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Media, News, Newspapers, Publishing, Broadcasting, Advertising, Brands, Marketing: Australia and World

All The News That's Fit To Publish/Print Edition

Past, Present And Future

Media Man Watercooler

News

How to make AFR your preferred news source on Google

Google has launched a preferred news source feature, allowing you to view articles from The Australian Financial Review more prominently in your search results.

By selecting the Financial Review, you send Google a clear signal that this is a publisher you trust and want at the top of your results for major topics and breaking news.

Make the AFR a preferred source by clicking this link.

https://www.google.com/preferences/source?q=afr.com

News

March 14, 2026

The Australian Newspaper: Michael Miller Writes ...

For the first time in 14 years, we are removing the paywall at The Australian.
This is an invitation to experience the professional craft, rigorous reporting and incisive analysis that defines our national masthead. Our teams are currently delivering some of the most vital reporting in the country: from Liam Mendes' reporting on ISIS brides and Penny Timms' ‘Cosmetic Cowboys’ investigation, to Yoni Bashan's essential coverage of antisemitism. You will also find Louise Bryant's moving work on the dementia crisis and John Stensholt's exclusive previews of the Richest 250. You also get added depth from our partners at The Wall Street Journal and The Times. Whether your interest lies in social issues, global news, or business leadership, I invite you to explore it all for free this weekend. www.theaustralian.com.au

(Credit: Michael Miller, The Australian)

News

Media/Advertising (Australia)

Advertising expectations and experience: Australians have their say

New national research conducted by Roy Morgan for Australia's advertising regulator Ad Standards reveals a gap between what Australians expect from advertising and what they currently experience - particularly online. The community sentiment tracking study found that 88% of Australians believe that advertising should reflect community standards and values, yet only 37% say the advertising they encounter meets those expectations. The research highlights the high expectations Australians have of advertising and the importance of aligning with community standards to maintain trust. When it comes to platforms, social media attracts the highest levels of concern (62%). The expectations gap presents a clear commercial risk for brands, with 67% of Australians saying they avoid brands that use inappropriate or offensive advertising; this increases to 83% among Australians aged 65+. (RMS)

News Feature

Pop Culture/Netflix

Dynasty: The Murdochs (2026)

Follows the Murdoch family's behind-the-scenes succession battle as Rupert's adult children compete for control of his media empire, based on thousands of documents, emails and text messages.

A high-profile Netflix docuseries scheduled to premiere on 13 March 2026. Directed by Liz Garbus, the four-part series explores the real-life "Succession" drama within the Murdoch family as Rupert Murdoch’s children battle for control of his global media empire.

Key Real-World Developments (as of March 2026)

The documentary arrives following a definitive shift in the Murdoch family power structure:

Lachlan Murdoch's Succession: In September 2025, a long-running legal battle over the Murdoch Family Trust concluded with Lachlan Murdoch cementing total control.

The Settlement: His siblings—Prudence, Elisabeth, and James—agreed to a $3.3 billion settlement (approx. $1.1 billion each) to cash out of the trust. Under a long-term "standstill agreement," they now have no further share or involvement in the family's core companies, Fox Corporation and News Corp.

Rupert Murdoch's Status: Now 94, Rupert remains Chairman Emeritus of both News Corp and Fox Corp, while Lachlan serves as the sole Chair of News Corp and Executive Chair/CEO of Fox Corp.

Netflix Docuseries Overview

The series is a deep dive into how the empire was built and the subsequent internal fracturing:

Focus: It uses thousands of pages of leaked documents, emails, and text messages to expose the private machinations between the siblings.

Themes: It explores the intersection of family and business, questioning whether a dynasty can remain a family when power and politics are involved.

Featured Experts: Includes interviews with prominent media figures like David Folkenflik, Kara Swisher, and Paddy Manning (Lachlan Murdoch's biographer).

Media

Oher documentaries or series about the family, the following are available:

The Rise of the Murdoch Dynasty (2020): A three-part BBC/72 Films documentary charting Rupert's influence on British society and the closure of News of the World.

Succession (HBO): While fictional, this acclaimed drama series was widely inspired by the Murdoch family's real-world dynamics.

News

Biz/Brands (Australia)

Bunnings is Australia's most trusted brand; Telecommunications, led by Optus, is the most distrusted industry

Bunnings is the most trusted brand in the 12 months to December 2025, a ninth consecutive quarterly victory for the leading hardware retailer. Discount supermarket Aldi is in second place, and discount department store Kmart is third; the top three places have remained unchanged for an eighth straight quarter. Meanwhile, Woolworths remains Australia's most distrusted brand, while Optus deteriorated two places to be the second most distrusted brand in the 12 months to December; in fact, Optus was the single most distrusted brand in Australia during the month of December, following its fatal triple-zero outage in September. Roy Morgan's latest data on trust and distrust reveals a remarkable relationship between highly regulated industries and trust. The financial services sector provides clear evidence that greater regulation and stricter rules have helped shape public perception for the better. On the flipside, sectors like Telecommunications and Supermarkets have relatively low regulation and suffer deep distrust; they currently face severe regulatory headwinds as the public demands better accountability and a fair go. (Roy Morgan)

News

News and Pop Culture Flashback

World

News

Headlines on X (11 February 2026)

Super Bowl Analysis: X's Brand Ranx system reported 8 million posts and 3 billion impressions for Super Bowl LX, highlighting top-performing ads.

Media Presence: The platform's official News account recently announced that its Head of News has taken a seat in the White House Brady Briefing Room to represent independent and citizen journalists.

Breaking News: Major outlets continue to use X for instant updates, such as Sky News reporting on UK criminal convictions and Reuters covering Prince William's visit to Saudi Arabia.

To see live breaking news right now, you can visit the X Explore page.

News Flashback

Brand Bowl

"Brand Bowl" typically refers to the various informal competitions and analyses that evaluate the effectiveness, creativity, and public reception of the high-profile commercials aired during the Super Bowl.

The event itself is the Super Bowl, and the "Brand Bowl" is the subsequent media and public discourse surrounding the success of its advertisers.

Super Bowl Advertising Analysis

Every year, numerous organisations, from media outlets to research firms, conduct their own "Brand Bowl" analyses to determine which advertisers "won" the event. These evaluations use different metrics, including:

Consumer Sentiment: Measuring public opinion and emotional response through live focus groups and social media listening.

Brand Recall & Lift: Quantifying how well audiences remember the ad and if it positively impacts brand perception.

Social Media Engagement: Tracking mentions, shares, and overall online conversation volume during and after the game.

Expert Jurors: Panels of advertising and marketing professionals judge the ads based on strategic effectiveness, creativity, and execution.

Brands invest heavily in these commercials, often spending millions for a 30-second slot plus production costs, making the "Brand Bowl" a significant post-event discussion in the marketing world.

Recent "Brand Bowl" Highlights

The conversation around recent Super Bowl ads often highlights key themes and successful campaigns:

Nostalgia & Celebrity: Many brands use celebrities and throwbacks to the 1990s and 2000s to quickly grab attention and connect with millennial and Gen X audiences. Examples include Dunkin' with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Aniston, and spots from T-Mobile and Xfinity.

Emotional Storytelling: Ads that create a genuine emotional connection often perform well. For instance, Budweiser's 2026 ad, featuring a heartwarming friendship between a Clydesdale and a bald eagle, was a crowd favorite.

Humor: Outright funny ads remain a staple. The 2026 Uber Eats 'Foodspiracy' ad and the 2024 State Farm ad with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito were noted for their humor.

Innovation: Brands like Anthropic's AI, Claude, and tech companies like Verizon and Peacock, leveraged their ad time to demonstrate their products or align with the main event in unique ways, often generating significant online chatter.

News

Pop Culture Flashback

Musk vs Zuck

Feb 1, 2024

Social Media Wars Heat Up

Meta Gets Grilled By U.S Congress

Meta and Facebook can't stay out of the news We didn't get Zuck vs Musk in an UFC Octagon, or even via backyard broadcast via X, but we do get Zuck vs Congress and indi news media across the world is pleased to share it... Mark Zuckerberg’s apology doesn't impress New Mexico AG! Mr Zuckerberg has apologised to the parents of online child sexual abuse victims during a senate probe, but the apology was flatly dismissed by one of the state attorney generals suing the big tech bully boy who made his name for rating dorm girls on the web. Ah, the foundation of some of these big tech firms, and you wondered why some of the tech biz firms are so screwed up. Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg’s stunning apology to the parents of online child sex abuse victims during a Senate hearing was “too little, too late,” according to one of the state attorney generals currently suing the embattled social media giant. New Mexico attorney general Raúl "The Terminator" (our term, not hers) Torrez, whose office has sued Meta for exposing kids to adult sex content and alleged child predators, was on Capitol Hill on this past Wednesday as a "Zoo" (meme from the www) Zuckerberg told parents he was “sorry for everything you have all been through.” “Mr. Zuckerberg has appeared before Congress numerous in the past, and its not because he's going a good or great job. He has given assurances on the safety of his platforms many times before,” Torrez told The Post. “It seems that once the spotlight fades, they go right back to doing business as usual.” Senate Republicans, including Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz and Lindsey Graham, each dismissed Meta’s pitched safety measures as ineffective during harsh exchanges and barbs with Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg, who surprised the hearing’s attendees by standing up from his podium and speaking directly to the audience, told parents that “no one should go through the things that your families have suffered.” Earlier, Zuckerberg testified that his company had spent $5 billion on safety last year. ZB shows that throwing money at some problems doesn't always work.

News Flashback

Musk vs Zuck

The long-simmering rivalry between tech titans Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg has evolved from corporate competition into a public feud that famously peaked with talks of a literal cage match.

The Potential "Cage Match"

While the hype reached a fever pitch in 2023, the physical fight remains unconfirmed and is widely considered unlikely to happen.

Status: Zuckerberg essentially "called off" the bout in August 2023, stating Musk "wasn't serious" after Musk suggested a practice round in Zuckerberg's backyard and claimed he needed surgery first.

The Matchup: Mark Zuckerberg: Trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), he has medaled in amateur tournaments and is significantly younger (39) and more active.

Elon Musk: Relies on his significant size and weight advantage (6'1" vs. Zuck's 5'7") and has joked about his "Walrus" move (lying on top of the opponent).

Corporate & Personal Rivalry

The "Musk vs. Zuck" conflict spans nearly a decade, rooted in business failures and clashing ideologies.

Origins (2016): The feud ignited when a SpaceX rocket explosion destroyed a $200 million Facebook satellite. Zuckerberg publicly stated he was "deeply disappointed" by the failure.

AI Debate: The two have clashed over the future of artificial intelligence. Musk views AI as an existential threat to humanity, while Zuckerberg has dismissed Musk’s "doomsday scenarios" as "irresponsible."

Platform Wars: After Musk acquired Twitter (now X), Meta launched Threads in July 2023 as a direct competitor. Musk responded by calling Zuckerberg a "copycat" and threatening a lawsuit over trade secrets. (A.I News)

News Flashback

WWE Super Bowl Ad/WWE Super Bowl

During Super Bowl LX, which took place on 8 February 2026, WWE maintained a high-profile presence through athlete appearances and broadcast partnerships, though it did not run a standalone corporate brand commercial like its "infamous" 1999 ad.

2026 Super Bowl Commercials & Broadcasts

' to promote the weekly show. Netflix x WWE Raw: Following their transition to the streaming platform, Netflix aired a 20-second commercial during the Super Bowl broadcast titled 'WWE Monday Night RAW

SummerSlam 2026: A dedicated 60-second spot aired during the weekend festivities to promote the upcoming SummerSlam 2026 event.

WWE Stars in Other Ads: Retired pro wrestler Danielle Moinet (Summer Rae) was featured in promotional content for the Madden Bowl leading up to the game.

WWE Presence at Super Bowl LX

The most significant WWE connection to the 2026 Super Bowl was the Halftime Show, headlined by music superstar and part-time WWE wrestler Bad Bunny.

Bad Bunny Halftime Show: His performance included 11 songs and was praised by fellow WWE stars like Seth Rollins, who referred to him as his "colleague" and "fellow WWE superstar" during post-game media appearances.

Attending Superstars: Several WWE athletes were spotted in attendance at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, including Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston, Damian Priest, and Lola Vice.

Crossover Moments: A viral moment occurred on "Radio Row" before the game when WWE’s Seth Rollins and AEW World Champion MJF had a public interaction, shaking hands and hugging for the cameras.

Historical Context: The "Infamous" WWE Super Bowl Ad

For those searching for the classic WWE (then WWF) Super Bowl ad, it refers to the 1999 "WWF Attitude" commercial for Super Bowl XXXIII. That commercial featured stars like The Rock, Mankind, and Stone Cold Steve Austin in a corporate setting, ironically claiming the company was a "non-violent form of entertainment".

While fans often call for a return to this style of advertising, WWE has primarily focused on promoting specific events or platform partnerships (like Netflix) in recent years. (A.I News)

News

Pro Wrestling/WWE/Pop Culture

Wrestling With News And Sports Entertainment

WrestleMania Season Hits Australia And World

March 13, 2026

Drew McIntyre Quits WWE SmackDown Then Returns with Vengeance

On the March 13 SmackDown at Footprint Center, McIntyre opened with a fiery promo venting frustration over losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes the week before. After a confrontation with GM Nick Aldis and Bloodline enforcer Jacob Fatu, he tossed the mic and walked out, echoing a similar 2024 stunt. He resurfaced during Fatu's match against Trick Williams, blindsiding Fatu to hand Williams the upset win and stay in the WrestleMania 42 spotlight.

News

Randy Orton Brutally Turns on Cody Rhodes at SmackDown Contract Signing

During the WrestleMania 42 contract signing on SmackDown in Phoenix, Randy Orton shockingly attacked Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, busting him open after years of brotherhood from their Legacy days. Orton delivered a low blow, hurled Rhodes over the announce desk, and posed with the title belt amid the chaos at the sold-out arena. The betrayal ignited their hottest feud heading into WrestleMania 42, with other highlights including Jelly Roll's wild Miz TV appearance, the Bella Twins' return to challenge for titles, and Jade Cargill eyeing Rhea Ripley.

News

Danhausen Curses Miz Before Jelly Roll's Wild Haymaker on SmackDown

Danhausen stole the show on Friday Night SmackDown in Phoenix, handing out merch to ecstatic fans he called his 'stanhausens' and delivering his signature curse on The Miz during a tense Miz TV segment with Jelly Roll. Tensions escalated when Kit Wilson interrupted, prompting Jelly Roll to swing wildly—missing Wilson and knocking out Miz instead. Backstage sources noted Danhausen's strong recovery from a shaky WWE debut, with fans raving about his chaotic energy and speculating on WrestleMania matchups like Danhausen teaming with Jelly Roll.

News

Danhausen Cracks Up Bella Twins with Clone Joke on SmackDown

On March 13 SmackDown in Philadelphia, WWE's new signing Danhausen met Nikki and Brie Garcia for the first time backstage, delivering his signature comedy that had everyone in stitches. The 32-second clip, captioned 'TWINHAUSEN' by WWE, drew thousands of likes as Danhausen himself tweeted about the 'multiplicity.' Fresh off earning his multi-year contract by beating Brian Johnson at Elimination Chamber, Danhausen also handed out T-shirts, cursed The Miz, and amped up the show's chaos ahead of WrestleMania 42.

News

WWE 2K26 Launches with CM Punk on Cover Amid Monetization Debate

WWE 2K26 released March 13 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, with premium editions available early from March 6. CM Punk headlines the standard edition and a 2K Showcase mode mixing his career highlights with fantasy matches, joined by a roster of over 400 superstars, refined gameplay, and new types like I Quit. Early reviews score around 80 on Metacritic for its polish, but the Ringside Pass battle pass system—for Season 1 DLC like lucha libre stars—sparks backlash over grinding or paying extra, contrasting simpler unlocks in older games like 2011's SmackDown vs. Raw.

