Gold Shines Bright: Holds Bullish Stance Above 100-Day Moving Average

Posted on September 1, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The yellow metal started the new week marginally positive after posting gains of more than 2 percent, marking a strong finish to August.

Buyers have held this level and maintained upward momentum since last year after testing its 100-day moving average. However, after months of consolidation, there is renewed enthusiasm for gold as we start the new week. With today’s surge, gold has reached its highest level since late April, when the upward trend paused after hitting the $3,500 mark.

This year’s dollar sentiment has taken a hit amid ongoing turbulence in US policy and unclear communications. Additionally, many investors are hesitant to stick with the dollar and US assets, especially with Trump threatening the Fed’s independence.

Gold is becoming even more attractive as a result, with other factors like central banks in play.

Inflation data bolstered expectations that the Fed might cut interest rates this month, and markets are also wary of new US trade uncertainties after a US court ruled last Friday that President Trump’s global tariffs were largely illegal. Last week, various US economic reports, including GDP and Initial Jobless Claims, supported the dollar and pressured commodity prices.

The US GDP grew at an annual rate of 3.3% in Q2, up from the initial estimate of 3.0%, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) on Thursday.

However, the U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, remained above the target in July, yet traders still hope for a rate cut. Gold continues to support expectations of Fed rate cuts, as lower rates could decrease the opportunity cost of holding gold.

Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil as Missile Attacks Intensify

Posted on August 30, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Ukraine continued to target energy infrastructure overnight, using drones to hit two oil refineries in Russia as it repelled another round of missile and drone attacks from Kremlin forces. In an attempt to stop the flow of fuel to Russia’s army, attacks were carried out on two refineries: one in the Krasnodar region and the other in the Samara region, according to a Facebook post by Ukraine’s General Staff.

The Ria Novosti news agency reported that regional authorities in Krasnodar acknowledged that a fire at the refinery was caused by falling drone debris, but they did not report any casualties.

The fire has been put out. According to Vyacheslav Fedorischev, the governor of Russia’s Samara region, a drone attack on an unidentified “enterprise” in Syzran was repulsed, according to the Interfax news agency. More than 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) to the northeast of Kyiv is Syzran.

Attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, including several refineries, have recently increased in intensity by Ukraine. A domestic fuel market crisis has been exacerbated by the strikes, leading to price increases amid strong seasonal demand. Oil exports have also slowed due to attacks on Russian pipelines.

Approximately 13% of Russia’s active capacity was momentarily shut down earlier this month due to a series of strikes on its refineries. On Telegram, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported that 86 Ukrainian drones had been intercepted and destroyed by its air defenses.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on X that Russia launched another massive airstrike against multiple Ukrainian regions overnight, involving approximately 540 drones, eight ballistic missiles, and 37 missiles of various kinds. According to local officials, there was one fatality and twenty-two injuries in the southern part of Zaporizhzhia.

Crude Oil Falls as U.S. Targets India, Oversupply Concerns Reignite

Posted on August 28, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Oil prices declined as traders monitored a potential glut and US pressure on India to halt Russian oil imports.

West Texas Intermediate crude dropped about 1% to below $ 64 after three weeks of trading between $62 and $65 per barrel.

Peter Navarro, the White House trade adviser, increased pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil after Washington doubled a 50 percent import tax. As part of its efforts to end the Ukraine war, the US has singled out India for importing Russian crude. Ukraine has intensified drone attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure to support falling oil prices, hitting two more refineries after recent strikes.

Bloomberg’s tanker data showed a decrease in Moscow’s crude exports. It’s widely expected that oil markets will enter a surplus by year’s end, as demand is overtaken by increased production from both inside and outside of OPEC+.

The next OPEC+ meeting is scheduled for September 7, but, according to a senior delegate, no discussions about future actions have begun. Although a surplus is likely by year-end, its impact on the market remains uncertain. America Corp. stated on Wednesday that the extra supplies could be easily absorbed, given roughly one billion barrels of spare storage capacity. As a result, the Brent market has recently faced some weakness after a surge.

Canada Goose flies as Bain Capital Fields Take-Private Offers

Posted on August 27, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Canada Goose’s stock rose nearly 15% Wednesday after a CNBC report revealed that Bain Capital, the company’s main shareholder, received bids to take the company private.

Sources told CNBC’s Anniek Bao that Bain Capital is exploring a sale of its stake with consulting firm Goldman Sachs.

