Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million 
Nasdaq Proposes Fast-Track Rule to Accelerate Index Inclusion for Major New Listings 
Australian Scandium Project Backed by Richard Friedland Poised to Support U.S. Critical Minerals Stockpile 
Australia’s December Trade Surplus Expands but Falls Short of Expectations 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
FDA Targets Hims & Hers Over $49 Weight-Loss Pill, Raising Legal and Safety Concerns 
Asian Stocks Slip as Tech Rout Deepens, Japan Steadies Ahead of Election 
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences 
Bitcoin extended its losses on Wednesday, erasing a brief rebound past $100,000 due to fears of slower interest rate cuts in 2025. The cryptocurrency fell over 4% to $95,427 by 14:51 GMT, after dropping more than 5% on Tuesday. This decline wiped out gains from its recovery after a late-December slump.
The pullback follows Bitcoin’s stellar 2024 performance, largely driven by optimism over Donald Trump’s presidential victory and his promise of pro-crypto policies. However, investors are now seeking clearer signals on his administration’s crypto plans ahead of his January 20 inauguration.
Stronger-than-expected U.S. economic data has raised concerns about the Federal Reserve maintaining higher interest rates for longer. November job openings exceeded expectations, and purchasing managers' index data highlighted persistent inflation risks, fueling worries that the Fed will slow its pace of rate cuts in 2025. Such conditions have historically limited liquidity in speculative markets, including crypto.
Altcoins also suffered steep losses. Ethereum fell over 7% to $3,355.90, while XRP dropped 4.4% to $2.321. Solana, Cardano, and Polygon recorded declines of 7% to 14%. Meme tokens like Dogecoin slid 9.5%. Despite the downturn, analysts suggest Ethereum may outperform Bitcoin this year, supported by friendlier U.S. crypto regulations.
BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes expressed cautious optimism, predicting a liquidity boost from $612 billion in new U.S. Treasury funds during Q1 2025. While this may temporarily bolster Bitcoin, Hayes anticipates a market correction tied to slow regulatory progress under the Trump administration.
The crypto market remains volatile, with investor sentiment weighed down by regulatory uncertainty and macroeconomic pressures.