News

Pop Culture/Streaming

Marvel Teases Daredevil: Born Again Season 2 with Gritty Trailers and Posters

The eight-episode season streams on Disney+ starting March 24, showcasing Matt Murdock in his red suit facing armored foes marked 'AVTF' and tense street confrontations. Kingpin, played by Vincent D'Onofrio, commands the city skyline in a new poster hinting at his mayor-like influence, while teases include a shirtless, ripped Charlie Cox and returning faces like James Wesley in a likely flashback and Detective Brett Mahoney on rainy streets. Fans lit up over the intense action and comic nods, with Cox set to discuss favorite Daredevil runs in a mini-series dropping March 17.

News

Motorsport

Russell Wins Shanghai Sprint, Extends F1 Lead Over Ferrari Charge

Starting from pole, Mercedes' Russell dominated the Shanghai Sprint, finishing 1.2 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Leclerc with teammate Lewis Hamilton third after a razor-close fight for second. The victory gives Russell 25 Drivers' Championship points, ahead of Kimi Antonelli on 18 and Leclerc on 15, while Max Verstappen slumped to 19th after a poor launch in his Red Bull. Ferrari's double podium keeps them competitive in Constructors', though drivers gripe about the wide, battery-focused 2026 cars limiting action.

News

YouTube News

Feature

YouTube is a global online video-sharing platform owned by Google. It is currently the second-most-visited website in the world.

Key Features and Services

Core Platform: Users can watch, upload, and share a vast array of content, including music videos, educational tutorials, and live streams.

YouTube Premium: A paid subscription that removes advertisements and enables background play and offline downloads.

YouTube Music: A dedicated service for streaming millions of songs and music videos.

YouTube TV: A streaming television service that provides live TV from major broadcast and cable networks.

YouTube Shorts: A feature for creating and viewing short-form vertical videos.

Recent Developments (2026)

Premium Lite Update: In early 2026, YouTube announced that Background Play and Downloads are being added to the Premium Lite subscription tier.

AI Integration: The YouTube Labs program is testing new AI features, such as Beyond the Beat (AI hosts for music) and VibeCheck (AI coaching for Shorts).

Economic Impact: By late 2025, YouTube's annual revenue exceeded US$60 billion, driven by both advertising and its growing subscription services.

News

Awards

X wins Media Man 'Platform Of The Month; Runner-ups: YouTube and LinkedIn

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

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

UFC wins Media Man 'Combat Sports Promotion Of The Month' award; Runner-up: MVP aka Most Valuable Promotions

 

 

 

 

 

Markets, Cryptos and Biz

December 2025

Dec 30

Sydney, Australia to Wall St, New York

Digital Bush Telegraph

Markets

ASX 200 futures pointing down 6 points/0.1% to 8711

AUD -0.3% to US66.93¢

Bitcoin $87,218.84 -0.73%

Wall St:
Dow -0.5%
S&P -0.4%
Nasdaq -0.5%
VIX +0.59 to 14.19

Gold -4.4% to $US4335.01 an ounce
Silver -6.8% to $US71.94/oz
Platinum -13.8% to $US2118.03/oz
Brent oil +1.8% to $US61.75 a barrel
Iron ore +1.3% to $US106.05 a tonne

10-year yield: US 4.11% Australia 4.75%

Cryptos

Bitcoin $87,218.84 -0.73%
XRP $1.8529 -0.70%
BNB $852.81 -0.71%
Dogecoin $0.1231 -0.64%

Stockmarket

US Stock Market Overview (as of late December 2025)

The US stock market is in a strong bull run heading into the final days of 2025, with major indices near all-time highs and on track for a robust year-end close. Trading volume has been light post-holidays, but sentiment remains positive amid resilient economic growth, AI-driven gains, and expectations of a "Santa Claus rally" (the seasonal uptrend in the last five trading days of the year and first two of the next).

Key Index Levels (from the most recent close on December 26, 2025)

S&P 500 — Closed at approximately 6,930 (down slightly that day but hit an intraday high near 6,946). Up nearly 18% year-to-date, with the index eyeing the psychological 7,000 milestone in the coming sessions.

Dow Jones Industrial Average — Closed at around 48,711 (fractionally lower), up solidly for the year.

Nasdaq Composite — Closed near 23,593, up about 22% YTD, led by tech and AI stocks

Markets were closed on December 27 (weekend) and reopen on December 29 for the last few trading days of 2025. Expect thin liquidity and potential for modest moves as investors position for 2026.

Broader Context

2025 has been a resilient year despite challenges like early tariff impacts, AI spending concerns, and Fed rate adjustments (benchmark now at 3.50%-3.75%). Tech and AI names (e.g., Nvidia crossing $5T market cap) have dominated, but there's been rotation into cyclicals, materials, and foreign equities. Precious metals like gold and silver are at historic highs amid safe-haven demand.

Wall Street forecasts for 2026 are bullish, with many targeting S&P 500 levels between 7,100–8,100. However, history suggests potential pullbacks after strong years, so caution on overvaluation is advised. (Grok)

News

Dec 24

Precious metals rewarded for success

The US dollar is falling as a safe-haven asset amid growing risk appetite.

Gold is performing well, but other assets in the sector are looking even better.

GDP growth of 4.3% in the third quarter did not help the US dollar. It would seem that the strength of the economy, the rise in Treasury bond yields and the decline in the likelihood of the Fed easing monetary policy in March to less than 50% should have cooled the hot heads of the EURUSD bulls. However, greed reigns supreme in the financial markets.

The S&P 500 closed at a record high, which had a negative impact on the USD index.

Donald Trump was encouraged by the success of the US economy, citing tariffs as the main reason. The president said that the new Fed chairman would cut rates if the market was performing well. Investors should be rewarded for their success. Support from the White House is helping US stock indices, improving global risk appetite and reducing demand for the dollar as a safe-haven asset. In such conditions, high-yield currencies feel most at home.

The British pound reached a three-month high against the greenback, and the Australian dollar reached a 14-month high. After the Reserve Bank signalled the end of the monetary policy easing cycle, the futures market began to price in expectations of a cash rate hike in 2026.

By Christmas, the start date for monetary tightening had shifted to June, which created a tailwind for AUDUSD.

Investors in a Bloomberg survey see the Bank of England's neutral rate at 3.25% and estimate the chances of it falling to 3% in 2026 as fifty-fifty. They are more dovish than the BoE. At their December meeting, Andrew Bailey and his colleagues opted for caution, which supported GBPUSD. Meanwhile, gold has broken through the psychologically important level of $4,500 per ounce.

JP Morgan forecasts XAUUSD to rise to 5,000 by the end of 2026 and estimates the scale of bullion purchases by central banks and retail investors at 585 tonnes per quarter. According to the bank, every 100 tonnes above the base 350 tonnes leads to a 2% increase in precious metal prices.

Gold has already gained more than 70% in value in 2025 and is heading for its best performance since 1979.

Other assets in the precious metals sector are growing even faster. Prices for silver, platinum and palladium have more than doubled this year. Along with strong investment demand, fears about the introduction of US import duties are playing into their hands. (FxPro)

News

Dec 29

A confident Euro and a vulnerable Yen

Rapid GDP growth in the eurozone has helped EURUSD.

USDJPY risks rising to 164. Christmas week turned out to be the worst for the US dollar since June. Falling Treasury yields and new S&P 500 records caused the USD index to retreat. The chances of the Fed easing monetary policy in March rose above 50% again, and there is active discussion in Forex about the new Fed chair. Historically, central bank chiefs have had a significant influence on the FOMC. Donald Trump's man could bring down interest rates and the greenback. However, the Fed is not a one-man show. Decisions are made collectively based on incoming data. The longer the pause in the monetary expansion cycle lasts, the higher the chances of a correction in the EURUSD to an upward trend. In this case, the yield differential between US and German bonds will remain wide. Money will flow from Europe to the United States, strengthening the dollar. In the medium term, monetary policy divergence and a narrowing gap in GDP growth could play in favour of the euro. Financial Times experts expect the eurozone economy to expand by 1.2% in 2026 and 1.4% in 2027. In 2025, it will grow by 1.4%, significantly more than the 0.9% forecast at the end of 2024. Faster economic growth in the currency bloc has been one of the key drivers of the EURUSD's 13.5% rally this year. Another trump card for the euro has been the divergence in monetary policy. Financial Times experts believe that the ECB's deposit rate will remain at 2% until the end of 2026 and rise to 2.25% in 2027. The futures market expects two acts of monetary expansion from the Fed next year. The narrowing of the spread between US and German bond yields is a strong argument in favour of maintaining the upward trend in EURUSD. Meanwhile, the number of yen bears is growing after the Bank of Japan failed to bring about a serious correction in USDJPY by raising the overnight rate in December. BNP Paribas forecasts the pair to rise to 160 by the end of 2026, while JP Morgan forecasts 164. The strengthening of the greenback has caused gold to retreat from record highs. The precious metal is heading for its best annual performance since 1979. Since the beginning of the year, it has risen by more than 70%, partly due to capital inflows into ETFs. The reserves of the largest specialised exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Shares, have increased by more than 20%.

News

Dec 29

Miners and Metals

Nickel price jumps as Indonesia signals big production cut

Nickel prices are at a seven-month high after Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer, signalled plans to cut supply of the metal in a Christmas gift for struggling Australian miners who have been shuttering projects.

The rising prices came after Indonesian media reported Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia had confirmed plans for unspecified production cuts. A group representing Indonesian nickel miners this month said it expected Jakarta to enforce a 34 per cent cut in volumes next year.

While the size of the cuts has not been finalised, the comments suggest the worst could be over for miners after a two-and-a-half year period in which prices for the metal were crushed by excess production in Indonesia.

Nickel was a fashionable commodity for investors between 2017 and 2022 on expectations that demand would rise in line with the metal’s use in the batteries used in electric vehicles. Prices reached $US30,000 a tonne in late 2022, but a wave of Indonesian supply emerged in 2023 as new technology allowed low-grade material to be cheaply processed into top quality metal.

The extra supply pushed nickel prices below $US20,000 since mid-2023, forcing Australian miners like BHP and Panoramic Resources to mothball their Western Australian mines, refineries and smelters.

The price had slumped to $US14,110 a tonne at the London Metal Exchange on December 16, but has rallied to $US15,430 after reports of Indonesian production cuts. The price had not been above $US15,400 since May.

The recovery could help BHP’s nickel assets just 14 months before a self-imposed deadline to decide whether they should be permanently closed. BHP mothballed the assets last year in the belief the supply surge was a structural change to nickel markets, and not merely a cyclical one.

BHP announced at its August half-year results that it would attempt to sell the assets, but finding a buyer has proved difficult given the enormous rehabilitation obligations attached to them. If a buyer cannot be found, BHP will permanently shut the nickel division in February 2027.

Another potential winner from a nickel price recovery would be businessman Duncan Saville, whose companies control the mothballed Savannah mine in WA. The mine closures have seen Australian exports slump from about 180,000 tonnes in 2017 to 81,000 tonnes this year.

The Industry Department provided a gloomy outlook for the sector in a report published on December 19, predicting prices would stay low, and export volumes would fall further as IGO Limited prepared for the Nova-Bollinger nickel mine in WA to reach the end of its working life.

Closure of Nova would leave Glencore’s Murrin Murrin operation as the last remaining major nickel mine in the country.

Industry Department economists predicted Australia will ship just 49,000 tonnes of nickel in 2027; down 73 per cent in a decade.

Batteries account for about 16 per cent of global nickel demand, with the stainless-steel sector still buying about 63 per cent of the world’s nickel.

Fitch predicts nickel prices will average $US16,000 a tonne in 2026.

Silver continues to soar

Signs of recovery in nickel prices come as silver prices have soared. The precious metal was fetching $US28.83 an ounce on the final trading day of 2024, but soared to a record high $US79.27 on Boxing Day 2025.

Financial markets have traditionally used gold prices to determine an appropriate price for silver, and the rally in silver prices is partly linked to the earlier rally in gold prices over the last 12 months.

Very few mines are primarily focused on silver production, with the metal typically occurring as a byproduct at mines that are focused on copper, zinc or lead. Australia’s biggest silver producers include South32’s Cannington mine in Queensland, Glencore’s Mount Isa hub and BHP’s Olympic Dam.

Iltani Resources, an ASX-listed miner exploring for silver, zinc, lead and indium near Herberton in Queensland, is one producer that has seen its share price jump more than 200 per cent alongside the silver rally.

“It puts us in a really good position to hit 2026 with a really aggressive drill program,” said Iltani managing director Donald Garner. (AFR). *Full article and coverage via The Australian Financial Review

News

VC/Sports Biz/Tech News

Jake & Logan Paul Announce $30M Venture Fund Backing AI, Robotics Startups

Anti Fund, co-founded by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul and entrepreneur Geoffrey Woo, closed its oversubscribed $30 million Anti Fund I on December 3, bringing the firm’s total assets under management to more than $65 million. The firm named influencer and WWE star Logan Paul as a general partner, marking the first time the Paul brothers have become business partners.

According to a press release, the venture capital firm concentrates its investments in artificial intelligence and robotics companies. Anti Fund focuses on pre-seed and seed-stage ventures, as well as select growth-stage industry leaders. The portfolio includes OpenAI, Anduril, Ramp, Cognition, Polymarket, Flock Safety, and Physical Intelligence.

Investment Strategy

Anti Fund employs what it calls an “extreme barbell strategy,” making first checks of $100,000 to $500,000 for 10% ownership in technical founders, while also deploying $10 million or more in growth investments into industry leaders.

The fund’s limited partners include institutional investors Aquarian Holdings and Autilus Partners, as well as individual investors Marc Andreessen and Chris Dixon. Focuspoint Private Capital Group served as the exclusive placement agent for the fund.

Founder Background
Woo holds a bachelor’s degree with honors and distinction in computer science from Stanford and has co-authored numerous U.S. patents and peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Jake Paul built his career as a professional boxer and entrepreneur. Logan Paul founded PRIME, a beverage brand, and performs as a professional wrestler.

“Jake, what I realized is that he is essentially an avatar of the American dream, and I think Logan, in a very similar parallel sense, also represents that,” Woo said in an interview with FOX Business.

“When Jake named Anti Fund, I think we all share the same belief, that the people that create the future are the crazy ones that believe they can do it.”

Business Philosophy
The firm positions itself as founder-friendly, emphasizing what it calls the intersection of capital and attention. While capital remains a commodity, Anti Fund leverages the Paul brothers’ cultural influence to source founders and accelerate portfolio company growth.

Jake Paul discussed his long-standing interest in venture capital, noting he met with companies including Google, Uber, and Twitter in Silicon Valley as a teenager.“

Not only are we investors, but we can disrupt Logan with PRIME, me with W, Betr is always in the top five in the App Store is absolutely crushing it,” Paul told FOX.

“And these are companies that we’ve incubated ourselves, because if no one else is building it and we see a hole in the market, we can hire the best teams and grow and scale these companies in a major way.”

Anti Fund has incubated and funded several of Jake Paul’s business ventures, including W and Betr Media.

Rudy Sahay, founder and managing partner of Aquarian Holdings, said the fund closing “validates the confidence investors have in their strategy” and noted the firm “carved out a unique position at the intersection of frontier technologies and culture.”

