Author

admin

Browsing

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (August 15) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$116,999, a 0.8 percent decline in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$116,956, while its highest was US$118,192.

Bitcoin price performance, August 15, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin surged to a new all-time high of US$124,533 on Thursday (August 14), driven by increased institutional interest and expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates.

However, the rally was short-lived, as the price fell as low as US$117,263 early on Friday.

The decline was attributed to hotter-than-expected US producer price index data for July, which dampened investor optimism about a rate reduction. Additionally, comments from US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent revealed that the country holds less Bitcoin in reserve than previously thought, further unsettling the market.

Ethereum (ETH) experienced one of its most successful weeks of the year, with on-chain data further underscoring this bullish trend. Daily active addresses, stablecoin transfer volume and daily transactions all reached record highs this week. Additionally, decentralized exchange volume hit its highest point since 2022.

As of Friday’s close, ETH was priced at US$4,391.13, a 3.3 percent decline over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$4,381.31, and its highest was US$4,614.81.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$184.03, down by 4.8 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$183.837, while its highest valuation was US$193.02.
  • XRP was trading for US$3.07, down 0.3 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.01, and its highest was US$3.11.
  • Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.66, down by 2.4 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.63, while its highest was US$3.85.
  • Cardano (ADA) was trading at US$0.93, up 0.3 percent over 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$0.9186, while its highest was US$0.9526.

Today’s crypto news to know

Ethereum ETF inflows hit nearly US$3 billion for the week

Ethereum-focused exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have seen an unprecedented surge in investor demand, attracting almost US$3 billion in net inflows over the past week. According to SoSoValue data, this amount is more than five times the US$562 million that flowed into Bitcoin ETFs during the same period.

The spike coincides with a rapid increase in Ethereum holdings by crypto treasury firms — their exposure has climbed from US$600 million to US$11 billion in just six weeks. It also follows the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) approval of in-kind creations and redemptions for spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. The change makes the funds more cost efficient and attractive to institutional investors.

ETF Store President Nate Geraci said in a post on X that three of the four largest single-day inflows for Ethereum ETFs since their inception occurred this week alone. Prices for the cryptocurrency have rallied nearly 19 percent over the past seven days, coming within reach of their 2021 all-time high of US$4,878.

Galaxy Digital secures US$1.4 billion loan for AI data center

Galaxy Digital (NASDAQ:GLXY) has secured a US$1.4 billion term loan facility to accelerate the development of its Helios artificial intelligence (AI) data center campus in Texas.

The loan, announced on Friday, will cover approximately 80 percent of the construction costs for the project’s first phase, with Galaxy Digital contributing US$350 million in equity. According to an SEC filing, the loan is secured by all assets of Galaxy Helios I, a subsidiary of Galaxy Digital, and is set to mature on August 15, 2028.

The capital infusion will fund the expansion of the Helios AI datacenter, enabling it to deliver power for AI workloads under a long-term agreement with GPU cloud provider CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV), commencing in early 2026.

Galaxy Digital also announced the expansion of a power capacity deal with CoreWeave to 800 megawatts for AI and high-performance computing operations at its Helios campus, projecting over US$1 billion in annual revenue from this deal, or US$15 billion over 15 years. The Helios data center is expected to reach a 3.5 gigawatt capacity when fully developed, with 2.7 gigawatts available for other clients after the CoreWeave agreement.

DOJ seizes over US$2.8 million in crypto from alleged ransomware operator

On Thursday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the seizure of over US$2.8 million in cryptocurrency, as well as cash and other assets, as part of a criminal case against an alleged ransomware operator.

Ianis Aleksandrovich Antropenko, the alleged operator, faces charges of conspiring to commit computer fraud and abuse, as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering.

On Thursday, the DOJ unsealed six warrants, authorizing the seizure of US$2.8 million in cryptocurrency from a wallet controlled by Antropenko, along with US$70,000 in cash and a luxury vehicle.

According to the notice, these assets are believed to be the proceeds of ransomware activity, or involved in laundering those proceeds. The laundered assets were disguised through various methods, including the use of ChipMixer, a cryptocurrency mixing service that was shut down in a coordinated international operation in 2023.

Antropenko also laundered cryptocurrency by converting it to cash and making structured cash deposits.

Saylor bets on US$100 billion ‘Bitcoin credit’

Michael Saylor, executive chairman of Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), is pursuing a high-risk plan to finance further Bitcoin purchases through perpetual preferred stock offerings.

The new securities — nicknamed “Stretch” — do not mature, lack voting rights and can skip dividends under certain conditions, giving the issuer flexibility while raising investor concerns about risk.

This marks a departure from the company’s earlier reliance on common stock sales and convertible bonds to fund what is now a US$75 billion Bitcoin treasury. Saylor aims to retire billions in outstanding debt and replace it with preferred equity, which he says could theoretically scale to US$100 billion or more in capital raised.

The model hinges on investor appetite for yield backed indirectly by Bitcoin’s performance, while avoiding the dilution impact of issuing more common stock.

Federal Reserve Board to sunset crypto supervision program

In a notice on Friday, the US Federal Reserve Board said it will sunset a program created in August 2023 to supervise certain activities related to crypto assets and distributed ledger technology.

The Fed said it will return to monitoring activity through the normal supervisory process.

