ECB deleveraging continues.
Ahead of this weeks meeting, CenBank shrank its balance sheet by €18.6bn to €7,186.9bn as matured bonds were not replaced by new ones. ECB's total assets are now equal to 53% of Eurozone GDP vs Fed's 31%, SNB's 121%, BoJ's 129%. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ
Watches trading at Premium above retail
While luxury watches secondary market prices are declining, most Rolex, Patek, and AP trade above retail prices. Source: Bloomberg
S&P 500 hits fresh 52-week high while the Dow heads for 13th straight daily gain as markets hope that the US interest rate hikes cycle is over.
The Fed just said they are taking a "meeting by meeting" approach to future interest rate policy. As expected, the Fed raised interest rates to the highest level in 22yrs as expected and left the door open to additional increases as officials fine-tune their effort to further quell inflation. The quarter percentage-point hike, a unanimous decision, lifted the target range for the Fed’s benchmark federal funds rate to 5.25% to 5.5%, the highest level since 2001. It marked the 11th increase since March 2022, when the rate was near zero. Source: Bloomberg, HolgerZ
‘SPDR S&P Semiconductor ETF’ has the highest 10-year returns at 24%.
They are closely followed by BlackRock’s 'iShares Semiconductor ETF’ at 23.3%. There is a clear pattern here where semiconductor and technology ETFs have achieved the highest returns over the last 10 years. Source: Genuine Impact
$LVMH Q2 2023
"Thanks to the desirability of our brands, we approach the second half of the year with confidence and optimism" - Bernard Arnault Organic Growth by Business Group - source: Quartr
Top Cobalt Producers
Colbalt is essential for a series of technologies, from batteries needed for EVs to portable devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has long been the world’s largest cobalt producer, accounting for 73% of global output in 2022. However, according to the Cobalt Institute, the DRC’s dominance is projected to decrease to 57% by 2030 as Indonesia ramps up its cobalt production as a byproduct from its rapidly expanding nickel industry. Indonesia accounts for nearly 5% of global cobalt production today, surpassing established producers like Australia and the Philippines. Source: Visual Capitalist, Elements
S&P 500 Forward Earnings Yield
The S&P 500 equity risk premium hit the lowest level in two decades, which will be a headwind for longer-term returns. Source: The Daily Shot
Binance exits at least 3 European markets, prepares for MiCA
Binance has withdrawn from multiple European countries due to registration difficulties.
The most recent country in question is Germany. Circumstances, both in the global market and regulatory landscape, led to the decision. “Binance confirms that it has proactively withdrawn its BaFin application,” a spokesperson told Blockworks. Last month, the country’s financial regulator BaFin declined to grant a license to Binance, adding to the regulatory challenges the company is facing in the region, per Finance Forward.
Jonas Jünger, the managing director of Binance in Germany, reportedly said his primary focus was to successfully establish a branch of the company in the country. He also mentioned that the regulatory prerequisites for accomplishing this goal were quite stringent.
Source: blockworks
