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    US regional banks to face increased scrutiny as CRE exposure stifles buybacks

    (Reuters) – U.S. regional banks will probably stockpile more rainy-day funds and stay conservative on stock buybacks as losses from commercial real estate (CRE) loans are expected to pressure their earnings, analysts said.As regional lenders prepare to report second-quarter results next week, they continue to face tough scrutiny from investors over potential weakness from CRE and commercial borrowers. Regional bank stocks have lagged the broader market on concerns that high interest rates will deter borrower demand and weigh on profits for most of 2024. Problems related to CRE loans at regional lender New York Community Bancorp (NYSE:NYCB) earlier this year, and more recently First Foundation (NYSE:FFWM), have put the spotlight on default risks. “CRE portfolios mature gradually over time and losses tend to be lumpy,” analysts at Morgan Stanley led by Manan Gosalia wrote in a note. “We expect higher for longer rates will continue to pressure credit quality for the next several quarters pushing more banks to build loan loss reserves through 2024,” they added. The largest U.S. banks will kick off the earnings season on Friday. Smaller regional rivals will follow suit in the weeks after. Analysts expect profits to decline broadly as banks set aside more money to cover deteriorating loans, while they earn less from interest payments due to weak loan demand. U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Tuesday that CRE risks will be with banks for years, and regulators were in touch with smaller banks to make sure they are able to manage those risks.Regional banks have also shifted toward making more risky loans. They now hold a larger share of non-investment grade corporate loans, which are more than three times more likely to default than investment grade loans, according to the Fed.The Fed projected total loan losses for banks to reach up to $571 billion under a severe scenario in its annual stress tests last month.Tough stress test results could weigh on regional banks’ abilities to buy back stock, analysts at Jefferies led by Ken Usdin wrote in a note. “Acute CRE pressures (mostly in office) and ongoing credit card normalization are driving losses higher in 2024,” they wrote. PROLONGED CRE STRESS The future path of U.S. interest rates has also heightened uncertainty for lenders pursuing distressed sales of CRE assets. Lenders have been trying to shed CRE loan portfolios by selling them to non-bank buyers such as private equity firms. “The regional commercial real estate market is not showing much by way of a revival, and the Fed is yet to cut interest rates, which will help neither the regional banks’ CRE loan book or the value of their U.S. Treasury holdings,” Russ Mould, investment director at UK-based investment firm AJ Bell, told Reuters. CRE property prices continued to decline at the end of the first quarter, albeit at a slower pace, according to a Morgan Stanley report. Prices fell 3% from a year earlier, it said. Meanwhile, distressed CRE sales increased to 3.9% of the total CRE sales at the end of the first quarter, the highest share since the end of 2015. Shares of banks with big exposures to CRE and multi-family properties, particularly in New York and other major metropolitan areas, are “easy targets” for short sellers, Raymond James analysts said. The KBW Regional Banking Index has shed about 11% so far this year. In contrast, an index tracking larger lenders is up about 18%. More

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    Usual Labs Announces Public Pre-Launch Phase After Securing $75M in TVL for USD0 During Private Phase

    The pioneering company behind Usual, Usual Labs, an innovative protocol bridging traditional and decentralized finance (DeFi) through its first USD0 stablecoin, is thrilled to announce the commencement of its public pre-launch phase. This milestone follows a fruitful private launch, during which Usual Labs secured an impressive $75 million in Total Value Locked (TVL) commitments from over 180 prominent DeFi leaders and investors within a month.USUAL stands as a secure, transparent, and decentralized Tether, redistributing ownership and value through the USUAL token. As a Real World Assets (RWA) infrastructure, it aggregates RWA and bridges it with DeFi liquidity, ensuring RWA composability and integration within DeFi. USUAL’s design guarantees safety, transparency, and verifiability, offering infinite scalability. Serving as an alternative to fiat-backed systems, USUAL redistributes value and ownership to the community, which owns the infrastructure, including Tether/Circle.The USD0 stablecoin is set to challenge industry giants and establish itself as the leading DeFi-native stablecoin, offering users a secure, community-owned alternative to traditional financial systems.The successful private launch and the substantial TVL commitments from leaders in the web3 space, including Sam Kazemanian from Frax Finance, James Ross from Mode, Michael Egorov from Curve, and many others, demonstrate the industry’s growing confidence in Usual’s potential to revolutionize the financial landscape and challenge its key pain points. This phase was crucial in validating Usual’s vision and establishing its position as a leader in the next generation of financial solutions.Usual Labs is thrilled to advance towards its public launch in Q4 2024, inviting the broader community to join and participate in reshaping the future of finance.This public pre-launch phase will last for four months, giving participants the opportunity to be part of the airdrop scheduled for Q4 2024.About Usual LabsUsual Labs is the company behind Usual, an innovative protocol that bridges the gap between traditional and decentralized finance through the USD0 stablecoin. Founded in 2022 by Pierre Person, Adli Takkal Bataille, and Hugo Sallé de Chou, Usual Labs is committed to creating a more equitable, transparent, and community-driven financial ecosystem. With strong backing from industry leaders and a significant TVL, Usual is poised to revolutionize the world of stablecoins.ContactM Group Strategic [email protected] article was originally published on Chainwire More

