The three major indices are closing lower both on the day and for the trading week. The declines are led by the NASDAQ index. A snapshot of the final numbers shows:

• Dow industrial average -190.91 point or -0.49% at 38714.76
• S&P index -33.37 points or -0.65% at 5117.10
• NASDAQ index -155.37 points or -0.96% at 15973.16

For the trading week, the Dow Industrial Average was near unchanged. The NASDAQ index was the weakest of the three:

• Dow industrial average, -0.02%.
• S&P index -0.13%
• NASDAQ index, -0.70%

Looking at the small-cap Russell 2000 index it rose today but was down sharply on the week:

• Russell 2000+8.146 points or 0.40% at 2039.32. For the trading week, the index fell -2.08%

This article was written by Greg Michalowski at www.forexlive.com.

ANZ highlights the unexpected resilience of physical gold demand despite the surge in prices, attributing steady global consumption levels to strong interest from China and India. The report discusses the potential limits to further demand growth due to the prolonged period of elevated prices.

Key Points:

1. Steady Global Consumption: Global gold demand remained consistent at 3,057t in 2023, closely aligning with the decade’s average despite record-high prices.
2. China’s Strong Demand: A 16% year-on-year increase in China’s gold consumption to 959t in 2023, driven by pent-up demand and a shift towards value preservation amidst economic uncertainties.
3. India’s Sustained Interest: India’s gold consumption slightly declined in 2023 but stayed near pre-pandemic levels, supported by a growing affluent population.
4. Price Sensitivity and Demand Outlook: While physical demand has shown resilience, the continued high price levels may challenge further growth in demand, especially in key markets like China and India.

Conclusion:

Despite the challenges posed by sustained high gold prices, physical demand for gold has shown remarkable resilience, particularly in major markets such as China and India. ANZ suggests that while this trend demonstrates the underlying strength and appeal of gold as an investment, the potential for significant demand growth may be curtailed unless there’s a notable change in price trends. Demand is expected to remain stable, reflecting the balance between value preservation motives and price sensitivity among consumers.

Gold today is down $4 to $2156.

For bank trade ideas, check out eFX Plus. For a limited time, get a 7 day free trial, basic for $79 per month and premium at $109 per month. Get it here.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.

The Bank of Japan will hike rates for the first time since 2017 on Tuesday, according to Nikkei.

„The Bank of Japan is expected to end its negative interest rates when its policy board meets on Monday and Tuesday, Nikkei has learned.“

They report that the BOJ began coordinating both within and outside the BOJ on Friday to end the policy. Rather than just hiking to 0.00%, as assumed, the BOJ will hike to a range in the 0.00-0.10% range.

The final piece of the puzzle appears to be the latest wage numbers, something we’ve been highlighting.

This year’s wage hikes „are of a level that even reflationists who are cautious about modifying monetary policy would accept a change in policy,“ according to a BOJ source.

There has been minimal market reaction to this report, which suggests that the moves are already priced in.

The moves will also end yield curve control and scrap purchases of ETFs and REITs.

USD/JPY last traded at 149.05, up 73 pips today and unchanged since this report.

This article was written by Adam Button at www.forexlive.com.

Headlines:

• Japanese yen struggles despite nod for BOJ policy shift
• Japan’s largest trade union: Preliminary data shows average wage hike of 5.28% this year
• BOJ reportedly making final preparations to exit negative rates next week
• Bitcoin stumbles further, now down 6% on the day
• ECB’s Rehn: We have started discussing rate cuts
• France February final CPI +3.0% vs +2.9% y/y prelim
• Italy February final CPI +0.8% vs +0.8% y/y prelim
• China February M2 money supply +8.7% vs +8.8% y/y expected
• PBOC said to have no intention of actively draining cash from the banking system

Markets:

• CHF leads, NZD lags on the day
• European equities higher; S&P 500 futures up 0.2%
• US 10-year yields down 2.5 bps to 4.273%
• Gold up 0.2% to $2,166.74
• WTI crude down 0.6% to $80.31
• Bitcoin down 4.8% to $67,301

There wasn’t too much movement on the session but the most notable one was yen bulls being dealt a setback once again.

