 2025, our members watched 525M hours of WWE content”... “Of this total, Raw accounted for nearly 340M views and 185M views for Premium Live Events broadcast outside of the US like SmackDown, WrestleMania, Elimination Chamber, Money in the Bank, Night of Champions and Royal Rumble.” ...

Netflix scribed that Raw ranked in the top 10 of its category most weeks, with it only falling outside of the rankings in December when “Stranger Things” took up much of the top 10.

“Since Raw’s official Netflix debut on January 6, 2025, the show has made the Global English TV Top 10 nearly every week it’s been on service (47 out of a possible 52 weeks),” Netflix wrote. “Over 52 shows, Raw has averaged more than 3M views per week.

“And it’s not just in the US, the birthplace of the WWE. Raw has made the Top 10 in 34 countries, including the US (51 weeks), Bolivia (49 weeks), Canada (48 weeks), the UK (40 weeks) and Mexico (38 weeks).”

Media/TV Biz

Research: Netflix leads growth in streaming ad-tiers

Jan 13

Global usage of ad-supported subscription tiers increased across Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max between Q4 2024 and Q3 2025, according to research from Digital i.

The highest growth in adoption was on Netflix, with 40 per cent of active accounts using its Standard with Ads plan in Q3 2025, in the 20 countries measured by Digital i.

This was up by 14 per cent from the 26 per cent of subscribers on that tier in Q4 2024 that were recorded in Digital i’s trend report, Evolving Streamer Strategies, in 2025.

Ad-supported tier usage rose from 35 per cent to 44 per cent on Disney+ during that period and from 22 per cent to 28 per cent on HBO Max. Prime Video remained the service with the highest ad-supported tier usage, but this fell from 88 per cent of subscribers in Q4 2024 to 82 per cent in Q3 2025.

Digital i measures streaming audience data in the UK, the US, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands, Poland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Australia, South Korea and Japan. (Wires)

News

Best Quotes Of The Day

Media Man

Cryptocurrency, Finance and World

"Volatility is Satoshi’s gift to the faithful." - Michael Saylor

"Bitcoin is a tool for freeing humanity from oligarchs and tyrants, dressed up as a get-rich-quick scheme." — Naval Ravikant

"We have elected to put our money and faith in a mathematical framework that is free of politics and human error." — Tyler Winklevoss

"You can't stop things like Bitcoin. It will be everywhere, and the world will have to readjust. World governments will have to readjust." — John McAfee

"Bitcoin is the most important invention in the history of the world since the Internet." — Roger Ver

"Cryptocurrency is such a powerful concept that it can almost overturn governments." — Charles Lee

"In the future, national currencies will become obsolete. Bitcoin will become the single global currency." — Jack Dorsey

"The future of finance is crypto, whether it’s in payments, contracts, or savings." — Changpeng Zhao

"Crypto offers freedom to the unbanked and hope to the underprivileged." — Elizabeth Stark

"The new frontier of innovation is in decentralization. Blockchain leads the charge." — Don Tapscott

"Digital currency is here to stay, and it’s only a matter of how long before governments embrace it." — Brad Garlinghouse

Pop Culture

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking

Santa vs Grinch
Bulls vs Bears
Crypto King vs Mr World Bank
Citizens vs NWO
Neo vs Agent Smith
John McAfee vs You Know Who!
TKO vs Naysayers
Jake Paul, Polymarket and BETR vs Naysayers
Pro Boxing vs Newspaper Reports
VKM vs The World
Paul Bros vs Mainstream Wokes
Mr X vs Mr Bluesky
Chris Jericho vs Dirtsheets
NFL vs everyone
Zuffa vs MVP
Netflix vs World
Meta vs Australia
Google Deepmind and Gemini vs X
Paul Bros vs Lucha Bros
Office Workers vs Field Workers

Markets and Commodities

July 9, 2024

Australian Dollar: $0.6735 USD (down $0.0003 USD)

Iron Ore Aug Spot Price (SGX): $108.75 USD (down $1.50 USD)

Oil Price (WTI): $82.30 USD (down $0.86 USD)

Gold Price: $2,358.93 USD (down $32.66 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $4.6035 USD (down $0.0645 USD)