Anonymous sources indicated the offers aim to privatize the Toronto-listed brand. Canada Goose reportedly received verbal bids from Boyu Capital and Advent International, valued at eight times its 12-month average EBITDA, roughly $1.35 billion.

Bain Capital is holding off on a decision until more offers arrive, with a potential buyer expected to undergo due diligence in two months before finalizing a deal. Following the increased share price, Canada Goose’s valuation has surged from $11 billion to approximately $137 billion.

Currently listed in New York, the company’s shares have climbed over 21% this year. This valuation marks a substantial gain for Bain, which initially invested around $250 million in 2013 when it took control. It is still below its 2018 peak of $7.7 billion, a year after it went public.

Trump’s Fed Fight Triggers Fall in Treasury Yields, US Dollar

Posted on August 27, 2025August 27, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

President Donald Trump’s decision to fire a central bank governor raised concerns about the U.S Fed’s independence, causing Treasury yields and the dollar to decline on Tuesday

Trump announced on Monday that he was dismissing Lisa Cook as a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors because of allegations of improper mortgage borrowing.

She refused to resign, Cook said, and Trump lacked the authority to fire her. She is scheduled to leave office in 2038. Trump’s extraordinary action could trigger a lengthy legal dispute that may fundamentally change the rules governing the central bank’s independence and the role of presidents in monetary policy.

Trump might move more quickly to restructure the Federal Open Market Committee, which sets interest rate policy, if Cook leaves the Fed. Trump has been pressuring the Fed to lower interest rates to stimulate economic growth and reduce borrowing costs.

The yield curve steepened as short-term yields fell due to expectations of a potentially more dovish Fed. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s dovish signals, labor market weakness data, and a central bank shakeup have all encouraged traders to price in a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at the September policy meeting, despite ongoing inflationary pressures.

Trump has frequently threatened to fire Powell, and this month, he dismissed a senior Labor Department official for allegedly falsifying employment data that disappointed him. Trump has retracted his threat against Powell as his term nears its end in May next year.

XRP Slumps Under $2.9: Ripple Correction Deepens or Rebound on the Horizon?

Posted on August 26, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

XRP failed to reach the $2.9 mark, indicating it was struggling to maintain its recent momentum. After a relatively strong weekend that maintained a positive outlook, selling pressure emerged on Monday, pushing the price down to $2.88.

The correction phase might not be over yet, as on-chain data shows increasing exchange inflows across various value bands, a trend often associated with profit-taking behavior. Historically, notable increases in exchange deposits have preceded each of XRP’s major peaks, including $3 in 2018, $1.9 in 2021, and $0.9 in 2023. This suggests that whales and investors sent tokens to trading platforms to profit, according to CryptoQuant.

XRP surged to the $3.5–$4 range, with inflows this year, especially from large holders in the 100K–1M+ XRP range, reaching very high levels.

This strongly indicates that whales are beginning to reduce their holdings and increase short-term selling pressure. Although the cryptocurrency is currently consolidating below $3, the high inflow levels keep downside risks in focus. If selling pressure intensifies, a decline toward the $2.8 support zone seems likely.

XRP continues to struggle to keep pace with other top digital assets, despite recent positive developments.
Analysts emphasize the significance of using the $2.8 level as XRP’s short-term benchmark, as it may determine whether the asset stabilizes or experiences additional dips.

Although some contend that as long as the asset stays above this level, opportunities will still present themselves, the market sees it as a threshold that, if crossed, could result in greater losses

Orsted A/S Sink 19% Amid Risks to $9.4 Billion Share Sale

Posted on August 25, 2025August 25, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Orsted A/S stock plunged up to 19 percent to a record low after the Trump administration halted the construction of an almost completed offshore wind farm, disrupting a government-backed share sale that was scheduled to cost 60 billion kroner ($9.4 billion)

The management of the Danish wind company is meeting to reassure investors that a developing crisis is under control and that the planned rights issue will proceed. Orsted is receiving advice from banks like JPMorgan Chase and Co. and has not yet formally launched or priced the offering. Morgan Stanley as well. Orsted’s stock has dropped nearly 50% so far this year, depleting the company’s worth by almost $8 billion.

These developments represent the recent move by the Trump administration to stop offshore wind farm development, an energy source that the president finds objectionable. These have included rescinding project-supporting tax credits and halting new leases on land and permits for offshore wind farms. The Revolution Wind project, which Jefferies estimates will cost $4 billion to build, is the subject of Friday’s stop-work order off the coast of Rhode Island

It is the most recent in a series of negative developments for Orsted, which resulted in the reduction of its credit rating to the lowest investment grade. Investors are interested in whether the company can reach a deal to satisfy the government and how long that might take, or if it will have to abandon the project.