“Since the Board started its program to supervise certain crypto and fintech activities in banks, the Board has strengthened its understanding of those activities, related risks, and bank risk management practices,” it said.

“As a result, the Board is integrating that knowledge and the supervision of those activities back into the standard supervisory process and is rescinding its 2023 supervisory letter creating the program.”

Hong Kong SFC rolls out stricter rules for licensed crypto platforms

Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has introduced new custody rules for licensed virtual asset trading platforms, setting stricter benchmarks for how client assets must be stored and secured.

The updated framework includes specific requirements for cold wallet usage, senior management accountability and real-time cyber threat monitoring, alongside rules for using third-party wallet providers.

These measures follow an SFC review earlier this year that identified security and operational gaps among some licensed exchanges. The regulator says the changes are part of its ASPIRe strategy, a five point plan to address liquidity fragmentation, regulatory arbitrage and volatility, while expanding regulated product offerings.

The policy also aims to position Hong Kong as a safer, more structured alternative to other Asian crypto hubs, notably Singapore, which has imposed tighter limits on retail trading.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Tech stocks led Wall Street to a second consecutive week of gains as a series of data releases reignited optimism about a September interest rate cut from the US Federal Reserve.

A strong consumer price index report was the catalyst, renewing anticipation that the Fed will lower rates when it meets next month. While Thursday’s (August 14) less optimistic producer price index report caused a momentary pause, the tech sector’s resilience — or defiance — mitigated losses and kept momentum alive.

Here’s a look at the key moments that shaped the tech sector this week.

1. US government strikes controversial Big Tech deal

On Monday (August 11), the Washington Post reported on a deal between the US government and tech giants NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) (NASDAQ:AMD). It stipulates that the tech companies must surrender 15 percent of revenue from Chinese sales of NVIDIA’s H20 chips and AMD’s MI308 chips.

Anonymous sources told the news outlet that this condition was imposed as a prerequisite for granting the companies export licenses to sell their products in China. The move that has prompted legal concerns among trade experts who say the fee could be construed as an unconstitutional trade tax.

“To call this unusual or unprecedented would be a staggering understatement,” Stephen Olson, a former US trade negotiator, told Bloomberg. “What we are seeing is in effect the monetization of US trade policy in which US companies must pay the US government for permission to export.”

AMD, NVIDIA and Intel performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Meanwhile, shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) rose as much as 4.6 percent on Tuesday (August 12) following a ‘candid and constructive’ meeting between CEO Lip-Bu Tan and US President Donald Trump on Monday.

The meeting came after Trump called for Tan’s removal last week.

According to a separate Bloomberg article, the US government is considering taking a stake in the chipmaker to help it establish a planned factory hub in Ohio; the company once promised it would be the world’s largest chipmaking facility. Tan has not confirmed or denied the report, but discussions are said to be ongoing. Sources told Bloomberg the government is considering using funds from the Biden administration’s Chips Act to fund the stake.

2. Amazon to expand grocery delivery services

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) shares rose as much as 1.3 percent on Wednesday (August 13) after the commerce company announced plans to significantly expand its grocery services.

On Wednesday, the company said its same-day delivery service will now include fresh groceries, including produce, meat and dairy, in over 1,000 cities, with plans to expand into more than 2,300 by the end of the year.

The service is included in Amazon Prime memberships for orders over US$25. Smaller orders and orders from non-members will require fees of US$2.99 and US$12.99, respectively.

3. CoreWeave shares drop after mixed earnings report

Artificial intelligence (AI) data center operator CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) reported mixed Q2 results on Tuesday, with revenue more than doubling year-on-year to US$1.2 billion, beating estimates of US$1.08 billion, and a revenue backlog of US$30.1 billion. However, the growth came at a high cost. The company reported a record US$2.9 billion in capital expenditures for the quarter, and operating expenses jumped by 276 percent to US$1.19 billion.

CoreWeave performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

The company also reported losses of US$291 million, larger than the US$190.6 million analysts had estimated.

Shares of CoreWeave opened more than 10 percent lower on Wednesday and declined throughout the week, closing at US$99.97 on Friday (August 15) compared to Monday’s opening price of US$134.80.

4. Perplexity bids on Chrome, prepares for fresh funding round

AI startup Perplexity made a US$34.5 billion bid for Google’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) web browser, Chrome, in a move to secure its future in the AI search market. Perplexity told the Wall Street Journal that the unsolicited offer would be funded with the help of outside investors. The company’s advance comes as Google faces a potential divestiture following an antitrust trial that found it had illegally monopolized online search and search advertising.

OpenAI has also expressed interest in acquiring Chrome.

On Thursday, Business Insider reported that Perplexity is preparing for another round of funding, which would mark its sixth fundraiser in 18 months. The company is reportedly seeking a post-money valuation of US$20 billion. This comes barely one month after the startup achieved a US$18 billion valuation.

The rapid succession of these events underscores the intense, high-stakes competition among AI startups to secure foundational assets and challenge established tech giants.

Canadian AI startup Cohere secured US$500 million in fresh funding on Thursday from a group of investors that included NVIDIA and AMD, bringing its valuation to US$6.8 billion. The company also onboarded former executives from Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META).

5. Apple plans product expansion

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares climbed as high as 1.7 percent on Wednesday after Bloomberg reported on the company’s planned expansion into robotics, home security and smart displays.