Best Quotes

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

News

Media Man Favs

TKO $216.11 -1.33 -0.61%
Alphabet Inc Class A $313.56 +0.050 +0.016%
Netflix Inc $94.15 -0.32 -0.34%
Paramount Skydance Corp $13.50 -0.090 -0.66%
Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR $4.60 -0.040 +0.86%
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.54 +0.11 +0.63%

 

Markets, Cryptos and Pop Culture

Culture In Biz Edition

December To Remember

Dec 10

Cryptos Struggling; All That Glitters. TKO To Naysayers!
World Streaming Wars
Online Media vs Legacy Media: Disruptors
Media Pop Culture Theme: "Another Brick In The Wall" aka "We Don't Need No Education" (Pink Floyd)
"Schools Out" (Alice Cooper)
Silicon Valley theme: "Stretch Your Face" (Tobacco)
"The Social Network" (score album for film)
"Hall of Fame" (The Script)
"Eight Days a Week" (The Beatles)
"The Wolf of Wall Street" ("Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" (Cannonball Adderley)

December 10, 2025

Sin City Sydney, Australia

Australian dollar +0.21% to 66.39 US cents

Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.04%
Dow Jones -0.26%
Nasdaq +.28%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 -0.13%
FTSE -0.03%
DAX -1.1%
CAC +0.49%

Bitcoin $92,341.80 +2.12%

Gold +0.42% to $US4208.41 per ounce
US oil -1.12 to $US58.22 a barrel
Brent crude oil -0.9% to $US61.93 a barrel
Iron ore -0.79% to $US106.42 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.18%
Australia 4.75%
Germany 2.85%

Bitcoin

Bitcoin: (Near Live) $92,341.80 +2.12%

Ethereum $3,317.79 +6.32%

XRP $2.0989 +1.18%

News Update: (Near Live)

News

New York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
December To Remember!

Dec 9
After The Bell; Bells To Be Rung

NYC!

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Cryptos shining up a little!

Bitcoin $92,572.31 +2.38%

Market ups and downs! Mood: Medium: Still picking up. Play the long game?! Hardcores keep dream, as always!

Media Man Favs:

(Near Live)

Bells Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO hulks up! Christmas Grinch vs Santa. Miners on hunt. Gamers full speed instead of socials.. Tech heads grapplers watch streaming wars! NYSE Bell Ringers With Trees! Prep for new Season's Beatings! TKO kicks out heading towards Saturday Night's Main Event

Wall St, New York

TKO Group Holdings Inc $197.11 -6.71 -3.29%
NVIDIA Corp $184.97 -0.60 -0.33%
Formula One Group Series $85.13 +1.63 +1.95%
Alphabet Inc Class A $317.08 +3.36 +1.07%
News Corp Class A $25.95 +0.22 +0.86%
Netflix Inc $96.71 -0.11 -0.11%
Caterpillar Inc $594.36 -2.14 -0.36%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $11.30 +0.20 +1.80%
Tesla Inc $445.26 +5.68 +1.29%
Walt Disney Co $107.02 -0.61 -0.57%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $124.22 -2.91 -2.29%
Meta Platforms Inc $656.96 -9.84 -1.48%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US) (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.71 -0.100 -0.56%
Rio Tinto Ltd $90.58 (US)
Paramount Skydance Corp $14.64 +0.070 +0.48%
Red Light Holland Corp $0.018 -0.00028 -1.53%
Volvo ADR (parent/owner of Muck Trucks) $30.89 -0.53 -1.69%
Porsche Automobile Holding SE Unsponsored Germany ADR $4.72 +0.020 +0.43%
Microsoft $492.02 +1.00 +0.20%

News

Crypto market awaits the final battle of the year

Market Overview

The crypto market lost just over 1% in 24 hours to $3.08T, falling back to the consolidation levels of late November. Attempts to shake up the market at the beginning of this month were unsuccessful for both bulls and bears. Excluding this impulse, the market has been treading water for almost two weeks, hovering around the 23.6% correction rebound line from the October-November decline. Such a shallow rebound could be a sign of a strong bear market, but this will only be confirmed if November's lows of $2.73T are updated.

Bitcoin is trading near $90K, having crossed this level for the fifth consecutive day. An upward trend line can be drawn through the lows of late November, but BTC is now trading dangerously close to this line. At the same time, horizontal resistance has formed in the $92K area, bringing the positions of bulls and bears closer together over time and promising a decisive battle by the end of this week. It could not only be the last significant battle of the year but also determine the trend for the coming months.

News Background

Short positions on Bitcoin have recorded their largest outflow since March 2025, when the price of BTC was near its lows. Investors likely believe that the current surge in negative sentiment has bottomed out, according to CoinShares.

According to Glassnode, the reserves of long-term Bitcoin holders fell to a cyclical low in November. This marks the end of the spot sell-offs that have hindered market growth throughout 2025.

Ethereum exchange reserves have fallen to record lows, which could signal an imminent supply crisis, according to CryptoQuant. Since July 2025, the indicator has fallen by about 20%.

The largest American investment company, BlackRock, has applied with the SEC to register an ETF that will allow investors to earn income from staking Ethereum without directly owning the cryptocurrency.

Strategy has increased its weekly Bitcoin purchases to their highest level since July. The company bought 10,624 BTC ($963 million) last week at an average price of $90,615 per coin. Strategy now owns 660,624 BTC, purchased for $49.3 billion at an average price of $74,696 per Bitcoin. (FxPro)

News

Streaming Wars: Netflix vs Paramount (for Warner Bros) aka WBD. What's Up Doc?!

Paramount makes hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

Dec 9

Paramount Skydance has directly approached Warner Bros Discovery's shareholders with a takeover offer; it has opted to bypass the rival media group's board, contending that Warner's directors have backed an "inferior proposal". Paramount has proposed a cash offer of $US30 per share, valuing its bid for the entire company at about $US108bn. It is seeking to trump Netflix's deal to acquire some of Warner's assets for around $US83bn, which has been approved by the boards of both companies. Warner has rejected Paramount's claims that its sale process had favoured a single bidder.
*Developing news story "The Streaming Wars"

News

Australia - USA Connection

Praise for Trump's review of AUKUS

Defence Minister Richard Marles says the federal government is currently "working through" the Trump administration's now-completed review of the AUKUS alliance. He adds that the US is "completely supportive" of the deal to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. The review was headed by US defence official Elbridge Colby, who has been a notable critic of AUKUS in the past. The AUKUS alliance is likely to be a key focus when Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong hold the annual AUSMIN talks with US counterparts Pete Hegseth and Marco Rubio in Washington DC next week.

News

24 hours ago

The crypto market tries to form an uptrend

Market Overview

The crypto market soared by almost 7% over the past day, reaching a capitalisation of $3.15T and forming a higher local peak compared to Sunday. The mood on the crypto market was buoyed by moves from institutional giants Vanguard and Bank of America to open access to digital assets for their clients. Combined with the fact that the low point on December 1st is higher than the lows on November 21st, we are seeing a series of vital signs of an upward trend forming. However, a conservative view suggests that fluctuations below $3.38T are a correction from the previous decline.

Bitcoin approached $94K on Wednesday morning, recovering half of its losses from the sell-off between November 11th and 21st. Considering the entire decline from its October peak, BTCUSD remains trading below $ 98K as part of the correction. The $98-100K range contains three psychologically significant levels: the 50-day average, early November support, and 61.8% of the decline from the peak. Consolidation above this level could convince buyers that crypto winter has not arrived.

News Background

Vanguard, the world's second-largest investment company by assets, will open access to crypto ETF trading for its clients on December 2nd. The company had previously stated that it would avoid Bitcoin funds because cryptocurrency is an “immature asset class” and does not fit with the company's philosophy.

Bank of America, one of the largest banks in the United States, has recommended that its institutional clients allocate 1% to 4% of their portfolios to cryptocurrencies. Previously, investors were unable to access cryptocurrencies because advisors were prohibited from recommending such instruments.

The four-year cycle theory has ceased to work, so Bitcoin has a chance to reach new highs in 2026, according to Grayscale. Analysts believe there are already some signs that Bitcoin has likely bottomed out.

News (from Friday: Sydney)

ASX up as tech stocks rally, WiseTech gains

The Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on Thursday, with lower trading volumes ahead of Wall Street's closure for Thanksgiving Day; the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.1 per cent to close at 8,617.3 points. WiseTech Global was up 6.9 per cent at $69.72, Bellevue Gold rose 3.2 per cent to $1.29 and Reece advanced four per cent to $12.73. However, DroneShield was down 7.8 per cent at $2 and Santos fell 1.8 per cent to end the session at $6.44. (RMS)

News

The Dollar's new edge: from shield to sword

The dollar is losing its safe-haven status. • The scale of the Fed's rate cuts has been overestimated. • The yen is the main favourite for 2026.

BoJ may not raise rates until March. If the US dollar was previously a shield, it is now turning into a sword. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series; Crack The Code!

Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr Cardona
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match! Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle
UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs NYC and Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling (MLW)! Holliday working web?! Most Marketable?!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
NXT Gold Rush: Page & Green vs Hendry & Hail
Baszler vs Itoh - HOG Superclash - Nov 15
MSG, NY winning with WWE and UFC in Nov
The Vision vs WWE Lockerroom
John Cena vs Dirty Dom
Miz vs Management
Jericho vs Internet Marks
Mr Gold vs Mr Fool's Gold
Neo vs Mr Smith
PBR vs Others. No Bull?!
Aus Gvt vs Big Tech
Banks vs Cryptos
NVIDIA vs World
White House vs Wokes
Packer vs Devil D
Lucha Bros vs AAA Heels
WWE Black Scorpion/Masked Man vs Babyfaces
CM Punk vs The Hood
Starks vs Oba Femi - NXT Deadline
TNA Wrestling vs Dirtsheets
TKO vs Naysayers
John Cena vs Gunther: SNME
Chris Jericho and Mr X vs IWC
Mr Netflix vs Mr Paramount

News

Crypto Movies/Docos

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives into blockchain’s broader applications beyond cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s transformative potential.

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems. A comprehensive look at real-world applications.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy. For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,” drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth and power.

The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Key Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man "Bullish is a mindset"

 

 

 

Markets, Crypto and Culture

Cryptos Struggling; Medium Bull Update: Round 3! Bloody Noses and Black Eyes Heel Up! Red And Black Attack! All That Glitters.

December 3, 2025

Sin City Sydney, Australia

ASX futures up 8 points/0.1% to 8600

Wall Street:
S&P 500 +0.3%

Dow Jones: +0.5%
Nasdaq +0.8%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 +0.3%
FTSE flat
DAX +0.5%
CAC -0.3%

Australian dollar at US65.41 cents

Bitcoin $90,961.27 +6.35%

Gold -0.8% to $US4197.58 per ounce
Oil -1.3% to $US58.55 a barrel
Brent crude oil -1.3% to $US62.34 a barrel

Iron ore +0.1% to $US103.70 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.08%
Australia 4.61%
Germany 2.75%

Bitcoin: (Near Live) $91,036.27 +6.44%

News Update: (Near Live)

News

New York/Wall St via Mr Wolf!
The November Man! To December To Remember!

Dec 2

NYC!

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Cryptos shining up a little! Cyber Monday into Tues

Bitcoin $91,036.27 +6.44%
Ethereum $2,986.62 +8.25%
Tether $1.0003 +0.01%
Binance Coin $874.32 +7.02%
XRP $2.1621 +7.13%
Solana $138.78 +11.45%
TRON $0.2813 +1.45%
Dogecoin $0.1451 +8.34%
Cardano $0.3839 $0.4345 +14.89%

Market ups and downs! Mood: Medium: Picking up big for some in cryptos to catch up on losses, and traditional sectors! Hardcores keep dream, as always!

Media Man Favs:

(Near Live)

Bells Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO hulks up! Christmas Grinch Comes Early for some! Santa gives little for miners, gamers, some tech heads and grapplers!

Wall St, New York

TKO Group Holdings Inc $194.46 +0.57 +0.29%
NVIDIA Corp $181.47 +1.55 +0.86%
Formula One Group Series $85.84 -0.94 -1.09%
Alphabet Inc Class A $315.81 +0.92 +0.29%
News Corp Class A $25.40 -0.12 -0.47%
Netflix Inc $109.35 +0.22 +0.20%
Caterpillar Inc $582.47 +14.42 +2.54%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $11.19
+0.24 +2.19%
Tesla Inc $429.24 -0.90 -0.21%
Walt Disney Co $104.83 -1.94 -1.82%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $133.09 +0.32 +0.24%
Meta Platforms Inc $647.10 +6.23 +0.97%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US) (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.21 +0.12 +0.70%
Rio Tinto Ltd $86.55 +2.55 +3.04%
Paramount Skydance Corp $15.82 +0.11 +0.70%
Red Light Holland Corp $0.019 +0.00020 +1.05%

News

Panic helped the dollar

• Hassett's chances of becoming Fed chair are growing, and the FOMC may cut rates to 3% in 2026.

• Europe is losing out to the US due to AI, while the BoJ's rate hike is raising concerns.

Kevin Hassett's growing chances of becoming Fed chair and weak manufacturing activity statistics have dragged down the US dollar. However, the rally in Treasury yields amid expectations of monetary policy tightening by the Bank of Japan has cooled the enthusiasm of EURUSD bulls. Investors fear that the repatriation of capital to the Land of the Rising Sun, as local assets become more attractive, will lead to a sell-off of US Treasury bonds.

The director of the National Economic Council is closest to Donald Trump and has the best chance of becoming Fed chair. Kalshi gives Kevin Hassett an 82% chance of winning. Kevin Warsh and Christopher Waller are estimated to have a 10% and 4% chance, respectively. As a result of the FOMC being flooded with doves, the risks of aggressive monetary expansion are increasing. The futures market gives a 74% and 45% probability that by the end of 2026, the federal funds rate will fall to 3.25% and 3%, respectively.

The US ISM manufacturing PMI published on Monday went below 50 for the ninth month in a row, indicating a decline in activity, which is a reminder of the negative impact of tariffs on the economy. The damage was less than expected due to large-scale investments in artificial intelligence technology. Europe is unable to compete with the United States in this area. The cost of electricity required for AI in the Old World is approximately twice as high as in the New World. Only a dramatic reduction in this gap could radically change the outlook and encourage EURUSD buyers.

The retreat of the main currency pair from two-week highs is attributed to the rally in 10-year US Treasury yields, which have risen above 4%. Investors fear that Japan, which holds $1.2 trillion in Treasuries, will begin to dump them as local assets become more attractive and capital repatriates to its home country. The growing likelihood of a rate hike by the Bank of Japan in December amid hawkish comments from Kazuo Ueda supports this. As a result, yields on 10-year Japanese bonds have soared to their highest level since 2008. (FxPro)

News

The yen is about to become a favourite

• The pound has assessed the budget, and now its fate is in the hands of the Bank of England.
• The Bank of Japan is paving the way for a rate hike.

Expectations of an easing of the Fed's monetary policy remain a key factor weighing on the US dollar, with Kevin Hassett increasingly likely to be appointed as Fed chairman. Derivative prices reflect expectations of a 90-basis-point cut in the key rate over the next year. (FxPro)

News (from Friday: Sydney)

ASX up as tech stocks rally, WiseTech gains

The Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on Thursday, with lower trading volumes ahead of Wall Street's closure for Thanksgiving Day; the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.1 per cent to close at 8,617.3 points. WiseTech Global was up 6.9 per cent at $69.72, Bellevue Gold rose 3.2 per cent to $1.29 and Reece advanced four per cent to $12.73. However, DroneShield was down 7.8 per cent at $2 and Santos fell 1.8 per cent to end the session at $6.44. (RMS)

Friday News

A Worryingly Weak Rebound In Crypto

The crypto market is only supported by America

Market Overview

The crypto market cap rose 0.6% to $3.02 trillion, continuing its retreat from the local low reached on Friday. Once again, the stock market pulled cryptocurrencies up, but this time the positive sentiment was only enough for a slight increase to the level of 24 hours ago, with a decline at the end of Tuesday.

