Dow Jones edges higher on NFP beat as Iran reply awaited

The futures market is an exchange-based auction in which participants buy and sell contracts of an underlying asset at a predetermined future date and price. The set price is agreed upon today and is derived from the underlying asset. Futures contracts can be based on a wide range of assets, with commodities among the most popular, although currencies and indices are other common underlying assets. Futures prices depend on their underlying asset and act as a mechanism for firms, institutions, and large-position traders to manage risks through hedging.  Futures can be traded in different ways. The most common ways are via a regulated exchange or via Contracts For Difference (CFDs). In the former, liquidity is high and pricing is more transparent, with the broker serving only as an intermediary between you and the market. Still, it generally requires more capital. The largest futures exchanges are the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYME). As for CFDs, these require less capital and thus trading is more flexible, but at the cost of less transparency.  The E-mini S&P 500 index, Crude Oil (Brent, WTI), Natural Gas, Gold, Silver, Copper, and soft commodities such as grains are among the most actively

05-09

Bitcoin Traders Have These Support Levels in Mind as $80,000 Battle Returns

Bitcoin (BTC) revisited $80,000 on Friday after US-Iran war nerves sparked 3% daily losses.  Key points:Bitcoin bullish momentum slowly returns after a shakeout amid familiar geopolitical tensions.Traders flag support levels in the mid- to high-$70,000 zone as important for bulls to defend.Unprecedented Bollinger Bands data calls for more volatile conditions going forward.  Bitcoin retests $80,000 after sell-off  Data from TradingView showed BTC price downside pressure easing toward the Wall Street open.  Thursday had seen risk assets lose out amid rumors of the US restarting its “Project Freedom” campaign against Iran, while military strikes from both sides placed a fragile ceasefire in jeopardy. The S&P 500 came off new all-time highs.  Commenting, crypto trader Michaël van de Poppe said that the retracement was no “surprise” given recent brisk gains.  “Assets trend in waves. Bitcoin has seen multiple days of momentum upwards, so its not strange to expect it to consolidate just now,” he wrote in an at the time.  “As long as the trend remains intact, I think well see more upside during coming weeks.”  Van de Poppe subsequently Bitcoin as “doing just fine,” but said $76,000 needed to hold as support.  “The first rally out of a bear market lands at that resistance, and it would give some more

05-09

SBF has joined Pam Bondi on team Dow 50K

From his prison cell at FCI Lompoc, Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) is running the same Donald Trump-cheerleading play that Pam Bondi ran right before Trump fired her. Hes joined Bondi on team “Dow 50K.”  The convicted FTX fraudster‘s proxy-run X account posted on Wednesday that the S&P 500 had hit a record level of 7,365. The index, the ex-FTX CEO claimed, had rallied an impressive 22.8% since Trump’s second inauguration.  At the corresponding time during Joe Bidens presidency, it was up just 7%.  It is a near-perfect echo of the rhetorical move that turned Bondis glaze into a meme.  At her February 2026 House Judiciary hearing on the Department of Justices handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, the then-US attorney general abruptly pivoted away from questions about the files.  Instead of responding, she started reciting stock index prices instead, reminding lawmakers that the Dow Jones Industrial Average index was over 50,000, the S&P near 7,000, and that Americans 401(k) retirement accounts were “booming.”  The clip of her desperate attempt to defend Trump went viral.  Dow 50K became a meme  Despite her attempts to defend Trump amid a Congressional inquiry into her own mismanagement, Trump fired her on April 2.  SBF is serving 25 years for stealing roughly $8 billion from

