Asian Shares Recover After Wall St Gains as Markets Waver Under the Threat of More Tariffs

"If the U.S. doesn’t get its debt under control, if deficits keep ballooning, America risks losing that position to digital assets like Bitcoin," Fink stated.

Fink emphasized the innovation of decentralized finance and the transformative potential of tokenization in the financial industry. He explained that tokenization, which turns real-world assets into digital tokens tradable online, could make markets faster and more accessible, allowing for fractional ownership and more democratic investing processes.

The CEO of the world’s largest asset manager also underscored the necessity of digital identity verification systems to support the tokenization of assets. He cited the example of India, where over 90% of citizens can securely verify transactions directly from their smartphones, suggesting that similar systems could bolster the efficiency and accessibility of financial systems globally.

Fink drew parallels between the historical democratization of financial markets and the current potential of tokenization and digital assets. He stressed that markets require conscious effort and vigilance to evolve in a way that serves everyone equally, reflecting on BlackRock’s 37-year history as a fiduciary to its clients.

Fink reiterated the importance of investing as a tool for generating wealth and improving lives, calling for the expansion and democratization of access to the capital markets. He expressed his belief that investing is not only an act of hope but a means to turn hopes into reality, emphasizing the value of protecting and expanding this opportunity for all.

Source: Investing

With cars and drugs in the tariff target zone, there are a lot of British goods that are going to be hit. Rolls-Royces, Bentleys and Aston Martins could be left shaken not stirred on the factory forecourt. AstraZeneca and GSK drugs may not wend their way across the Atlantic to soothe American headaches, and worse.

Today the US president insisted his tariff agenda would be a blanket one, dismissing a ranking system the US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent set out earlier this month which seemed to bolster British hopes for exceptionalism. This ranking system would have seen the so-called “Dirty 15” — t he countries that provide 75% of all US imports which the US think trade unfairly — hit first. Only once they had been dealt with would intention turn to other countries, including the UK. That was the British hope, at least.

This Bloomberg tracker of which economies are most vulnerable and why, should sate your desire for a game of tariff Top Trumps. The other idea floated previously by Bessent that tariffs would be the gun on the table in the negotiations — there for show, not use — has been dashed for now. Trump has believed in tariffs for decades and clearly intends to use them to try and reshape the world economy.

This morning a mixed picture emerged for the UK – a fall for stocks, but not as bad as the fall by European stocks. Across the board, investors shifted out of riskier assets into havens like sovereign bonds and gold. Gilt yields dropped across the curve. But drops were less pronounced in the UK.

As pointed out on our live blog during the day, the UK benchmark is set for a gain of around 5% for the first quarter of this year – its “best quarterly gain since the end of 2022.” Here Sam Unsted explains: “In terms of index points, it has added more in this quarter than it did for all of 2024.”

He goes on: “It has benefited from a relatively degree of safety in the eyes of investors as a way to swerve the worst of the tariff impact that will hit Europe hard. In addition, worries about the economic impact of those levies have caused US stocks, following a period of stellar returns, to slump. Whether the FTSE 100 can hold up as solidly in the next quarter, after Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ for reciprocal tariffs on Wednesday, we shall see.”

Tomorrow, the higher national living wage comes into force; and on Sunday the new higher national insurance costs for employers begin. While we are having a better time of it than Europe, there is still great apprehension at the prospect of the chancellor’s meagre headroom getting wiped out again.

If you have a sense of déjà vu all over again, you are not alone. Just a week after last year’s Budget was held, Donald Trump was elected. This year the spring statement was likewise only last week — and here we are yet again, bracing for the effect of a long-predicted momentous day in Washington.

Source: Bloomberg Europe

BlockDAG (BDAG): Presale Gem Set to Reach $1 Soon

BlockDAG (BDAG) iBlockDAG (BDAG) is a rising crypto project built with speed, scale, and practical use in mind—especially for running decentralised apps and smart contracts. It’s been developed from the ground up to support large-scale, high-performance systems. That’s one reason why so many are watching it closely even before launch.

A number of major events are lined up that could help BDAG’s value climb further. The final testnet released on March 28, opens the network for developers to test and build, which marks the beginning of real usage.

Also released on the same day was the much-awaited Keynote 3, which delivered major announcements—including confirmed centralized exchange listings and the official mainnet launch timeline. Both updates are now live and could trigger significant price movement in the coming days.

Right now, the coin is still in its presale stage, and the numbers show strong growth. BDAG has jumped from $0.001 in batch 1 to $0.0248 in batch 27, marking a 2,380% gain for those who got in early—well before it enters public trading. With more than $209.5 million raised and over 18.9 billion coins sold, this is currently the largest presale in the market.

Experts are now looking at a possible $1 target in 2025, with longer-term forecasts going even higher. As BlockDAG moves closer to launch, the attention around it keeps growing—and for those tracking the best-performing cryptos, BDAG is already standing out.

XRP (XRP): Focused on Global Payment Speed

XRP, created by Ripple, allows for low-cost and quick cross-border transactions. Transfers happen in seconds, making it useful for financial firms aiming to upgrade payment systems.

The price is now about $2.44. Some projections expect XRP to hit $10 by 2030, while others suggest slower growth. Future value depends on regulation and how Ripple expands its payment tools.

Polkadot (DOT): Connecting Multiple Blockchain Networks

Polkadot (DOT) makes it possible for different blockchains to work together and exchange data. As a Layer-0 protocol, it provides the base for many chains to operate securely as one system.

With a price near $4.63, DOT could reach $6 in 2025, based on adoption and market shifts. As more chains need to link, Polkadot's tech makes it a key part of the best-performing cryptos.