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    European shares rise as earnings take centre stage; Powell’s comments on tap

    (Reuters) – European shares advanced on Wednesday led by corporate earnings, although gains were limited by weak oil and metal prices, while investors awaited Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s second day of testimony for more clues on interest rates.The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.2% by 0815 GMT, led by a more than 1% rise in real estate shares.Limiting the gains, basic resources was down 0.5% as crude oil and base metals prices declined.French stocks were up 0.2% after falling in the previous session, as investors assessed the political situation following Sunday’s legislative election.Powell on Tuesday said inflation “remains above” the Fed’s 2% target, but has been improving in recent months and “more good data would strengthen” the case for interest rate cuts.His second day of monetary policy testimony before the House Financial Services Committee is scheduled for 1400 GMT.Markets are also awaiting June inflation data out of the U.S. and Germany due on Thursday.On quarterly earnings forecast, Deutsche Bank analysts in a note said, “we expect both earnings and sales to have increased slightly in Q2, marking the first positive y-o-y growth rate since Q1 2023.”Norwegian aerospace and defence company Kongsberg Gruppen climbed 8.1% to the top of the benchmark index after reporting strong revenue growth, improved margins and growing order backlog in the second quarter.Enagas rose 3.6% after the Spanish grid operator agreed to sell its 30.2% stake in Tallgrass Energy to U.S. fund Blackstone (NYSE:BX) for $1.1 billion.On the other hand, UK’s Barratt Developments (LON:BDEV) slid 2.4% as the homebuilder forecast a fall of up to 7% in its home-building targets for fiscal year 2025, citing high mortgage rates and broader economic concerns.”Higher interest rates have caused the UK housing market to stall over the last couple of years, and although mortgage demand looks to be gradually picking up, the ambitious targets set by the new government could be exactly what is required to get the market moving,” said Mark Crouch, analyst at investment platform eToro. Travis Perkins (LON:TPK) jumped 4.4% after British construction materials firm named Pete Redfern as its new CEO, succeeding Nick Roberts who will step down on Sept. 16 after five years at the helm.Volkswagen (ETR:VOWG_p) shares slipped 2.2% after it warned of closing the Brussels site of its luxury brand Audi due to a sharp drop in demand for high-end electric cars that has hit Europe’s top carmaker. (This story has been corrected to change Powell’s testimony timings to 1400 GMT from 1000 GMT in paragraph 6) More

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    Legendary Bitcoin Trader John Bollinger Shares Crucial Portfolio Tip

    This piece of advice is consistent with Walter Diemer’s strategy, which focuses on identifying what to give up rather than what to gain.Bollinger’s wisdom today is especially relevant in current market, which is saturated with a huge number of financial instruments. And especially in the cryptocurrency one, given its state. There are currently more than 2.4 million different crypto assets with a total market capitalization of $2.14 trillion. Given this, and the fact that the sheer number of assets can be overwhelming for investors, Bollinger’s advice on optimizing portfolios can be very relevant.In his latest analysis, the trader predicted further consolidation of the major cryptocurrency following the reversal of two candles on the lower Bollinger band. This prediction came true as Bitcoin initially turned around and rose 4.73%. However, shortly after this, there was a significant drop in the price of the main cryptocurrency, which fell by 16.21% from $64,000 to $53,500 per BTC.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    Bybit CEO Ben Zhou Highlights Crypto’s Role in Shaping Future Finance at Zurich’s Point Zero Forum 2024