The disappointment from the BOJ last year is a scarring reminder that pricing in an imminent policy shift too soon for the Japanese central bank hasn’t always worked out. And so, even after a more positive development on the spring wage negotiations and a report that the BOJ is making final adjustments to end negative rates next week, the yen fell after a minor bump higher.

USD/JPY fell to a low of 148.03 on the headlines but quickly recovered that to 148.30, before extending its advance to 148.80.

As for the dollar, it is keeping steadier after the jump in Treasury yields yesterday. And even with the slight retreat in yields today, it isn’t factoring in too much for now. The aussie and kiwi are among the laggards as the Chinese yuan weakened further, following a move by the PBOC to drain liquidity via its medium-term loan operation for the first time in 16 months.

Besides that, equities are keeping cautiously optimistic after yesterday’s drop. European indices are consolidating at record highs while US futures are also pointing to light gains ahead of the Wall Street open.

And we also saw Bitcoin stumble further after selling pressures in late US trading yesterday. The cryptocurrency now looks to solidify a drop below $70,000 with the low earlier briefly hitting just under $66,000. It is now down nearly 5% to $67,301.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

USD

• The Fed left interest rates unchanged as
  expected at the last meeting and dropped the tightening bias in the statement.
• The US CPI and
  the US PPI beat
  expectations for the second consecutive month.
• The NFP report beat
  expectations on the headline number, but the unemployment rate and the average
  hourly earnings missed notably. Moreover, the US Jobless Claims
  yesterday beat expectations across the board with a big positive revision to
  Continuing Claims.
• The latest US ISM
  Manufacturing PMI missed expectations by a big margin
  remaining in contraction with the US ISM Services
  PMI
  following suit but holding on in expansion.
• The US Retail Sales missed
  expectations across the board although the data improved from the prior month.
• The market expects the first rate cut in June.

CAD

• The BoC left interest rates unchanged at
  5.00% as expected stating that further easing in underlying inflation is needed.
• The latest Canadian CPI missed expectations across the
  board with the underlying inflation measures falling.
• On the labour market side, the latest report beat
  expectations but we saw a fall in wage growth which is something that the BoC
  is watching closely.
• The Canadian PMIs improved in
  January although they remain both in contractionary territory.
• The market expects the first rate
  cut in June.

USDCAD Technical Analysis –
Daily Timeframe

On the daily chart, we can see that USDCAD pulled
back into a key resistance level at
1.3540 following the strong US data release. This is where we can expect the
sellers to step in with a defined risk above the level to position for a drop
into the 1.3360 level. The buyers, on the other hand, will want to see the
price breaking higher to invalidate the bearish setup and position for a rally
into the 1.3620 level.

USDCAD Technical Analysis –
4 hour Timeframe

On the 4 hour chart, we can see that we can also
find the 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level
around the resistance level for confluence. We can
also notice that the price is a bit overstretched as depicted by the distance
from the blue 8 moving average. In such
instances, we can generally see a pullback into the moving average or some
consolidation before the next move.

USDCAD Technical Analysis –
1 hour Timeframe

On the 1 hour chart, we can see more
closely the recent price action and we can see that around the 4-hour 8 moving
average we have a support zone on this timeframe with the 38.2% Fibonacci
retracement level for confluence. If the price falls from the resistance, we
can expect the buyers to step in around the support with a defined risk below
it to position for a break above the 1.3540 resistance with a better risk to
reward setup. The sellers, on the other hand, will want to see the price
breaking lower to increase the bearish bets into new lows.

Upcoming Events

Today we conclude the week with the US Industrial
Production data and the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment survey.

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.

