Author: Jordan

New lending dipped by close to $1 billion in the month of April but was still higher by almost $2 billion compared to the same period last year. The Reserve Bank’s new lending fully secured by residential mortgage data series shows $14.2 billion of new lending during April, down 6.4% from $15.1 billion in March. Compared to April 2025, total new lending was up 15.5% from $12.3 billion. Total monthly new residential lending edged down from $8.7 billion in March to $8.3 billion in April. On a yearly basis, the total monthly new residential lending was up just 3.5% from…

When advisors and investors think about cryptocurrency, “volatility” is typically the first word that comes to mind. However, the digital asset space has also delivered notable bright spots recently, including the expansion into AI infrastructure and a strong performance throughout the month of May. For instance, take a look at the (BLOK A). As of May 31, 2026, the fund’s NAV has risen 14.49% over the past month and 41.69% over the past 12 months.  As one would expect from its name, BLOK invests in companies that are engaged in blockchain innovation or crypto infrastructure, and may also allocate to…

(Kitco NewsWire) – Spot gold and silver prices are sharply lower in late-afternoon U.S. trading Friday, after a stronger-than-expected May jobs report lifted Treasury yields, firmed the U.S. dollar and triggered heavy selling across precious metals. At the time of writing, spot gold was trading near $4,323.70 an ounce, down 3.39%, while spot silver was trading at $67.895, down 8.12% on the session.U.S. employers added 172,000 jobs in May, while the unemployment rate held at 4.3%. Leisure and hospitality added 70,000 jobs, local government added 55,000 and health care also gained, while financial activities employment declined by 22,000. The payrolls…

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR – DECEMBER 18: Gonzalo Montiel of Argentina scores the winning penalty during the penalty shoot out to win the FIFA World Cup for Argentina during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by James Williamson – AMA/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe 2026 FIFA World Cup championship, along with the 104 matches leading up to it, promises to be the most-watched sporting event the world has ever seen—far surpassing the 2022 Qatar final between Argentina and France, which drew 1.5 billion viewers and…

The sharp rise in oil prices and heightened market volatility stemming from the Iran war have produced an unexpected group of winners this year: quantitative hedge funds that use computer-driven models to identify and trade market trends.The conflict has fueled major moves across commodity, currency and futures markets. Those conditions have created a favorable environment for commodity trading advisors, or CTAs, which rely on systematic strategies rather than discretionary investment decisions.Many of these funds have posted double-digit returns in 2026 after successfully capturing rallies in crude oil, gasoline and diesel markets during the early months of the conflict, according to…

Big Battlemage goes single-slot with SPARKLE Arc Pro B70 and MAXSUN Arc Pro B65Intel’s Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65 are getting more compact partner designs at Computex. SPARKLE is showing an Arc Pro B70 32GB Blower 1S, while MAXSUN has displayed Arc Pro B65 32G Turbo and Fanless cards.These are workstation cards, but the layout is the main detail here. Both vendors are using single-slot designs, which makes them suitable for dense multi-GPU systems. With 32GB per card, an eight-card setup would provide 256GB of combined VRAM, assuming the platform and chassis support such a layout.Source: SparkleSPARKLE’s Arc…

The Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) is preparing to broaden its definition of money. Under a new proposal, the CBK may begin holding silver and platinum as part of its official reserve assets. This shift would expand the composition of Kenya’s monetary backstop beyond traditional foreign-currency holdings and gold.   With global currencies fluctuating and growing interest in commodity-backed reserves, this move signals a clear strategy. For years, central banks have mostly held foreign currencies, especially the US dollar, as well as government bonds and, more recently, gold. Adding silver and platinum would be an unusual step for an African country.   The question…

Darlington Building Society has reduced rates across a range of residential, shared ownership, buy-to-let and holiday let mortgage products. Darlington Building Society has announced a series of rate reductions across its residential, specialist residential, shared ownership, buy-to-let and holiday let mortgage ranges. The changes take effect immediately and apply to selected 2-year and 5-year fixed-rate products for both purchase and remortgage borrowers. Among the reductions, the society’s residential 2-year fixed-rate mortgage at 80% loan-to-value (LTV) has been reduced by 0.20% from 5.29% to 5.09%. The lender’s specialist residential visa product at 90% LTV is now available at 5.99%, while its…

Gold has a reputation as a safe haven for investors. When the stock market fluctuates and inflation rises, investors often allocate more capital to precious metals like gold and silver. With the war in Iran affecting oil prices and the stock market, along with ongoing issues in Europe and South America, gold is more popular than ever. In fact, gold’s price rose 64% in 2025. But what comes next? Learn what drives gold prices, and what predictions experts have about future gold values. What drives gold prices? Gold prices are dependent on several factors, including: Inflation Inflation, the change in…

Bill Smead says investors should pile into commodities to prepar for a lost decade for stocks. The $4 billion CIO pointed to the S&P 500’s monster gains in recent years, specifically in tech. But commodities outperformed after the market’s lost decade in the 1970s, gaining more than 300%. One bearish investment chief is warning of a rough decade for the stock market—but he sees one unusual safe-haven investors should consider piling into for shelter. Bill Smead, the chief investment officer at Smead Capital Management, said his firm is bullish on commodities, specifically on energy and real estate. That’s because he’s…