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☆ Charlie Munger says the U.S. should follow in China's footsteps and ban cryptocurrencies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Charlie Munger urged the U.S. government to ban cryptocurrencies like China, saying a lack of regulation enabled wretched excess and a gambling mentality. Munger, along with his business partner, Warren Buffett, have been longtime cryptocurrency skeptics, contending they are not tangible or productive assets. Second, from the early 1700s, the English Parliament banned all public trading in new common stocks and kept this ban in place for about 100 years, Munger said. "What should the U.S. do after a ban of cryptocurrencies is in place? Well, one more action might make sense: Thank the Chinese communist leader for his splendid example of uncommon sense," Munger said.

ION Group, the financial data firm's parent company, said in a statement on its website that the attack began on Tuesday. "The incident is contained to a specific environment, all the affected servers are disconnected, and remediation of services is ongoing," ION Group said, declining requests for further comment. ABN told clients on Wednesday that due to "technical disruption" from ION, some applications were unavailable and were expected to remain so for a "number of days". It added that its staff had to process trades directly with the exchange. Intesa Sanpaolo told clients that its brokerage and clearing operations on exchange-traded derivatives had been "severely hampered" by IT problems at ION and that it was not able to handle orders.

[1/2] Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port earlier in January 2023, in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. On Wednesday, a $2.5 billion sale of shares by one of its companies Adani Enterprises ADEL.NS was called off. Adani Group and the stock market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) did not respond to a request for comment. Cracking the code of how Hindenburg did the trade could lead to more short sellers taking positions against Indian companies, which have been rare, analysts said. But several bankers familiar with trading in Indian securities said the more profitable piece of the short seller’s bet would likely lie in the derivative trades it had placed.

Spokespeople for SEBI and Adani Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Among several allegations, Hindenburg accused Adani Group last week of using offshore tax havens and stock manipulation. On Tuesday, Adani Group mustered support from investors for a $2.5 billion share sale for Adani Enterprises, in what some saw as a stamp of investor confidence at a time of crisis. Reuters Graphics[1/5] Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. The U.S. dollar-denominated bonds of Adani Ports maturing in February 2031 led the losses, falling 3.59 cents to 67.58 cents.

The company, which nearly collapsed after Moscow cut and then stopped gas supplies to Germany, now sees a net loss of 19.1 billion euros ($21 billion) for 2022, it said on Wednesday. It said on Wednesday that losses caused by costs to replace Russian gas volumes reached 13.2 billion euros in 2022. "The development of the gas price has a major impact on Uniper's losses for realized and future gas replacement procurement. She said the significant decrease in gas prices at the end of 2022 meant expected losses for future gas replacement costs were reduced to 5.9 billion euros from 30 billion euros. "The actual losses and anticipation of losses from gas replacement cost in the future will continue to significantly fluctuate with changing gas prices," Uniper said.

[1/5] Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. "The kind of fall that we are seeing in Adani stocks is scary," said Avinash Gorakshakar, head of research at Mumbai-based Profitmart Securities. After losing $86 billion in recent days, the seven listed Adani Group entities now have a combined market capitalisation of about $131 billion. LIC owned a 4.23% stake in Adani Enterprises as of end-December and more than 9% in Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone. Siddhartha Mohanty, one of LIC's managing directors, said in interviews on Monday that the insurer was engaging with the Adani Group but was positive on its investments.

Before the critical report by U.S. short-seller Hindenburg, Adani had ranked third. The report by Hindenburg Research last week alleged improper use by the Adani Group of offshore tax havens and stock manipulation. Adani Power (ADAN.NS) fell 5%, while Adani Total Gas (ADAG.NS) slumped 10%, down by its daily price limit. Headaches for the Adani Group are expected to continue for some time. Hindenburg said in its report it had shorted U.S.-bonds and non-India traded derivatives of the Adani Group.