The new products are aimed at strengthening Apple’s product ecosystem, which has paled in comparison to offerings from tech rivals like Amazon and Meta.

Apple performance, August 12 to 15, 2025.

Chart via Google Finance.

Some of the new devices slated for future release include a tabletop virtual companion robot, a long-planned advanced Siri model with a visual personality, a smart speaker with display capabilities and home security cameras.

Apple finished the week at US$231.59, a 1.7 percent gain from Monday.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

President Donald Trump closed out his 30th week in office of his second term with a high-stakes meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, in an attempt to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. 

The two did not reach a peace agreement, but Trump said that the meeting was a success and that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit the White House in Washington Monday. 

‘It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,’ Trump said in a Saturday post on Truth Social. 

If the meeting in Washington with Zelenskyy goes well, Trump said that a trilateral meeting between the U.S., Russia and Ukraine will be scheduled. 

Trump described the meeting with Putin as ‘very warm,’ and said that he believed a deal was imminent. 

‘I can tell you, the meeting was a very warm meeting,’ Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview. ‘You know, he’s a strong guy, he’s tough as hell on all of that, but the meeting was a very warm meeting between two very important countries, and it’s very good when they get along. I think we’re pretty close to a deal. Now look, Ukraine has to agree to it.’

Here’s what also happened this week: 

Crime crackdown 

On Monday, Trump announced he would activate approximately 800 National Guard troops and would take over the Metropolitan Police Department to address crime in Washington. The move came after Trump already bolstered federal law enforcement presence in the nation’s capital Saturday. 

‘I’m deploying the National Guard to help reestablish law, order and public safety in Washington, D.C.,’ Trump told reporters at a Monday press conference. ‘And they’re going to be allowed to do their job properly.’

Trump initially suggested federalizing Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department and dispatching National Guard troops to address crime in Washington Aug. 6 in response to the assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) staffer. 

Although a temporary federal takeover of the Metropolitan Police Department is warranted for emergency situations, Washington officials filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s move Friday. 

‘By illegally declaring a takeover of MPD, the Administration is abusing its temporary, limited authority under the law,’ Washington Attorney General Brian Schwalb wrote in a Friday X post. ‘This is the gravest threat to Home Rule DC has ever faced, and we are fighting to stop it.’

Smithsonian review

The White House sent a letter to the Smithsonian Tuesday, announcing it would conduct a review of its museums and exhibits leading up to the 250th birthday of the United States in 2025.

‘We want the museums to treat our country fairly,’ Trump told reporters Thursday. ‘We want their museums to talk about the history of our country in a fair manner, not in a woke manner or in a racist manner, which is what many of them, not all of them, but many of them are doing.’

‘Our museums have an obligation to represent what happened in our country over the years. Good and bad,’ Trump said. ‘But what happened over the years in an accurate way.’ 

The White House said in a letter Tuesday the review would involve examining social media, exhibition text and educational materials to ‘assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals.’ 

‘This initiative aims to ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions,’ the letter said.

The Smithsonian told Fox News Digital it would coordinate with the White House, Congress and its governing Board of Regents on the matter. 

‘The Smithsonian’s work is grounded in a deep commitment to scholarly excellence, rigorous research and the accurate, factual presentation of history,’ the Smithsonian said in a statement.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday outlined firm conditions for a ‘real peace’ ahead of a high-stakes meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday.

Zelenskyy posted to X following his call with Trump and then with European leaders, after Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Alaska to try and bring about an end to the 3 ½ year war.

‘The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions,’ Zelenskyy wrote.

‘Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure. All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released and the children abducted by Russia must be returned.’

Zelenskyy wrote that thousands of Ukrainians remain in captivity and must all be released, while adding that pressure on Russia must be maintained while the ‘aggression and occupation continue.’

In a follow-up post, Zelenskyy warned of Russian ‘treachery’ that could lead to attacks in order to gain leverage amid ongoing negotiations.  

‘Based on the political and diplomatic situation around Ukraine, and knowing Russia’s treachery, we anticipate that in the coming days the Russian army may try to increase pressure and strikes against Ukrainian positions in order to create more favorable political circumstances for talks with global actors,’ he wrote. 

Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump in the White House on Monday as the three nations try and bring an end to the bloodshed.

Trump wrote on Truth Social following the Putin meeting that he felt a peace agreement, rather than a ceasefire, was ultimately the best way to solve the war. Trump had been calling for a ceasefire ahead of his meeting with Putin. 

‘It was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,’ Trump wrote.

He said if Monday’s meeting with Zelenskyy also goes well, a meeting will be scheduled with Putin and ‘potentially, millions of people’s lives will be saved.’

Zelenskyy’s visit will mark his first return to the Oval Office since February, when Trump berated him publicly for being ‘disrespectful’ during a remarkable press briefing, which led to the collapse of a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.

Though a peace agreement was not decided upon during the meeting on Friday, Trump described it as a successful meeting with ‘a lot of progress’ made. Putin expressed similar sentiments, adding the summit was a ‘constructive atmosphere of mutual respect.’

After his meeting with Putin, Trump also spoke to European leaders, who said they back Trump’s peace push but insist Ukraine must have ‘ironclad’ security guarantees to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The European leaders did not address whether a peace deal was preferable to a ceasefire.