Tesla, a
major player in the electric car surge and one of the most talked-about
companies over the past decade is facing some severe challenges. To put it
frankly, it’s been one setback after another for Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA). The
demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is on the decline, the company is battling
fierce competition from other brands, especially in China. Recently, it got bumped
from the S&P 500’s top tier, with its shares taking a 31% nosedive this
year, making its CEO the world’s biggest loser in terms of net worth. And just
when you thought it couldn’t get any worse, this week brought another hurdle.

On
Wednesday, Wells Fargo raised concerns about the diminishing impact of Tesla’s
price cuts, the world’s once most valuable automaker, on demand for its
electric vehicles and downgraded them to „underweight.“ This move led
to a 2% drop in Tesla stock price.

The
brokerage released a scathing report, forecasting a worst-case scenario of $44
a share, which is roughly 75% lower than the current market price of $169 per
share. According to the report, this grim price target could become a reality
within the next 12 months. Additionally, Wells Fargo slashed Tesla’s price
target to $120 from $200, making it one of the lowest on Wall Street.

Tesla’s
stock has plummeted by more than 30% this year. Its lackluster performance
threatens to cast it out of the Magnificent Seven club, lagging behind other heavy hitters such as Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Apple
(NASDAQ:AAPL), Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Alphabet
(NASDAQ-GOOG), and Meta (NASDAQ:META) in 2024.

Despite
its struggles, Tesla still boasts the highest forward price-to-earnings ratio
of 52 among the seven companies, as analysts lowered their estimates for
earnings. On average, analysts have reduced their earnings forecast for 2024 by
approximately 10.8% in the past 30 days, according to LSEG data. Nevertheless,
the average Wall Street rating for Tesla remains „hold,“ as many
analysts anticipate the demand slump to stabilize later this year.

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.

Thetanuts Finance, the leading decentralized on-chain options protocol, announced that it has integrated Pendle Finance’s $PT-eETH offering to create a Leveraged LRT Strategy Vault on the Ethereum Mainnet.

This marks the protocol’s first foray into the world of restaking and Liquid Restaking Tokens (LRTs), a fast-growing primitive within the Decentralized Finance (DeFi) industry that has already accumulated more than $10 billion in Total Value Locked (TVL).

Accelerated Staking Yields

Restaking provides a way for DeFi users to use their staked $ETH to secure other networks and earn additional yield beyond what they earn via the Ethereum Mainnet. Pioneered by EigenLayer, it gives users the choice of restaking directly in EigenLayer’s native dApp or within a liquid restaking protocol such as EtherFi. By staking their $stETH in liquid restaking protocols, users generate “Liquid Restaking Tokens” or LRTs that can also be leveraged to earn additional yield elsewhere.

The leading LRT at present is EtherFi, which currently boasts more than $2.5 billion in TVL. It enables users to deposit $ETH, $stETH, $bETH or $cbETH in order to mint an LRT known as $eETH.

By holding $eETH, users can increase their rewards with EigenLayer points and also protocol points such as EtherFi Loyalty Points. Moreover, there are additional opportunities available through third-party LRTs, such as the innovative Pendle Finance protocol, which seeks to increase $eETH yields even more by splitting it into $PT-eETH and $YT-eETH.

$PT-eETH is a token that forgoes $eETH yields and points to instead earn a fixed ~20% APY. $PT-eETH can be redeemed for $eETH at a 1:1 ratio when it matures.

As for $YT-eETH, this provides DeFi investors with leveraged exposure to $eETH yields and points that are streamed to holders on a perpetual basis until maturity, at which point the token decays to no value. At present, $YT-eETH holders can accrue 39x EtherFi points and 20x EigenLayer points.

Bringing Utility To $PT-eETH

While Pendle Finance currently stands out by offering the industry’s highest fixed yield for $ETH via its $PT-eETH offering, together with complete certainty of those returns, Thetanuts Finance’s Leveraged LRT Strategy Vault gives users an opportunity to drive those yields even higher.

With its new offering, Thetanuts is integrating $PT-eETH to launch a Leveraged LRT Strategy Vault on Ethereum Mainnet.

