Author: Steven Sahiounie

As Bitcoin (BTC) swiftly approaches the critical $31,000 resistance zone, investors and traders alike are eagerly awaiting its next move. The world’s leading cryptocurrency has demonstrated remarkable resilience, with its value continuing to surge despite various market challenges. Will it manage to blast up higher, shattering expectations and setting new milestones, or will the resistance prove too formidable to overcome? In this analysis, we will delve into the factors influencing Bitcoin’s price trajectory and provide valuable insights into its potential future performance. Stay tuned to get a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics at play in this ever-evolving market. US…

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urges the US and the EU to stop funding the Ukraine war and calls on all parties to negotiate a peace deal. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva stated that the US should stop “encouraging war” in Ukraine, while he was on a visit to China to discuss bilateral agreements. The President, who was wrapping up his visit to China and preparing to head to the UAE said, “The United States needs to stop encouraging war and start talking about peace. The European Union needs to start talking about peace.” Lula had previously proposed…

Stocks slid Friday after a slate of earnings beats from big banks fueled concerns that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its next two meetings. Still, the major indices gained for the week. The Dow rose 400 points, or 1.2%. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.3%. JPMorgan Chase on Friday reported first-quarter profit and revenue that crushed expectations, boosted by the Fed’s interest rate hiking campaign. Citigroup, Wells Fargo and PNC Financial also reported strong results. CEO Jamie Dimon warned investors in the company’s post-earnings conference call that they should prepare for interest…

On April 15, clashes broke out in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum, after days of tension between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The RSF said it had taken control of the presidential palace, the residence of the army chief and Khartoum International Airport. However, this was denied by the Sudanese military. The army said that RSF fighters have been trying to seize the military headquarters. “Fighters from the RSF attacked several army camps in Khartoum and elsewhere around Sudan,” the AFP news agency quotes army spokesman Brig Gen Nabil Abdallah as saying. “Clashes are ongoing…

UBS’ purchase of Credit Suisse’s US subsidiaries can move forward, the Federal Reserve said Friday. The statement comes a month after UBS stepped in to rescue the embattled Swiss lender and prevent turmoil in the financial sector from spreading, after an emergency loan of nearly $54 billion from the Swiss National Bank failed to stop the carnage. The problems for Credit Suisse began when the Saudi National Bank, its largest backer, said it wouldn’t put up more cash after buying a nearly 10% stake in the bank for $1.5 billion in 2022. Banking customers were already on edge after the…

Ether has risen more than 9% since the Ethereum Shanghai upgrade, which held center stage in crypto markets for much of the week. Bitcoin held fast above $30,000. Major digital assets surged in an eventful week that included encouraging inflation data and the much anticipated Ethereum Shanghai upgrade. Once-shaken confidence in crypto markets rose, along with valuations and trading volumes. Bitcoin (BTC) and ether (ETH) have risen about 9% and 11%, respectively, over the past seven days, with much of the gains occurring over the latter few days. In recent economic reports inflation was lower than expected and jobless claims were higher than expected.…

French President Emmanuel Macron signs the highly controversial pension reforms into law on April 15 amid fierce popular opposition. Amid fierce popular opposition, French President Emmanuel Macron signed the pension reform into law on Saturday, defying three months of protests and pleas from French unions who fiercely opposed the new reforms. The deeply controversial legislation was put into effect after getting published overnight in France’s official journal, and was pushed through by an executive order issued by the French Prime Minister, to be successfully approved by the Constitutional Council on April 14. The Council found the law, including the clause which raised the…

The International Energy Agency stated, in a report, that Russia’s total oil supplies increased last March by 0.6 million barrels per day to 8.1 million barrels per day. According to the monthly report of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Russian oil and petroleum products exports in March were the highest since April 2020. “Russian oil exports rose in March 2023 to the highest level since April 2020. Total supplies increased by 0.6 million barrels per day to 8.1 million barrels per day,” the report said. Including petroleum products increased last month by 450 thousand barrels per day compared to the…

Oil prices rose, in trading today, Friday, amid fears of a possible shortage of supplies, after the decision of countries in “OPEC +” to reduce production. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were trading at 09:20 Moscow time, at $82.46 a barrel, an increase of 0.37% from the previous closing price. Brent crude futures were traded at $86.32 a barrel, an increase of 0.27% from the previous settlement price, according to Bloomberg agency data. Despite the decline in prices yesterday by 1.3% for US crude and by 1.4% for “Brent” crude, black gold prices tend to end the week on…

Alexander Csergo, 55, was detained on Friday in the Bondi area of Sydney on one count of reckless foreign interference. After his case was postponed in Sydney, an Australian man accused of foreign influence will remain behind bars until Monday. Alexander Csergo, a 55-year-old businessman who ordinarily resides abroad, was detained in the Sydney suburb of Bondi on Friday for allegedly exchanging information with persons working for a foreign intelligence service, according to a statement from the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Csergo appeared in Parramatta local court via a video connection on Saturday morning on one count of reckless foreign interference, which…