Bitcoin has been trading around $87K for the last three days. The recovery rebound has lost momentum, but the bears have not taken active action either, due to increased risk appetite in global markets and a moderate weakening of the dollar, which is an ideal breeding ground for cryptocurrencies. We continue to note the weakness of cryptos, given the favourable investment environment, which forces us to look for reasons in longer-term processes, such as profit-taking after the rapid growth of the last two years.

News Background

The fall in Bitcoin is linked to the reaction of institutional investors on Wall Street, who were unprepared for the sharp fluctuations in the asset, said Anthony Pompliano, founder of Pomp Investments. The situation is exacerbated by the end of the year: fund managers are concerned about bonuses and are selling assets they have begun to doubt.

According to CryptoQuant, Bitcoin's risk-return ratio has become the most attractive since mid-2023. This does not guarantee that the bottom has been reached, but it does indicate high potential in the future.

In the first quarter of 2026, the first cryptocurrency may remain in the $82K-$90K range without sharp volatility, Citigroup bank suggested. After the October collapse of cryptocurrencies, investors' appetite for risk has sharply declined.

According to The Block Data, the ratio of long and short positions on Bitcoin among major players on Binance exceeded 3.8, the highest figure in more than three years.

JPMorgan has opened sales of Strategy (MSTR) shares, according to TV presenter Max Keiser, but there has been no official confirmation of this. In October, the bank announced the risks of MSTR being excluded from key MSCI stock indices, which could lead to an outflow of $2.8 billion.

73% of public companies that have invested in Bitcoin have liquidity problems, and 39% have liabilities that exceed the value of their accumulated crypto assets, according to Cointab. (FxPro)

News

The crypto market is only supported by America

Market Overview

The crypto market capitalisation has recovered to a round figure of $3.0 trillion, adding 1.3% over the past day. Once again, crypto was pulled along by the American stock market, whose sharply positive dynamics broke the dull trading trend of the first half of Monday. But at the start of the new day, the markets are again lacking American optimism, and we are seeing pressure on quotes with the closing of American stock exchanges.

Bitcoin rose to $89K at its peak last night but fell back to $87K in the morning. Since last Friday, BTCUSD has formed an upward trend, rebounding from its upper limit overnight. However, over the past seven weeks, Bitcoin has still had a sharply negative dynamic, within which the latest growth looks like a rebound. In this case, it would be wise to closely monitor signs of a rebound exhaustion. The first such signal would be a consolidation below the $85K level.

News Background

A sharp decline in open interest in Bitcoin derivatives may signal that the price has bottomed out and that a market reversal is imminent, notes analyst Darkfost. Bitcoin closed below its 50-week moving average for the second week in a row, notes analyst Ted Pillows. In 2018 and 2022, the formation of such a pattern led to a subsequent 50% collapse in BTC.

Bitcoin could fall to $50K in 2026, which is about 60% below its historic high of over $126K, according to Bloomberg Intelligence strategist Mike McGlone. This will be facilitated by a decline in the S&P 500 stock index amid growing concerns about a bubble in the AI segment.

To confirm a local bottom, Bitcoin needs to firmly consolidate above $88K, according to BTC Markets. Kronos Research expects BTC to consolidate in the $85K-90K range.

Strategy's role as an intermediary for Bitcoin ownership is weakening after the launch of the BTC ETF. The largest investment funds reduced their positions in Strategy shares by $5.38 billion (almost 15%) in the third quarter, CryptoSlate notes.

China's share of Bitcoin mining exceeded 14%, despite an official ban on such activity. Reuters calls the revival of cryptocurrency mining in China ‘one of the most important signals’ for the market in recent years. (FxPro)

News

The Dollar's new edge: from shield to sword

• The dollar is losing its safe-haven status. • The scale of the Fed's rate cuts has been overestimated. • The yen is the main favourite for 2026. • BoJ may not raise rates until March. If the US dollar was previously a shield, it is now turning into a sword. (FxPro)

News

The crypto is set for a short-term rebound, not a full recovery

Market Overview

The crypto market cap has lost 9.5% over the past seven days. The decline took place on weekdays last week, with the level stabilising around $3.25 trillion over the weekend. Among altcoins, the standout is the unsinkable Zcash at $700, nearing its highs, and weak Solana and Ethereum, which have lost 45% and 40% from their August and September highs, respectively.

The crypto sentiment index recorded values of 10 on Saturday and Sunday, marking a return to the lows of late February this year. Although this was a good point to buy on the rebound in the following days, the downward trend continued for almost a month and a half. Market dynamics since the beginning of October have been reminiscent of those seen at the end of January. This is good news for short-term buyers but may cause medium-term buyers to stay on the sidelines for a while.

Bitcoin slipped below $93K during illiquid trading early in the day, but found impressive buyer interest there, rising to $95.6K. Whether this is a short-term rebound or the beginning of a recovery can only be determined after it consolidates above $100,000. There is a high chance that the strategy of selling on rebounds will remain prevalent.

News Background

Outflows from spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US continue for the third week in a row. According to SoSoValue, net outflows from spot BTC ETFs totalled $1.11 billion last week, slightly lower than the previous week's outflows, resulting in a total inflow of $58.85 billion into these products since January 2024.

Net outflows from spot Ethereum ETFs in the US continue for the second week in a row, amounting to $728.6 million. The cumulative net inflow since the launch of ETFs in July 2024 has fallen to $13.13 billion.

Inflows into the recently launched Solana spot ETFs in the US have continued for the third consecutive week, totalling $382.1 million. However, during this time, the price has fallen by a third, reinforcing the idea that entering traditional financial markets does not necessarily promise price growth.

Long-term Ethereum holders have increased their sales to 45,000 ETH per day, the highest level since February 2021, according to Glassnode. Long-term Bitcoin holders are also actively selling their holdings. According to CryptoQuant, they have dumped 815,000 BTC on the market over the past month.

Miner Bitfarms has announced a gradual phase-out of Bitcoin mining and a transition to developing infrastructure for artificial intelligence. The company reported a net loss of $46 million in its third-quarter report. (FxPro)

News Lead Up

Price Movements and Market Outlook

Spot Gold Dips Slightly: Gold traded at $4,068.70 per troy ounce on November 17, down 0.36% from the previous day. This extends a two-day losing streak amid fading bets for a December Fed rate cut, with the probability dropping below 50%. However, the metal remains up 55.75% year-over-year, supported by broader safe-haven demand.

Recent Rally: Prices surged nearly 3% earlier in the week to a two-week high, driven by soft U.S. economic indicators that bolstered rate-cut hopes and lifted non-yielding assets like gold.

Forecast: Analysts see potential upside if gold sustains above $4,100, targeting $4,140–$4,145, and possibly $4,200. A break below $4,000 could accelerate declines toward $3,900. A weaker USD and softer risk sentiment are keeping a floor under prices, amid concerns over the ongoing U.S. government shutdown impacting economic momentum.

Global Demand and Regional Updates

India and China Cooling: Physical demand in India stayed subdued due to volatile prices, leading to steep discounts for the first time in seven weeks post-festivals. In China, a state bank halted new retail gold accounts after tax exemptions were tweaked, likely curbing demand in the world's top consumer market. Premiums rose in other Asian hubs as global rates eased.

Investment Trends: First-time gold investing hit its strongest levels since the Global Financial Crisis, per recent surveys, signaling renewed interest amid uncertainty.

Buzz on X (Recent Posts) Social discussions highlight gold's role as a hedge against crypto volatility and inflation: Users are buying gold amid Bitcoin's dip into the $80Ks, viewing it as a tangible alternative to "digital tulips."

News Flashback

Oil Holds Strong Despite Bearish Fundamentals

Weekly data from the EIA noted that the US returned to record oil production rates last week, supplying an average of 13.6 million barrels per day to the market, according to the latest EIA data. The trend towards increased supply began in August, but producers have only now returned to the peak levels recorded at the end of last year. Despite a 5.5-million-barrel increase in US commercial inventories over the past two weeks, inventories stay at the lower end of the range seen over the past decade, leaving considerable room for growth. The same can be said for the strategic reserve, which holds nearly 40% less oil than it did five years ago, before the start of the active sell-off. It is an interesting game in which, on the one hand, the US (the largest oil producer) is increasing supplies, while OPEC+ is increasing quotas on a monthly basis. This extremely bearish combination of factors did not cause oil prices to collapse; it was only because of global trade in currency depreciation that caused precious metals, stock indices, and cryptocurrencies to rise. Oil prices have not peaked in recent weeks .. To be cont .. (FxPro)

News

Gold hits new highs due to political turmoil

Gold is outside the realm of politics.

While currencies and securities depend on the actions of presidents and governments, precious metals do not. Therefore, political turmoil forces investors to use them as safe-haven assets.

The impressive 52% rally in gold started in April with the introduction of tariffs on America's Liberation Day. It continued due to the US government shutdown, the political crisis in France, and the change of leadership in Japan. he rise of gold above 4,000 dollars per ounce is not only the result of the weakness of fiat currencies. There are tectonic shifts in the structure of investment portfolios and fears of financial crises due to government recklessness.

The share of precious metals is growing both in speculators' assets and in the gold and foreign exchange reserves of central banks. The indicator has already exceeded the share of the euro. According to Eurizon Capital, if it equals the share of the US dollar, the price per ounce will soar to 8,500 dollars. The Supreme Court's abolition of tariffs will inflate the US budget deficit. France does not intend to reduce it, and Japan plans to increase bond issuance. All this creates a tailwind for commodity assets. (FxPro)

News

Pop Culture News

Dream Matches: Fantasy Booking/Sports; Media Man Group Dream Match Series; Crack The Code!

Million Dollar Man vs IRS
Michael Wall Street vs Billionaire Ted
Mr X vs Mr BTC
Mr Green vs Mr Cash
VKM vs Easy E
Vinnie Vegas vs Mr Corbin
Mr Corp Merch vs Mr Freelance
Masked Superstar vs John McAfee
Sid Justice vs Mr Blood Diamond
Mr Bluey Chipper vs Street Fighter - King Of The Streets Mr Dotcom vs Mr Wiki
Mr Gold vs Mr Green - Money In The Bank Ladder Match Khan vs Khan - Winner Take All Match
Mr Wolff vs The Cleaner
Mr News vs Mr Vice - U.S Market Footprint Stipulation Mr Paramount vs Mr Netflix
Mr ESPN vs Mr Fox
Mr Kross vs Mr Cardona
Cesaro vs Rollins
Dirty Dom vs Mr AAA
Punks vs Egos
Kross vs H
Murdoch Title vs Title
Mr Black Coffee vs Mr Claudio's Cafe Blend
Mr Warner vs Mr Netflix: Broadway draw thus far! Re-match! Winner take all?!
TMZ vs Riddle
UFC vs PFL
The Oracle vs Cincinnati, Ohio
Mr X vs Hollyweird
Succession vs Billions
Mouse House vs Art House
NFL vs UFL
ABC vs Mainstream Aussies
Reigns vs Blanka
Cody Rhodes vs Joe
E. Honda vs NJPW
Capcom vs Warner
Cena vs ACME
Combat Sports Players vs Father Time
NXT vs TNA Wrestling (Showdown, not Invasion)!
Alpha vs Meta
TED X vs The Others
WWE's Solo vs NYC and Western Australia
UFC Predator vs MMA Predator
UFC Legal vs UFC Bad Egg Betting Disruptors
Bulls vs Bears
Logan Paul vs WWE babyfaces
Santa's Helper vs Grinch
John McAfee vs FBI + + +, Running .... Netflix Wins again!
Killer Kross vs Matt Riddle - Shoot Fight/Wrestling (MLW)! Holliday working web?! Most Marketable?!
VKM vs Numerous!
MLW vs The World
The Big Event vs US Promoters
Storm vs WWE Locker Room. Lash Legend on side!
NXT Gold Rush: Page & Green vs Hendry & Hail
Baszler vs Itoh - HOG Superclash - Nov 15
MSG, NY winning with WWE and UFC in Nov
The Vision vs WWE Lockerroom
John Cena vs Dirty Dom
Miz vs Management
Jericho vs Internet Marks
Mr Gold vs Mr Fool's Gold
Neo vs Mr Smith
PBR vs Others. No Bull?!
Aus Gvt vs Big Tech
Banks vs Cryptos
NVIDIA vs World
White House vs Wokes
Packer vs Devil D
Lucha Bros vs AAA Heels
WWE Black Scorpion/Masked Man vs Babyfaces
CM Punk vs The Hood

News

Cryptocurrency Movies
Docos

The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin (2014)
Follows early Bitcoin adopter Daniel Mross, exploring Bitcoin’s origins, its volatile rise, and the community behind it. Great for understanding Bitcoin’s early days and its potential to disrupt finance.

Banking on Bitcoin (2016)
Examines Bitcoin’s history, ideological roots, and impact on global financial systems through interviews with pioneers and experts. A solid primer for newcomers.

Cryptopia: Bitcoin, Blockchains, and the Future of the Internet (2020)
Directed by Torsten Hoffmann, this documentary dives into blockchain’s broader applications beyond cryptocurrency, addressing scalability and regulatory challenges. Ideal for those interested in blockchain’s transformative potential.

Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain (2018) Narrated by Rosario Dawson, it explores blockchain’s societal impact, from financial inclusion to voting systems. A comprehensive look at real-world applications.

Bitcoin: The End of Money as We Know It (2015)
Traces the history of money and introduces Bitcoin as a decentralized alternative, critiquing centralized financial systems. Features interviews with crypto experts.

Deep Web (2015) Narrated by Keanu Reeves, this documentary focuses on the Silk Road marketplace and its creator, Ross Ulbricht, highlighting Bitcoin’s role in dark web transactions.

Bitconned (2024) Explores the Centra Tech crypto scam, detailing how three individuals defrauded investors during the 2010s crypto boom. A cautionary tale about unregulated markets.

Feature Films

Crypto (2019)
A crime thriller starring Beau Knapp, Luke Hemsworth, and Kurt Russell. It follows a young anti-money laundering agent investigating corruption and cryptocurrency in his hometown. Critics note its exaggerated portrayal but praise its entertainment value.

Silk Road (2021)
A dramatization of Ross Ulbricht’s creation of the Silk Road, a dark web marketplace using Bitcoin. It explores his rise and fall, blending crime and drama.

Dope (2015) A coming-of-age comedy-drama featuring Bitcoin as a plot device. High schooler Malcolm uses Bitcoin for a dark web transaction, reflecting its early association with illicit activities.

Bonus Mentions

Life on Bitcoin (2014): Follows a couple attempting to live solely on Bitcoin for 100 days, showcasing early adoption challenges.

Bitcoin Heist (2016): A Vietnamese action-comedy about hackers chasing a crypto criminal, blending humor and thrills.

Notes Documentaries are generally more educational, focusing on Bitcoin’s history, blockchain technology, and real-world implications. They’re great for beginners and enthusiasts alike.

Feature films often dramatize crypto’s association with crime or scams, sometimes oversimplifying or exaggerating for effect. They prioritize entertainment over accuracy. For a deeper dive, check streaming platforms like Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or YouTube, where many of these are available.

News

Wall Street (Movie)
Wall Street (1987), directed by Oliver Stone, is a drama about ambition and greed in the 1980s financial world. It follows Bud Fox (Charlie Sheen), a young stockbroker desperate to succeed, who gets entangled with Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas), a ruthless corporate raider. Gekko’s mantra, “Greed is good,” drives the story as Bud is lured into insider trading and unethical deals, compromising his morals for wealth and power.

The film explores themes of capitalism, loyalty, and betrayal, with Bud navigating pressures from Gekko, his father (Martin Sheen), and his own conscience.