The lack of clarity may hurt investor interest in the rights issue or necessitate further government investment in the business.

Ripple Expands RLUSD Reach with SBI VC Trade in Japan

Posted on August 22, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Ripple Labs announced a partnership with SBI Holdings, a major financial services conglomerate in Japan. Starting in Q1 2026, the memorandum of understanding states that SBI subsidiary SBI VC Trade will distribute Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD, across Japan.

SBI VC Trade has multiple Japanese financial licenses and was the country’s first Electronic Payment Instruments Exchange Service Provider. As a result, RLUSD will be available to expand stablecoin options in Japan. According to Tomohiko Kondo, CEO of SBI VC Trade, the launch of RLUSD marks a significant step forward in the reliability and usability of stablecoins, extending beyond just increasing their options in the Japanese market.

The announcement did not specify whether the stablecoins would be limited to financial institutions or open for retail use. Ripple has been a partner of SBI since 2016.

Ripple’s stablecoin is relatively small compared to those of major issuers like Circle and Tether. Although circulation has grown gradually this year, it remains only $666 million, holding a 0.24 percent market share in the $280 billion stablecoin industry.

Ripple had provided the Gemini cryptocurrency exchange with a $75 million secured credit line that can be increased to $150 million. Borrowers can request funds in RLUSD once the initial $75 million is exceeded. Industry analysts mentioned that Gemini might use the Ripple stablecoin for its initial public offering (IPO).

Markets Stumble: S&P 500 Down 4 Days, Nasdaq Hit by Tech Sell-Off

Posted on August 21, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

The Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 declined amid the tech blood bath.. Mixed retail earnings and the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes also influenced investor sentiment. The tech-heavy Nasdaq dropped 0.67 percent, closing at 21,172.86, while the broader market index fell 0.24 percent to end at 6,395.78. On Wednesday, the S&P 500 experienced its fourth consecutive loss, and the Nasdaq had its second straight decline.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, rose 16.04 points, or 0.04 percent, ending at 44,938.31. Several well-known semiconductor and tech companies continued to generate profits for investors, fueling concerns over their high valuations and the long-term prospects of the artificial intelligence market.

The session concluded with Nvidia slightly down, while Broadcom and Advanced Micro Devices each lost about 1 percent. Intel’s stock dropped roughly 7 percent, and Palantir declined about 1 percent. Major tech giants—Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, and Meta dipped in the mid-week session.

Central bankers expressed concerns about inflation and the labor market, but mostly agreed that it was too early to lower interest rates, according to minutes from the Federal Reserve’s July meeting released on Wednesday. For the first time since 1993, two voting Fed officials dissented, with Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman voicing disagreement. At that time, policymakers maintained steady interest rates.

“In general, participants identified risks to both sides of the Committee’s dual mandate, with a focus on upside risk to inflation and downside risk to employment,” the minutes stated.

Although “the majority of participants judged the upside risk to inflation as the greater of these two risks,” a few believed that the employment risk was more significant. Investors will be watching for clues about the future direction of interest rates in the upcoming minutes and Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks on Friday.

Gold Muted as Jackson Hole in Spotlight

Posted on August 21, 2025August 21, 2025 by Olumide Adesina

Gold remained stable on Thursday as the metal awaited clues regarding the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook ahead of the annual economic symposium at Jackson Hole in Wyoming.

The precious metal traded at $3,380 per ounce at the spot market. The bullion asset eased following Tuesday’s sharp drop as demand for immediate safe havens decreased due to improving risk sentiment.

There are now increased expectations for a diplomatic solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict after US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and leading European leaders met in Washington.

Trump suggested that a trilateral summit between him, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Zelenskyy could be in the works, and the market is now focused on that possibility. Moscow has not yet committed to these discussions. According to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, any potential meeting must be “prepared gradually,” starting with experts and progressing through official diplomatic channels.

Although no specific timeframe has been established, the renewed involvement has improved the overall perception of risk. Still, with some safe-haven positioning remaining, ongoing geopolitical uncertainty continues to give Gold a slight buffer

Traders are also awaiting the release of the minutes from the FOMC’s July meeting, which could shed light on internal policy debates. Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, who preferred a 25-basis point (bps) rate cut over keeping rates steady, made the meeting notable as the first since 1993 with two dissenting votes from the Board of Governors. The minutes may reveal whether internal divisions at the Fed and a shift toward easing are gaining momentum.