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At Least One Rate Cut in 2026 Continues to Appear Probable But at least one rate cut this year continues to appear probable – even if such a cut may not necessarily appear justified. A recent poll of Bloomberg-panelled economists I participated on observed economists pushing back their expectations for the Federal Reserve’s next interest rate cut to June of this year from March, but still predict two quarter-point reductions by year-end. The expectation of many economists of further easing recognises the vocal preferences for lowered rates of the incoming Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh, the repeated demand of President Donald…

OP_NET said it is launching a “SlowFi” decentralized finance (DeFi) stack on Bitcoin that uses standard Bitcoin transactions and native BTC fees rather than bridges, wrapped assets or a separate gas token.According to a Thursday release shared with Cointelegraph, the project is part of a broader push to bring trading and yield-style activity directly onto Bitcoin’s base layer instead of routing it through sidechains, bridges or adjacent networks. OP_NET is betting some users will accept slower and more expensive transactions in exchange for staying fully on Bitcoin.According to OP_NET co-founder Frederic Fosco, who goes by Danny Plainview, applications run through…

The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Wednesday closed down -1.36%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed down -1.63%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed down -1.43%.  March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) fell -1.42%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) fell -1.45%.Stocks sold off on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling to a 3.75-month low.  Stocks retreated on Wednesday after US Feb producer prices rose more than expected, a sign of sticky price pressures.  Stocks added to their losses today after WTI crude oil prices (CLJ26) whipsawed higher on signs of escalation of the Iran war after Iran…

The Federal Reserve left its benchmark rate unchanged at 3.50%–3.75%, extending its wait‑and‑see stance even as internal divisions over the 2026 path remain stark. Stephen Miran again broke with the majority, casting his fifth straight vote for a 25-basis-point cut.   Most policymakers still project at least one quarter‑point reduction this year, but seven of 19 see no cuts at all, while five are looking for 50 basis points or more in easing. The Fed’s latest projections keep the policy rate at 3.4% at the end of 2026, drifting to 3.1% in both 2027 and 2028, with a longer‑run estimate of…

Opinion by: Vikram Arun, co-founder and CEO of SuperformCrypto cards aren’t the future of payments. They’re a temporary interface for a world that hasn’t fully accepted cryptocurrencies.They rely on banks as issuers, Visa or Mastercard as gatekeepers, and compliance rules that look exactly like TradFi. In most cases, crypto is sold into idle USD, the assets stop earning and every swipe creates a taxable event. That’s not innovation. That’s a debit card with extra steps. As digital banks built with blockchain rails scale, crypto cards that behave like debit cards will become obsolete, replaced by systems that treat cards as a thin interface…

April WTI crude oil (CLJ26) on Tuesday closed up +2.71 (+2.90%), and April RBOB gasoline (RBJ26) closed up +0.1231 (+4.10%).  Crude oil and gasoline prices rallied sharply on Tuesday, with gasoline posting a 1-week high.  Energy prices are rising amid renewed attacks on key energy infrastructure in the Middle East by Iran.  Also, Tuesday’s weaker dollar was supportive of energy prices.Crude oil settled sharply higher on Tuesday amid disruptions to Middle Eastern energy supplies.  Operations were suspended at the Shah gas field in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while Iranian drones and missiles also targeted an Iraqi oil field.  Also,…

Key Takeaways XRP Ledger surpassing 7.7 million holders and rising active addresses signal increasing user participation. Analysts warn XRP’s price may not have long-term growth potential. Heavy short liquidations and rising leverage ratios suggest bullish sentiment in derivatives markets. The XRP Ledger has surpassed 7.7 million holders for the first time in its 13-year history, according to on-chain data, underscoring a steady expansion in network participation even as questions remain over the token’s long-term demand drivers. The milestone comes alongside a sharp uptick in market activity, with XRP’s price recently climbing more than 7% in a week. It comes as…

A court in Argentina has ordered a nationwide block of the major crypto-based prediction market platform Polymarket over unauthorized gambling.Argentina’s national communications and media regulator, Ente Nacional de Comunicaciones (ENACOM), received a court order to block access to the Polymarket website and its variants across the country, according to a ruling dated March 11.The order was issued by the Buenos Aires Court of First Instance in Criminal, Contravention and Minor Offenses No. 31, which is investigating Polymarket under Argentina’s Criminal Code for allegedly offering gambling services without authorization.The judge asked ENACOM to carry out the measure either directly or through…

The wheat complex is trading with losses on Monday. Chicago SRW futures are trading with 11 to 12 cents so far at midday. KC HRW futures are trading with 8 to 9 cent losses on Monday. MPLS spring wheat is down 7 to 9 cents so far. Crude oil is down $3.19 at midday.Export Inspections data showed wheat at 343,022 MT (12.6 mbu) shipped in the week that ended on March 2. That was down 31.2% from last week, and 30.81% below the same week last year. Mexico was the top destination of 79,566 MT, with 62,647 MT to the…

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