rss

US Treas Sec Yellen to give speech on cryptocurrency policy, regulation – Thursday 7 April

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is set to a speech on cryptocurrency policy and regulation.

  • Thursday 10:30 a.m. ET (1430 GMT)
  • will outline possible steps the Treasury could take to investigate the use and technology of digital assets

US Treasury statement:

“Secretary Yellen will make the case for a consistent and comprehensive policy framework that promotes responsible innovation of digital assets and appropriately assesses and mitigates the risks they may pose”

BTC update … running scared of Yellen:

btc yellen 06 April 2022

US major indices give up gains seen over the last two trading days

The major stock indices erased the gains seen over the last up two trading days

  • The Dow industrial average closed last Thursday at 34677.99. The index is closing today at 34641.17, down -280.7 points or -0.8%
  • The S&P index closed last Thursday at 4530.42. The index is closing today at 4525.11, down -57.52 points or -1.26%.
  • The NASDAQ index closed last Thursday at 14220.52. The index is closing today at 14204.18, down -328.3 points or -2.26%
  • The Russell 2000 index closed last Thursday at 2070.12. The index is closing today at 2046.04, down -49.39 points or -2.36%.

The best sectors today include:

  • utilities +0.7%
  • healthcare +0.3%
  • consumer staples +0.1%

The worst performers today included

  • consumer discretionary -2.3%
  • technology -2.1%
  • energy -1.5%

The price of crude oil sold off from the settlement price at $101.96 and currently trades at $100.35. That’s down $-2.93 or -2.8%.

EU to step up sanctions on Russia

  • To ban all coal imports from Russia
  • To ban export to Russia of semiconductors, high-tech machinery, LNG extraction tech, other equipment
  • Export ban represents value of €10 billion per year
  • To ban import from Russia of wood, cement, rubber, chemicals; estimated €5 billion per year
  • To add dozens of other Russian individuals to sanctions list

The measures are being cited by EU sources via Reuters. The exact details are believed to still be under discussion, especially the coal ban as I reckon there is still some divide over the matter. It is at least a first step by the EU in trying to punish Russian energy, even if it doesn’t really specifically touch on oil or gas.

Shanghai COVID-19 a “Black hole of information”

Lack of information, misinformation, and disinformation all coming out of China official media on the situation in Shanghai, which is recording the worst coronavirus outbreak since the pandemic began. With no end in sight.

Case numbers are rocketing higher. Of course, these are probably understated.

26m Shangahi reisdents are being ‘mass tested’.

Some snippets from various reports (from media not approved by China’s state):

  • “The port of Shanghai is still operating, though at considerably lower productivity. Lack of dockworkers, due to restrictions, are impacting loading and unloading. Additionally, limitations and delays on trucking do affect container availability. In an effort to get around the disruptions, shippers are shifting their cargo to nearby ports such as Ningbo and ocean carriers are omitting Shanghai calls,”
  • “This is bad news for carriers as it chokes off the supply of goods and forcibly reduces demand for their services,”

Analysts at Nomura are forecasting additional shipping delays and say:

  • “Markets so far have underestimated the severity of the situation in China”

Major indices close higher with the NASDAQ index leading the way NASDAQ index rises 1.9% and closes near session highs

  • Dow industrial average up 103.67 points or 0.3% at 34921.95
  • S&P index up 36.76 points or 0.81% at 4582.63
  • NASDAQ index up 271.06 points or 1.90% 14532.56
  • Russell 2000 up 4.32 points or 0.21% at 2095.44

The major indices are all closing higher for the second consecutive day. The S&P sector gainers included:

  • communications +2.8%
  • consumer discretionary +2.3%
  • technology +1.9%

The laggards today included:

  • healthcare -0.8%
  • utilities -0.8%
  • financials -0.4%
Go to top