Weekly Market News
Crypto News
U.S. Investigators Subpoena Hedge Funds in Binance Money-Laundering Probe
According to a report by Washington Post, federal prosecutors are investigating the relationship between U.S.-based hedge funds and Binance as part of a broader investigation into the crypto exchange’s potential violation of money-laundering rules. The U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Washington in Seattle has reportedly sent subpoenas directing investment firms to hand over records of their communications with Binance.
NFT Marketplace SuperRare Cuts Staff by 30%
In a statement posted on Twitter, SuperRare CEO John Crain announced that the NFT marketplace had reduced its staff by 30% in order to keep up with bear market conditions.
He stated,
“During the recent bull run, we grew in tandem with the market. In recent months, it’s become clear that this aggressive growth was unsustainable: We overhired, and I take full ownership of this mistake. To correct course, we’ve made the difficult decision to rightsize our team, ensuring that SuperRare Labs will be able to continue serving our community of artists, collectors and curators while remaining the destination for the best cryptoart in the world,”
Ferrari Cuts Ties with Crypto Sponsor Ahead Of 2023 Formula One Season
The racing division of luxury carmaker Ferrari has reportedly exited its multi-year partnership deals with Velas Blockchain and chip manufacturing giant Snapdragon. The termination of the partnership is estimated to result in a cumulative $55 million loss for the Italian team ahead of the 2023 Formula One season.
The Ferrari-Velas partnership was aimed at increasing fan engagement through NFTs and other shared initiatives. However, according to a source close to both parties, the Ferrari team did not comply with clauses that permit Velas to create NFT images.
FTX Seeks to Recoup Sam Bankman-Fried’s Charitable Donations
FTX’s new management is reportedly seeking to recover millions of dollars in donations made by the crypto exchange and its former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried. However, some of the funds have already been spent, and the gifts came from a wide range of sources and agreements that make it challenging to add them all up.
Stock Market
What to watch
Americas: US CPI, UoM sentiment, Fed comments
The final US CPI figure from 2022 will be released in the current week and watched intently for further signs of inflationary pressures easing. The consensus points to a 0.1% month-on-month (m/m) rise for headline CPI and a quicker 0.3% m/m uptick for core CPI. With the Fed closely watching the inflation trend, this will be an important reading following the jobs report this week. Several Fed appearances are also scheduled with comments scrutinised for insights into the rate hike path in 2023. S&P Global Market Intelligence expects the Fed to raise the policy rate to 4.75- 5.00% by March before reversing course in May 2024. Meanwhile the preliminary January University of Michigan consumer confidence survey will also be released, while insights into US equity investors’ sentiment will be gleaned from Tuesday’s S&P Global Investment Manager Index.
Europe: UK monthly output and trade figures, Eurozone unemployment and industrial production data, German industrial output
In the UK, official November monthly GDP, output and trade figures will be updated on Friday. This comes after November’s S&P Global / CIPS UK Composite PMI revealed that private sector output fell for a fourth straight month with the manufacturing output contraction outpacing that of services. Export orders meanwhile declined for a fifth consecutive month in November and at a faster rate compared to the month prior.
November’s eurozone unemployment and industrial production figures will also be due in the current week.
