Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

Gate News message, April 20 — Qunhe Technology, a company listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, surged 106.99% in today's trading session.

Samsung SDI has signed a multiyear deal to supply high-nickel EV batteries to Mercedes-Benz, valued at around $6.7 billion. The partnership focuses on future mobility solutions and battery technology, with production based in Hungary.

Singapore is increasing liquefied natural gas purchases from alternative sources due to Middle East conflict disrupting shipments. The Energy Market Authority is ensuring sufficient fuel supply as electricity tariffs rise, while pursuing diverse energy alternatives.

iQiyi is revamping its platform to focus on AI-generated content, launching the Nadou Pro tool to support production. Despite financial struggles and regulatory challenges, the company aims to release a successful AI film by 2026 while managing a significant liquidity crisis.

The cloud development platform Vercel was breached by hackers on April 19. The attackers gained access through a third-party AI tool used by employees and threatened to extort $2 million. Although sensitive data was not accessed, other data may have been used. The incident has raised security concerns in the crypto community, and Vercel is currently investigating while advising users to rotate their keys.

Vietnam plans to extend reduced special consumption tax rates for electric vehicles until the end of 2030, following significant sales growth. The proposal will be submitted for parliamentary approval, along with a continued registration fee exemption.

Citrini Research analyst Jukan put forward the view that outsourcing HBM4 mask manufacturing creates a new market, and gained industry confirmation in a short period of time. Revenue from mask outsourcing at Samsung and SK hynix doubled, signaling a major shift in the internal versus external manufacturing mix. DNP and TOPPAN could become the main beneficiaries. Next, relevant earnings reports and data should be monitored to determine whether the trend will persist; investors should carefully consider when to enter and exit the related stocks.

Musk’s social platform X rolled out a brand-new “Smart Cashtags” feature on the evening of April 15 (last Tuesday). On April 17, Nikita Bier, X’s product lead, announced that in just 3 days the feature drove about $1 billion in trading volume across global markets, based on aggregated data from X’s trading pilot program.

China is poised to import a record 800,000 tons of US ethane in April due to supply disruptions from the Middle East. The shift to ethane stems from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, affecting naphtha and LPG imports. This surge aligns with new production capacities and upcoming US-China talks.

LayerZero issued a statement regarding the $292 million hack suffered by Kelp DAO, accusing Kelp’s self-selected 1-of-1 DVN configuration of making the incident possible. The attacker was the North Korean Lazarus Group. LayerZero emphasized that this incident stems from configuration choices and that it will no longer support this kind of vulnerable setup. In addition, responsibility is still disputed, and no compensation plan has been provided.

Germany's producer price index rose 2.5% month-on-month in March, surpassing expectations of 1.3% and reversing February's 0.5% decline, signaling a rise in producer-level inflation.

Japan's 40-year government bond yield dropped to 3.775%, down 7 basis points, while the 20-year bond yield decreased to 3.230%, falling by 3.5 basis points.

Charles Schwab is considering introducing prediction markets for financial events amid growing Wall Street interest, while maintaining a focus on wealth management. Regulatory scrutiny is increasing, especially regarding sports and entertainment wagers, highlighted by recent legislation and concerns over insider trading and market manipulation.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its World Economic Outlook lowered its 2026 global economic growth forecast to 3.1% and raised its inflation forecast to 4.4%. The report said that economic turmoil stemming from conflicts in the Middle East is the main reason. The downward revision to growth forecasts for emerging markets is larger than the global average, and they face significant risks.

Property tycoon Ching Chiat Kwong, executive chairman and chief executive of Oxley Holdings, is facing a high-stakes lawsuit before Australia's Supreme Court of Victoria linked to the collapse of satellite firm NewSat. According to Bloomberg, Mr Ching had invested approximately US$100 million (S$127

Fermi America’s CEO’s sudden remarks triggered a roughly 20% drop in the share price, and it has accumulated a 75% decline since going public. The company is facing a lack of anchor tenants and supply-chain issues, causing the project to be unable to be completed on schedule. Multiple pressures have emerged internally; investors have filed lawsuits, and the market has begun to reassess the risks and business model of AI data centers.

The IEA report reveals that global energy demand growth slowed to 1.3% in 2025, influenced by weaker economic growth, milder temperatures, and efficient technologies. Electricity consumption grew 3%, driven by a 38% surge in electric vehicle demand and a 17% increase from data centers.

Gate News: According to the latest Gate TradFi data, ZHIPU (ZhiPu 02513.HK) has surged by 8% in a short period. Current volatility is significantly higher than recent averages, indicating increased market

Moody’s Analytics said that stablecoins will not replace traditional bank deposits on a large scale in the near term, mainly because the United States’ payment infrastructure is mature and regulatory prohibitions limit their use. But as the stablecoin market capitalization rises, it could over the long term drive outflows from bank deposits and reduce banks’ ability to create credit. In addition, regulatory controversy around the CLARITY Act further increases uncertainty in the market.