Key Details: Cast: Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko), Charlie Sheen (Bud Fox), Daryl Hannah (Darien Taylor), Martin Sheen (Carl Fox).
Runtime: 2h 6m.
Genre: Drama/Crime.
Rating: R. Box Office: ~$44 million (US).

Awards: Michael Douglas won the Academy Award for Best Actor.

Notable Aspects:

Gekko’s “Greed is good” speech is iconic, reflecting 1980s excess. Inspired by real-life figures like Ivan Boesky and Michael Milken.

A sequel, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010), continued the story.

Where to Watch (as of 2025):
Streaming: Available on platforms like Peacock or rentable on Amazon, YouTube, or Apple TV (check current availability).
Physical: DVD/Blu-ray via retailers like Amazon.

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man "Bullish is a mindset"

 

 

 

 

Markets, Cryptos, Culture And Brands

Alpha TKO Edition

Survivor Series Market: WarGames (pop culture reference); Monday Friendly Biz Wars

December 2, 2025
Sydney, Australia

December 1
(New York)

ASX futures up 18 points/0.2% to 8601

Wall Street:
S&P 500 -0.4%
Dow Jones: -0.7%
Nasdaq -0.4%

Europe:
Stoxx 50 flat
FTSE -0.2%
DAX -1%
CAC -0.3%

Australian dollar: US65.43 cents

Bitcoin

Gold +2% to $US4231.90 per ounce
Oil +1.5% to $US59.41 a barrel
Brent crude oil +1.4% to $US63.22 a barrel
Iron ore +1.6% to $US103.85 per ton

10-year yield:
US 4.09%
Australia 4.55%
Germany 2.75%

News

Crypto: Winter began with a sell-off

Market Overview

The crypto market took a painful hit at the start of trading on Monday, marking the beginning of winter and the new month with a 5% drop in 24 hours and a return below $3 trillion.

This seems to be part of the Bears' plan to create the most emotional pressure, as the beginning of the month is considered an emotional precursor for the weeks to come. The market also slipped during the period of lowest liquidity, which added drama in the form of a downward swing. Still, before the start of active trading in Europe, the market is showing signs of stabilisation and rebound.

Bitcoin fell to $85.5K on the strategy day but rebounded to $86.7K at the time of writing. Technically, a bearish picture is emerging, with the first cryptocurrency falling sharply after four days of consolidation at the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement line. Strictly speaking, we can only say that a quick rebound did not happen, but the signal for a decline to $64K (161.8%) will only be given on a drop below $80.5K.

Bitcoin fell 17.5% in November to $91.3K, marking the first decline in three years and defying the seasonal trend of one of the best months of the year. From a seasonal perspective, December is considered a relatively successful month for BTC with an average 8.7% increase. Over the past 14 years, Bitcoin has ended the month with growth on seven occasions. The average increase was 29.7%, and the average decline was 12.3%.

News Background

The inflow into the recently launched Solana ETFs in the US has continued for five consecutive weeks. Investors have poured more than $108 million into SOL ETFs in a week and nearly $620 million since the funds launched on October 28th. Inflows into spot XRP ETFs launched on 14 November in the US exceeded $666 million.

CryptoQuant points to several key on-chain indicators that are creating fertile ground for Bitcoin's resumption of growth. One of the most significant signals is the reduction of leverage.

Bitcoin is still in the ‘high risk zone.’ Still, the situation is stabilising: selling pressure is easing, and spot demand is ‘finally beginning to shift the balance of power,’ according to Bitcoin Vector.

To continue its growth, Bitcoin needs to overcome ‘clusters of large buyer supply’ in the $93,000-96,000 and $100,000-108,000 ranges, according to Glassnode.

Bitwise points out that the last time such an ‘asymmetrical ratio’ of risk and potential return was observed in Bitcoin was during the COVID-19 pandemic, when BTC fell below $4,000. (FxPro)

News

The euro is betting on divergence

• ECB rates are in the right place while German inflation is accelerating.

• The Bank of Japan may raise rates in December & capital flight will pressure the pound.

Attempts by the US dollar to counterattack are being thwarted. The euro is rising due to accelerating German inflation, the pound is rising following the debt market's approval of Rachel Reeves' draft budget, and the yen is growing in anticipation of a rate hike by the Bank of Japan in December. Donald Trump's comments on the selection of a new Fed chair, as well as expectations for speeches by Jerome Powell and Michelle Bowman, are weighing on the dollar.

Christine Lagarde said that the ECB's interest rates are at the right level. With inflation under control, the European Central Bank is well-positioned. Indeed, there are risks of both acceleration and deceleration in consumer prices. The former includes Germany's fiscal stimulus and rising expectations of higher industrial and service prices. The latter include the strong euro, lower energy prices and imports from China.

The acceleration of inflation in Germany to 2.6% in November is reinforcing the ECB's caution. The central bank has most likely ended its cycle of rate cuts. There are scenarios in which the deposit rate will rise. The federal funds rate, on the other hand, risks falling significantly. The divergence in monetary policy creates an excellent opportunity for the EURUSD to resume its upward trend. However, to start with, the bulls need to hold on to 1.16.

Meanwhile, the yen strengthened thanks to Kazuo Ueda's hawkish speech. He stated that the Bank of Japan would weigh all the pros and cons of raising the overnight rate. At the same time, any increase should be seen as an adjustment to the ultra-soft monetary policy. On these words, the probability of a rate hike in December rose to 76%, allowing bears to develop a decline in USDJPY.

The pound is trying to stabilise after the presentation of the draft budget. According to Eurizon SLJ Capital, the pound will fall against the euro, yen, and Swiss franc amid capital flight by the wealthy following tax increases. (FxPro)

News

Cryptos

Cryptos Today: (Near Live)

Bitcoin $86,488.39 - 5.16%
Ethereum $2,790.39 - 7.67%
Tether $1.0001 +0.01%
Binance Coin $822.49 -7.48%
XRP $2.0292 -7.41%
Solana $125.89 -8.18%
TRON $0.2781 -1.48%
Dogecoin $0.1352 -9.22%
Cardano $0.3825 -9.77%

News

Wall Street via Mr Wolf

Media Man Favs:

(Near Live)

Bells Rung by Mr Wolf! TKO kicks out. Comeback! Christmas Grinch Comes Early for some! Santa gives little for miners, gamers, some tech heads and grapplers!

Wall St, New York

TKO Group Holdings Inc $193.98 +0.090 +0.046%
NVIDIA Corp $179.92 +2.92 +1.65%
Formula One Group Series $86.79 -1.09 -1.25%
Alphabet Inc Class A $314.89 -5.29 -1.65%
News Corp Class A $25.52 -0.16 -0.62%
Netflix Inc $109.13 +1.56 +1.45%
Caterpillar Inc $568.06 -7.70 -1.34%
Trump Media & Technology Group Corp $10.95 -0.59
-5 .11%
Tesla Inc $430.14 -0.030 -0.0070%
Walt Disney Co $106.77 +2.30 +2.20%
Wynn Resorts Ltd $132.77 +4.09 +3.18%
Meta Platforms Inc $640.87 -7.08 -1.09%
Paramount Skydance Corp $15.71 -0.31 -1.94%
Elders ADR $19.73 (US) (NYSE)
Mercedes Benz Group ADR $17.09 +0.24 +1.42%
Rio Tinto Ltd $84 (US)
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc $23.87 -0.13 -0.54%
Red Light Holland Corp $0.019 +0.00050 +2.70%

News

Spotlight

Wynn

Analysts at Goldman Sachs just added Wynn to its conviction buy list. The firm is confident with Wynn’s “Wynn Al Marjan in the UAE in 1Q27, plus WYNN’s best-in-class Las Vegas assets, leverage to a higher-income consumers, a strong 2026 Las Vegas event calendar, and an improving backdrop in Macau should drive transformative upside at WYNN,” as quoted by CNBC.

Nvidia

Analysts at Morgan Stanley just reiterated an overweight rating on Nvidia, with a $250 price target. The firm says NVDA will maintain a dominant market share and that threats are becoming overstated.

“We continue to see NVIDIA maintaining dominant market share, as threats are becoming overstated, though we aren’t sure exactly what will turn sentiment around,” they said, as quoted by CNBC. “Customers’ biggest anxiety for the next 12 months is their ability to procure enough NVIDIA product generally, and Vera Rubin specifically.”

Alphabet

Analysts at Guggenheim say Alphabet could run even higher. The firm raised its price target on GOOG to $375 from $330 with a buy rating.

The firm is confident in Alphabet because of strong cloud backlog growth, which is being supported by enterprise AI demand. It’s also confidence with Google Gemini’s rise as a leading AI platform with rapidly growing adoption metrics, as noted by CNBC.

News

Polymarket Partnership Could Be a Game Changer for TKO Group Holdings (TKO)

Nov 17

(In Case You Missed It)

Polymarket/UFC/TKO

Polymarket recently announced a multi-year partnership making it the Official and Exclusive Prediction Market Partner for UFC and Zuffa Boxing, introducing real-time fan prediction metrics directly into UFC broadcasts and social media experiences.

This collaboration marks the first time major sports organizations have integrated prediction market technology into the live fan experience, creating new ways for audiences to interact and for TKO's sports brands to differentiate themselves.

We'll explore how this innovative fan engagement initiative could strengthen TKO Group Holdings' investment narrative by deepening audience connection and content value.

What Is TKO Group Holdings' Investment Narrative?

To see the value in TKO Group Holdings as a shareholder, you really have to believe in its ability to keep building out top sports entertainment brands like UFC and WWE into global, multi-platform franchises. A lot of the story is about continuing to grow earnings and revenue faster than the overall market, attract loyal audiences, and evolve with changes in media rights, streaming, and digital fan engagement. Recent announcements, such as the multi-year partnership with Polymarket, reflect TKO’s push to unlock new monetization avenues and deepen fan involvement.

However, it’s unlikely this news will materially change the core short-term catalysts, which are still dominated by performance in key international deals, broadcast partnerships, and the rollout of new events. The biggest risks remain legal challenges, compression of media rights value, and questions about board experience. The new fan engagement efforts add differentiation, but don’t directly reduce these core risks for now. On the flip side, investors should pay close attention to ongoing legal proceedings against TKO and UFC.

TKO Group Holdings' shares have been on the rise but are still potentially undervalued by 15%.

Ten retail investors in the Simply Wall St Community produced fair value estimates for TKO ranging from US$63.92 to a very large US$37,618.47. While community views can be widely split, ongoing legal challenges remain a topic several market participants keep circling back to as a concern for TKO’s future performance. Explore these diverse perspectives and see how the risks and opportunities stack up.

News

Best Quotes

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest." — Benjamin Franklin

"Bottoms in the investment world don't end with four-year lows; they end with 10- or 15-year lows." — Jim Rogers

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful." — Warren Buffett

Media Man "Bullish is a mindset"

 

 

 

News, Markets, Biz, Politics, Mining, Media, Marketing, Culture: Australia and World

December 2025

December 2

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6540 USD (flat)
Iron Ore: $103.85 USD (up $1.65 USD)
Oil: $59.48 USD (up $0.93 USD)
Gold: $4,237.89 USD (up $18.66 USD)
Copper: $5.2730 USD (down $0.0050 USD)
Bitcoin: $86,640.57 -0.14%
Dow Jones: 47,396.45 (down 319.97 points close)

News

Minerals partner to help take on China

The Australian Nuclear Science & Technology Organisation's pilot rare earth processing facility at Lucas Heights in Sydney is slated to commence operating in early 2026. The federal government has advised that Australian Rare Earths will be the first industry partner fro the new ANSTO facility. Resources Minister Madeleine King says the appointment of the program's first partner will enhance national security initiatives and support the governments Future Made in Australia strategy. It will also enable Australian Rare Earths to accelerate the development of its Koppamurra ionic-clay project in South Australia. (RMS)

News

New Eraring extension on cards

Origin Energy's Eraring coal-fired power station was originally slated to close this year, but the company struck a deal with the NSW government in 2024 to keep the plant operational until August 2027. However, a report from the Australian Energy Market Operator has prompted speculation that Eraring's operating life may need to be extended again. The AEMO has warned that NSW could potentially face power blackouts if Eraring is closed on schedule, noting that grid-stabilising synchronous condensors are unlikely to be installed before then. Premier Chris Minns says his government is open to further delaying Eraring's closure. (RMS)

News

Critical minerals boom yet to take off as gold hogs investment

PwC's 2025 Aussie Mine report notes that 124 critical minerals projects nationwide are stuck in a 'holding pattern' between discovery and production, with investor preferring the safe haven of gold. Few of these critical minerals projects have a publicly disclosed net present value of at least $1bn. The PwC report also notes that the 'investable universe' - critical minerals projects that are considered to be attractive by commercial investors - has increased by a net seven projects in the last year. These are dominated by copper, nickel and lithium. However, copper remains excluded from Australia's critical minerals list and is therefore not eligible for production tax credits. (Roy Morgan Summary)

Dec 1

ASX tipped for solid start ahead of GDP data

Futures pricing suggests that Australian equities will gain about 0.1 per cent when the market opens on Monday, following a positive lead from Wall Street. The release of GDP data for the September quarter is set to be a key focus for local investors in the coming week, as they seek guidance on the outlook for official interest rates. Inflation data released last week has heightened speculation that the next rate move may be up rather than down. The S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.37 per cent to close at 8,614.1 points on Friday, and it fell by three per cent in November. (RMS)

News

Nov 28

Gold may have doubled, but miners a gamble

Factors such as its 'safe haven' staus and record buying by central banks have seen the price of gold rise by more than 50 per cent so far in 2025. The share prices of Australian-listed gold producers have also rallied during 2025, and some have posted solid returns over the last decade. However, analysis shows that just 100 of the 172 listed gold miners in 2015 are still in business now. Meanwhile, about 40 per cent of the survivors have posted a negative return over the last 10 years. (RMS)

News

'Bloodbath': Black Friday deals pose a dilemma for small business

Australians are expected to spend nearly $7bn over the four days of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, and up to $39bn over the month of November. Indeed, Black Friday has evolved to essentially become a one-month sales event, and there is a growing expectation among consumers that every store will offer big discounts. However, Black Friday is challenging for many small businesses, which simply cannot match the deep discounts of large retailers. This is highlighted by research from the Council of Small Business Organisations; it found that 60 per cent of small business owners do not pay themselves at least occasionally, while 25 per cent have used their personal savings to stay afloat. (RMS)

News

Australia's Most Trusted and Distrusted Brands + The Retail Landscape

Join Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine to discover Australia's most Trusted and Distrusted brands; how traditional retail brands are being impacted by Temu, Shein, and AliExpress; how the dramatic shift to low prices is affecting discount department stores like Kmart and Big W; whether Amazon has finally become the digital category killer, impacting Myer, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman; whether Coles and Woolworths are finally showing real signs of reputational recovery; and whether the retail sector seeing a rise in distrust amid all the upheaval. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Media and Marketing

Sport keeps TV afloat as Seven pips Nine

The Seven Network has become Australia's top-rating commercial free-to-air broadcaster for a fifth consecutive year. Seven's national audience share across the 2025 rating year was 41.6 per cent, ahead of the Nine Network on 40.5 per cent. Seven's total audience share across all five free-to-air networks was 29.4 per cent, followed by Nine (28.7 per cent), the ABC (21.5 per cent), Ten (12.6 per cent) and SBS (7.7 per cent). Nine's live coverage of the NRL Grand Final was the highest-rating program for the year, with a record 4.56 million viewers; the AFL Grand Final attracted a total audience of 4.18 million. (RMS)

