🔥 NEW: Tether bought 27 tons of #gold in Q4 2025, bringing its gold holdings to about $4.4 billion.

💰 CHASE WEALTH MANAGER UPDATE - "ALL SYSTEMS GO"

Frank26 (Jan 25): Follow-up with Mr. G (re Chase executive wealth manager, VP level)

"All systems are still to go. We are in anticipation that the rate of the Iraqi Dinar will have changed by the time we meet on Friday" (end of month, ~30th)

Manager involved in "this program" long time. Systems ready.

Reminder: This is VP-level wealth management (not branch teller). These executives don't prepare for events that aren't happening.

Wells Fargo (South Dakota): Tellers practicing foreign currency drills
Chase (Ohio): Wealth managers contacting dinar holders
Bank of Hawaii: "Yes, we know... when you're ready"

Banks don't coordinate multi-state preparation for speculation.

Timeline: End of month (~Jan 30)

Source: Frank26

🇮🇶 IRAQ: BUDGET PRESSURE MOUNTING

Iraqi Ministry of Construction (Jan 25): "No halt to any projects despite financial liquidity challenges. Need to expedite approval of budget schedules."

Ministry spokesman: "Delays in releasing payments will negatively affect sustainability and continuity of project implementation."

Economist proposal: "Convert idle capital into real estate/tourism investments. Launch in-kind spending project to reduce pressure on cash spending."

Pattern:
- Projects operational but funding delayed
- Government pushing budget schedule approval
- Economic pressure forcing action
- Solutions require rate change for liquidity

Parliament discussing economic issues TODAY (Jan 26). Budget schedules critical.

You don't rush budget approvals unless you have a solution coming.

Source: Iraqi Ministry announcements

🇮🇶 IRAQ TV: "TRILLIONS TO BILLIONS TO MILLIONS"

Frank26 (Jan 25): Iraqi TV morning report stated budget is idle, needs capital urgently. Shifting from TRILLIONS to BILLIONS to MILLIONS.

Frank26: "The term trillions to billions to millions has always been used to represent a rate change."

What this means:
Current: Trillions of low-value dinar to fund budget
After RV: Billions/millions of higher-value dinar funds same budget

Iraqi TV using this specific phrasing = CBI/GOI preparing citizens for exchange rate change.

UN declared Iraq "stable, secure, sovereign country" - mission requirements successful.

Budget idle, awaiting capital. Rate change unlocks funding.

Infrastructure complete. Messaging public. Event imminent.

Source: Frank26, Iraqi TV

$NGAS/USD H2 #Indicator #Signal #Trading #GlobalOneAI

🟡 China is hoarding gold

• Total reserves now at a record 2,306 tonnes

• 14 straight months of net buying

• 2025 official purchases +27 tonnes

If official figures reflect just 10% of reality, China likely bought 270 tonnes of physical gold in 2025.

#Gold is being treated as strategic insurance.
What is #China preparing for?

🚨BREAKING: After 20 years of talks, India 🇮🇳 and the EU 🇪🇺 are set to unveil a historic trade deal.

• 2️⃣ billion people
• 2️⃣5️⃣% of global GDP
• A major reset in global trade flows 🌍

If confirmed, this redraws supply chains, investment routes, and geopolitical alignment for the next decade.

#india #EU #TradeDeal

🚨 CHINA IS BUYING CONTROL OF LATIN AMERICA

• $170bn+ invested or committed by China in Latin American infrastructure since 2005

• 20+ countries tied into Chinese-financed ports, railways, roads, and energy corridors

• 70%+ of South American exports already flow through infrastructure China finances, builds, or controls

• Critical minerals exposure. Lithium (Chile, #Argentina, Bolivia), copper (Peru), iron ore (#Brazil), oil (#Venezuela)

What jumps out on the map?

🛳 Ports before politics
#China controls or operates key Atlantic and Pacific exits. Whoever controls ports controls trade leverage.

🚆 Resource corridors, not cities
Rail and road networks link mines and farms directly to Chinese-financed ports. No domestic optionality.

🧱 Decade long lock-in
Projects run 20–40 years. Once built, countries cannot “decouple” without breaking their export model.

⚠️ Asymmetric power
When prices spike or politics shift, infrastructure owners move first. Governments react later.

#China is not competing with the US or Europe on values.

It is competing on who controls the choke points.

Power does not sit in embassies.
It sits in ports, railheads, and shipping lanes.

