Adventures In Finance: A Real Vision Podcast

Global markets are leaning into growth. Following the upside surprise in U.S. non-farm payrolls — with 130,000 jobs added and unemployment falling to 4.3% — investors are focusing on economic resilience rather than fading hopes of aggressive rate cuts. MSCI’s All-World index is trading near record highs, while South Korea’s Kospi has crossed 5,500 for the first time. Attention now turns to initial jobless claims and the upcoming CPI print, which could shape expectations for the Federal Reserve’s June decision. CME FedWatch odds for a rate hold have climbed to 40%. In the UK, GDP expanded just 0.1% in Q4, while industrial production fell unexpectedly. Meanwhile, Nuveen has agreed to acquire asset manager Schroders for $13.5 billion. In digital assets, crypto markets remain steady despite Blockfills halting withdrawals. BlackRock is deepening its move into tokenized finance, bringing its Treasury-backed BUIDL token to Uniswap through Securitize. Court drama surrounding FTX has resurfaced, and Kraken

U.S. non-farm payrolls delivered a major upside surprise. The U.S. economy added 130,000 jobs, roughly double expectations, while unemployment fell to 4.3%. The data suggests labor market stabilization despite recent economic uncertainty. Stocks initially reacted positively, though tech names continued to weigh on broader indices. The Dow closed at record highs for a third straight session, while the Nasdaq and S&P lagged amid pressure on Alphabet and brokerages. In Asia, the Nikkei and Taiwan exchange surged to fresh all-time highs, while the yen strengthened further. China’s vehicle sales fell 3.2% year-on-year amid persistent deflation pressures, and Bitcoin slipped back below $67,000 as talks over crypto market structure and stablecoin yields stalled. Meanwhile, LayerZero’s ZRO token jumped over 20% following the launch of a new institutional-focused blockchain. A mixed but consequential day across macro, equities, FX, and crypto.

Global equity markets are trading at record highs, led by another rally in Japan’s Nikkei, now up more than 11% year to date following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election victory. In the U.S., the Dow closed at an all-time high, while the Nasdaq stabilized after last week’s tech selloff. The dollar remains soft, particularly against the yen, as investors await key U.S. economic data this week — retail sales, delayed non-farm payrolls, and CPI. The White House is managing expectations for slowing job growth, echoing recent comments from Fed Chair Jerome Powell about weakening labor supply and demand. In Europe, France’s unemployment rate rose to 7.9%, its highest since 2021. Meanwhile, Bitcoin spot ETFs posted their first two consecutive days of net inflows since mid-January, bringing in more than $500 million. South Korea is investigating a reported $40 billion “fat-finger” crypto distribution error at Bithumb.

Global markets are starting the week on a stronger footing. Japan’s Nikkei surged nearly 4% to a record high after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic supermajority victory. The yen strengthened as investors priced in political stability and potential fiscal expansion. Meanwhile, gold climbed back above $5,000 per ounce and silver extended its rally amid continued geopolitical tension around U.S.–Iran negotiations. In the U.S., traders are positioning ahead of key labor market and inflation data that will test expectations for a June Federal Reserve rate cut. Treasuries dipped after reports that Chinese regulators told banks to reduce exposure to U.S. bonds. Bitcoin rallied to $72,000 over the weekend before pulling back toward $68,000, while ETF outflows slowed considerably after two heavy weeks. A busy week ahead...

This week on REKT Vision, Mando, Rekt co-founder and author of the Mando Minutes newsletter, is joined by Stats, also known as Punk9059, to discuss the biggest narratives and themes driving cryptocurrencies right now. They dissect the week's price action, including the massive selloff yesterday, the AI market narrative, and where Bitcoin could be headed next.

This was one of the most violent crypto flushes in years. Bitcoin plunged to $60,000, a 17% intraday collapse that ranks among the 10 worst drops in BTC history. More than $2.4 billion in leveraged positions were liquidated in 24 hours, pushing Fear & Greed readings to levels last seen during the FTX collapse. BlackRock’s IBIT ETF recorded its highest trading volume ever, while Strategy shares sank after posting a $12 billion Q4 loss. Traditional markets also struggled, but the damage was far more contained. The S&P 500 fell 1.2%, the Nasdaq slipped 1.6%, and software stocks remain under heavy pressure amid AI disruption fears. U.S. layoff announcements surged to their highest January level since 2009. Overseas, Asia closed mostly lower, Europe fared better, and one rare positive headline emerged as U.S.–Iran negotiations began in Oman, easing geopolitical stress.