Bitcoin: $56,215.84 USD (down 1.75% in last 24 hours)

Dow Jones: 39,344.79 (down 31.08 points on Friday's close)

(Roy Morgan Summary)

Features

Sports Business Daily

Sports Business Coverage Here

News

Finance / World Business News

Euro, Gold, Crypto and more via Media Man and FX Pro

A strong current account surplus may not help euro

The eurozone's current account surplus climbed to a six-month high of 31.9bn in December. Analysts, on average, had expected a decline to 20.3 bn from 22.5 bn the previous month. The current level was seen in the eurozone during the relatively benign pre-Covid period and sometime before Natural Gas prices spiked in the second half of 2021.

The normalisation of the surplus is good news for the single currency, as it means more net capital inflows into the region. But this growth has been fuelled by falling imports, which can be the result of lower commodity and energy prices (which is a very good thing), but also partly indicative of a slowdown in domestic demand. This threatens to translate into economic contraction in the coming months.

The euro area experienced periods of severe import contraction in late 2008 and early 2010, and in both cases, the economy experienced a severe downturn. Back in 2008, all this was accompanied by the collapse of the euro.

Gold

Gold rises but within a downward channel

Gold rallied for the fourth consecutive session to reach $2023, recovering almost all the losses suffered the week before on the back of the inflation report. Gold's ability to rally suggests continued domestic demand, as some investors are clearly rushing to buy back any losses.

At the same time, however, we note that since the beginning of the year, gold has been characterised by solid selloffs on the news, forming a smooth downtrend. In the context of this downtrend, a rise to $2040-2045, which is the upper boundary of the bearish range, looks quite acceptable.

The area around $2035 - the highs of two weeks ago - also appears to be a crucial intermediate level. Confident buying from this level would be the first important signal that the recent correction is over and that gold is ready to make a fresh assault on the highs.

Much more important, however, will be the behaviour of gold as it approaches the $2050 level, where the reversal of the decline in late January took place.

Consolidation at this level would confirm the breakdown of the downtrend and set the stage for a move towards $2100 and the subsequent renewal of historic highs.

However, as long as gold is trading within the downtrend, there is a greater chance of a breakdown or even an acceleration of the downtrend.

Among the fundamental factors, the potential for growth could be provided by the fall in the dollar if Fed officials show a softening of their position, bringing the start of interest rate cuts closer.

On the bearish side, equities could come under pressure following the optimistic rally in the tech giants and the news of a sharp slowdown in economic activity. We also do not rule out the possibility that the recent support measures for the Chinese stock market and property sector will cool demand for gold as a safe-haven for investors from that part of the world.

Cryptocurrency

Crypto market growth halted amid capital inflows

Market picture

The crypto market has corrected 0.46% in the last 24 hours, fluctuating within a narrow range without a clear direction. Bitcoin is down 1% but up 3.7% over seven days, Ethereum is flat for the day but up 10.6% over the week. The top coins are mixed with BNB +2% and Solana -2.5%.

Bitcoin is currently drawing its fourth daily candle with opening and closing levels close to each other. Such sideways consolidations are characteristic of strong bull markets, as opposed to corrective pullbacks on smoother rallies.

Ethereum hit local highs on rumours of a positive regulatory decision before the end of March. Bloomberg analyst James Seyffarth bet 4 ETH that the SEC will not approve a spot Ethereum ETF next month.

According to data from CoinShares, investment in crypto funds rose by a record $2.452 billion last week, following inflows of $1.116 billion the previous week.
Bitcoin investments increased by $2.424 billion, Ethereum by $21 million, Cardano lost $6 million, and Solana lost $1.6 million.

Since the beginning of the year, crypto funds have seen inflows of an impressive $5.2 billion, with total AUM rising to $67 billion, the highest since December 2021.

News background

Bitcoin will see institutional support in the next three to six months, according to Coinbase. Bitcoin ETFs could eventually become a major competitor to gold funds.
According to IntoTheBlock, there is an 85% chance that Bitcoin will reach a new all-time high within the next six months. Five factors could contribute to this: the halving of the price, ETFs, monetary easing, the US election, and companies accumulating BTC as part of their treasuries.

Former CIA contractor Edward Snowden, who has been living in Russia since 2013, called bitcoin the most significant achievement of the financial system in the entire existence of money and means of exchange.