$TMRC 🎯

$TMRC/USD H2 #Indicator #Signal #Trading #GlobalOneAI

#InterestRates likely to hold steady at tomorrows #FOMC rate setting meeting.
Lets see what the last guidance is on economic expectations which are more likely to move the market.
#BTC and most #Crypto are sitting on significant support and so a breakout is expected soon

🎯 IRAQ: FIRST DOMINO FALLS TODAY

TODAY (Tuesday Jan 27): Presidential election
THEN: Government formation → IMF certification → Budget approval → New exchange rate

Frank26: Chase wealth manager - "All systems go. We anticipate IQD rate changed by Friday" (Jan 30)

Iraqi TV: "Trillions to Billions to Millions" = rate change messaging

Pattern:
- Sovereignty achieved ✅
- Banking reform complete ✅
- Infrastructure operational ✅
- UN: Iraq "stable, secure, sovereign" ✅
- Parliament voting today ✅
- Banks expecting rate change by month end ✅

Presidential vote today triggers the sequence. Chase exec says rate changed by Friday.

Timeline: This week activates, rate change by Jan 30.

Not speculation. Observable parliamentary process with bank confirmation.

Sources: Iraqi parliament, Frank26, Iraqi government statements

📰 Top Headlines

📋 US Durable Goods Orders (Trading Economics) — Durable goods surged in November. 
Market impact: Strong capex signal supports growth outlook and could lift Treasury yields, providing bullish bias for the USD. Expect short-term upside for cyclical FX (AUD, NZD) if risk sentiment follows through; USD strength may cap commodity-linked currencies.

✅ Irish Consumer Sentiment (Reuters) — Sentiment climbs to a nine-month high. 
Market impact: Positive domestic demand cue for the Eurozone periphery. Slightly constructive for the EUR vs safe-havens, and may support EUR/GBP if UK data lags. Watch broader Eurozone PMIs for confirmation.

🔖 UnitedHealth 4Q Revenue $87.1B (Dow Jones) — Beats and shows operational resilience. 
Market impact: Boost to US equities, especially healthcare; could attract flows into US risk assets and weigh on the USD if equity rally is sustained. Sector-specific FX moves are muted but equity-driven USD flows matter.

📌 UnitedHealth 2026 Ops Earnings > $10.8B (Dow Jones) — Upbeat earnings outlook. 
Market impact: Reinforces stock-specific optimism and broader risk-on tone. Monitor correlation between equity strength and USD softness; risk-sensitive currencies may rally.

📋 UnitedHealth 2026 Membership 46.9M–47.5M (Dow Jones) — Membership guidance narrows. 
Market impact: Operational stability reduces downside risk for healthcare equities. Indirectly supportive of risk assets; limited direct FX effect beyond risk sentiment transmission.

✅ UnitedHealth 2026 Revenue > $335B despite fewer consumers (Dow Jones) — Revenue guidance still healthy. 
Market impact: Suggests pricing/premium mix supporting margins. Positive for Wall Street positioning; tailwinds for USD via equity inflows may be offset by lower bond safe-haven demand if risk appetite rises.

🔖 Overall FX/Market Takeaway — Macro + corporate beats create a risk-on backdrop. 
Short-term trade ideas: Fade safe-havens on confirmed risk rally (short USD/JPY, long AUD/JPY); long EUR vs lagging GBP if Eurozone momentum continues. Watch US yields and next CPI data—persistent rate expectations could re-strengthen the USD.

📌 Key risks — Reversal in yields, geopolitical shocks, or disappointing Eurozone manufacturing data could negate risk-on flows. Keep stops tight and monitor cross-asset correlations.

U.S. Weighs Naval Blockade on IRAN'S Oil 'Shadow Fleet and assassinating IRAN leadership!!

Trump administration is studying or considering measures like stopping and inspecting Iranian oil tankers at sea to curb oil exports—similar to actions taken against Venezuela's sanctioned oil trade. This could resemble a de facto blockade or interdiction effort targeting Iran's "shadow fleet" of vessels evading sanctions.
Sanctions have already been imposed on nine vessels allegedly involved in evading restrictions on Iranian oil shipments.

🇮🇷🇺🇲On the second option—targeting Iranian leadership:Trump has referenced potential strikes on regime targets. Recent comments suggest options like "systematically taking out the leadership".

Experts' fears of escalation to all-out war are widespread in analyses:A naval blockade or tanker interdictions could provoke Iranian responses, such as closing the Strait of Hormuz (through which ~20% of global oil passes), mining waters, or attacking shipping—potentially spiking global oil prices and drawing in allies.
Leadership strikes risk massive Iranian retaliation via proxies (e.g., in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon) or direct missile/drone attacks on U.S. forces/assets in the region.

🇺🇸 The U.S. is reportedly considering targeted strikes against senior Iranian officials and commanders held responsible for the deaths of protesters.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 The strikes could occur as soon as this week, although the exact timing remains uncertain — Middle East Eye.