Cardano (ADA): Built for Strong, Secure Growth

Cardano (ADA) is a blockchain platform that supports smart contracts and person-to-person transactions. It focuses on keeping things scalable, eco-friendly, and secure. Its Proof-of-Stake method reduces costs and environmental harm.

ADA trades at about $0.75, with predictions ranging from $1.50 to $2.20, depending on growth and use. Thanks to its structure and developer support, ADA continues to rank among the best-performing cryptos today.

Wrapping Up 2025’s Best Performing Cryptos!

Cardano stands out with its strong base and focus on energy savings. Polkadot leads in cross-chain connections, linking different blockchains in a way few others match. XRP continues to focus on faster global payments and remains a key part of the crypto industry.

But BDAG leads the list. It’s still in presale, gaining speed, and every move boosts its progress. The testnet release, exchange plans, and huge presale are clear signs of strong support. Anyone watching for best performing cryptos should keep BDAG on their radar—it’s already ahead of the rest.

Source: CryptoSlate

LONDON (Reuters) - Gold stocks in Comex warehouses are on track to hit new records over the coming days due to the risk of import tariffs curtailing shipments to the United States from other countries, analysts and traders say.

Latest data from Comex, part of CME Group, shows gold stored in its warehouses in the United States at an all-time high of 43.3 million troy ounces worth $135 billion at current prices compared with 17.1 million in November when Donald Trump was elected U.S. President.

Spot gold prices surged past $3,100 per ounce to a fresh record high on Monday. Bullion is up 19% so far this year after rising 27% in 2024. [GOL/]

Flows may have slowed recently, but sources say gold is still being flown to the U.S. as Trump has promised to unveil a massive tariff plan on Wednesday, which he has dubbed "Liberation Day."

"There is still material going to the U.S. almost daily," said a source from a Swiss refinery. Switzerland is the world's biggest bullion refining and transit hub.

Between December and March, 25.4 million ounces of gold worth $79 billion were delivered to Comex as the risk of U.S. import tariffs widened the premium between Comex futures and London spot prices.

As gold travels quickly by airplanes, these flows are the most striking example of the pricing and physical dislocation caused in the market by the uncertainty.

Comex gold stocks are now equal to five years of U.S. total gold consumption, estimated by BNP Paribas at 8.8 million ounces a year.

"I would be surprised if anyone started exporting gold out of the U.S. any time soon," Adrian Ash, head of research at London-based BullionVault.

If gold is excluded from U.S. import tariffs, the market could see a reversal, perhaps muted, of the trend.

"If that is confirmed, I see no reason why some of those bars should not head back to London, which remains the main trading hub for physical gold," said Ole Hansen, head of commodity strategy at Saxo Bank.

In London, the world's largest over-the-counter gold trading hub, the shock of massive supplies to New York has been absorbed and the liquidity improved as the market borrowed from central banks, storing their bullion at the Bank of England's (BoE) vaults.

The waiting time to load gold out of the BoE vaults has narrowed to 2-3 weeks from 4-6 weeks in January, according to three sources familiar with the matter, who requested anonymity to reveal operations.

BoE declined to comment.

The London Bullion Market Association reported 8,477 metric tons as of the end of February - that is still six times more gold stored in the London vaults than there is in Comex gold stocks. The price discovery process remains in London, according to analysts.

Source: Yahoo Finance

At 12:58 ET (17:58 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.5%, and the NASDAQ Composite dropped 1.4%.

The major indices are on pace to end the month sharply lower, weighed by mounting trade and economic concerns. 

Trump tariff jitters grow as ‘liberation day’ approaches 

President Trump is set to unveil several more trade tariffs on April 2, a date he has repeatedly touted as “liberation day.” 

A WSJ report over the weekend said Trump will consider higher tariffs against a broader range of countries, as he embarks on a trade agenda aimed at correcting alleged trade imbalances against the U.S.

The U.S. president rattled markets last week by imposing a 25% tariff on all non-American cars. The tariff will take effect from April 2, where Trump could also announce tariffs against other sectors such as commodities, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

Markets fear that Trump’s tariffs, which will be borne by U.S. importers, will underpin inflation and compromise U.S. economic growth in the coming months. 

Goldman Sachs sees a 35% chance of a recession in the next 12 months, and also expects inflation to rise further above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target in 2025. 

Jobs report looms large 

This week sees an abundance of major economic releases, including the all-important jobs report for March.

The U.S. economy is tipped to have added 139,000 roles in March, down from 151,000 in the previous month, while the unemployment rate is seen equaling February’s mark of 4.1%.

Prior to the release of the nonfarm payrolls figures on Friday, measures of private hiring and job openings will also be published, along with separate numbers tracking manufacturing activity.

Wall Street indexes fell sharply on Friday after PCE price index inflation- the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge- read higher than expected for February. 

The reading gives the Fed more impetus to keep interest rates steady for longer, especially in the face of heightened uncertainty over the economy. 

Tesla to reveal Q1 deliveries 

In the corporate sector, Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is expected to unveil first-quarter deliveries data this week, with analysts and investors bracing for a potential drop in the proxy for the electric vehicle maker’s sales.

The numbers, which are due out on April 2, are projected to show a decline in the figure versus the year-ago period, as the company contends with a backlash to CEO Elon Musk’s political activities that have led to protests at showrooms. 

Coreweave drops; Mr. Cooper Group jumps on deal activity; 

CoreWeave Inc (NASDAQ:CRWV) fell more than 5% just days after making its public debut. The Nvidia-backed company opened trading its below IPO price on Friday.  

Mr. Cooper Group Inc (NASDAQ:COOP) shrugged off the broader market malaise, rising more than 12% after the mortgage services provider agreed to be aquired by Rocket Companies in a $9.4B deal.

Source: Investing