Amberdata admitted that Ethereum will outpace Bitcoin in terms of growth due to more constructive deflationary policies. The supply of ETH has been decreasing since September 2022, thanks to the update of The Merge, as well as the implementation of a mechanism to burn part of the commissions. During this time, around 0.36 million ETH, or 0.3% of the total supply of 120 million coins, have been removed from circulation.

Via Roy Morgan Research and Media Man social media

Copper, gold, and Bitcoin rise; Iron ore and oil fall; ASX to fall in response to selling on Wall Street; US vetoes Arab-backed UN resolution demanding ceasefire in Gaza; Assange's lawyers warn that he risks 'flagrant denial of justice' if he is tried in US

Latest updates on Key Economic Indicators

21 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

Australian Dollar: $0.6550 USD (up 0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore Mar Spot Price (SGX): $120.85 USD (down $6.40 USD)

Oil Price (WTI): $78.27 USD (down $1.02 USD)

Gold Price: $2,024.37 USD (up $6.43 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $3.8595 (up $0.0465 USD)

Bitcoin: $52,059.35 (up 0.35% in last 24 hours)

New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas

Market Research Update

20 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

Roy Morgan leads the way as one of Australia's leading data companies. A special in-depth report into Australia's leading data companies interviewed Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine and Executive Chairman Gary Morgan about the role the company plays in compiling data and building profiles of different Australians. One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family".

Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.: 38,582.12 at 3.22pm NY time (down 45.87 points on Friday's close)

Roy Morgan wins three-year contract to deliver domestic tourism statistics for Austrade

21 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

From 2025, Roy Morgan will provide Austrade with the world's best practice survey methodology, big data integration and modelling techniques to deliver accurate domestic tourism statistics. Roy Morgan has reimagined the future of domestic tourism statistics to move Austrade and its stakeholders to the forefront of tourism intelligence with a new platform that will drive the future of Australia's tourism industry, which is estimated to be worth in excess of $160 billion. Portia Morgan, the Head of Client Services at Roy Morgan, says that using face-to-face interviewing, which is the gold-standard for surveying the population, enhanced with big data and cutting-edge data science techniques, Roy Morgan will be delivering a future-proofed system that will be cost effective, reliable, and accurate. She adds that Roy Morgan has been delivering survey-based tourism insights via its Holiday Tracking Survey for 20+ years and the company is thrilled to be working with Austrade and the broader industry to provide a deeper of understanding of how many people are travelling, where they go, what they do and how they spend their valuable tourism dollars.

Anti-mining PM pushes BHP's cash offshore

Roy Morgan Summary

It is somewhat hypocritical of the federal government to flag possible support for Australia's nickel industry, given that Labor's anti-mining legislation may jeopardise the expansion of BHP's copper operations in South Australia. BHP is still likely to proceed with an expansion, but the previously touted investment of between $10bn and $15bn is now only a 50 per cent chance. The new labour laws in the government's industrial relations reforms mean that BHP is now more likely to redirect much of this capital investment to its criticals minerals projects in other countries; rival miner Rio Tinto is already doing this.

More than 2.7 million New Zealanders now read newspapers and magazine audiences surge to over 1.7 million

21 February 2024

Roy Morgan has released its readership results for New Zealand's newspapers and magazines for the 12 months to December 2023. The data shows that 2.73 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (64.4%) now read or access newspapers in an average 7-day period via print or online (website or app) platforms. In addition, 1.71 million New Zealanders aged 14+ (40.3%) read magazines, whether in print or online either via the web or an app. The New Zealand Herald is still the nation's most widely-read publication, with a total cross-platform audience of 1,720,000 in the 12 months to June 2023 - almost five times as many as the second placed Dominion Post with a readership of 341,000. Meanwhile, New Zealand's most widely read magazine is still the driving magazine AA Directions, which had an average issue readership of 379,000 during the year to December (an increase of 63,000 on a year ago).

These are the latest findings from the Roy Morgan New Zealand Single Source survey of 6,254 New Zealanders aged 14+ over the 12 months to December 2023.