☆ Analysis: Hawkish Fed could hobble volatility funds’ stock buying spree
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Saqib Iqbal Ahmed | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The S&P 500’s (.SPX) 6.2% surge in January has been accompanied by a drop in measures of volatility across the board. The drop in market gyrations has triggered a buy-signal for certain computer-driven strategies including volatility control funds, risk parity funds and Commodity Trading Advisors (CTAs). Volatility control funds have raised their equity allocation to a nine-month high of 57.7%, strategists at Deutsche Bank wrote on Friday. Grinacoff, of BNP Paribas, estimates volatility control funds have assets of about $275 billion, while CTAs, not all of which have a volatility control strategy, as a group have $800 billion allocated across strategies. "Market volatility measured by VIX remains stuck above the 18 level, which is its long-term average.

☆ Gautam Adani no longer Asia's richest person as stock rout deepens to $74 billion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port earlier in January 2023, in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. REUTERS/Amir CohenBENGALURU, Feb 1 (Reuters) - India's Gautam Adani lost his title of Asia's richest person on Wednesday as a rout in his conglomerate's stocks deepened to $74 billion after a short-seller report. The Adani Group has denied the allegations, calling them baseless and saying it has always made necessary regulatory disclosures. Before the Hindenburg report, Adani had ranked 3rd. Adani Power (ADAN.NS) fell 5%, while Adani Total Gas (ADAG.NS) slumped 10%, down by its daily price limit.

☆ Adani Group stocks rout deepens to $72 bln despite share sale completion
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BENGALURU, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Most Adani Group stocks dropped on Wednesday, extending losses to $72 billion after a short-seller report criticised the conglomerate and despite the group completing a closely watched share sale a day earlier. It added that shares in seven Adani listed companies have an 85% downside due to what it called "sky-high valuations". Adani Power (ADAN.NS) fell 5%, while Adani Total Gas (ADAG.NS) slumped 10%, down by its daily price limit. Adani Enterprises had bounced over the last two sessions as the group mustered support from investors to haul the flagship firm's share sale over the line on the last day of sale. Hindenburg said in its report it had shorted U.S.-bonds and non-India traded derivatives of the Adani Group.

☆ Adani vs. Hindenburg: How Asia’s richest man lost his crown in just a few days
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jihye Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Gautam Adani, billionaire and chairman of Adani Group, during an event at the Port of Haifa in Haifa, Israel, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023. According to Forbes, Gautam Adani, the founder and chairman of the group, has lost his status as Asia's richest man to Mukesh Ambani, the chairman of Reliance Industries. Hindenburg, which said it has taken a short position in Adani Group, stands to benefit from the declining value of those stocks. Adani's battle with the short-seller firm has put the group's exposure to Wall Street — amounting to nearly $9 billion, according to JPMorgan — under the spotlight. In just one week, Indian billionaire Gautam Adani saw more than $34 billion wiped off his net worth, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

☆ FIA assessing impact of cyber attack on financial data firm ION
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - The Futures Industry Association said on Wednesday it was assessing the impact of a cyber attack on the systems of an ION Group unit, which is affecting trading and clearing of exchange-traded derivatives by ION customers across global markets. The FIA, an industry group that represents futures dealers, investors and exchanges, said it was working with impacted members as well as market regulators to evaluate the extent of the impact on trading, processing and clearing. Dublin-based financial technology company ION Markets said a "cybersecurity event" had impacted its Cleared Derivatives division on Tuesday. All affected servers were disconnected and being remedied, according to the firm. Reporting by Medha Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

India's largest ever secondary share sale attracted participation from anchor investors including Maybank Securities and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, as well as India's HDFC Life Insurance and state-backed Life Insurance Corporation (LIFI.NS). By Tuesday the overall share sale was fully subscribed as foreign institutional investors and corporate funds flooded in, although participation by retail investors and Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) employees remained low. Support for Adani's share sale came even as the flagship's shares closed at 2,973.9 rupees, up nearly 3% but below the lower end of the sale price band of 3,112 rupees. So, what happens to one particular corporate group, is a matter between the market and the corporate group." Reuters GraphicsHindenburg said in its report it had shorted U.S.-bonds and non-India traded derivatives of the Adani Group.