News

The Age misses mark on AFL deal

A spokesman for DAZN says the UK-based sports-focused streaming company "categorically refutes" a recent media report which suggested that it could seek to renegotiate Foxtel's current seven-year AFL broadcasting rights deal. The Age reported last week that unnamed sources had claimed that DAZN believes it is paying too much for the AFL rights. Foxtel was acquired by DAZN earlier in 2025, in a deal that is said to have been worth about $3.4bn. (RMS)

News

News media eyes $600m yearly boost

Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and Apple are estimated to have had combined revenue of $41bn in Australia during fiscal 2024. They could potentially pay local news publishers about $610m a year via the federal government's News Bargaining Incentive, which will penalise technology companies that fail to secure content deals with the nation's news publishers; based on the revenue of the 'big five', the financial penalty for not striking such deals could be around $920m a year. The NBI would apply to all digital platforms that operate "significant" social media or search services, even if they do not feature any news content. (RMS)

News

Magazine stable faces carve-up

Private equity firm Mercury Capital still hopes to sell the whole of Are Media to a single buyer. However, sources at Are have said there is speculation within the publisher that several potential suitors have expressed interest in selectively buying some magazine titles, and shunning the less profitable ones. Mining magnate Andrew Forrest is said to have been approached about buying the flagship Australian Women's Weekly via his family company, Tattarang, which already owns the RM Williams magazine. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

AI threat slashes billions from classifieds giants

Jarden analyst Tom Beadle has downplayed the risks that online classified advertising groups are facing due to the growing use of artificial intelligence platforms. He contends that AI companies are unlikely to develop a 'killer application' that will disrupt the business of Real Estate Dotcom Dot Au http://realestate.com.au owner REA Group in the near term. However, REA Group's market capitalisation has fallen by nearly $9bn since August, while CAR Group - which owns Car Sales http://carsales.com.au - has shed 16 per cent of its value. Nevertheless, there are fears that AI platforms will be increasingly used to directly search for jobs, homes or cars. (RMS)

News

Nov 28

Free entry gets museum record-breaking visitors

Analysis of the annual reports of museums in Australia shows that consumers continued to embrace the nation's cultural institutions in 2024-25. Museums Victoria had the highest patronage, with 1.93 million visitors during the financial year; however, this was 13 per cent lower than previously. Meanwhile, Western Australia Museum was the nation's second-most-visited museum, with visits to its three sites rising by 21 per cent year-on-year to 1.2 million. WA Museum chair Sheila McHale notes that visitor numbers were boosted by the state government's decision to waive entry fees during the 2024-25 summer. (RMS)

News

Mining/Resources/Energy

Nov 28

Inside the battle for BHP's future

There is growing speculation that BHP's CEO Mike Henry is preparing to step down after six years in the role. However, BHP's merger talks with Anglo American last week showed that Henry is still deeply engaged in high-stakes strategic endeavours, rather than easing into retirement. Potential internal candidates to succeed Henry when he eventually steps down include Geraldine Slattery, Rag Udd, Vandita Pant and Catherine Raw. Meanwhile, some BHP directors believe that the resources group should simplify its commodities portfolio by exiting the coal sector and focusing on copper; indeed, analysis shows that both BHP and Rio Tinto have underperformed those of pure-play copper mines in recent years. (RMS)

News

Nov 28

Bitcoin stalled at a critical resistance

Market Overview
The crypto market cap corrected by 0.4% to $3.10T, pausing the cautious rebound from last Friday. Yet we can’t talk about the rebound running out of steam, as there was strong growth the day before. But we do not see any increase in optimism, as just about one in seven coins has gained in the last 24 hours, compared to a decline for most.

The sentiment index rose to 25, the threshold for exiting the territory of extreme fear, despite the latest round of weakness. The index’s dynamics are likely to attract buyers who were eager to enter the market but were waiting for a discount after the highs were set in early October.

Bitcoin has fallen below $ 91K, stabilising near the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level of the decline since November 11th. The area near $90K was significant for the market about a year ago, serving as support for the correction after the growth momentum in early November. There is some risk that it will now act as resistance, reinforcing the bearish signal of a possible end to the rebound. A rise above $95K would signal a victory for the bulls and a return to a bull market, while a decline below $87K could open the way to $80K, driving the market into a depression.

News Background

Kronos Research describes the current dynamics as a classic rebound from oversold conditions. The market has cleared out excess long positions, creating room for growth, according to Presto Research.

Futures and options data point to a return of bullish sentiment. The market is ‘ready for growth’ after speculative longs were closed over the past two weeks, according to GSR.

According to CryptoQuant, in November, the Binance crypto exchange increased its stablecoin reserves to a record $51.1 billion. The growth of this indicator can be seen as a positive factor for the crypto market.

The potential exclusion of Strategy from the S&P 500 index and continued outflows from spot crypto ETFs could bring back bearish sentiment and trigger sell-offs, warns QCP Capital.

Bolivia will include cryptocurrencies and stablecoins in its national financial system to modernise it.

Cryptocurrencies will be allowed to be used as a means of payment, savings accounts, credit products and loans. The authorities’ decision is a result of the country’s challenging economic situation. (FxPro)

News

Heavy Industry News

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

Caterpillar wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The Month' award

Bingo Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The Month' award

Elders wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award

Landman wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award (Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)

Jim's Mowing wins Media Man 'Franchise Of The Month' award

News

Pop Culture Flashback

Citizen Kane (1941)

Directed by Orson Welles | Written by Orson Welles & Herman J. Mankiewicz | Cinematography by Gregg Toland
Why it’s considered one of the greatest films ever made:
Revolutionary storytelling: Non-linear structure jumping through multiple perspectives and timelines — decades before it became common.

Iconic moments/lines:

“Rosebud…”

The campaign speech with the giant Kane poster

The slow push-in on young Charlie playing in the snow as his future is decided

“Old age… it’s the only disease, Mr. Thompson, that you don’t look forward to being cured of.” (Bernstein)

News

Salt of the Earth (1954)

Mexican workers at a zinc mine call a general strike. It is only through the solidarity of the workers, and importantly the indomitable resolve of their wives, mothers, and daughters, that they eventually triumph.

News

Sarah's Oil

Sarah's Oil is a 2025 American biographical drama film inspired by the true story of Sarah Rector, an African American girl born in 1902 in Oklahoma Indian Territory. At just 11 years old, Rector inherited 160 acres of seemingly barren land from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation allotment. Believing—through faith and intuition—that oil lay beneath it, she fought off greedy speculators and corrupt oil magnates to develop the property, which turned out to be rich in resources. This made her one of the first female African American millionaires in U.S. history, earning her the nickname "the richest colored girl in the world." The film draws from the 2014 book Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America by Tonya Bolden and highlights themes of faith, perseverance, family, and resilience amid racial injustice during the early 20th-century oil boom.

Filming: Principal photography took place in Oklahoma starting in July 2024.

Release: Premiered in U.S. theaters on November 7, 2025, distributed by Amazon MGM Studios (moved up from a planned Christmas Day slot).

Runtime: 1 hour 43 minutes.

Best Quotes

The best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."

"You are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig to find it and make it real."

"Your mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will find something golden."

"Don't die without mining the gold in your mind."

"We're like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."

"If you want to find gold, you've got to love the process of digging."

"Even if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to dig."

"Develop men the same way gold is mined"

"Don't go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in looking for the gold."

"A prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"

"A prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't find much gold"

"The world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not." "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"All that is gold does not glitter."

"Gold is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears out"

"Gold is the money of kings"

"Mining is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit. An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher of a dead mule."

"Anyone can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds the gold."

"True gold fears no fire."

"The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit."

"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"When taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes considered like cheap copper – so are people."

Media Man

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance

 

 

 

News, Markets, Biz, Politics, Mining, Media, Marketing, Culture: Australia and World

December 2025

December 1

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6540 USD (up 0.0011 USD)
Iron Ore: $105.40 USD (down $1.30 USD)
Oil: $58.55 USD (down $0.55 USD)
Gold: $4,219.23 USD (up $61.79 USD)
Copper: $5.2780 USD (up $0.1155 USD)
Bitcoin: $87,321.17 -3.98%
Dow Jones: 47,716.42 (up 289.30 points)

News

ASX tipped for solid start ahead of GDP data

Futures pricing suggests that Australian equities will gain about 0.1 per cent when the market opens on Monday, following a positive lead from Wall Street. The release of GDP data for the September quarter is set to be a key focus for local investors in the coming week, as they seek guidance on the outlook for official interest rates. Inflation data released last week has heightened speculation that the next rate move may be up rather than down. The S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.37 per cent to close at 8,614.1 points on Friday, and it fell by three per cent in November. (RMS)

News

Nov 28

Gold may have doubled, but miners a gamble

Factors such as its 'safe haven' staus and record buying by central banks have seen the price of gold rise by more than 50 per cent so far in 2025. The share prices of Australian-listed gold producers have also rallied during 2025, and some have posted solid returns over the last decade. However, analysis shows that just 100 of the 172 listed gold miners in 2015 are still in business now. Meanwhile, about 40 per cent of the survivors have posted a negative return over the last 10 years. (RMS)

News

'Bloodbath': Black Friday deals pose a dilemma for small business

Australians are expected to spend nearly $7bn over the four days of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, and up to $39bn over the month of November. Indeed, Black Friday has evolved to essentially become a one-month sales event, and there is a growing expectation among consumers that every store will offer big discounts. However, Black Friday is challenging for many small businesses, which simply cannot match the deep discounts of large retailers. This is highlighted by research from the Council of Small Business Organisations; it found that 60 per cent of small business owners do not pay themselves at least occasionally, while 25 per cent have used their personal savings to stay afloat. (RMS)

News

Australia's Most Trusted and Distrusted Brands + The Retail Landscape

Join Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine to discover Australia's most Trusted and Distrusted brands; how traditional retail brands are being impacted by Temu, Shein, and AliExpress; how the dramatic shift to low prices is affecting discount department stores like Kmart and Big W; whether Amazon has finally become the digital category killer, impacting Myer, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman; whether Coles and Woolworths are finally showing real signs of reputational recovery; and whether the retail sector seeing a rise in distrust amid all the upheaval. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Media and Marketing

Sport keeps TV afloat as Seven pips Nine

The Seven Network has become Australia's top-rating commercial free-to-air broadcaster for a fifth consecutive year. Seven's national audience share across the 2025 rating year was 41.6 per cent, ahead of the Nine Network on 40.5 per cent. Seven's total audience share across all five free-to-air networks was 29.4 per cent, followed by Nine (28.7 per cent), the ABC (21.5 per cent), Ten (12.6 per cent) and SBS (7.7 per cent). Nine's live coverage of the NRL Grand Final was the highest-rating program for the year, with a record 4.56 million viewers; the AFL Grand Final attracted a total audience of 4.18 million. (RMS)

News

The Age misses mark on AFL deal

A spokesman for DAZN says the UK-based sports-focused streaming company "categorically refutes" a recent media report which suggested that it could seek to renegotiate Foxtel's current seven-year AFL broadcasting rights deal. The Age reported last week that unnamed sources had claimed that DAZN believes it is paying too much for the AFL rights. Foxtel was acquired by DAZN earlier in 2025, in a deal that is said to have been worth about $3.4bn. (RMS)

News

News media eyes $600m yearly boost

Google, Meta, Microsoft, TikTok and Apple are estimated to have had combined revenue of $41bn in Australia during fiscal 2024. They could potentially pay local news publishers about $610m a year via the federal government's News Bargaining Incentive, which will penalise technology companies that fail to secure content deals with the nation's news publishers; based on the revenue of the 'big five', the financial penalty for not striking such deals could be around $920m a year. The NBI would apply to all digital platforms that operate "significant" social media or search services, even if they do not feature any news content. (RMS)

News

Magazine stable faces carve-up

Private equity firm Mercury Capital still hopes to sell the whole of Are Media to a single buyer. However, sources at Are have said there is speculation within the publisher that several potential suitors have expressed interest in selectively buying some magazine titles, and shunning the less profitable ones. Mining magnate Andrew Forrest is said to have been approached about buying the flagship Australian Women's Weekly via his family company, Tattarang, which already owns the RM Williams magazine. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

AI threat slashes billions from classifieds giants

Jarden analyst Tom Beadle has downplayed the risks that online classified advertising groups are facing due to the growing use of artificial intelligence platforms. He contends that AI companies are unlikely to develop a 'killer application' that will disrupt the business of Real Estate Dotcom Dot Au http://realestate.com.au owner REA Group in the near term. However, REA Group's market capitalisation has fallen by nearly $9bn since August, while CAR Group - which owns Car Sales http://carsales.com.au - has shed 16 per cent of its value. Nevertheless, there are fears that AI platforms will be increasingly used to directly search for jobs, homes or cars. (RMS)

News

Nov 28

Free entry gets museum record-breaking visitors

Analysis of the annual reports of museums in Australia shows that consumers continued to embrace the nation's cultural institutions in 2024-25. Museums Victoria had the highest patronage, with 1.93 million visitors during the financial year; however, this was 13 per cent lower than previously. Meanwhile, Western Australia Museum was the nation's second-most-visited museum, with visits to its three sites rising by 21 per cent year-on-year to 1.2 million. WA Museum chair Sheila McHale notes that visitor numbers were boosted by the state government's decision to waive entry fees during the 2024-25 summer. (RMS)

News

Mining/Resources/Energy

Nov 28

Inside the battle for BHP's future

There is growing speculation that BHP's CEO Mike Henry is preparing to step down after six years in the role. However, BHP's merger talks with Anglo American last week showed that Henry is still deeply engaged in high-stakes strategic endeavours, rather than easing into retirement. Potential internal candidates to succeed Henry when he eventually steps down include Geraldine Slattery, Rag Udd, Vandita Pant and Catherine Raw. Meanwhile, some BHP directors believe that the resources group should simplify its commodities portfolio by exiting the coal sector and focusing on copper; indeed, analysis shows that both BHP and Rio Tinto have underperformed those of pure-play copper mines in recent years. (RMS)

News

Nov 28

Bitcoin stalled at a critical resistance

Market Overview

The crypto market cap corrected by 0.4% to $3.10T, pausing the cautious rebound from last Friday. Yet we can’t talk about the rebound running out of steam, as there was strong growth the day before. But we do not see any increase in optimism, as just about one in seven coins has gained in the last 24 hours, compared to a decline for most.

The sentiment index rose to 25, the threshold for exiting the territory of extreme fear, despite the latest round of weakness. The index’s dynamics are likely to attract buyers who were eager to enter the market but were waiting for a discount after the highs were set in early October.

Bitcoin has fallen below $ 91K, stabilising near the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level of the decline since November 11th. The area near $90K was significant for the market about a year ago, serving as support for the correction after the growth momentum in early November. There is some risk that it will now act as resistance, reinforcing the bearish signal of a possible end to the rebound. A rise above $95K would signal a victory for the bulls and a return to a bull market, while a decline below $87K could open the way to $80K, driving the market into a depression.

News Background

Kronos Research describes the current dynamics as a classic rebound from oversold conditions. The market has cleared out excess long positions, creating room for growth, according to Presto Research.

Futures and options data point to a return of bullish sentiment. The market is ‘ready for growth’ after speculative longs were closed over the past two weeks, according to GSR.

According to CryptoQuant, in November, the Binance crypto exchange increased its stablecoin reserves to a record $51.1 billion. The growth of this indicator can be seen as a positive factor for the crypto market.

The potential exclusion of Strategy from the S&P 500 index and continued outflows from spot crypto ETFs could bring back bearish sentiment and trigger sell-offs, warns QCP Capital.

Bolivia will include cryptocurrencies and stablecoins in its national financial system to modernise it.