05-09

Analyst Predicts Bitcoin Price Will Top $320,000 After ‘Cleanest Signal’ Emerged

The analyst‘s view is based on a long-term upward channel that has guided Bitcoin’s price movement for years. In this pattern, major market bottoms tend to form near the lower boundary, while strong rallies eventually push the price toward the upper boundary before the cycle turns downward again. The structure suggests a repeating cycle where each decline creates a new base before the next major rise begins.  Past market cycles follow this same pattern. Bitcoin formed a major low near $2 in 2011, followed by another bottom around $170 in 2015. The next cycle low appeared near $3,800 during the 2020 market crash.  The trend continued in later years, with Bitcoin dropping to around $15,000 in 2023 before starting another recovery. According to the analyst, the latest cycle bottom may have formed near $60,000 in 2026, once again aligning with the lower boundary of the long-term channel.  In earlier cycles, rebounds from this lower level eventually pushed Bitcoin toward the top of the channel. If the same structure holds, the current path places the upper boundary near $320,000, which is where the analyst believes the next major peak could occur.  ATH Retest Pattern Reappears As Bitcoin Holds Key Structure  In a more recent post, the

05-09

ECB’s Lagarde Pushes Back on Euro Stablecoins, Warns of ‘Structural Weaknesses’

ECB President Christine Lagarde said euro stablecoins are “not an efficient way” to boost the euros global role, warning their risks outweigh short-term gains.She flagged two “material” risks: financial instability from sudden redemptions and weaker monetary policy transmission if deposits shift out of banks.Industry leaders pushed back, warning Europe risks dollar dominance and sending a negative signal to private investors building euro stablecoins.  ECB President Christine Lagarde pushed back Friday on calls for euro stablecoins, saying the instrument is “not an efficient way” to strengthen the euros international role—and that Europe should stop trying to copy the U.S. playbook.  Speaking at the Banco de España LatAm Economic Forum in Roda de Bará, Spain, Lagarde acknowledged that the global market, now worth over $317 billion and nearly 98% denominated in U.S. dollars, has forced a policy reckoning across advanced economies.  The GENIUS Act, advancing through the U.S. Congress, is touted by the Trump administration as a tool to ensure “the continued global dominance of the U.S. dollar” and to cement demand for US Treasuries, Lagarde noted in her remarks.  “The terms of the debate have shifted,” she said. “It is no longer about whether stablecoins should exist, but whether jurisdictions can afford to be without

05-09

XRP Price Prediction: Tight Range Forms Near $1.38 Ahead of Breakout

XRP consolidates below $1.40 resistance as $1.36 support continues holding firmOpen interest drops toward $2.56B signaling reduced leverage and cautious tradersSpot flows stabilize with small inflows as XRP awaits breakout direction signal  XRP traded in a narrow range on Friday as traders weighed weakening speculative demand against improving price stability. The token hovered near $1.39 after recovering from recent lows, although sellers continued defending major resistance levels overhead.  Market structure on the four-hour chart showed consolidation following a sharp pullback, while buyers attempted to maintain control above the $1.36 support zone.  XRP Struggles Below Key Resistance  XRP continued trading beneath its major exponential moving averages, which clustered between $1.39 and $1.40. Consequently, short-term momentum remained under pressure despite recent stabilization across broader crypto markets. The token rebounded earlier from the $1.345 region, yet bulls failed to reclaim stronger upside momentum afterward.  Technical indicators reflected growing indecision among traders. The Supertrend indicator flattened, while Fibonacci retracement levels trapped price action between important support and resistance zones. Additionally, XRP remained compressed inside the $1.36 to $1.44 range, signaling reduced volatility after weeks of aggressive swings.  XRP Price Dynamics (Source: Trading View)  The market now focuses on whether buyers can force a breakout above the $1.40 barrier. A successful move

05-09

Tether Freezes $500M in USDT in 30 days, BlockSec Data Shows

Tether has also disclosed larger aggregate totals and detailed some of the cases behind them. In February, the company said it had frozen about $4.2 billion in tokens in three years over links to illicit activity, with some $3.5 billion of that amount locked since 2023 as authorities increased efforts to curb crypto-related crime.  In April, Tether said it worked with the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control and law enforcement agencies to freeze more than $344 million in USDT across two Tron addresses that US officials said were linked to suspected sanctions evasion involving Iran, while in February, Tether helped authorities to seize over $61 million in USDT linked to so-called pig butchering scams.  Stablecoin blacklists fuel wider freeze debate  The growing scale of blacklisting and related seizures has fed into a broader debate over how far crypto issuers and protocols should go in stopping suspect flows.  Some projects in decentralized finance, for example, have used upgradeable contracts and admin controls to halt or recover funds in major exploit cases, raising questions about who decides when such powers are used.  In stablecoins, where issuers such as Tether retain direct control over minting and burning mechanisms, onchain data and enforcement disclosures show that blacklisting