The secondary share sale of flagship Adani Enterprises (ADEL.NS) was subscribed 93% on Tuesday, including the anchor investor portion, Indian stock exchange data showed. The share sale needed at least 90% subscription to go through. By Monday, the book building process of the country's largest share sale had received only 3% in bids, amid swirling concerns that the share sale could struggle due to a market rout in Adani's stocks in recent days. That has since sparked $65 billion in cumulative losses for stocks of the Adani group, which called the report baseless. The support for Adani's share sale came even as the flagship's shares were trading at 2,967 rupees, up nearly 2.5% but below the lower end of the share sale price band of 3,112 rupees.

LONDON/SINGAPORE, Jan 31 (Reuters) - The dollar ticked higher on Tuesday ahead of a raft of central bank decisions but remained on track for its fourth consecutive monthly loss. The Federal Reserve will set interest rates on Wednesday, followed by the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) on Thursday. That meant it was set for its fourth monthly drop, having fallen around 11% since hitting a 20-year peak in late September. Investors then expect the ECB and BoE to raise their main interest rates by 50 bps each on Thursday. Sterling was last 0.29% lower at $1.231, but was on track for its fourth monthly increase.

☆ Explainer: Adani vs Hindenburg: What you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Founded in 2017 by Nathan Anderson, Hindenburg Research is a forensic financial research firm which analyses equity, credit and derivatives. Hindenburg disclosed that it holds short positions in Adani companies through U.S.-traded bonds and non-Indian-traded derivative instruments. Reuters reported the regulator will continue this scrutiny and draw on any fresh information in the Hindenburg report. The Adani group said that several of the CFOs that the Hindenburg report points to have remained within the group and moved on to new roles. The report says key listed Adani companies have substantial debt and are over-leveraged.

☆ UBS flags uncertain year ahead after profit beats forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Noele Illien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] The logo of Swiss bank UBS is seen at an office building in Zurich, Switzerland, Oct. 25, 2022. REUTERS/Arnd WiegmannZURICH, Jan 31 (Reuters) - UBS (UBSG.S), Switzerland's biggest bank, forecast an uncertain year ahead due to the war in Ukraine and sagging client confidence on Tuesday, despite trumping expectations for 2022 with a $7.6 billion net profit. Zuercher Kantonalbank analyst Michael Klien said UBS had benefited from one-offs, including a lower than expected tax rate. SLOWDOWNUBS said it gained $23.3 billion in net new fee generating assets in wealth management, with a strong Swiss performance. UBS announced plans to buy back more than $5 billion worth of shares this year after repurchasing $5.5 billion in 2022.

Adani Enterprises, the flagship firm, was trading 4% higher at 3,000 rupees, still below the lower end of the share sale's price band of 3,112 rupees. But other group stocks, including Adani Power (ADAN.NS), Adani Green (ADNA.NS) and Adani Total Gas (ADAG.NS), were down 5%-10%, extending their falls after Adani's 413-page response to Hindenburg's allegations failed to boost investor confidence. An unsuccessful share sale would be a stunning setback for Adani whose group has in recent days repeatedly said investors were standing by its side and the share offering will go through. The share sale needs at least 90% subscription to go through. Hindenburg said in its report it has shorted U.S.-bonds and non-India traded derivatives of the Adani Group.

☆ Adani rides out storm as investors rally behind $2.5 billion share sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

But on Tuesday, the overall share sale was fully subscribed as foreign institutional investors and corporates pumped in funds, although participation by retail investors and Adani Enterprises employees remained low. That sparked $65 billion in cumulative losses for stocks of the Adani group, which called the report baseless. The support for Adani's share sale came even as the flagship's shares closed at 2,973.9 rupees, up nearly 3% but below the lower end of the sale price band of 3,112 rupees. Demand mostly came from foreign institutional investors, as well as corporates who bid in excess of 1 million rupees each, data showed. Adani Transmission closed nearly 4% higher on Tuesday after losing 38% since the Hindenburg report, while Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone climbed 2.6%.