‘It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force,’ a statement signed by various leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

‘No limitations should be placed on Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries. Russia cannot have a veto against Ukraine‘s pathway to EU and NATO.’

During an interview with Fox News before returning to Washington, Trump insisted the onus going forward might be on Zelenskyy ‘to get it done,’ but said there would also be some involvement from European nations.

Fox News’ Elizabeth Pritchett and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The State Department announced on Saturday that it was halting all visitor visas to individuals from Gaza while it reviews the issuing process.

‘All visitor visas for individuals from Gaza are being stopped while we conduct a full and thorough review of the process and procedures used to issue a small number of temporary medical-humanitarian visas in recent days,’ a post on X from the State Department read.

Neither the State Department nor Secretary of State Marco Rubio commented on what triggered the sudden review.

In June, the Trump administration began cracking down on vetting for visa applicants. This involved the introduction of a ‘comprehensive and thorough’ review of all applicants’ ‘online presence.’

‘Every visa adjudication is a national security decision. The United States must be vigilant during the visa issuance process to ensure that those applying for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans and our national interests, and that all applicants credibly establish their eligibility for the visa sought, including that they intend to engage in activities consistent with the terms for their admission,’ the State Department said at the time.

Earlier this month, France suspended evacuations from Gaza after a Palestinian student allegedly shared a social media post with an image of Adolf Hitler that called for killing Jews.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told France Info radio that the woman ‘must leave the country’ and that she ‘has no place’ in France.

‘No evacuation of any kind will take place until we have drawn the necessary conclusions from this investigation,’ Barrot said in the interview. He also vowed there would be a probe into how the Palestinian woman was able to get a student visa.

The student, later identified as Nour Attaalah, left France for Qatar after the incident.

As of Jan. 1, 2025, the population in Gaza had dropped by 6% since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, according to Reuters, which cited the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). The outlet noted that this includes approximately 100,000 Palestinians who fled the enclave.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Playboy plans to relocate its global headquarters from Los Angeles to Miami Beach and open a Playboy club there.

The Miami Beach headquarters at the top of a luxury office building will include studios to support Playboy’s “growing creator network” and the club will have a restaurant as well as a members-only section inspired by the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, the company said Thursday in a statement.

“Miami Beach is among the most dynamic and culturally influential cities in the country, making it the ideal home for Playboy’s next chapter,” Ben Kohn, CEO of Playboy Inc., said in the statement.

The first Playboy Magazine was published in 1953, featuring Marilyn Monroe on the cover and in a “Sweetheart of the Month” color nude photo inside.

The first Playboy Club opened in 1960 in Chicago, which was the headquarters of the company at the time, and the company opened up clubs around the world.

In 2020, Playboy ceased publishing its monthly print magazine, sticking instead with online content.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

By Darren Brady Nelson

US President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs certainly caused quite the stir in the markets on April 2.

Gold dropped about 6 percent, and silver 12 percent. A week later, a pause was announced, which ended on August 1. Gold and silver have since risen approximately 11 percent and 24 percent, respectively.

Six month gold and silver price performance.

Source: Trading Economics (gold) and (silver).

Unless you are a professional, or even amateur, trader, it is best to look at gold and silver investment with a perspective of years or decades, rather than just days, weeks or even months. Since the start of the COVID-19 panic in March 2020, gold and silver have exploded 123 percent and 192 percent.

10 year gold and silver price performance.

Source: Trading Economics (gold) and (silver).

In the shorter term, the gold price is driven by what economist John Maynard Keynes called “animal spirits.” In the longer term, it is driven by “monetary spirits.” And not just as protection, but also for performance. The Presidential Gold Guide highlights both in chapters four and five.

Source: Fisher Liberty Gold.

Gold unsurprisingly protects

Economist and investor Mark Skousen has wisely noted that: “Since we left the gold standard in 1971, both gold and silver have become superior inflation hedges.” Gold has more than countered the results of inflation, as measured by CPI, and the drivers of inflation, as measured by M3.

And the numbers back that up. The Gold Protects chart below compares the gold price, CPI and M3 in terms of cumulative growth of each from 1971 to 2025. That is throughout the whole era of gold as an investment, which officially started in 1974 once private ownership was restored.

During this era, gold grew by 541 percent, CPI by 214 percent and M3 by 384 percent. Annual average growth for gold was 10 percent, CPI at 4 percent and M3 at 7 percent. Maximums were 92 percent, 14 percent and 29 percent, respectively. CPI only failed to grow twice, ie. 0 percent in 2009 and 2015. M3 decreased twice, by -4 percent in 2023 and -6 percent in 2024.

Sources: FRED (CPI) (M3); World Bank (gold).

Gold surprisingly performs

The highly respected In Gold We Trust (IGWT) report states: “When dealing with the specific level of gold allocation, it is advisable to differentiate between safe-haven gold and performance gold. The Big Long strategy emphasizes the potential of performance gold in the coming years.”

IGWT thus recommends an investment portfolio ‘rule of thumb’ that includes 15 percent in “safe-haven gold” and 10 percent in “performance gold.” The Gold Performs chart below compares gold price, S&P 500 and nominal GDP in terms of cumulative growth of each from 1971 to 2025.

