🏘️Trump Returns To White House

☀️Good morning. It's Monday, Jan. 20, and we're covering, Chinese Investors Flock To Bridgewater-Style Funds Amid Trump Trade Policy Concerns, TikTok Restores Service In The U.S. Following Temporary Shutdown, Trump Returns To White House, Promises New Era Of Transformation, and much more. First time reading? Sign up to get this newsletter: Sign up here.

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MARKETS

Cryptocurrency Prices by Market Cap

• The global cryptocurrency market cap today is $3.72 Trillion, a 3.60% increase in the last 24 hours.

• The total crypto market volume over the last 24 hours is $369.08B, which makes a 67.79% increase.

• The total volume in Defi is currently $20.36B, 8.52% of the total crypto market 24-hours.

• The volume of all stablecoins is now $340B, which is 92.12% of the total market 24-hour volume.

• Bitcoin’s dominance is currently 57.61%, an increase of 0.05% over the day.

Bitcoin Reaches New All-Time High Amid Trump Family’s Crypto Moves

Bitcoin reached a new all-time high of over $109,000 early Monday, coinciding with a weekend of notable crypto activity involving Donald Trump and his family. Trump’s $TRUMP token became the fastest cryptocurrency to hit a $10 billion market cap, followed by Melania Trump's own token launch, which caused a brief dip in the $TRUMP token’s value. Additionally, the Trump family is progressing with their DeFi platform, World Liberty Financial, with Eric Trump teasing further developments. (Read Deeper)

BUSINESS & FINANCE

Chinese Investors Flock To Bridgewater-Style Funds Amid Trump Trade Policy Concerns

Chinese hedge fund managers are rapidly creating investment products based on Bridgewater Associates' "All Weather" strategy to meet growing demand for stable investments amid concerns over potential economic volatility under Donald Trump's second U.S. presidency. Bridgewater’s China fund, which returned 37% last year, has capped sales due to high demand, prompting local competitors to launch similar products.

Takeaway: The "All Weather" strategy, designed by Ray Dalio, balances investments across various asset classes to perform well in any economic condition. Its resilience during past crises, including the Sino-U.S. trade war and the COVID-19 pandemic, has made it highly popular among Chinese investors. Major players like SHQX Asset Management and Shanghai Luoshu Investment Co are among the firms introducing these strategies. (Read Deeper)

Fidelity Analyst Forecasts Volatile 2025 Market As Trump Takes Office

Fidelity's Jurrien Timmer and Macquarie's Thierry Wizman have shared insights on market trends for 2025. As Trump takes office for a second term, analysts anticipate volatility in the markets, driven by his rhetoric and potential policies. Wizman suggests Trump's inaugural address could impact yields, foreign exchange, and commodities, with executive actions affecting oil prices, the dollar, and bond yields. Timmer, on the other hand, highlights that rising long-term interest rates could introduce market volatility, especially as the Federal Reserve's capacity to cut rates diminishes.

Takeaway: For 2025, the key question for investors will be how the balance between rising earnings and rising interest rates influences market performance. With volatility expected, analysts will be closely monitoring both Trump’s policies and the Federal Reserve’s actions to gauge the outlook for stocks and other assets. (Read Deeper)

TECHNOLOGY & SCIENCE

TikTok Restores Service In The U.S. Following Temporary Shutdown

TikTok has restored service in the U.S. just 12 hours after going offline due to a law requiring its parent company, ByteDance, to sell the app or face a ban. The suspension followed concerns from service providers about potential penalties for supporting TikTok. President-elect Donald Trump announced an executive order delaying the ban, reassuring providers and paving the way for TikTok’s return. However, the app remained absent from app stores as of early Sunday afternoon.

Takeaway: Trump proposed a potential joint venture involving U.S. ownership of TikTok, while TikTok pledged to work on a long-term solution to stay operational. The move has faced criticism from lawmakers like Senator Tom Cotton, who warned of risks in supporting the app, citing its ties to China. (Read Deeper)

World's Largest Telescope Takes Shape With A Protective Dome Frame

The European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), the world's largest visible- and infrared-light telescope, has reached a major milestone with the completion of its protective dome frame. Located in Chile's Atacama Desert, the ELT is expected to begin operations by 2028. The ELT will study Earth-like exoplanets, their atmospheres, and the universe's expansion, marking a groundbreaking step in astronomical research.