05-09

BlackBerry (BB) Stock Climbs Following TSX Approval of Share Repurchase Program

Toronto Exchange Greenlights Fresh Share Repurchase Plan  The Toronto Stock Exchange has authorized BlackBerry Limiteds latest normal course issuer bid application. Under the approved program, the company can acquire up to 26,785,714 of its common shares. This volume accounts for approximately 4.58% of the public float reported as of April 30, 2026.  The technology firm maintains flexibility to execute purchases across multiple venues including the TSX, NYSE, additional Canadian marketplaces, and alternative trading platforms. BlackBerry also retains authority to conduct transactions via private arrangements or other sanctioned methods under applicable securities regulations. All acquired shares will be retired from circulation.  The authorized NCIB commences on May 12, 2026, with an expiration date of May 11, 2027. Nevertheless, the initiative may conclude sooner should the company fulfill its maximum purchase allowance. Management reserves the right to terminate the program based on evolving capital priorities.  Trading Activity Reflects Investor Response  As of April 30, 2026, BlackBerry reported 586,061,407 common shares issued and outstanding. The publicly available float totaled 584,830,432 shares on that same reference date. During the preceding six-month period, average daily TSX volume measured 2,255,303 shares.  Regulatory guidelines restrict daily TSX acquisitions to 563,825 shares under standard conditions, though block purchase exceptions apply. Open-market transactions will execute

05-09

Aramco and ADNOC resume oil shipments through Strait of Hormuz

Bitcoin Ethereum News  ## Market Snapshot  Markets related to the Strait of Hormuz have reacted, with the probability of 20 ships transiting the strait by May 31 now priced at 68% YES, down from 76% 24 hours ago. Meanwhile, the likelihood of an announcement by Donald Trump lifting the blockade remains at 40% YES.  ## Key Takeaways  – The successful transit by Aramco Trading and ADNOC suggests a partial reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, consistent with the easing of the blockade. – Market pricing implies a decreased likelihood of a full blockade lift announcement by Donald Trump by May 31, remaining stable at 40% YES. – Current developments appear irrelevant to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait market, with no impact on its closure likelihood.  ## Article Body  Aramco Trading and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) have reportedly succeeded in transporting oil cargoes through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint that has been effectively closed since late February due to regional conflict. The strait is crucial for global energy supply, carrying around 20% of the worlds oil and LNG trade. This development marks a significant step towards potential normalization of shipping activity in the region. The closure followed airstrikes by the US and

05-09

Tether froze over $500M USDT in 30 days as blacklist total hit $1.26B in 2025

Tether froze over $514 million USDT across 370 addresses in the past 30 days as its 2025 blacklist swelled to $1.26 billion, underscoring how centralized stablecoins now function as embedded enforcement rails for global regulators and law enforcement.Tether has frozen more than $514 million USDT across 370 addresses in the past 30 days, mostly on Tron.BlockSec says Tether blacklisted 4,163 addresses in 2025, freezing a total of $1.26 billion USDT on Ethereum and Tron.The growing use of blacklists underscores how centralized stablecoins now operate as de facto enforcement tools embedded in crypto rails.  Tether has frozen over $514 million worth of USDT in the last 30 days, locking funds across 370 addresses on Ethereum and Tron, according to data cited by Cointelegraph.  BlockSec‘s USDT Freeze Tracker shows that about $506 million of the frozen tokens sit on Tron and roughly $8.73 million on Ethereum, once again highlighting Tron’s central role in USDT flows.  Separately, BlockSecs on-chain report, titled “$1.26 Billion Frozen: USDT Blacklisting on Ethereum and Tron in 2025,” found that Tether blacklisted 4,163 unique addresses last year, freezing a cumulative $1.26 billion in USDT and permanently destroying more than half of it via its destroyBlackFunds function.  How Tethers blacklists work at scale  BlockSecs researchers

05-09
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