New report reveals Roy Morgan is one of Australia's leading data companies - with in-depth information on millions of Australians based on their Helix Personas

Market Research Update

20 February 2024

Roy Morgan Summary

(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)

Roy Morgan Summary

One of Roy Morgan's key products is 'Helix Personas' which profiles people under headings such as "young and platinum", "smart money", "cautious conservatives", "fair go", "working hard" and nearly 50 other personas. For example, the "young and platinum" group love their mobile devices and are "always on the hunt for the shiny, new and cool" and "making the rent". Their income is around the $64,000 a year mark and they can often be found "living a conventional life centred around family". Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine confirmed that the Helix Personas market segments are based on statistical information, not data from individual people. "It's totally ethical. Unlike Facebook or any of these things, it's not any particular individual", Roy Morgan's chief executive Michele Levine, said.

(Credit: Roy Morgan Research)

Media Man

Warrner Bros

Profile

In 2010, the Warner Bros. Pictures Group broke the all-time industry worldwide box office record with receipts of $4.814 billion, which surpassed the prior record of $4.010 billion (set by the Studio in 2009). Warner Bros. also established a new industry benchmark for the international box office with a total of $2.93 billion (marking a record third time of crossing the $2 billion threshold) and retained its leading domestic box office ranking with receipts of $1.884 billion. 2010 also marked the 10th consecutive year Warner Bros. Pictures passed the billion dollar mark at both the domestic and international box offices. Warner Home Video was, once again, the industry’s leader, with an overall 20.6 percent marketshare in total DVD and Blu-ray sales. The companies comprising the Warner Bros. Television Group and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group remain category leaders, working across all platforms and outlets, and are trendsetters in the digital realm with video-on-demand (transaction and ad-supported), branded channels, original content, anti-piracy technology and broadband and wireless destinations.

The Warner Bros. Pictures Group brings together the Studio’s motion picture production, marketing and distribution operations into a single entity. The Group, which includes Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures International, was formed to streamline the Studio’s film production process and bring those businesses’ organizational structures in line with Warner Bros.’ television and home entertainment operations.

Warner Bros. Pictures produces and distributes a wide-ranging slate of some 18-22 films each year, employing a business paradigm that mitigates risk while maximizing productivity and capital. Warner Bros. Pictures either fully finances or co-finances the films it produces and maintains worldwide distribution rights. It also monetizes its distribution and marketing operations by distributing films that are totally financed and produced by third-parties. The Studio’s 2011 slate includes “Sucker Punch,” “The Hangover Part II,” “Green Lantern,” “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” “Happy Feet 2” and “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”

Warner Bros. Pictures International is a global leader in the marketing and distribution of feature films, operating offices in more than 30 countries and releasing films in over 120 international territories, either directly to theaters or in conjunction with partner companies and co-ventures.

New Line Cinema, part of Warner Bros. Entertainment since 2008, coordinates its development, production, marketing, distribution and business affairs activities with Warner Bros. Pictures to maximize film performance and operating efficiencies. Highlights of New Line’s 2011 release slate, distributed by Warner Bros., include “Horrible Bosses,” “Final Destination 5,” “A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas” and “New Year’s Eve.”

The Warner Bros. Television Group oversees and grows the entire portfolio of Warner Bros.’ television businesses, including worldwide production, traditional and digital distribution, and broadcasting. In the traditional television arena, WBTVG produces primetime and cable (Warner Bros. Television and Warner Horizon Television), first-run syndication (Telepictures Productions) and animated (Warner Bros. Animation) programming, which is distributed worldwide by two category-leading distribution arms/operations (Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution and Warner Bros. International Television Distribution).

Among the primetime series produced by divisions of the Warner Bros. Television Group are “Two and a Half Men,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “The Mentalist,” “Mike & Molly,” “Fringe,” “Gossip Girl,” “The Vampire Diaries,” “Nikita,” “The Middle,” “Southland,” “The Closer,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” “Supernatural,” “The Bachelor,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “Randy Jackson Presents America’s Best Dance Crew” and many more. Also produced by the company are first-run syndicated programs such as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” “TMZ” and “Extra,” among others, as well as animated shows “Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated” and “Young Justice.”