[1/5] Indian billionaire Gautam Adani speaks during an inauguration ceremony after the Adani Group completed the purchase of Haifa Port earlier in January 2023, in Haifa port, Israel January 31, 2023. REUTERS/Amir CohenSummarySummary Companies Adani scripts comeback by completing share saleKey $2.5 billion share sale fully subscribed-dataShort-seller's report led to fall in Adani sharesMUMBAI, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Gautam Adani's crucial $2.5 billion share sale was fully subscribed on Tuesday as investors pumped funds into his flagship firm, despite a $65 billion rout in the Indian billionaire's stocks sparked by a short-seller's report. Support for Adani's share sale came even as the flagship's shares closed at 2,973.9 rupees, up nearly 3% but below the lower end of the sale price band of 3,112 rupees. So, what happens to one particular corporate group, is a matter between the market and the corporate group." Hindenburg said in its report it had shorted U.S.-bonds and non-India traded derivatives of the Adani Group.

☆ January was bitcoin's best month since 2021, but crypto isn't ready for a 'rocket ship rally' yet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

For some investors, however, its strong month isn't necessarily a green light to jump back into the crypto market. As of Tuesday, bitcoin is set to finish the month up 38.39%, which would make it its best month since October 2021 and its best January in 10 years, according to Coin Metrics. Ether , which led the crypto recovery last summer ahead of the merge, has risen 31% this month, coming off a 67.06% decline for 2022. However, "we're not so sure bitcoin is ready for another rocket ship rally just yet." "Thus far, the rise in BTC dominance looks reminiscent of April 2019, during which a BTC rally marked a crypto market bottom, much akin to rising BTC dominance lately."

☆ Adani Group Saga Is Credibility Test for India’s Markets, Institutions
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Megha Mandavia | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

News about Adani appeared on a sign at the Bombay Stock Exchange, where shares of the group’s companies have plunged. The sprawling conglomerate built by Gautam Adani is under attack by short seller Hindenburg Research , which successfully deflated electric-vehicle maker Nikola Motors in 2020. Adani Group denies the allegations and says the short seller is trying to smear its reputation and derail a public stock offering. Shares of the group’s companies have plunged since Hindenburg’s report, wiping out nearly $64 billion in market value. Hindenburg’s report comes amid a $2.5 billion secondary share sale by Adani Enterprises that closes on Tuesday.

☆ Goldman Sachs: Make these 10 trades right now for a guaranteed profit whether a stock soars or crashes after it reports earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Volatility has been higher than average for stocks that have already shared Q4 earnings. Goldman Sachs has 10 options trades that will be profitable if stocks suddenly move on earnings day. Goldman Sachs researchers have concocted an investing strategy that's designed to be profitable whether a stock spikes or dives after reporting earnings. A straddle trade is where investors buy both a bullish call option and a bearish put option for the same stock at the same strike price and expiration date. In fact, volatility has fallen year-to-date, according to Goldman Sachs.

☆ Why a tiny American firm is taking aim at an Indian conglomerate
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Asia’s richest man is in the crosshairs of a research firm whose very name evokes panic. Gautam Adani is a 60-year-old tycoon who founded the Adani Group over 30 years ago, building it into India’s largest port operator, with businesses spanning infrastructure and energy production. Hindenburg said Adani Group shares are massively overvalued, and it has taken a short position (more on that in a minute) on them, meaning Hindenburg wins when Adani shares fall. What is Hindenburg Research? Hindenburg is a short-seller that specializes in forensic financial research, founded in 2017 by Nathan Anderson.

☆ ICE to open London gas hub, creating route around EU price cap
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Kate Abnett | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ICE hosts trading on the TTF gas hub in Amsterdam and had previously warned it could move the market outside of the EU because of the bloc's looming price cap on gas derivatives. ICE said it would continue to operate the TTF market on its Amsterdam exchange - the most liquid gas futures market in Europe, which sets the region's benchmark gas price - but alongside this, it was preparing to launch another market for TTF futures and options in London on Feb. 20. The London market would not be subject to the 27-country bloc's gas price cap, since Britain is no longer an EU member. EU countries agreed on the gas price cap last year, to attempt to avoid a repeat of the record-high price spikes experienced in 2022 as Russian gas deliveries to Europe dwindled. Analysts have said the EU cap now appears less likely to be triggered, but that price spikes cannot be ruled out.

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