Holders of PT-eETH may either wait for their tokens to mature on June 27 before they can realize any gains, or exit their position earlier if the implied APY is favourable. While waiting for maturation, the Thetanuts Finance Leveraged LRT Strategy Vault provides $PT-eETH holders with the opportunity to earn additional yield by utilizing their $PT-eETH to generate additional yields via option premiums and rewards.

With its Leveraged LRT Strategy Vaults, Thetanuts has created a novel mechanism in which users must “Zap” their $PT-eETH tokens and deposit them into the Thetanuts Finance v3 Lending Market, and borrow $ETH. This $ETH is then deposited into the $ETH Call (“ETH-C”) Basic Vault, where it generates additional Basic Vault Option premiums, but takes on short volatility risk.

In this way, Thetanuts Finance’s Leveraged LRT Vaults give $PT-eETH holders the ability to utilize a valuable asset, which they could previously only hold until maturity. In total, they’ll be able to generate additional yield in five ways – EigenLayer Points, EtherFi Loyalty Points, Pendle $PT-eETH Fixed Yield, Thetanuts Finance $ETH-C Basic Vault Option Premiums, and $NUTS Rewards after Thetanuts Finance’s governance token goes live.

Thetanuts Finance is proud to deliver a new industry-first with its innovative Leveraged LRT Strategy Vaults. The launch represents the first time an options market has created a new yield-generating tool for LRT-related staking products. Due to this, it’s highly likely there will be strong demand for the new product. There is currently 150,000 $PT-eETH (worth $577mm) that is currently in circulation.

Thetanuts Finance will first launch its Leveraged LRT Strategy Vault on the Ethereum Mainnet, and will eventually integrate other LRT protocols – enabling a similar strategy with other LRTs as collateral assets.

As with all DeFi investments, $PT-eETH short-call vaults are not entirely without risk, as depositors effectively take on short volatility risk. As such, there is a danger that their deposits could become worthless if the market for eETH or PT-eETH collapses.

About Thetanuts Finance

Thetanuts Finance (https://thetanuts.finance/) is the leading decentralized on-chain options protocol focused on altcoin options. With the launch of Thetanuts Finance’s Leveraged LRT Strategy Vault, Thetanuts Finance will make its foray into the world of staking and Liquid Restaking Tokens.

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.

Social media can have a significant—sometimes
critical—impact on the reputation of public companies and their quotes.
Influencers in the cryptocurrency space frequently have a considerable
influence on the value of cryptocurrencies. For more information, read the
article.

In modern conditions, social media create an
environment in which the principles of interaction between people are
fundamentally changing. Today, everyone can instantly interact with a lot of
people via social media—which can have a significant effect on the reputation
of public companies and their quotes.

First
calls, and dive deep into the story

The first case that exposed the potential threat
of social media to the financial industry occurred in 2013. At 1:08 p.m. on 23
April, a fake tweet from a hacked Associated Press account stated, ‘Two
explosions at the U.S. White House, Barack Obama injured.’ Stock prices
immediately plummeted, wiping out the value of the S&P 500 by more than
0.9%, or $130 billion, in less than three minutes. This was the first such case
on Twitter, and as is often the case on Twitter, it was brief and superficial.
The Associated Press itself was quick to clarify the false nature of these
messages, and the White House confirmed it, and the markets recovered the next
day.

Social
media as a political tool

Another striking example of the impact on
financial markets through Twitter is the messages of the former U.S. President,
Donald Trump. He used his Twitter account to report crucial economic news and
repeatedly threaten Chinese officials with tariff hikes, at times causing
market and investment turmoil.

According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, U.S.
stocks have tended to fall on days when Trump tweets more than 35 times and
rise on days when he tweets less than five times. JPMorgan even created ‘Volfefe
Index’, playing off
Trump’s viral typo ‘covfefe’ he tweeted in
2017, to track market movements in response to the president’s social media
activity. During Donald Trump’s most significant social media activity,
JPMorgan noted that ‘tweets have
increasingly moved U.S. rates markets immediately after publication.’

