Economy – World on Focus https://worldonfocus.com Bringing News Worldwide, Keep Your Focus Amplified Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:37:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 https://worldonfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/cropped-World-on-Focus-Logo-1-32x32.png Economy – World on Focus https://worldonfocus.com 32 32 Crypto Markets Dip 2% Amid Global Concerns Triggered by Israel-Hamas Conflict https://worldonfocus.com/crypto-markets-dip-2-amid-global-concerns-triggered-by-israel-hamas-conflict/ Mon, 09 Oct 2023 17:37:55 +0000 https://worldonfocus.com/?p=2366 Cryptocurrency markets experienced a 2% decline in response to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, echoing modest declines in global equity markets and an uptick in oil prices driven by renewed turmoil in the Middle East.

Bitcoin (BTC) recorded a 1.7% drop in the past 24 hours, trading at $27,500. Notably, Bitcoin had been flirting with a two-month high throughout the weekend, nearly reaching the $28,400 mark before retracing to $28,200. Despite the pullback, Bitcoin continues to outperform most digital assets. Crypto investment services firm Matrixport recently lauded Bitcoin as “better than digital gold,” underscoring its status as the largest and most resilient cryptocurrency.

The CoinDesk Market Index (CMI), which reflects the overall cryptocurrency market performance, registered a 2% decrease in response to the geopolitical tensions.

Ether (ETH), the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, experienced a 2.5% decline. This drop was attributed not only to the broader macroeconomic concerns but also to the Ethereum Foundation’s sale of $2.7 million worth of tokens on the UniSwap platform. Furthermore, Ether’s relative performance against Bitcoin hit a 15-month low, reflecting its struggle to maintain value compared to the dominant cryptocurrency.

Other altcoins faced more substantial losses. XRP, associated with Ripple Labs, along with tokens like Solana (SOL), Polygon’s native token (MATIC), Avalanche (AVAX), and the popular meme token Dogecoin (DOGE), all saw declines of 4% to 5% over the past 24 hours.

The ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, now entering its third day, weighed heavily on market sentiment. Concerns arose regarding the potential spillover of the conflict into neighboring states, particularly Iran, which could disrupt oil supplies. Traders speculated that the situation could lead to a significant impact on oil prices, especially if the United States decides to impose sanctions on Iranian exports. According to Josh Young, the Chief Investment Officer of energy investment firm Bison Interests, a $5 increase in the price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil would be a reasonable response to such a scenario.

Indeed, WTI crude oil surged by nearly 3.5% since Sunday, reaching $86.54 per barrel. This represents a 16% increase in the past three months, reflecting the growing concerns about geopolitical stability in the Middle East.

While equity markets in Asia concluded the day with losses, European and U.S. stocks also experienced declines, albeit relatively modest ones. The Stoxx 600 was down by only 0.25%, while the S&P 500 exhibited a 0.6% decline. These losses in traditional financial markets demonstrate the interconnectedness of global economic factors and their impact on various asset classes, including cryptocurrencies.

As geopolitical tensions persist and continue to influence global markets, the cryptocurrency space remains sensitive to macroeconomic developments, reflecting the ongoing evolution of digital assets as both speculative investments and potential safe-haven assets in times of uncertainty.

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Goldman Sachs: China’s Booming Demand for Oil and Copper Defies Economic Headwinds https://worldonfocus.com/goldman-sachs-chinas-booming-demand-for-oil-and-copper-defies-economic-headwinds/ Mon, 02 Oct 2023 09:17:03 +0000 https://worldonfocus.com/?p=1912 China’s appetite for key commodities, including copper, iron ore, and oil, is experiencing remarkable growth, according to a recent report by Goldman Sachs. The data shows that China’s demand for copper has surged by 8% year on year, while iron ore and oil demand have risen by 7% and 6%, respectively, surpassing Goldman’s earlier full-year projections.

This robust demand is attributed to several factors, including the green economy’s strong growth, progress in grid and property completions, and a surge in onshore solar installations, which have exceeded the levels of all previous years combined. China’s green economy, marked by significant onshore solar capacity and ambitious wind and solar goals, has driven a 71% year-on-year increase in green copper demand in July.

Furthermore, China’s manufacturing sector recovery has bolstered the demand for base metals like aluminum. With manufacturing trends improving and industrial production growing by 4.5% in August compared to the previous year, Goldman Sachs anticipates continued demand growth for aluminum and copper into the next year.

While China’s oil demand has rebounded due to a rapid recovery in oil-intensive sectors like transportation, Goldman Sachs predicts a potential deceleration in growth next year, despite record internal mobility.

This surge in commodity demand is notable against a backdrop of mixed economic growth signals in China, with commodities outperforming the stock market. Traders are increasingly considering commodities as a more favorable investment in light of expected marginal improvements in the Chinese real economy, especially in response to the People’s Bank of China’s monetary expansion efforts.

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