Gold grew by 541 percent, the S&P 500 by 484 percent and GDP by 339 percent. Annual average growth for gold was 10 percent, with the S&P 500 at 9 percent and GDP at 6 percent. Maximums were 92 percent, 45 percent and 14 percent, respectively. Gold did have a higher standard deviation of 27 percent, compared to 17 percent for the S&P 500 and 3 percent for GDP.

Sources: FRED (GDP); Shiller Data (S&P); World Bank (gold).

Animal and monetary spirits

Gold protects as a hedge or safe haven, not just from inflation, but from the flip side of that same coin of the boom-bust cycle. Both are driven, in the longer term, not by “animal spirits,” but by “monetary spirits.”

Inflation is when money inflation has a widespread impact as price inflation. A bubble is when money increases have a more concentrated impact such as in certain asset values. The bubble eventually bursts when “monetary spirits” are finally reined in by monetary realities.

I say “monetary spirits” because of the role of fiat money, as indicated by, say, M3. When money supply outstrips money demand in a localized way, then that is a bubble, and when in a general way, that is inflation.

The former shows up in certain asset, wholesale and/or producer prices, whilst the latter shows up in CPI. Asset prices include the S&P 500. But nominal GDP is also ‘ginned up’ as it is ultimately a price times quantity measure as well. Price is expressed in money terms.

Conclusion

Gold can have ups and downs, as standard deviation indicates, due to the “animal spirits” of fear and uncertainty, that tend to be daily, weekly or monthly. Yet gold both protects and performs due to the “monetary spirits” of inflation and boom-bust, which tend to be decennially.

In particular, gold performs when the S&P 500 does not, like in the aftermaths of the 2001/2002 dot-com collapse, the 2008/2009 global financial crisis and 2020/2021 COVID-19 lockdowns.

Therefore, when it comes to gold, “follow the money” of central bank “money printing” and fractional reserve bank “fountain pen money,” for both superior inflation protection and boom-bust performance.

And besides, Skousen rightly ‘begged the question’ as follows: “Gold and Silver have always had value, never gone to zero. Can you say the same for stocks and bonds?”

About Darren Brady Nelson

Darren Brady Nelson is chief economist with Fisher Liberty Gold and policy advisor to The Heartland Institute. He previously was economic advisor to Australian Senator Malcolm Roberts. He authored the Ten Principles of Regulation and Reform, and the CPI-X approach to budget cuts.

Click here to read Goldenomics 101: Follow the Money, and here to read Goldenomics 102: The Shadow Price of Gold.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The gold price cooled off this week as tariff-related uncertainty reached a resolution.

The yellow metal was thrust into headlines late last week when US Customs and Border Protection told a Swiss refiner that 1 kilogram and 100 ounce gold bars would be subject to Trump administration tariffs that went into effect on August 7.

Gold is one of Switzerland’s top exports to the US, and with the country facing a 39 percent levy, questions were rife about what the impact could be. Clarification came on Monday (August 11), when US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that gold ‘will not be tariffed.’

While the news calmed market participants, Keith Weiner of Monetary Metals believes the incident could have long-term impacts. He said the tariff confusion caused the spread between spot gold and gold futures to blow out, creating difficulties for entities using the market to hedge.

Here’s how Weiner explained it:

‘Once you’ve put the scare into everybody, you can’t just say, ‘Oh, sorry, just kidding.’ You can’t really do that. And so now we’ve done damage, and we’ll see what happens to that spread over time. We’ll see how users of the futures market adapt.

‘There are other markets in the world that would be competing for this hedging business — maybe it moves to Singapore, maybe it moves to Dubai, maybe it moves to London, and the US loses not only a little more trust, but also a little bit of volume on what had been the biggest, or what is currently the biggest, futures market.’

This week also brought the release of US consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) data. On a seasonally adjusted basis, CPI for July was up 0.2 percent from the previous month and 2.7 percent from the year-ago period. Meanwhile, core CPI, which excludes the food and energy categories, was up 0.3 percent month-on-month and 3.1 percent from the same time last year.

While those numbers were largely in line with expectations, seasonally adjusted July PPI figures came in hotter than expected, rising 0.9 percent month-on-month compared to Dow Jones’ forecast of 0.2 percent. Core PPI increased 0.9 percent from June compared to an estimated rise of just 0.3 percent.

Speaking about the implications of the data, Danielle DiMartino Booth of QI Research said it shows companies aren’t yet passing tariff-related price increases on to consumers.

This is what she said about how these circumstances could develop:

‘I do think that we will see where companies feel they can push through price increases — I think we’ll see that. We saw quite a bit of food inflation in the PPI, and when you’re talking about things like essentials, and especially with very, very low-margin types of sales, we could see what we call the substitution effect begin, where households end up buying other things. The classic is always that they trade down from steak to ground beef, or trade down from beef to chicken.

‘We’re going to see whether or not that plays out again.’

While the PPI data has slightly dampened expectations that the US Federal Reserve will cut interest rates when it meets in September, CME Group’s (NASDAQ:CME) FedWatch tool still shows a strong probability of a reduction at that time.

Bullet briefing — CATL closes mine, Mitsubishi invests in copper

CATL temporarily closes lithium mine

Contemporary Amperex Technology (HKEX:3750,SZSE:300750), better known as CATL, said on Sunday (August 10) that it will halt production at a lithium mine in China for at least three months.

Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that CATL, which is the world’s largest electric vehicle battery maker, failed to extend a key mining permit. The company is reportedly in talks about a renewal, but is prepared for a months-long shutdown.

Share prices of lithium miners rose on the news, buoyed by expectations that the CATL mine closure will help reduce oversupply. Excess output has caused Chinese lithium prices to drop 80 percent since the end of 2022, and investors are keen to see a turnaround for the beleaguered battery metal.

Hudbay, Mitsubishi team up on copper

Mitsubishi (TSE:8058) is set to acquire a 30 percent stake in Hudbay Minerals’ (TSX:HBM,NYSE:HBM) Arizona-based Copper World subsidiary for US$600 million.

Hudbay called Mitsubishi its ‘strategic partner of choice,’ while Mitsubishi said the investment will help advance its copper growth plans. A feasibility study is in the works for Copper World, and a definitive feasibility study is expected in mid-2026.

Hudbay shareholders reacted positively to the news, which comes on the back of a strong focus on copper supply after last month’s announcement of a 50 percent tariff on US imports of semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products. The company projects that Copper World will result in a direct $1.5 billion investment into the US critical minerals supply chain.

Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investor Insight

Asra Minerals is an emerging gold explorer with a compelling investment case as it focuses on strategic expansion and development of high-grade resources across its Leonora gold project in Western Australia.

Overview

Asra Minerals (ASX:ASR) is unlocking the potential of its portfolio of existing resources and underexplored prospects within Western Australia’s renowned Leonora Goldfields. The company controls one of the largest and most prospective land positions in the district, strategically surrounded by high-profile gold producers such as Genesis Minerals’ (ASX:GMD) with its 8.9 million oz (Moz) Leonora Operations; Vault Minerals (ASX:VAU), which operates the 1.9 Moz Darlot mine and 4.1 Moz King of the Hills mine; and Northern Star (ASX:NST), which operates the 4.2 Moz Thunderbox mine.

With existing JORC 2012 resources of 200,000 oz gold and a clear strategy to reach 500,000 oz in the near-term, Asra Minerals is leveraging its 936 sq km Leonora landholding in one of Australia’s most prolific gold belts. Asra’s tenements span 75 km of strike length, including two primary zones – Leonora North and Leonora South – each with resource-stage projects, brownfields upside and newly identified high-priority drill targets.

A strategic reset in late 2024 led to a new CEO, technical team and drilling strategy aimed squarely at resource growth and project consolidation. With global unrest supporting sustained high gold prices and WA’s regulatory stability, Asra’s ground – historically underexplored and fragmented – is now primed for discovery, growth and value creation.

Company Highlights

  • District-Scale Gold Project in Tier-One Jurisdiction: 936 sq km landholding in WA’s Leonora region, proximal to more than 15 Moz of gold resources across neighboring major mines.
  • JORC Resource of 200 koz at 1.8 g/t gold: Existing resource includes high-grade shallow mineralization at Orion, Sapphire, Mt Stirling and Stirling Well.
  • Aggressive Growth Strategy: Targeting >500 koz resource base in 2025 through near-resource and greenfield drilling.
  • Ongoing Exploration: Systematic exploration underway across the portfolio with multiple high-priority targets identified for further follow-up.
  • New High-impact Leadership: Rebuilt management and technical team in late 2024, including renowned gold discoverers behind Gruyere (6.2 Moz) and Raleigh (1 Moz).
  • Undervalued Opportunity: With a ~$10 million market cap, Asra offers substantial re-rating potential amid rising gold prices and renewed institutional interest.

Key Project

Leonora Gold Project

Asra Minerals’ flagship Leonora gold project spans more than 936 sq km in Western Australia’s prolific Eastern Goldfields. The asset is subdivided into the Leonora North and Leonora South project areas. The region hosts multiple world-class gold operations, including Genesis Minerals’ Leonora operations, Vault Minerals’ King of the Hills, and Northern Star’s Thunderbox mine, all within trucking distance. Asra’s tenements lie along the highly prospective granite-greenstone contacts and major fault systems such as the Ursus Fault, known for controlling high-grade orogenic gold mineralization.

Leonora South

The Leonora South project is 549 sq km with eight granted mining leases, located within the historic Kookynie goldfields. This area is host to numerous high-grade deposits, including Genesis Minerals’ Ulysses Hub (~2 Moz gold). Asra is focused on the Sapphire and Orion open pit deposits, which together comprise a JORC 2012 inferred resource of 48,014 oz grading at 2.2 grams per ton (g/t) gold. High-grade intercepts include standout results such as 166 g/t gold over 6 m from 135 m, including 248.8 g/t gold over 4 m (Sapphire), and 46.4 g/t gold over 4 m from 3 m (Orion), demonstrating a potential for bonanza-grade extensions at depth.

Diamond drilling completed in Q4/2024 confirmed down-dip continuity of high-grade gold zones approximately 30 to 50 m below historical intercepts, with assays such as 47.95 g/t gold over 1 m from 115.2 m, 23.12 g/t gold over 1 m from 148.7 m, and 23.97 g/t gold over 0.8 m from 161.2 m. A new 1,300 m RC and diamond-tail drilling program commenced in Q2/2025 to test these high-priority targets, aiming to significantly increase the resource base. The mineralized quartz veins at Sapphire and Orion trend east-northeast and dip steeply – 50 to 80 degrees – southwards and remain open at depth and along strike.