‘There
is indeed a correlation between trader sentiment, which can be evaluated based
on tweets, and market movements—a 1% increase in the ’negative sentiment‘
indicator is followed by a 0.03% drop in the exchange rate,’ said Kar Yong Ang,
the Octa financial market analyst. ‚However, the effect does not last more than
an hour—the tool is therefore unsuitable for longer-term forecasts,‘ he added.

During Donald Trump’s presidency, major
financial conglomerates created particular indices that tracked the correlation
between his tweets and volatility in the U.S. stock market. Now, updating of
these indices is on hold as it has been almost three years since Trump last
tweeted about the news and the economy as a U.S. president.

Previous presidents have not maintained the same
social media presence—and some critics suggest that Trump’s tweets have put
inappropriate pressure on politically independent bodies such as the Fed. It
all resulted in a permanent erosion of central bank independence during Trump’s
term, as investors no longer perceive the Federal Reserve as independent of the
executive branch.

This reinforces that a strong media personality
is an opinion leader and can influence capital markets.

The
impact of social media on cryptocurrency prices

The rise of cryptocurrencies has become a big
deal in recent years, and it’s impossible to overlook how social media affect
market patterns and price movements. Social media has played a significant role
in encouraging the use of cryptocurrencies for payments. Users often share
information about the latest market trends and developments on prominent
cryptocurrency discussion sites, including X (former Twitter) and Reddit.

Influencers in the cryptocurrency space often
have a significant effect on the value of cryptocurrencies, especially minor
altcoins, as followers value their opinions and may decide to invest in
specific cryptocurrencies due to their advice. However, it can also lead to
market manipulation and ‘pump and dump’ scams, where
influencers artificially increase the price of a cryptocurrency before selling
their assets profitably.

Memes are another way social media influences
cryptocurrency prices and market movements. On social media, memes are a common
way of communicating, and memes about cryptocurrencies have been viral in
recent years. For example, the famous ‘To the Moon’
meme is used to convey enthusiasm about the potential of a particular
cryptocurrency.

While memes may seem like innocent
entertainment, they can have a big impact on the value of cryptocurrency. A
certain cryptocurrency may rise in value because of the hype that memes can
generate. However, if the fundamentals behind the enthusiasm are strong, the
promotion may only last for a while, and prices may plummet.

As we can see, the penetration of social media
in the financial world is intense and is only getting stronger every year. In
addition to classical fundamental and technical analysis, a third dimension is
emerging, through which it is possible to track short-term price changes and
use this information as an additional investing opportunity.

About
Octa

Octa is an international broker that has been providing
online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access
to financial markets and various services already utilised by clients from 180
countries with more than 42 million trading accounts. Free educational
webinars, articles, and analytical tools they provide help clients reach their
investment goals.

The company is involved in a comprehensive network of
charitable and humanitarian initiatives, including the improvement of
educational infrastructure and short-notice relief projects supporting local
communities.

Octa has also won more than 60 awards since its
foundation, including the ‚Best Educational Broker 2023‘ award from Global
Forex Awards and the ‚Best Global Broker Asia 2022‘ award from International
Business Magazine.

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.

Headlines:

• FX muted awaiting more US data later in the day
• ECB’s Stournaras says four rate cuts for this year seem reasonable
• Japan’s largest industrial union: Average pay hike offered by firms was highest since 2013
• Japanese Bankers Association head says odds of BOJ achieving price target have heightened
• Spain February final CPI +2.8% vs +2.8% y/y prelim
• Switzerland February producer and import prices +0.1% vs -0.5% m/m prior
• China’s top diplomat set to visit Australia and New Zealand in the coming week
• IEA raises oil demand growth forecast but warns of economic headwinds

Markets:

• NZD leads on the day
• European equities higher; S&P 500 futures up 0.3%
• US 10-year yields up 0.6 bps to 4.197%
• Gold down 0.4% to $2,166.93
• WTI crude up 0.9% to $79.95
• Bitcoin down 0.4% to $72,846

It was a quiet session in Europe as traders seem content to sit on their hands ahead of the next set of US data releases this week.