Markets are deep in risk-off mode as crypto winter tightens its grip. The ECB and Bank of England both held rates, with the BoE signaling it may be nearing the end of its easing cycle. UK political turmoil hit the pound, while tech stocks continued to unravel — AMD plunged 17%, Qualcomm disappointed, and Alphabet slid after announcing a massive increase in AI spending. Precious metals saw extreme volatility again, with silver crashing 15%, gold slipping, and oil falling after the U.S. and Iran agreed to hold talks. In macro data, German factory orders surged, but Eurozone retail sales fell, raising concerns about consumer demand. In crypto, Bitcoin dropped to $69,000, pushing the market back into Extreme Fear. Bhutan appears to be selling BTC it has mined since 2019, ETH hovered near $2,000, and scrutiny intensified around Trump-linked World Liberty Financial. CME also hinted it may explore issuing its own token.

Software stocks get slammed, gold keeps climbing, and Bitcoin loses key support again. Palvatar covers today’s key macro and market headlines — from Claude’s AI plugin rattling software firms to AMD’s 9% plunge and a weak U.S. jobs print. Gold hits $5,000, geopolitics flares up, and inflation cools in Europe. Meanwhile, crypto remains weak with 44% of Bitcoin supply now underwater. Plus: Pro Members — don’t miss Jamie Coutts’ AMA and his upcoming interview with Charles Edwards on the quantum threat. Free Members — tune in to Kris and Bijan on Trading the Markets.

Markets are ripping back after a wave of fear. Palvatar breaks down the massive upside surprise in U.S. manufacturing, Musk’s record-breaking $1.25T xAI merger with SpaceX, and wild moves in gold, silver, and global equities. Plus: crypto breathes after brutal liquidations, and Germany opens the door to retail crypto adoption. Featured Real Vision content: • Andreas Steno & Alexander Campbell dive into commodities volatility • Jamie Coutts hosts a live AMA for Pro Members at 4pm ET Get the day’s biggest stories and what they mean for investors — in minutes.

Welcome back to the markets after a brutal weekend. Gold just had its worst day since 1983, crashing 9%, while silver fell a staggering 27%—the largest drop ever recorded. Add to that steep declines in copper and oil, and we’ve got the recipe for a volatile open. Meanwhile, Asian equities got crushed, with the KOSPI down 5%, and China’s manufacturing PMI missed badly. In Europe, green shoots: France and the UK posted surprise PMI gains, while Germany’s retail sales shocked to the upside. In crypto, BTC fell to $74K before rebounding, with more than $5.5B in liquidations since Thursday. Regulatory talks begin today at the White House, while Ripple secures a full EU license. The week is off to a chaotic start—catch the full breakdown inside.

Andreas Steno and Mikkel Rosenvold of Steno Research break down the mounting U.S.–Iran tensions, the implications for oil, the U.S.–China decoupling, strategic mineral stockpiles, and supply-chain weaponization. They cover the biggest forces reshaping global markets – including today's surprising ISM print.

Markets were hit with a surge of volatility after President Trump confirmed Kevin Warsh as his nominee for Fed Chair, raising fresh uncertainty around U.S. monetary policy. The VIX jumped as much as 13%, fueled further by shutdown risk and escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran. U.S. equities sold off sharply, led by Microsoft’s worst session since 2020, wiping out more than $350 billion in market value. Meanwhile, Europe offered a rare bright spot as Eurozone GDP beat expectations, unemployment fell to a record low, and Spain led growth. Precious metals saw extreme reversals after a scorching run — silver plunged 15%, gold dropped as much as 8%, yet remained on track for its best monthly performance since 1982. In crypto, Bitcoin fell to $81,000, marking its worst streak of monthly losses since 2018, triggering $1.8B in liquidations. Binance announced it would convert $1B of stablecoins into BTC, offering a rare vote of confidence. A packed, volatile session — all the key facts, no spin.