Exploration across Leonora South has identified 21 high-priority targets, of which 15 have never been drill tested. These were derived from detailed 2025 airborne magnetics, structural reinterpretation and geochemical mapping. Planned work includes follow-up aircore and RC drilling to expand the mineralized footprint, including at Gladstone and Jessop Creek, with approvals already received from the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety.

Leonora North

Situated 40 km northeast of Leonora and just 5 km from Vault’s King of the Hills mine, Leonora North is a brownfields gold asset with significant exploration and expansion potential. The area lies within the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane of the Yilgarn Craton and is hosted along the structurally controlled Ursus Fault Zone, a major gold-bearing shear corridor. The project contains multiple zones with a total JORC 2012 resource of 152,000 oz grading at 1.7 g/t gold, including:

  • Mt Stirling–Viserion Deposit: 2.16 Mt @ 1.6 g/t gold for 111,000 oz (inferred), plus 391,000 t @ 2.1 g/t for 26,000 oz (indicated).
  • Stirling Well: 198,000 t @ 2.3 g/t gold for 15,000 oz (inferred).

The Mt Stirling resource remains open along strike and at depth, with high-grade shoots identified to the north. The flat-lying Stirling Well orebody has potential for parallel lodes and deeper extensions into mafic host rocks. A major aeromagnetic and litho-structural reinterpretation, completed in December 2024, identified +20 high-priority gold targets across the northern strike extensions. Several of these are situated adjacent to the historically mined Diorite King Mine, which reportedly produced at high grades. The untested 12 km Ursus Fault corridor remains a key focus, with ~9 km still unexplored.

Importantly, Asra secured 100 percent ownership of the Mt Cutmore prospect in May 2025, consolidating a highly strategic zone within the Mt Stirling region. This acquisition covers multiple live and pending tenements, and enhances Asra’s ability to deploy a focused drilling campaign across the Leonora North project area. Drill permits have been secured, and both AC and RC programs are planned for H2/2025 to evaluate new geophysical anomalies, follow up on known mineralization, and grow the current resource base.

Management Team

Paul Stephen – Managing Director

A seasoned mining executive, Paul Stephen has held various executive and directorship roles across ASX and LSE-listed companies prior to joining Asra. He was a co-founder and executive director of Crusader Resources, where he was instrumental in the discovery, development and operation of the Posse Iron Ore mine in Brazil. During his tenure, he oversaw the delineation of over 2.6 million ounces of gold, significantly contributing to Crusader’s market capitalization exceeding AU$160 million.

Paul Summers – Non-executive Chair

Paul Summers has been a legal practitioner since 1985, and founded his own firm, Summers Legal in 1989. He has been Asra’s counsel for more than 10 years and has provided extensive advice and service during the recent takeover of Cascade Resources. Summers is currently lead counsel – commercial, corporate and property of Summers Legal and is familiar with the company’s affairs, projects and strategy.

Mathew Longworth – Non-executive Director

Mathew Longworth is a geologist with over 35 years’ experience in large projects, exploration and discoveries in Australia, Greenland, Africa, South America and the Pacific. He is currently chairman of Ardea Resources and Greenfields Exploration, and non-executive chairman of Northam Resources. As a director and chairman, he has guided companies through challenging corporate times including IPO listings, takeovers, major capital raisings, 249D notices and joint venture negotiations while maximizing value for shareholders.

Leonard Math – Non-executive Director, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary

Leonard Math is a chartered accountant with more than 15 years of resource industry experience. He was an auditor at Deloitte and is experienced with public company responsibilities including ASX and ASIC compliance, control and implementation of corporate governance, statutory financial reporting and shareholder relations. He previously held company secretary and directorship roles for a number of ASX listed companies.

Ziggy Lubieniecki – Technical Consultant

Ziggy Lubieniecki is a highly experienced geologist with over three decades of expertise spanning exploration, mining, management, property acquisition and company listings. His previous senior roles include chief mine geologist at Plutonic, exploration manager at Australian Platinum Mines, and executive director at Gold Road Resources. Along with a successful exploration track record, Lubieniecki is credited for the discovery of the 6.2 Moz Gruyere gold deposit.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

(TheNewswire)

Vancouver, BC August 15, 2025 TheNewswire – Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM,OTC:ELMGF | FSE: 7YS0 | OTC: ELMGF) (the ‘Company’), is a Canadian mining company focused on developing its portfolio of gold and silver projects in Nevada and Peru, announces strategic leadership changes which will be effective August 31, 2025, alongside an update on its advancing growth strategy.

Key Highlights Discussed:

Advancing Lucero, Peru – Continued incubation of the high-grade Lucero Project in southern Peru, with a mid-long-term objective of restarting exploration and production.

  • Leadership Transition – Effective August 31, 2025, including strategic changes to both Management and the Company’s Board of Directors, with the goal of accelerating asset development in Nevada.