    Bybit, the world’s second-largest crypto exchange by trading volume, continues to lead the digital asset revolution with CEO Ben Zhou’s influential presence at the Point Zero Forum 2024 in Zurich, Switzerland. This prestigious annual event brings together visionaries in finance, policy, and technology to shape the future of global financial systems.During the session titled “Bridging Finance: How Digital Assets Enhance Financial Services and Vice Versa,” Zhou emphasized the critical role of user experience and familiarity for mainstream crypto adoption. Bybit, he explained, prioritizes building user-friendly interfaces that bridge the gap between traditional finance and the innovative world of crypto.Empowering the Future of FinanceZhou highlighted the transformative potential of crypto for developing economies. In regions where financial systems are still under construction, crypto adoption is skyrocketing, and Bybit is actively collaborating with local players to integrate crypto seamlessly.Pioneering Real-World Asset IntegrationZhou also shed light on the exciting advancements blurring the lines between traditional and digital assets. He pointed to the recent launch of Hong Kong’s Bitcoin ETF, allowing crypto holders to leverage their assets for real-world applications like homeownership without selling their holdings.Bybit is actively involved in projects exploring Real World Asset (RWA) tokenization, unlocking the value of traditional assets for crypto users. This two-way bridge fosters innovation and empowers both sides of the financial landscape.Driving Competitive InnovationZhou underscored the inherent competitive drive pushing traditional players to embrace crypto. The future of finance is undeniably intertwined with Web3 technology, and those who fail to adapt risk losing ground. Bybit actively engages with regulators worldwide, recognizing the diverse approaches and the emerging competition among regulatory bodies.The recent positive signals from Hong Kong, with its licensing regime for crypto businesses, illustrate this shift. The focus, Zhou concluded, should not be on incentivizing adoption, but on embracing technology and fostering a collaborative and secure environment for innovation.Leading the Financial EvolutionBybit stands at the forefront of this transformative era, committed to building bridges between established financial systems and emerging digital assets. This dedication accelerates the creation of a more inclusive and efficient global financial ecosystem, embodying Bybit’s vision of a synergistic financial future.#Bybit / #TheCryptoArk / #BybitWeb3About BybitBybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 33 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) Red Bull Racing team.For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press. For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] more information, please visit: https://www.bybit.comFor updates, please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social MediaContactHead of PRTony [email protected] article was originally published on Chainwire More

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    China’s consumer price growth weakens ahead of Communist party economic meeting

    Standard DigitalWeekend Print + Standard Digitalwasnow $75 per monthComplete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders. Pay a year upfront and save 20%.What’s included Global news & analysisExpert opinionFT App on Android & iOSFT Edit appFirstFT: the day’s biggest stories20+ curated newslettersFollow topics & set alerts with myFTFT Videos & Podcasts20 monthly gift articles to shareLex: FT’s flagship investment column15+ Premium newsletters by leading expertsFT Digital Edition: our digitised print editionWeekday Print EditionFT WeekendFT Digital EditionGlobal news & analysisExpert opinionSpecial featuresExclusive FT analysisFT Digital EditionGlobal news & analysisExpert opinionSpecial featuresExclusive FT analysisGlobal news & analysisExpert opinionFT App on Android & iOSFT Edit appFirstFT: the day’s biggest stories20+ curated newslettersFollow topics & set alerts with myFTFT Videos & Podcasts10 monthly gift articles to shareGlobal news & analysisExpert opinionFT App on Android & iOSFT Edit appFirstFT: the day’s biggest stories20+ curated newslettersFollow topics & set alerts with myFTFT Videos & Podcasts20 monthly gift articles to shareLex: FT’s flagship investment column15+ Premium newsletters by leading expertsFT Digital Edition: our digitised print editionEverything in PrintWeekday Print EditionFT WeekendFT Digital EditionGlobal news & analysisExpert opinionSpecial featuresExclusive FT analysisPlusEverything in Premium DigitalEverything in Standard DigitalGlobal news & analysisExpert opinionSpecial featuresFirstFT newsletterVideos & PodcastsFT App on Android & iOSFT Edit app10 gift articles per monthExclusive FT analysisPremium newslettersFT Digital Edition10 additional gift articles per monthMake and share highlightsFT WorkspaceMarkets data widgetSubscription ManagerWorkflow integrationsOccasional readers go freeVolume discountFT Weekend Print deliveryPlusEverything in Standard DigitalFT Weekend Print deliveryPlusEverything in Premium Digital More

