Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Quark Robotics debuted on the Hong Kong IPO market at HK$7.62, raising about HK$1.092 billion. The stock soared 171.65% to HK$20.7. The firm, part of the "Hangzhou Six Dragons," leads China's spatial design software market with a 23.2% share.

Bitcoin (BTC) is flat at $74,920. A ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon has taken effect, and Trump says Iran agreed not to develop nuclear weapons. Mizuho Bank warns that Musk’s X Money could be affected by New York’s crypto regulation. Yuga Labs replaces its CEO: Greg Solano becomes Chairman of the Board, and Michael Figge takes over. The market is broadly optimistic. A record-high Bitcoin buying wave in the past decade has emerged, suggesting the price may be moving toward $90,000.

Tesla's in-house AI chip production expansion is expected to increase demand for low-power DRAM from Samsung and SK Hynix. New chips AI6 and AI6.5 will utilize the LPDDR6 standard, enhancing performance significantly.

Hong Kong stocks opened lower on April 17, with the Hang Seng Index down 0.69% and the Hang Seng Tech Index down 0.72%. Qunhe Technology surged over 170% on its debut, while Ganfeng Lithium projected a quarterly profit turnaround.

Intel shares surged 38% in April and 65% year to date, driven by AI partnerships and manufacturing advancements. The company regained full control of its Ireland plant and has secured contracts with major clients like Google, yet remains below its 2020 peak.

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, MINIMAX (MINIMAX-W 00100.HK) has surged by 6% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

The Kyrgyz cryptocurrency exchange Grinex suspended trading and withdrawals after a large-scale cyberattack and lost approximately $15 million in USDT. The stolen funds were quickly converted into TRX and ETH to reduce the risk of being frozen. Grinex is believed to be the successor to the sanctioned exchange Garantex, becoming the main trading platform for ruble-to-cryptocurrency pairs. In its attack statement, Grinex pointed the incident at an “hostile nation,” but it lacked specific evidence.

Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda highlighted the conflict in the Middle East as a source of inflation and economic slowdown risks. He confirmed that the Monetary Policy Committee will determine suitable measures to reach the 2% inflation target at the upcoming meeting.

In a House hearing, U.S. CFTC Chairman Selig emphasized a “zero-tolerance policy” toward market fraud and manipulation. He responded to questions regarding a $500 million oil futures transaction and said the CFTC is drafting rules to regulate prediction markets. Selig also mentioned a cooperation memorandum of understanding with the SEC to strengthen oversight of digital assets. Given that the CFTC currently has only one commissioner—himself—Selig emphasized operational efficiency and will hire new staff to enhance regulatory capacity.

April 17, Bitcoin returned to around $75,000 as U.S. President Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, boosting market sentiment. However, a CryptoQuant report shows that the proportion of large deposits has surged to over 40%, suggesting institutions may be preparing to sell. In addition, Bitcoin faces key technical resistance in the $76,000 to $76,800 range, and the market remains cautious about how events will unfold next.

The Investment Company Institute reported a $175.81 billion drop in U.S. money market fund assets to $7.64 trillion for the week ending April 15, with significant declines across taxable and tax-exempt funds.

Retail investors have returned to the U.S. stock market, driving major indices to record highs amid geopolitical tensions. The S&P 500 surpassed 7,000 points, led by a surge in quantum computing stocks and increased retail activity. However, economic risks remain, including rising oil prices and inflation concerns.

Gate News message, April 17 — Spot gold (precious metal commodity traded on global markets) broke through $4,800 per ounce today, rising 0.20% intraday.

SIFMA urged U.S. Treasury Secretary Bessent to protect investors from cybersecurity threats posed by Anthropic's AI model, Mythos, potentially compromising the SEC's Consolidated Audit Trail system and risking identity theft. They called for halting personal data collection and destroying existing data.

The IEA's Fatih Birol warned that restoring oil and gas production disrupted by the Iran conflict may take up to two years. The Strait of Hormuz's closure has significantly impacted oil supplies, with emerging economies facing the toughest challenges. Demand is already contracting.

In March, Singapore's non-oil domestic exports surged 15.3% year-on-year, driven by a 74% increase in electronic exports, particularly semiconductors. Non-electronic exports declined, but overall growth continues as the country updates its 2026 export forecast.

On April 17, South Korea's KOSPI index dropped 4.55 points, while Japan's Nikkei 225 fell by 227.62 points, indicating weakness in major Asian equity benchmarks.

BlackRock withdrew 3,899 BTC worth $289.88 million and 839 ETH valued at $1.95 million from a major exchange, indicating a significant move of institutional assets off the platform.

The U.S. dollar index has dropped to near 98 from 100 as easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East reduce market risk-off sentiment. Analysts indicate that the dollar's recent strength was short-lived, signaling a potential return to a "weak dollar" outlook.

On April 16, the IAEA reported a temporary loss of external power at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station, lasting about 40 minutes. The cause is under investigation as the facility, controlled by Russia since February 2022, faces ongoing security concerns.