Takeaway: The dome, 305 feet in diameter and 263 feet tall, will soon be covered with aluminum cladding to protect the telescope from the harsh desert environment. Inside, significant progress has been made on the structures that will support the telescope's five mirrors, including the 128-foot-wide main mirror (M1), the largest ever built for an optical telescope. (Read Deeper)

AROUND DE WORLD & POLITICS

Trump Returns To White House, Promises New Era Of Transformation

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as U.S. president on Monday, marking the beginning of his second non-consecutive term after a tumultuous political journey. His return follows surviving two impeachments, a felony conviction, and multiple indictments. Trump plans to wield executive power to enforce stricter immigration rules, roll back environmental regulations, and potentially pardon individuals involved in the January 6 Capitol riots. The event will feature prominent tech leaders, including Elon Musk, who played a major role in Trump's election campaign.

Takeaway: The inauguration, moved indoors due to extreme cold, will occur amid heightened security following recent political violence and assassination attempts. Trump has promised to realign U.S. domestic and foreign policy, with a focus on immigration, tariffs, and energy. He has already influenced global events, including an Israel-Hamas ceasefire and negotiations on Russia-Ukraine. Trump’s administration, supported by Republican majorities in Congress, is poised to replace career bureaucrats with loyalists. (Read Deeper)

Gaza Ceasefire Brings Hope As Hostages And Prisoners Exchanged

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has brought temporary calm after more than a year of violence. Three Israeli hostages were released, while 90 Palestinian prisoners, including women and teens, were freed. The truce has allowed over 600 humanitarian aid trucks to enter Gaza, offering critical relief to a region ravaged by war. The six-week ceasefire includes provisions for further exchanges and increased aid.

Takeaway: Israelis celebrated the return of the hostages but remain divided over the agreement, with concerns about Hamas rearming during the pause. Palestinians face a bittersweet moment as many return to destroyed homes and grieve the loss of over 46,000 lives, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. ( Read Deeper )

ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

Brighton Capitalise On Onana Error To Defeat Manchester United At Old Trafford

Brighton defeated Manchester United 3-1 at Old Trafford, capitalizing on a critical mistake by goalkeeper Andre Onana. Goals from Yankuba Minteh and Kauro Mitoma gave Brighton the lead before Onana's error gifted Georginio Rutter a goal, sealing the victory. United briefly equalized through a Bruno Fernandes penalty but struggled overall, marking their fourth defeat in five home games. (Read Deeper)

Australian Broadcaster Apologises To Novak Djokovic For Offensive Comments

An Australian broadcaster, Channel Nine, has apologised to Novak Djokovic after comments made by its presenter, Tony Jones, were deemed "insulting and offensive" by the tennis star. During the Australian Open, Jones shouted derogatory remarks about Djokovic, which led to the player skipping his usual on-court interview after his win. Djokovic expressed his discomfort with the comments, especially the phrase "kick him out," which he interpreted as referencing his 2022 deportation from Australia. (Read Deeper)

PODCAST(WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO)

• Guillaume Moubeche's entrepreneurial journey is a remarkable example of turning adversity into success. With only $1,000 left in his bank account, Moubeche founded a company that eventually reached a valuation of $150 million. (Listen)

EXTRA BREVITI

• A gasoline tanker explosion in Suleja, Niger State, Nigeria, has claimed 86 lives and injured at least 55 others. (Read More)

• China urges independent business decision-making after Trump proposes 50% US ownership of TikTok. (Read More)

• Meta has unveiled its new video editing app, Edits, designed to compete with ByteDance's CapCut. (Read More)

• Early-stage African venture capital firm Oui Capital has achieved a rare milestone by fully returning its $4 million debut fund. (Read More)