Major currencies were a bore with the dollar keeping rather flattish across the board. USD/JPY was a little higher around 147.90 levels early on but is now trading back to near unchanged levels at 147.75 on the day.

Besides that, there really isn’t much to comment as the narrow ranges are leaving a lot to be desired thus far.

In the equities space, European indices are still rampaging through with French stocks leading the charge. The CAC 40 is crossing the 8,200 mark for the first time with the DAX also looking to keep above the 18,000 level today.

US futures are also slightly buoyed, with S&P 500 futures up 0.3% and Nasdaq futures up 0.4% currently.

In other markets, bonds are also still in deep slumber today while precious metals are down slightly after a surging run higher yesterday.

Let’s see what how markets will take to the US data later as that will set the tone before we get to the end of the week.

This article was written by Justin Low at www.forexlive.com.

Decentralized Finance, commonly referred to as DeFi, is a
revolutionary movement within the financial industry that leverages blockchain technology to eliminate intermediaries and central
authorities from financial transactions. This innovative ecosystem comprises
various financial services including lending, borrowing, trading, investment, and
insurance, accessible to anyone with an internet connection.

Core Principles of DeFi

DeFi is built on several core principles:

• Permissionless: Unlike traditional finance, there are no gatekeepers
  in DeFi. Anyone with a wallet and an internet connection can participate
  without needing approval from a central authority.
• Transparency: All transactions in DeFi are recorded on a public
  blockchain, making them transparent and verifiable by anyone at any time.
• Interoperability: Many DeFi applications are built on compatible
  platforms that enable them to work together seamlessly, creating complex
  financial services.
• Programmability: Advanced smart contracts automate transactions and
  enforce agreements without the need for intermediaries.

How DeFi Works

At the heart of DeFi are smart contracts, which are
self-executing contracts with the terms directly written into code. These smart
contracts run on blockchain networks like Ethereum, forming the backbone of
DeFi applications (dApps).

Example of a DeFi Application:

1. Lending Platforms: Users can lend their cryptocurrency and earn interest
   without the need for a bank. Borrowers can take out loans by providing
   collateral.
2. Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs): Allow users to trade cryptocurrencies without relying
   on a central entity to hold their funds. Trades are executed directly
   between users‘ wallets.
3. Yield Farming and Liquidity
   Mining: Incentive mechanisms where
   users provide liquidity to a DeFi protocol in exchange for rewards,
   typically in the form of the protocol’s native token.
4. Stablecoins: Digital currencies pegged to assets like USD,
   providing a stable medium of exchange within the volatile crypto market.

Tips for Engaging with DeFi

• Understand the Risks: DeFi protocols are subject to code vulnerabilities,
  hacks, and scams. Always do your due diligence before participating.
• Start Small: Begin with a small amount of money that you can afford
  to lose until you become more familiar with the DeFi space.
• Keep Learning: DeFi is an evolving field. Continuously educate
  yourself about new projects and technologies.
• Use Reputable Wallets: Stick to well-known and secure wallets to interact
  with DeFi applications.
• Be Aware of Gas Fees: Transactions on blockchain networks, like Ethereum,
  require fees. Be mindful of these when making transactions as they can
  vary widely.
• Consider the Impact of
  Impermanent Loss: For
  liquidity providers, be aware that if the price of deposited assets
  changes compared to when they were deposited, you may experience
  impermanent loss.
• Secure Your Investments: Use hardware wallets for higher security and ensure
  your investments are protected from unauthorized access.

By embracing these tips and staying informed, you can
navigate the DeiFi landscape more safely and make the most of what
decentralized finance has to offer. The shift towards DeFi represents not just
a technological change but also a cultural shift toward more open and inclusive
financial systems. Whether you’re a seasoned investor or a curious newcomer,
understanding DeFi could be critical to managing your digital finances in the
future.

This article was written by FL Contributors at www.forexlive.com.