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    Crucial Bitcoin (BTC) Signal, $3,000 Is Now or Never for Ethereum (ETH), Toncoin (TON) Whales Buy 13 Million in 2 Days

    Increased interest in and activity on the Bitcoin market can be inferred from the spike in trading volume. Significant price changes, whether upward or downward, are frequently preceded by higher volumes. The increase in trading volume in this instance indicates that there may be a resurgence of interest and room for price movement for Bitcoin.Institutional investors’ restored confidence may be one of the main causes of this spike in trading volume. Larger market participants have made sizable investments in a number of altcoins over the last few weeks.This capital inflow has probably helped to create a positive atmosphere that has permeated Bitcoin trading as well. Moreover, a possible bullish trend is also supported by the technical indicators for Bitcoin, as of right now. As it moves out of the oversold area, the relative strength index or RSI, is beginning to recover.The market is feeling more optimistic now that it has surpassed $3,000. Ethereum may be showing signs of renewed confidence from buyers if it can break through this psychological barrier. However, this confidence is not unwavering, particularly given the impending 200 EMA resistance.A popular technical indicator, the 200 EMA frequently serves as a strong resistance or support level. At this point, Ethereum’s trajectory could either sharply increase or completely reverse. The current state of Ethereum is influenced by various factors. First, there is a slow but steady improvement in market sentiment overall. Ethereum’s price action has been positively impacted by the recent spike in Bitcoin volume and institutional interest in altcoins.Because of its wide range of applications and vibrant developer community, Ethereum continues to be a valuable asset for institutional investors, who are diversifying their holdings. On-chain metrics also point to a cautiously optimistic mixed picture.It appears that the selling pressure may be abating as the Relative Strength Index (RSI) for Ethereum has left the oversold area. The market is still cautious, even though buyers are entering the market, as seen by the lack of a noticeable increase in trading volume. The larger macroeconomic environment is another important factor to take into account. There has been a discernible rise in the quantity of significant Toncoin transactions, according to recent data. The number of large transactions has increased over the last week, suggesting increased activity among major holders. In particular, there have been nine significant transactions in the last 24 hours, totaling 359,000 TON. Whale activity has increased, which indicates that investors are very optimistic about Toncoin’s future. The overall transaction volume of TON has been exhibiting notable fluctuations in terms of volume. On July 6, 2024, the seven-day high was 962,000 TON, and on July 7, 2024, the low was 52,000 TON. This variation suggests that whales are buying more tokens during price drops, probably in the hope that the price will rise in the future. The underlying whale activity has been mirrored in the movement of the price of Toncoin.Price resilience is demonstrated by its ability to bounce back from recent lows and hold a position above important support levels. Because they show important levels of support and resistance, the 50 EMA and 100 EMA are important indicators to keep an eye on. After recently hitting a low of about $7.09, TON is currently trading at around $7.28.This article was originally published on U.Today More

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    Japan’s wholesale inflation picks up as weak yen raises import costs

    TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s wholesale inflation accelerated in June as the yen’s declines pushed up the cost of raw material imports, data showed on Wednesday, keeping alive market expectations for a near-term interest rate hike by the central bank.The corporate goods price index (CGPI), which measures the price companies charge each other for their goods and services, rose 2.9% in June from a year earlier, Bank of Japan data showed, matching a median market forecast and accelerating from the previous month’s revised 2.6% gain.The yen-based import price index increased 9.5% in June from a year earlier, accelerating from a revised 7.1% rise in May, in a sign the weakening currency was inflating the price companies charge each other for imported raw material. More