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Today's Summary

China could use cyberattacks, electronic attacks, or conventional strikes against Taiwans political, military, and communications infrastructure to instill fear and degrade public confidence. US has outperformed the $gdow global Dow index since before 2000. US spends $2.7 billion a day on defense. 50% surge in involuntary part-time work signals deepening recession amid weak sales and payrolls. US cannot extract enough crude oil (fracking) to produce all the refined petroleum it uses and exports for profit, so it imports crude from Canada, Mexico, and Saudia Arabia. Every gain youve made since 08 has been on the back of savers and those who gamble. Next time we have a pandemic and the Fed crushes rates to 0%, Im borrowing! Fed has so far avoided Great Recession II from their results of Housing Bubble II. That will slowly go away without a devastating crash. Stanley Druckenmiller, former Chairman and President of Duquesne Capital, says we are now in terminal stages of QE. The persistence of extraordinary policy accommodation in a financial system flooded with liquidity poses great danger. We have become too dependent on central bankers, says Larry Fink. US says it will take all the oil stuck in Venezuela and sell it in market, at market rates: Marco Rubio. New Venezuelan President Guerino Cabello has adapted to survival mode, sources say. New York City exploring whether AI can be harnessed within transit system. ADP Employment Report: +41,000, mostly at Medium-Size Companies. Atlanta Feds GDPNow doubles its forecast for Q4 GDP growth to +5.4% today. Betterware de Mexico SAPI de C (BWMX) has been upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1. Barry Ritholtz speaks with Stephanie Drescher, Apollos Chief Client and Product Development Officer. Barry L. Ritholz is co-founder, chairman, and chief investment officer. Every poll shows pro-immigration sentiment on the rise again, after a dip during the Biden years. Somalis managed to do a sort of takeover of the Minneapolis Democratic Party, nominating one of their own, Omar Fateh, as the Democratic candidate over incumbent mayor Jacob Frey. China is out-competing and out-innovating big European industries, including carmaking. MSCI announced it will retain “Digital Asset Treasury Companies” (DATCOs) in its global indices for the February 2026 review. The reprieve comes with a structural catch that fundamentally alters the economics of the asset management sector. People who value the wealth and freedom of European-derived societies, but who feel oppressed or bored by European- derived cultures, find refuge and novelty in Japan and its products. Liquid Wallet has gained popularity in recent years for supporting a similar user experience as on-chain Bitcoin with comparable speeds to the Lightning Network. People who value the wealth and freedom of European-derived societies, but who feel oppressed or bored by European- derived cultures, find refuge and novelty in Japan and its products. Japan should continue supporting small, independent retail businesses. A Netflix series depicting the life that awaits foreign workers and entrepreneurs in Japan could potentially be a big hit. Global crypto market cap pushed another 2% to $3.22T as majors continue to grind up; BTC +1% at $93,780; ETH +2% at. $3,240, SOL +3% at $139; XRP led up 12%. Senate Banking Committee set to vote on a crypto market structure bill next Thursday. South Korean Supreme Court rules Bitcoin is an asset that can be seized by authorities. Moodys report predicts that digital finance will evolve into ‘foundational infrastructure layer’ in. Bitcoin topped $94,000 on Monday, hitting its highest price in a month. Reliance Industries said Thursday it would consider buying Venezuelan crude again if sales are permitted to non-U.S. buyers. Boston Dynamics debuts a commercially deployable version of its Atlas humanoid robot at CES 2026. France is a European hotspot for violent crypto-related crime, with more than 14 such incidents reported. Analysts describe Venezuelas energy infrastructure as being in a “catastrophic state” following decades of under-investment, disrepair, and cannibalization.