WBTVG is an innovative leader in developing new business models for the evolving television landscape, including ad-supported video-on-demand, broadband and wireless, and has digital distribution agreements in place with all of the broadcast networks. Internationally, the Studio is one of the world’s largest distributors of feature films, television programs and animation to the worldwide television marketplace, licensing some 50,000 hours of television programming, including more than 6,000 feature films and 50 current series, dubbed or subtitled in more than 40 languages, to telecasters and cablecasters in more than 175 countries.

WBTVG provides original shortform programming for the broadband and wireless marketplace through its Studio 2.0 digital venture, and its digital media sales unit is devoted specifically to multiplatform domestic advertiser sales for both broadband and wireless. WBTVG continues its strategic expansion into digital production and distribution with the launch of several advertiser-supported entertainment destinations, including TheWB.com, a premium, video-on-demand interactive and personalized network and KidsWB.com, a premium destination built around youth-oriented immersive entertainment.

The final component of WBTVG is broadcasting: The CW Television Network, launched (in partnership with CBS) in September 2006 with quality, diverse programming, is targeted to the 18–34 audience.

Warner Bros. Animation’s combined classic and contemporary library currently boasts 14,000 animated episodes and shorts which air on domestic broadcast networks, as well as cable networks and in direct-to-video releases around the world. The classic library includes such brands as Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Hanna-Barbera and Ruby-Spears as well as such beloved characters as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Sylvester, Tweety, Taz, Tom and Jerry, Popeye, Batman, Superman, the Flintstones, the Jetsons and Scooby-Doo.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment’s home video (Warner Home Video), digital distribution (Warner Bros. Digital Distribution), interactive entertainment/videogames (Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment), direct-to-consumer production (Warner Premiere), technical operations (Warner Bros. Technical Operations) and anti-piracy (Warner Bros. Anti-Piracy Operations) businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. WBHEG is responsible for the global distribution of content through DVD, electronic sell-through and transactional VOD, and delivery of theatrical content to wireless and online channels. It is also a significant worldwide publisher for both internal and third party videogame titles.

In 2010, Warner Home Video dominated the U.S. market as the number one company in total sell-through video (DVD and Blu-ray combined) with 20.6% marketshare, theatrical catalog, TV on DVD, non-theatrical family and animation, Blu-ray and VOD. WHV has been the number one studio in overall DVD sales 14 consecutive years, and is also the leading studio in the international home video space.

With more than 3,700 active licensees worldwide, Warner Bros. Consumer Products licenses the rights to names, likenesses and logos for all of the intellectual properties in Warner Bros. Entertainment’s vast film and television library. With a global network of offices and agents in key regions throughout the world, including North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe, WBCP maintains an ongoing commitment to expand and build the power of its core brands’ recognition in the international marketplace through strong and creative merchandising, promotional marketing and retail programs.

DC Entertainment’s DC Comics has been in continuous publication for more than 60 years, and is the leading comic book publisher in the industry and the creator of some of the world’s most recognized icons. DC’s characters continue to headline blockbuster feature films, live-action and animated television series, direct-to-video releases, collectors’ books, online entertainment, digital publishing, countless licensing and marketing arrangements and, most recently, graphic novels. DC continues to attract new readers and fans all over the world with its signature characters Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Justice League leading the way.

Warner Bros. International Cinemas provides a true state-of-the-art movie experience to audiences in Japan with more than 60 multiplex cinemas and more than 600 screens internationally. One of the pioneers in multiplex development for the international marketplace, WBIC is continually exploring new markets for expansion. (Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment)

Press Release

09 August 2010

MICROGAMING SET TO LAUNCH THE LORD OF THE RINGS™: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING ONLINE VIDEO SLOT GAME

First Title to Utilize Proprietary Cinematic Spins™ Technology Allowing Players to Experience the Film with Every Spin

ISLE OF MAN – Microgaming today announced the imminent launch of a new flagship game, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Online Video Slot Game. This slot game is the first to utilise Microgaming’s new Cinematic Spins™ technology, allowing gamers to see clips from the films with every spin.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is a new online slot game that is part of a multi-year licensing agreement Microgaming signed with Warner Bros. Digital Distribution in 2009. The company is developing a series of cutting-edge, graphic rich video slots based on this popular movie trilogy and will use animation material, themes, and characters, from the trilogy of The Lord of the Rings™ motion pictures that include The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. These online slot games will be available to adults only in countries where online gaming is permitted.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is the first online video slot to use Microgaming’s Cinematic Spins™ state-of-the-art gaming technology. This allows movie clips to act as moving backgrounds behind the reels during spins providing players an unprecedented level of excitement and immersion.