Cryptocurrencies will be allowed to be used as a means of payment, savings accounts, credit products and loans. The authorities’ decision is a result of the country’s challenging economic situation. (FxPro)

News

Heavy Industry News

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

Caterpillar wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The Month' award

Bingo Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The Month' award

Elders wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award

Landman wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award (Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)

Jim's Mowing wins Media Man 'Franchise Of The Month' award

News

Pop Culture Flashback

Citizen Kane (1941)

Directed by Orson Welles | Written by Orson Welles & Herman J. Mankiewicz | Cinematography by Gregg Toland

Why it’s considered one of the greatest films ever made:

Revolutionary storytelling: Non-linear structure jumping through multiple perspectives and timelines — decades before it became common.

Iconic moments/lines:

“Rosebud…”

The campaign speech with the giant Kane poster

The slow push-in on young Charlie playing in the snow as his future is decided

“Old age… it’s the only disease, Mr. Thompson, that you don’t look forward to being cured of.” (Bernstein)

News

Salt of the Earth (1954

Mexican workers at a zinc mine call a general strike. It is only through the solidarity of the workers, and importantly the indomitable resolve of their wives, mothers, and daughters, that they eventually triumph.

Best Quotes

The best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."

"You are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig to find it and make it real."

"Your mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will find something golden."

"Don't die without mining the gold in your mind."

"We're like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."

"If you want to find gold, you've got to love the process of digging."

"Even if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to dig."

"Develop men the same way gold is mined"

"Don't go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in looking for the gold."

"A prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"

"A prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't find much gold"

"The world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not." "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"All that is gold does not glitter."

"Gold is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears out"

"Gold is the money of kings"

"Mining is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit. An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher of a dead mule."

"Anyone can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds the gold."

"True gold fears no fire."

"The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit."

"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"When taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes considered like cheap copper – so are people."

Media Man

Roy Morgan wins Media Man 'News Services Provider Of The Month' award; Runner-ups: X, Google News, Yahoo! Finance

 

 

 

 

Markets, News, Biz, Mining, Energy, Politics: Australia and World

November 2025

Nov 28

Heavy Industry News

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

Caterpillar wins Media Man 'Heavy Equipment Manufacturer Of The Month' award

Bingo Industries wins Media Man 'Construction Brand Of The Month' award

Elders wins Media Man 'Agribusiness Of The Month' award

Landman wins Media Man 'Streaming Series Of The Month' award (Oil/mining industry based story via Paramount Plus)

Jim's Mowing wins Media Man 'Franchise Of The Month' award

News

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6529 USD (up 0.0009 USD)
Iron Ore: $106.70 USD (up $0.10 USD)
Oil: $59.10 USD (up $0.40 USD)
Gold: $4,157.44 USD (down $8.15 USD)
Copper: $5.1625 USD (down $0.0410 USD)
Bitcoin: $91,056.34 -0.12%
Dow Jones: 47,427.12 (closed for Turkey Day)

News

Labor urged to bite the bullet on energy bills

Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently indicated that the federal government has yet to decide whether to extend its electricity bill rebates beyond December 2025. The rebate was introduced in 2023 and extended by six months in the March budget. The expiry of state energy rebates contributed to the higher-than-expected 3.8 per cent headline inflation rate in the year to October. Economists have urged the government to end the rebates, contending that they have a distortionary impact on inflation and have cost the federal budget about $6.8bn to date. Challenger's chief economist Jonathan Kearns notes that rebates also risk lifting expectations of higher inflation; indeed, ANZ-Roy Morgan Inflation Expectations have risen to a two-year high. (RMS)

News

ASX up as tech stocks rally, WiseTech gains

The Australian sharemarket posted a modest gain on Thursday, with lower trading volumes ahead of Wall Street's closure for Thanksgiving Day; the S&P/ASX 200 added 0.1 per cent to close at 8,617.3 points. WiseTech Global was up 6.9 per cent at $69.72, Bellevue Gold rose 3.2 per cent to $1.29 and Reece advanced four per cent to $12.73. However, DroneShield was down 7.8 per cent at $2 and Santos fell 1.8 per cent to end the session at $6.44. (RMS)

News

What bubble? AI investors double down

Australian technology investors have used a slump on the US Nasdaq earlier in the month to boost their exposure to the artificial intelligence sector. Those investors included Munro Partners, which has topped up its exposure to Nvidia, Alphabet and Taiwan Semiconductor, while Loftus Peak's holdings of US tech stocks include Amazon, Microsoft, Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor. For his part, Joseph Ziller from Ziller Funds Management says he avoids AI stocks that are not creating value today from their huge capital expenditure. (RMS)

News

Snowy Hydro signs renewable power deals

Snowy Hydro will announce today that it has signed a 15-year deal to purchase power from a wind farm in South Australia that is being developed by Aula Energy, and which Rystad Energy says could cost between $810 million and $945 million. In addition to the deal with Aula Energy, Snowy Hydro will also announce that it has entered into a 15-year contract with French-backed TagEnergy to access 105 megawatts of capacity at the Golden Plains storage battery, which will be located alongside a large wind farm site near Geelong in Victoria. (RMS)

News

Tech giants target roadblocks to AI spending

Australian Bureau of Statistics figures shows that investment in machinery and equipment by IT firms in the September quarter came in at $2.8 billion, which was double the previous record of $1.4 billion set in the previous quarter. The figure includes investment in routers, cooling towers and servers used to construct data centres, and technology companies such as Microsoft and TikTok, along with data centre operators such as NextDC and AirTrunk, have got together to form Data Centres Australia. It will lobby for reforms to energy, water and planning approval and copyright laws, so as to encourage investment in AI-linked investment. (RMS)

News

Atlassians resist Allan's crusade

Atlassian is expanding its operations in Victoria, where Premier Jacinta Allan wants to legislate the right to work from home two days a week for private and public sector employees. Although he is an advocate of hybrid work arrangements and once stated that his employees can work from anywhere, Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes is against the idea of work-from-home mandates, believing that flexible work arrangements should be up to business to decide. As to the future of the Australian tech sector, Cannon-Brooke is very optimistic, even though the federal government seems set to fail in its target for the nation to employ 1.2 million tech workers by the end of the decade. (RMS)

News

Online out to pasture as Tabcorp bets big on pub and club punters

Tabcorp CEO Gillon McLachlan announced a major shakeup of its retail wagering operations earlier in the yea with McLachlan ditching a strategy by his predecessor that was heavily focused on internet betting growth. McLachlan instead plans to focus on punters in clubs and pubs, where it has an advantage over rivals such as Sportsbet and Ladbrokes. Its new strategy will see it pay pubs and clubs hundreds of thousands of dollars to help entice punters to gamble in their venues, while it will allocate $50 million to pay for bonus bets and other inducements for gamblers in pubs and clubs. (RMS)

News

High Court challengers of teen social media ban want Musk, Google to fund case

A group called the Digital Freedom Project is challenging the federal government's under-16 social media ban in the High Court, with the plaintiffs in the challenge being teenage children of members of the group. The group's president is NSW Libertarian Party MP John Ruddick, who is encouraging the big tech companies to fund its challenge, while he says it should be the responsibility of parents to be aware of what their children are doing online and to educate them about the harms of social media. Minister for Communications Anika Wells told parliament on Wednesday the government was committed to the ban, and that it will not be intimidated by legal challenges. (RMS)

News

Cricket's shot at $1.2bn Big Bash prize

Cricket Australia is aiming to partially privatise the Big Bash League, although it will need the consent of the various state cricket bodies. There are currently eight teams in the BBL, with Cricket Australia hoping to expand it to 10 teams; it has placed a value of $1.2 billion on a 10-team BBL, meaning that it stands to make a $600 million windfall if its plans go ahead. Most potential bidders are likely to come from India, with Cricket Australia not optimistic that local buyers would be able to meet its asking price. (RMS)

News

Critical minerals rise from waste ashes

Latrobe Magnesium recently received a letter of interest from the US Export-Import Bank, which offered to provide up to $US122m ($187m) to help build a magnesium plant in Victoria. Latrobe CEO David Paterson says China accounts for about 90 per cent of the global supply of magnesium, which is vital to the manufacture of electric vehicles and military aircraft. Latrobe's technology can convert the fly ash produced by coal-fired power stations into magnesium oxide. It has built a demonstration plant near the site of the defunct Hazelwood power station, and the funding from the US export credit agency will be used to build a commercial plant. (RMS)

News

Mineral explorers bounce on 81pc funding surge

Data from advisory firm BDO shows that the 739 pre-revenue minerals exploration companies on the ASX raised more than $3.49bn in total during the September quarter. This is 81 per cent higher than the June quarter, and Sherif Andrawes from BDO expects this growth to continue. Meanwhile, total exploration expenditure by pre-revenue companies rose by 16 per cent to a two-year high of $843.6m in the September quarter, while the average cash balance of mineral explorers increased by 20 per cent to $11m. Andrawes anticipates strong IPO activity among pre-revenue explorers in the December quarter. (RMS)

News

Palmer's Covid drug donation behind tax dispute

Clive Palmer is in a dispute with the Australian Taxation Office over a purchase he made of a shipment of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is seeking a tax deduction of almost $13m for his purchase, which was made at a time when US President Don­ald Trump was promoting hydroxychloroquine as a way of combatting COVID-19, with Palmer claiming his deduction as a donation for defending Australia, although the drug was never distributed. (RMS)

News

'How far is it going to escalate?' Fear Santos gas plan in Beetaloo basin could be start of NT fracking rush

Gas and oil company Santos has announced plans to drill 12 fracking wells at Tanumbirini Station, which is a large cattle station in the Northern Territory's Beetaloo basin. Environment Centre NT executive director Dr Kirsty Howey is worried that if Santos's plans lead to to full-scale production, that over 6,000 wells could be drilled through "our precious aquifers, polluting our groundwater with toxic chemicals", with ninety percent of the NT's water supply coming from groundwater. Howey says Santos should be a "good corporate citizen" and refer its proposal to be assessed under federal environment laws.

News

LNG levy proposal scared producers

The federal government is reviewing Australia's east coast gas market, with it being understood that it was considering a levy on east coast LNG exporters at one stage. However, while that idea appears to have been shelved and the government looks set to have settled on a gas reservation-style scheme, the fact that the government was even considering a levy has sparked concern among the gas industry about the extent to which the government is prepared to intervene in the sector. (RMS)

News

Smelters become a test case for bailouts

Glencore and Nyrstar are among the companies that have received financial assistance from federal and state governments to keep their ageing Australian smelters operating. China's dominance of the critical minerals sector has underlined the importance of continuing to produce metals such as copper and zinc in Australia. Nyrstar's lead smelter at Port Pirie and its zinc smelter in Hobart can potentially be upgraded to produce critical minerals such as antimony, bismuth, tellurium, germanium and indium; these metals are crucial to Australia's economic and security equation, particularly in the wake of the recent critical minerals agreement with the US. (RMS)

News

Crisafulli denies favouritism amid mine deals

Harmony Gold's Eva Copper Mine has received an undislosed financial incentive from the Queensland government's Northwest ­Energy Fund. However, two coal projects in the state have received no financial assistance from the government. Premier David Crisafulli has rejected suggestions that the government is favouring critical minerals over coal, arguing that it is providing the coal industry with certainty with regard to regulation and taxation; the government has previously been criticised for retaining its Labor predecessor's controversial coal royalty regime. Crisafulli adds that the Eva Copper Mine will help ensure that Glencore's Mount Isa smelter remains viable. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

ASX rally tempers on CPI shock; miners rise

The Australian sharemarket posted a sold gain on Wednesday, despite a pullback in response to data showing that inflation rose to a higher-than-expected 3.8 per cent in the year to October. The S&P/ASX 200 added 0.8 per cent to close at 8,606.5 points, having risen by about 1.2 per cent before the monthly CPI data was released. BHP was up two per cent at $41.80, Pilbara Minerals rose 7.2 per cent to $4.04 and Ramsay Health Care advanced 3.8 per cent to $37.32. However, Temple & Webster shed 32.3 per cent to end the session at $13.83. (RMS)

News

Fortescue, former execs settle with each side to pay costs

The terms of a settlement between Fortescue and three former executives will remain confidential, after all parties to the legal dispute agreed to take no further action. Michael Masterman, Bart Kolodziejczyk and Bjorn Winther-Jensen had been accused of using Fortescue's proprietary information when they left to establish a rival 'green' iron company called Element Zero in 2022. Fortescue commenced legal action in April 2024, and attracted criticism for hiring private detectives to undertake surveillance on the three former employees and their families. Element Zero's green iron plant in Perth will be formally opened by Premier Roger Cook today. (RMS)

News

The rare earths race is on

China has spent unlimited money to develop the world's best technology to produce heavy rare earths, while the French have developed rival technology that is not as good and is far more expensive. Meanwhile, Sinosteel's $100m pilot plant in Western Australia to process ore from Northern Minerals' Browns Range rare earth project is likely to remain idle, as Northern Minerals intends to build a new plant at Browns Range with financial support from the US Export-Import Bank. Haoma Mining's Bamboo Creek heavy rare earths deposit is also a threat to China's dominance of the sector; its Elazac process is now being used to extract gold and platinum from the Bamboo Creek material, and it could become a rival to the Chinese and French technology for extracting heavy rare earths such as terbium. (RMS)

Nov 26

News

Haoma Mining: Chairman's Presentation to shareholders

Haoma Mining NL Announcements

Haoma Mining held its Annual General Meeting at Tonic House in Melbourne on 26 November. Chairman Gary Morgan updated shareholders on Haoma's major activities in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, including the use of the Elazac process to produce gold bullion at the Bamboo Creek Pilot Plant, as well as its Pilbara Heavy Rare Earth discovery. Shareholders were also updated on progress at the Pirra Lithium exploration joint venture between Haoma and SQM Australia, as well as activities at Haoma's Top Camp Roadhouse and Caravan Park at Ravenswood in Queensland. (Roy Morgan Summary)

Lead Up

Nov 25

Big super's $110m stake in 'blood oil'

Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations chair Kateryna Argyrou says Australia's superannuation funds should divest their stakes in companies such as India's Reliance Industries. Argyrou's comments follow the revelation that Reliance has profited from refining sanctioned Russian crude oil and exporting the resulting fuels into markets such as Australia. The nation's four largest super funds have invested nearly $110 million in Reliance; they include AustralianSuper and the Australian Retirement Trust. (RMS)

Nov 25

Markets

Australian Dollar: $0.6462 USD (up 0.0009 USD)
Iron Ore: $105.00 USD (up $0.75 USD)
Oil: $58.84 USD (up $0.78 USD)
Gold: $4,123.68 USD (up $58.41 USD)
Copper: $4.9890 USD (down $0.0070 USD)
Dow Jones: 46,478.79 (up 233.38 points)
Bitcoin: $88,103.67 +1.47%

News

Force miners to sell local: smelter owner

Nyrstar Australia's CEO Matt Howell says the federal government should consider implementing a domestic minerals reservation scheme. It would work in much the same way as the proposed domestic gas reservation scheme, and require mining companies to sell a portion of their mineral ore to Australian refinery operators. The future of facilities such as Nyrstar's Port Pirie lead smelter and its Hobart zinc smelter have been under scrutiny, prompting federal and state government assistance. However, Howell's proposal has been dismissed by Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable, who has cautioned against government intervention in the minerals market. (RMS)

News

'Our gas, our prices': Ed Husic breaks ranks with Labor to demand an end to 'profiteering' by exporters

Former Labor industry minister Ed Husic has backed a motion by independent MP Nicolette Boele regarding east coast gas prices. The motion calls on the federal government to "only allow uncontracted gas to be exported after it has been offered to the domestic market at a reasonable price", with Boele saying Australia does not have a gas supply problem, but rather a gas export problem. Calling for stronger action against what he labels 'profiteering' gas exporters, Husic contends that "our gas, our prices: that should be the bedrock of our thinking. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

