Market Pulse: Overnight trading edged in a cautious groove as investors digested mixed signals from Asia and Europe ahead of today’s bell.
Key Movers: Germany’s Merz arrives in Beijing to push trade and tech cooperation, while Leading stablecoin Tether shrinks again as market cap eyes second straight monthly drop has crypto bulls on alert.
Macro & Politics: The chancellor’s pitch comes with a reality check—Beijing will dangle market access while keeping control over forced tech transfers and human-rights leverage.
What’s Next: Keep an eye on developments from Merz’s China visit and any ripple effects from the stablecoin contraction before markets open.
Unfiltered Market Commentary
Everyone’s brushing aside the slow bleed in crypto liquidity, but Tether’s back-to-back market cap contraction (Leading stablecoin Tether shrinks again as market cap eyes second straight monthly drop, Coindesk) is a flashing red light for broader risk appetite. Sure, Bitcoin’s been stuck near resistance, but when your biggest stablecoin runs on empty, retail freaks and venture funding pauses at the gate. Don’t let the central-bank calm lull you into complacency—this is the ignition point for a liquidity squeeze that can bleed into other markets.
At the same time, hardware innovation is racing ahead of the balance sheets. Donut Lab’s new solid-state battery promises 80 percent charge in five minutes (This New EV Battery Can Charge to 80 Percent In Just 5 Minutes, Robb Report), while AI chip startups have already soaked up $1.1 billion this week (It’s only Tuesday and AI chip startups have already soaked up $1.1B in funding, Theregister.com). It’s a double whammy: electrification and computation are sprinting side by side, yet the infrastructure and supply chains needed to support them remain stretched thin. When funding meets manufacturing chokepoints, premium valuations can deflate faster than you can say ‘supply shortage.’
If you’re hunting for real catalysts, look beyond the glamorous tech giants and scout the picks-and-shovels plays behind these breakthroughs. From specialty materials suppliers in the battery sector to niche foundries fueling AI chip architectures, the next rally won’t come from the headline acts. Consider repositioning toward companies that aren’t headlining the EV and AI hype cycles but thrive on their supply chain margins. That’s where the real opportunity sits—away from the noise, tucked in the nuts and bolts.
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Leading stablecoin Tether shrinks again as market cap looks set for second straight monthly drop
Tether, the world’s $183.6 billion stablecoin behemoth, is bleeding for a second straight month—a contraction not seen since Terra’s 2022 meltdown—and that’s like watching the heart of crypto flatline. When your fuel tank runs dry, every rally goes nowhere; Bitcoin’s been stuck around $65 K like a car in neutral, and with capital fleeing, you might as well pour water on your fireworks. Meanwhile USDC, the regulated wannabe hero, has limped back to nearly $75 billion from January’s $70 billion di
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Germany's Merz arrives in China for talks on trade, security
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