Win sequences and expanding wilds also use cinematic clips, instead of traditional animated graphics. The slots feature famous scenes from the film including Ringwraiths during the attack at Weathertop, Balrog in the Mines of Moria, and Uruk-hai in the woods of Middle-earth. Players will also enjoy seeing characters from the films that include Frodo, Aragorn, Saruman and the deadly Black Riders.

Roger Raatgever, CEO Microgaming comments: “Microgaming has always been ahead of the curve with innovative offerings, but this game really does push the boundaries of what an online slot can do. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring looks and feels like an extension of the big screen film experience and we’re confident that our operators will see a great deal of demand from their players, when the game is released. This is an important deal for Microgaming and highlights our commitment to partner with the right brands, at the right time. The Lord of the Rings is one of the most successful and well loved brands on the planet and we are excited about combining this widespread appeal with Microgaming’s groundbreaking software.”

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy generated $3 billion in worldwide box office receipts and was nominated for a total of 30 Academy Awards®; of which they won 17, including Best Picture.

- Ends -
Notes to editors:
*Cinematic Spins is a trademark held by Microgaming

© 2010 New Line Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the names of the characters, items, events and places therein are trademarks of The Saul Zaentz Company d/b/a Middle-earth Enterprises under license to New Line Productions, Inc.

For further information please contact:
Duncan Skehens / Laura Moss/ Lyndsay Haywood
Lansons Communications
020 7490 8828
DuncanS@lansons.com / LauraM@lansons.com / LyndsayH@lansons.com
Warner Bros. Digital Distribution

Peter Binazeski
818-977-5701
peter.binazeski@warnerbros.com
About Microgaming (www.microgaming.com)
Since the company developed the first true online Casino software over a decade ago, it has led the industry in providing innovative, reliable gaming solutions. Thanks to an unrivalled R&D programme, that averages 60 games per year and a unique ‘partnership’ approach to working with operators; Microgaming software powers over 160 market-leading online gaming sites.
The company’s front and back-end software supports multi-player, multi-language games - over 500 of them, all uniquely branded and provides platforms for land-based and wireless gaming. Microgaming powers the world’s largest Progressive Jackpot Network and has paid out over €265million. In May 2009 it created the biggest ever online jackpot winner with a single payment win of €6.37m.

As a founding member of eCOGRA, Microgaming is at the forefront of an initiative focused on setting the highest standards in the gaming industry, and leads in the areas of fair gaming, responsible operator conduct and player protection. Microgaming has been awarded eCOGRA’s Certified Software Seal following a rigorous onsite assessment to ensure that the development, implementation and maintenance of the software is representative of industry best practice standards Microgaming licensees are therefore eligible to apply for the eCOGRA Safe & Fair Seal.

About Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) manages Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group's (WBHEG) electronic distribution over existing, new and emerging digital platforms, including pay-per-view, electronic sell-through, video-on-demand, wireless and more. WBDD also oversees the WBHEG's worldwide digital strategy, partnerships in digital services and emerging new clients and business activities in the digital space.

News

2009

With Time Warner sitting on $7 billion in cash, the Marvel deal has ignited rumours of a second wave of consolidation in the media industry. Dream Works Animation, home of Shrek, is seen as a potential takeover candidate, as is MGM with its huge library of classic films. The games firms Electronic Arts and Take Two Interactive, with its Grand Theft Auto franchise, are also being touted as potential buys.

Profile

Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. (also known as Warner Bros. Pictures, or simply Warner Bros.) is one of the world's largest producers of film and television entertainment.

It is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank, California and New York City. Warner Bros. has several subsidiary companies, including Warner Bros. Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Home Video, TheWB.com and DC Comics. Warner owns half of The CW Television Network.

Founded in 1918 by Jewish immigrants from Poland, Warner Bros. is the third-oldest American movie studio in continuous operation, after Paramount Pictures, founded in 1912 as Famous Players, and Universal Studios, also founded in 1912.