Global TradFi & Macroeconomics

The Iranian rial hit a record low on August 24 (local time), falling to 2.02 million per US dollar in the unofficial exchange market as concerns mounted over additional US sanctions. The currency depreciation reflects growing economic pressure on Iran, with the US government preparing measures it de

According to AP, Iran's rial fell to a historic low of 2.02 million per dollar in the unofficial exchange market on Aug 24, as concerns over additional U.S. economic sanctions intensified. The official rate stands at around 1.5 million rials per dollar, but Iranians predominantly use the unofficial

According to BlockBeats, on August 24, Serenity maintained its bullish outlook on Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI) while criticizing the timing of its approximately $600 million ATM (at-the-market) equity offering. Serenity argued the offering should have waited until the company completed its 1.6T

According to Reuters, gold prices surged for a third consecutive week, reaching above $4,640 per ounce on August 24, marking the highest level in three months. The rally was driven by growing concerns over the U.S. national debt surpassing $40 trillion and rising anxiety about government bonds and t

According to Bloomberg, Microsoft's AI revenue is highly concentrated among a small number of large technology clients, with OpenAI contributing approximately 70% of the company's AI revenue in the fiscal year ending June 2026. The AI-related revenue from OpenAI reached $24.1 billion during this

According to the Wall Street Journal, on August 24, Trump administration energy officials claimed substantial oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, but independent ship-tracking agencies reported sharply lower figures. U.S. Energy Secretary Wright said last week the military assisted over 15

According to QCP Capital, Bitcoin surged over 20% last week (August 24) to touch approximately $79,500, marking its strongest weekly performance since March 2024. The rally coincided with sharp movements in rates markets; the 30-year U.S. Treasury yield briefly approached 5.3%, a level not seen sinc

Paramount agreed last month to delay its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery until as late as June 2027, approximately nine months past its planned closing date, while an antitrust challenge brought by a group of state attorneys general heads to trial. The delay stems from

According to Apple's announcement in April, on September 1, John Ternus becomes chief executive of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), with Tim Cook transitioning to executive chairman. Ternus, 25-year-old senior vice president of hardware engineering, joins the board, while Cook retains external and regulatory e

According to CNBC, Paramount agreed last month to delay its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery until as late as June 2027—roughly nine months past the originally planned closing—as an antitrust challenge brought by state attorneys general heads to trial. The deal had already won

According to Bloomberg Intelligence, SoftBank issued 1 trillion yen (approximately $6.3 billion) in corporate bonds to Japanese individual investors this month, setting a record for personal investor purchases of domestic corporate debt. The seven-year bonds carry interest rates between 4.3%

According to Mitsubishi UFJ strategist Derek Halpenny, on August 24, the US dollar faces downside risk ahead of Treasury Secretary Bessent's remarks and Federal Reserve Chair Waller's Jackson Hole speech scheduled for Friday. Waller may provide limited signals on future policy, and if credible

Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund, warned on the 21st (local time) in a LinkedIn post that the US could face a debt crisis in approximately 3 years if current fiscal policies remain unchanged. He advised investors to reduce bond holdings and

According to ChainCatcher, PDD Holdings (Nasdaq: PDD) posted revenue of 112.4 billion yuan (approximately 16.6 billion USD) for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, up 8% year-over-year. Transaction service revenue reached 54.7 billion yuan, growing 13% YoY, while online marketing services and

According to Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the U.S. faces a potential debt crisis in approximately 3 years if current fiscal policies remain unchanged, as he outlined on August 21 in a LinkedIn post titled "How Countries Go Broke: The Dynamics Behind What's Happening Now." Dalio pro

Pinduoduo shares fell nearly 5% in U.S. premarket trading after the company reported second-quarter revenue below expectations. XPeng Motors shares dropped over 6% on the same news, with the automaker also missing Q2 revenue

Bitcoin traded around $77,800 on Monday, up 22% over the past seven days from a weekly low of $63,387, according to CoinGecko data. Analysts pointed to this week's Jackson Hole meeting as its next test, with markets focused on Friday morning when Fed Chair Kevin Warsh delivers his first keynote

South Korean investors net sold approximately 3.64 trillion won worth of NVIDIA stocks this month ahead of the company's earnings announcement on the 27th, according to data from the Korea Securities Depository as of the 24th. The selling reflects cautious sentiment toward AI stocks as US 10-year

According to Herald Economics, Korean investors net-sold NVIDIA stock equivalent to approximately 3 trillion won ahead of the company's earnings release on August 27. The selling reflects heightened concerns over elevated valuation expectations and U.S. 10-year Treasury yields holding around 4.7%, w

Gold climbed 5% this week to $4,620 an ounce, its highest price since May, as the U.S. Treasury doubled its long-term bond buyback program and the dollar index dropped to 98.723 on Aug. 19. The Treasury's decision to expand buybacks, running from Sept. 9 through Nov. 4, came days after the 30-year T