ASX to rally in 2026 on mining bounce: UBS

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 has retreated from the record high of 9,904 points in recent weeks, having closed at 8,525.1 yesterday. However, Richard Schellbach from UBS is upbeat about the outlook for the local bourse, forecasting that the ASX 200 will top 8,900 points again by the end of 2026. Schellbach says there are expectations that earning growth will exceed 10 per cent in 2026; he adds that although this will be driven by the resources sector, there will be earnings growth across the broader sharemarket. (RMS/AFR)

News

BHP drops second tilt at rival Anglo

BHP has advised that it has held preliminary discussions with Anglo American's board regarding a potential merger, but says it is no longer considering a bid for its London-based rival. BHP abandoned a previous takeover bid for Anglo American in 2024, and the company says it is still of the view that a merger would have "strong strategic merits" and create significant value for all stakeholders. BHP has indicated that it will instead focus on its organic growth strategy. Meanwhile, the latest aborted bid for Anglo has prompted speculation that Rio Tinto could pursue growth via acquisitions. (RMS)

News

Rinehart puts blowtorch on Rio Tinto, BHP over net zero spending

Hancock Prospecting's executive chair Gina Rinehart has criticised major resources groups for spending billions of dollars on reducing carbon emissions. Rinehart singled out BHP and Rio Tinto in her speech to mark National Mining Day; BHP is expected to spend up to $500m on reducing emissions over the next five years, while Rio Tinto has committed to halving its emissions by 2030 at a cost of $US5bn over 10 years. Rinehart contended that the dividends of BHP and Rio Tinto shareholders are being "sacrificed on the green altar". The speech was written by Rinehart but delivered by Hancock Iron Ore's CEO Gerhard Veldsman via a video message. (RMS)

News

Lithium prices slide on Chinese mine restart

The price of lithium fell sharply on Friday, in response to media reports that China-based Contemporary Amperex Technology could potentially resume production at its Jianxiawo mine in early December. Data from S&P Global Platts shows that the price of spodumene - the type of lithium that is mined in Australia - fell by 8.3 per cent to $US1,135 a tonne; the price of lithium carbonate in turn fell by nine per cent to 91,020 yuan on the Guangzhou Futures Exchange. The downturn prompted a fall in the share prices of Australian lithium producers on Monday. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Santos hit by delay on Narrabri gas ruling

Santos has received another setback in its long-running bid to proceed with the Narrabri gas project in NSW. A two-day hearing on the Gomeroi people's appeal against a Native Title Tribunal ruling on the project had been scheduled to begin in the Federal Court this week; however, Justice Natalie Charlesworth recused herself from the case because an associate had worked for Santos on secondment on two separate occasions. Another judge is not available to hear the case, so the traditional owners' appeal has been pushed back to March 2026. (RMS)

News

Nov 24

UK launches critical minerals strategy to reduce dependency on China

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a critical minerals and rare earths strategy, with the strategy aimed at reducing the UK's dependency on China. It includes a Stg50 million fund to boost production at tungsten and lithium mines in Cornwall. Europe's largest deposits of lithium are in Cornwall, while the EU has previously singled out the county's tungsten mine for potential financial support. The strategy follows a six-week standoff between China and the EU over the supply of chips used in the car sector, while it seeks to ensure no more than 60% of any one critical mineral comes from a single partner country by 2035; the British government also wants to produce at least 50,000 tonnes of lithium in the UK by the same year. (Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Pop Culture

Gold Movie

Gold is a 2016 American epic crime drama film directed by Stephen Gaghan and written by Patrick Massett and John Zinman. The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Craig T. Nelson, Stacy Keach and Bruce Greenwood. The film is loosely based on the true story of the 1997 Bre-X mining scandal, when a massive gold deposit was supposedly discovered in the jungles of Indonesia; however, for legal reasons and to enhance the appeal of the film, character names and story details were changed.

Trailer

Gold (YouTube Movies and TV)
https://youtube.com/watch?v=yc0S96OZhi0

Gold is the epic tale of one man's pursuit of the American dream, to discover gold. Starring Oscar® winner Matthew McConaughey (Interstellar, Dallas Buyers Club, The Wolf Of Wall Street) as Kenny Wells, a modern day prospector desperate for a lucky break, he teams up with a similarly eager geologist and sets off on an amazing journey to find gold in the uncharted jungle of Indonesia. Getting the gold was hard, but keeping it would be even harder, sparking an adventure through the most powerful boardrooms of Wall Street. The film is inspired by a true story.

News

Citizen Kane (1941)

Directed by Orson Welles | Written by Orson Welles & Herman J. Mankiewicz | Cinematography by Gregg TolandWhy it’s considered one of the greatest films ever made:

Revolutionary storytelling: Non-linear structure jumping through multiple perspectives and timelines — decades before it became common.

Iconic moments/lines:

“Rosebud…”

The campaign speech with the giant Kane poster

The slow push-in on young Charlie playing in the snow as his future is decided

“Old age… it’s the only disease, Mr. Thompson, that you don’t look forward to being cured of.” (Bernstein)

News

Salt of the Earth (1954

Mexican workers at a zinc mine call a general strike. It is only through the solidarity of the workers, and importantly the indomitable resolve of their wives, mothers, and daughters, that they eventually triumph.

Best Quotes

The best and biggest gold mine is in between your ears."

"You are a gold mine of potential power. You have to dig to find it and make it real."

"Your mind is like a gold mine, if you dig deep you will find something golden."

"Don't die without mining the gold in your mind."

"We're like goldfields. Until we dig deep to find what's inside us, our true potentials may be hidden forever."

"If you want to find gold, you've got to love the process of digging."

"Even if you're sitting on a gold mine, you still have to dig."

"Develop men the same way gold is mined"

"Don't go into the mine looking for dirt; instead, go in looking for the gold."

"A prospector's job is to remove dirt as quickly as possible"

"A prospector who analyses every speck of dirt won't find much gold"

"The world is sitting on a gold mine but knows it not." "Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"All that is gold does not glitter."

"Gold is forever. It is beautiful, useful, and never wears out"

"Gold is the money of kings"

"Mining is the art of exploiting mineral deposits at a profit. An unprofitable mine is fit only for the sepulcher of a dead mule."

"Anyone can find the dirt in someone. Be the one that finds the gold."

"True gold fears no fire."

"The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit."

"Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold."

"When taken for granted, gold in one's hand is sometimes considered like cheap copper – so are people."

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Markets and Commodities

October 17, 2024

Australian Dollar: $0.6670 USD (down $0.0030 USD)

Iron Ore Nov Spot Price (SGX): $104.55 USD (down $1.85 USD)

Oil Price (WTI): $70.52 USD (down $0.39 USD)

Gold Price: $2,673.95 USD (up $12.93 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $4.3665 USD (up 0.0270 USD)

Bitcoin: $67,856.42 USD (up 1.50% in last 24 hours)

Dow Jones: 43,077.70 at 4.20pm NY time (up 337.28 points on yesterday's close)

 

 

 

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Snapshot via Media Man

July 29, 2024

ASX futures up 60 points or 0.8% to 7938 near 3am AEST

AUD +0.2% to 65.48 US cents

Bitcoin -0.6% to $US67,636

Dow +1.6%

S&P +1.1%

Nasdaq +1%

FTSE +1.2%

DAX +0.7%

CAC +1.2%

Gold +1.0% to $US2387.19 an ounce

Brent oil -1.5% to $US81.13 a barrel

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Elon Musk’s X Files Antitrust Suit Against Global Advertising Alliance

August 6, 2024

Elon Musk’s social media platform X has launched a significant antitrust lawsuit against the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and several of its member companies, alleging an illegal ad boycott that targeted the platform. The lawsuit, filed in Texas, is aimed at GARM, its parent firm World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), and members including CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever.

In an open letter to advertisers, X CEO Linda Yaccarino highlighted the reasons behind the lawsuit, stating that it was a direct response to GARM’s actions which allegedly cost the company billions of dollars. “This is not a decision we took lightly, but it is a direct consequence of their actions,” Yaccarino wrote. “The illegal behavior of these organizations and their executives cost X billions of dollars” per The New York Post.

The lawsuit is seeking trebled compensatory damages and injunctive relief, according to a complaint viewed by The New York Post. GARM, led by Robert Rakowitz, is an initiative of the WFA, which represents many of the world’s largest companies and ad organizations, including Disney and Coca-Cola. Its members control 90% of global marketing spending, nearly $1 trillion per year.

Yaccarino emphasized that the issue extends beyond financial damages. “This case is about more than damages — we have to fix a broken ecosystem that allows this illegal activity to occur,” she added.

According to The New York Post, the suit argues that the boycott undermined the marketplace of ideas by financially harming certain viewpoints over others. (Credit: PYMNTS)

Full article and coverage via PYMNTS

https://pymnts.com/cpi-posts/elon-musks-x-files-antitrust-suit-against-global-advertising-alliance/

PYMNTS is a former Media Man 'Business News Outlet Of The Month' award winner and finalist

 

News

Elon Musk takes GARM, several companies to court over alleged advertising boycott of X outlined in bombshell report

August 7, 2024

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has taken several companies and an advertising alliance to court over allegations of a "boycott" of X.

Elon Musk has waged “war” against advertisers as his social media platform X filed an antitrust lawsuit against a global ad alliance and several major companies, accusing them of illegally boycotting the site.

X filed a suit in a federal court in Texas against the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), the Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) and its members CVS Health, Mars, Orsted and Unilever.

The suit comes after a report from the US House of Representatives Judiciary Committee found GARM and its members “directly organised boycotts” and employed other indirect tactics to target disfavoured “platforms, content creators” and news organisations to demonetise them.

It alleges that GARM’s boycott led advertisers to pull money from X under the guise of “brand safety” concerns.

X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino argued this tactic hindered users on the social media platform from accessing a wide breadth of ideas by funding alternative viewpoints.

“The consequence - perhaps the intent - of this boycott was to seek to deprive X’s users, be they sports fans, gamers, journalists, activists, parents or political and corporate leaders, of the Global Town Square,” she wrote.

“To put it simply, people are hurt when the marketplace of ideas is undermined and some viewpoints are not funded over others as part of an illegal boycott.”

Mr Musk shared his colleague’s statement to the platform and boldly declared: “We tried peace for 2 years, now it is war.”

He later encouraged “any company who has been systematically boycotted” to file a suit.

Following his post, video sharing platform Rumble joined Mr Musk’s lawsuit, claiming it has also been impacted towards GARM’s alleged skew away from right wing voices and ideologies.

The platform announced its move on X where it accused GARM of being “a conspiracy to perpetrate an advertiser boycott of Rumble and others, and that's illegal”.

Since Musk took over the social media platform in October 2022, X has suffered a serious dive in ad dollars with the platform taking in US$2.5 billion in 2023, according to Bloomberg.

This was down from the US$1bn it was bringing in every quarter of 2022.

Musk triggered controversy again in November 2023 when he endorsed an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that Jewish communities push “hatred against whites”.

The X owner responded: “You have said the actual truth,” sparking an advertiser exodus that was reported to have lost the company as much as $75m, per The New York Times.

He made headlines again in the same month after blasting advertisers boycotting the social media platform, boldly declaring: “Go f**k yourself”.

“If somebody is going to try to blackmail me with advertising, blackmail me with money, go f**k yourself. Go f**k yourself. Is that clear? I hope it is,” he said. (Sky News Australia)

Full article and coverage via Sky News Australia

https://www.skynews.com.au/business/media/elon-musk-takes-garm-several-companies-to-court-over-alleged-advertising-boycott-of-x-outlined-in-bombshell-report/news-story/7bac6243aada770042d14ca84afc23e7

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PYMNTS wins Media Man 'Businees News Outlet Of The Month' award

Market, Commodities and Financial News Snapshot via Media Man

August 7, 2024

Australian Dollar: $0.6520 USD (up $0.0024 USD)

Iron Ore Sep Spot Price (SGX): $102.85 USD (down $0.70 USD)

Oil Price (WTI): $72.96 USD (down $1.02 USD)

Gold Price: $2,389.45 USD (down $19.96 USD)

Copper Price (CME): $4.0095 USD (up $0.0085 USD)

Bitcoin: $56,485.71 USD (up 3.10% in last 24 hours)

Dow Jones: 38,997.66 at 5.02pm NY time (up 294.39 points on yesterday's close)

(Roy Morgan Summary)

 

 

 

Business News: Australia

 

(Roy Morgan Summary)

ASX to fall as investors await big tech earnings

July 22, 2024

Futures pricing suggests that Australian equities will shed about 0.8 per cent when the market opens on Monday, following a negative lead from Wall Street. A dearth of local economic data means that investors will be focused on offshore markets over the coming week; the quarterly reporting season in the US is likely to attract scrutiny, with two of the seven major technology companies set to release their latest financial results in coming days. The S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.8 per cent to 7,961.6 points on Friday.

(Roy Morgan Summary)

News

Lithium stocks targeted by short sellers

Australian Securities & Investments Commission data has revealed that seven companies on the ASX had more than 10 per cent of their shares reported as shorted as at 12 July, compared to just one in the previous year. Companies involved in the mining of lithium and other materials used in the manufacture of electric vehicles account for seven of the 10 most shorted stocks on the ASX, with 21.06 per cent of Pilbara Minerals shares reported as shorted. Oscar Oberg from Wilson Asset Management says Pilbara Minerals' reported short position is unheard of; he adds that Pilbara Minerals is being shorted because demand for electric vehicles is not as strong as had been forecast.

News

Mortgage cliff turns into a subsiding wave

PEXA Group's chief economist Julie Toth believes that the rush for Australians to refinance their mortgage loans has peaked. She adds that rather than a 'mortgage cliff', the nation has experienced only a 'wave' as borrowers have shifted their loans to variable interest rates after their fixed-loan period expired. Toth adds that there has been a slight increase in mortgage arrears and distressed sales in response to the Reserve Bank's aggressive monetary policy tightening cycle; she expects arrears to remain stable if there are no more interest rate increases.

News

CSR's insulation price rise 'could be gouging'

Insulation distributor Consolidated Energy alleges that building materials group CSR misused its market power to 'gouge' suppliers with huge increases in the price of insulation; it is seeking internal documents and board papers in order to prove its claim. Consolidated Energy is asking the Federal Court to grant its request that CSR be required to hand over information relating to price increases between June 2021 and June 2022; Consolidated Energy alleges that CSR was limiting supply to distributors and imposing big price increases in order to benefit its own business.

News

Coal boss: use gas to ease the transition

Data from the Australian Energy Market Operator has revealed that no renewable energy project that was in the commissioning stage reached full output in June. This was despite an increase in renewable energy projects being ready to come online, prompting calls from Delta Electricity CEO Richard Wrightson for gas to be included in the federal government's Capacity Investment Scheme. With Delta being the owner of the Vales Point coal plant in NSW, Wrightson says gas is the only technology available now that can solve the firming problem, but it is the only technology that is being supported by the government's scheme.

News

Fortescue now marching 'to the one beat'

July 20, 2024

(Roy Morgan Summary)

Andrew Forrest surprised investors at its 2020 AGM when he outlined a vision for the iron ore mining company that would see it become a green energy behemoth. He said Fortescue would be targeting production of as much as 235 gigawatts or renewable energy, more than five times the capacity of Australia's National Electricity Market at the time. However, Forrest has now conceded it cannot achieve its target of producing 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year by 2030 because of soaring energy costs, although he contends Fortescue's green energy dream is still alive. Fortescue will now bring its iron ore and green energy units back together, with Forrest saying that all of the company are "all marching in the same direction, to the same drum beat".

(Roy Morgan Summary)

 

 

 

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