Corporate Strategy Update

Nevada

Over the past year, Element79 Gold has sharpened its focus on building a long-term exploration and development portfolio in Nevada , anchored by the recent acquisition of the drill-ready Gold Mountain project and plans to explore the Elephant project, both located in the prolific Battle Mountain trend.  The Company has had success in developing projects in this Tier 1 mining region in the past, and this refocused strategy forms the foundation for the Company’s next phase of resource growth, positioning Element79 in one of the world’s most established gold districts. The Company currently has two projects in Battle Mountain, Nevada:

  • Gold Mountain , a Drill-ready asset with near-term exploration plans aimed at expanding known mineralization and advancing toward resource definition. The Company has engaged Rangefront Mining Services to prepare a NI 43-101 technical report as disseminated on August 6, 2025, in previous news.

  • Elephant Located in the heart of the Battle Mountain trend, targeted for systematic exploration to evaluate and advance its Gold, Silver, Lead and Copper potential.

The Company is currently pursuing additional high grade mineral concessions in the region to add to its evolving portfolio.

Peru

At the same time, the Company continues to incubate its high-grade Lucero Project in Arequipa, Peru , preparing for the eventual restart of exploration and production. Work in Peru is currently focused on community engagement, legal and regulatory readiness, and aligning future project development for win-win outcomes with key stakeholders with an eye to the access issues being resolved in the coming months.

Key project points for Lucero into 2026:

  • Maintain regular communication and presence in the Chachas community, anticipating a more favorable local administration beginning in 2026–2028 (local meetings starting at the end of August 2025 will focus on the local mayoral race).

  • Monitor federal updates to the ‘systemic push’ towards formalization under the former-REINFO-to-new-Ley MAPE transition, with a key catalyst deadline of December 31, 2025, approaching.

  • Upon the implementation of the new formalization regime, working with legal counsel and the community to forge surface rights and operating agreements.

  • Target mobilization for on-site work in mid-2026, contingent on formalization progress and community agreements.

  • Work with contractual counterparties to restructure terms, linking payments to mutually beneficial project advancement and production goals.

Leadership and Board Changes

Effective August 31, 2025:

  • James C. Tworek , Chief Executive Officer since inception, has elected to step down from the role and continue to support the Company as a Director.

  • Michael Smith , currently Vice President, Corporate Development, will be appointed Chief Executive Officer.

  • Neil Pettigrew will resign as Director and Qualified Person (‘QP’).  The Company is grateful for Mr. Pettigrew’s investment of expertise and help applied through the Company’s history from inception.

  • Kim Kirkland , currently Chief Operating Officer, will formally take on the Company’s QP role and join the Board of Directors, while stepping down from his role as COO.

  • Warren Levy will remain as Director and will assume the role of Chairman of the Board.

  • Zara Kanji will continue as Director.

Outgoing CEO James C. Tworek commented:

‘It has been a privilege to build, grow and lead the talented team professionals at Element79 Gold from its private company roots through multiple transformative milestones and successes since our IPO in August 2021.  These changes to the Element79 Gold Corp team make the Company nimbler while retaining expertise, intimate project knowledge and relationships.

We are grateful for our Director, Neil Pettigrew’s leadership and expertise with the Company’s multitude of projects, and guidance through many challenges that we have faced, both before and since our IPO.  I wish him success in his current and future professional endeavors and look forward to the possibility to work with him again.

With the Company’s recent refocus on exploration and resource development in Nevada while continuing a mid-to-long term strategy of restarting production at Lucero in Peru, I am confident that Michael is the right leader to guide the current phase of growth.  I remain committed to supporting the Company, helping to manage strategy, relationships and projects as a board member.’

Incoming CEO Michael Smith added:

‘I am honored and excited to take on the role of CEO during this exciting time of refocus and development opportunity underway at Element79 Gold Corp. Our immediate priorities lead a raise focused on drilling Gold Mountain, developing Elephant and maintaining momentum at Lucero in Peru.  I look forward to building upon the strong foundation laid by James and the team.’

Warren Levy, Chairman added:

‘I would like to thank James and Neil for their efforts over the years to keep Element79 moving forward, and am looking forward to Michael taking the lead going forward. The refocused company has an attractive portfolio and has maintained access to the upside in Peru. We feel that the hard work of positioning the company has been well done by James and Kim, and their continued involvement on the board will be important to assist the new management team in taking the company forward successfully.’

Qualified Person

The technical information in this release has been reviewed and approved by Kim Kirkland, Fellow of AusIMM #309585, Chief Operating Officer of Element79 Gold Corp, and a ‘qualified person’ as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About Element79 Gold Corp

Element79 Gold Corp is a mining company focused on gold and silver exploration, with assets in Nevada and Peru. The Company is actively advancing its drill-ready Gold Mountain Project in Nevada’s Battle Mountain trend and holds an option to purchase the high-grade Lucero Mine in southern Peru. Element79 has transferred its Dale Property in Ontario to its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp., and is progressing through the spin-out process. Element79 Gold is listed on the CSE (CSE: ELEM,OTC:ELMGF), the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE: 7YS0), and the OTC Markets (OTC: ELMGF).

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

James C. Tworek, CEO, Director

Investor Relations Department

Email : investors@element79.gold

Phone : +1.604.319.6953

Corporate Contact

James Tworek, CEO, Director

Email: jt@element79.gold

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words ‘anticipate,’ ‘plan,’ ‘continue,’ ‘expect,’ ‘estimate,’ ‘objective,’ ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘project,’ ‘should,’ ‘predict,’ ‘potential’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s exploration plans, development plans and the Force Majeure Event. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements because the Company cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include conditions in the duration of the Force Majeure Event, and receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com