😎 Bitcoin's back, baby

Crypto made a comeback | Europe's snoozing on the job | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for June 26th in 3:15 minutes. 🤔 Investing’s not always child’s play – but these days, nobody has to go it alone. Join Covey’s Brooker Belcourt for [Co-Trading: A New Way To Navigate The Market]( on Monday, June 26th, and get to grips with the ins and outs of copy investing. [Get your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Bitcoin’s price rose to its highest level since April - Today’s "earnings quality" should set your alarm bells off – [Read Now]( - Europe’s economic activity got a little sluggish in June Champing At The Bit [Champing At The Bit] What’s going on here? Bitcoin stirred up some serious excitement last week, and hungry investors sent the crypto’s price above $30,000 for the first time since April. What does this mean? Deciphering the whys and wherefores of crypto price movements can feel a bit like trying to read tea leaves sometimes. But last week a few key events might have sparked a fresh love affair with the OG cryptocurrency. First off, BlackRock – the world’s biggest investment manager – sought regulators’ approval to launch an exchange-traded fund tracking bitcoin’s current price (as opposed to its [future price](). And there was another juicy move: the uber-powerful trio of Charles Schwab, investment firm Fidelity, and [hedge fund]( Citadel [unveiled]( a new crypto exchange, designed to serve big institutions rather than everyday retail investors. Why should I care? For markets: Bitcoin’s making good on a long-promised boon. The idea of high-rolling firms embracing bitcoin has always been a key part of its investor appeal. You see, if these heavy-hitters start pouring billions into bitcoin, demand could spike and trigger a price hike for the crypto’s limited supply of 21 million coins. That kind of prospect becomes even more important when you consider [recent research]( showing that bitcoin isn’t really used for day-to-day transactions – which could mean that big firms will play an even greater role in shoring up the market. The bigger picture: Bidding adieu to anonymity. Sure, the old guard of finance wading into crypto waters could spur broader adoption and give prices a boost. But remember, these traditional players are bound by tighter rules than many digital newcomers – and that might force them to centralize and strip anonymity from transactions, flying in the face of core crypto beliefs. And with crypto natives Binance and Coinbase in regulators’ [crosshairs]( now, the former financial Wild West could soon seem a whole lot tamer. You might also like: [Why now could be the right time to buy bitcoin.]( Copy to share story: [/champing-bit]( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Champing At The Bit&utm_campaign=daily-global-26-06-2023&utm_source=email) Analyst Take Earnings Quality Is At A 25-Year Low And The Timing Is Not Great [Earnings Quality Is At A 25-Year Low And The Timing Is Not Great]( [Photo of Stéphane Renevier] Stéphane Renevier, Analyst Companies’ earnings have been [holding their ground]( – and it’s no small feat, with inflation and interest rates both sitting higher than we’re used to. But with earnings, it’s [not enough]( to look at the growth rate, you also want to inspect their quality. See, high-quality earnings tend to be more sustainable, while low-quality earnings are more likely to drop [if the economy struggles](. And right now, there could be [cause for concern.]( So that’s today’s Insight: [the state of earnings and why your alarm bells ought to be ringing now.]( [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY IG An opportunity ripe for slurping up Commodities are seen as the dream partner of trading: stable and unflustered. And apparently, sometimes delicious. According to [IG](, one commodity that might be worth a peek over the next few months is [orange juice]( – yup, the stuff you had for breakfast. It’s all about supply: University of Florida research shows [the citrus industry brings in over $6 billion a year](, but extreme weather conditions have squeezed production in the US. But folks still want their [favorite morning drink]( (sorry, coffee), and governments are keen to get Vitamin C into the population. You know what that means: a high likelihood of [rising prices](. If you want to find out more about [investing in orange juice and which other commodities IG is eyeing up]( this quarter, [check out the report here](. Disclaimer 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. [Find Out More]( When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. Europe’s Siesta [Europe’s Siesta] What’s going on here? Data out late last week showed that Europe’s taking a summertime nap, with a dozy downturn in economic activity. What does this mean? Every month the folk who manage purchases in manufacturing and services industries tell economists how busy they’ve been – and in June, activity in the eurozone’s manufacturing sector hit a speed bump and shrank. Services activity – which makes up almost [three-quarters]( of the eurozone economy – actually swelled, but even that ultimately fell short of economists’ expectations. So sure, the economy might be on the up overall, but it’s not hitting the high notes that experts thought it would. Europe’s slowdown could be proof that the bloc’s highest interest rates in 20 years are doing what they’re supposed to, cooling things off to help bring down inflation. If so, kudos to the US Federal Reserve, which managed to pull off a similar trick stateside, but with a milder slowdown in June’s activity levels. Why should I care? For markets: Euros are out, dollars are in. If the eurozone economy is hitting the brakes, then the European Central Bank might consider easing off on interest rate hikes. And if those rates don’t keep on climbing, well then, interest on savings in eurozone bank accounts won’t either. That could be why the value of the euro slipped nearly 1% against the US dollar: investors may be attracted to the higher rates on offer in the US, shifting their cash at Europe’s expense. And sure, 1% might not sound like much – but in the delicate world of currencies, that’s a headline-grabber. The bigger picture: Clues but no cigar. Surveys like these give investors “soft” data – a sneak peek into an economy’s performance. But that's not a nailed-on account of how the country’s faring, mind you: for that, you need “hard” data – verifiable snapshots of economic growth. Soft and hard data don’t always agree, though, so savvy investors typically don’t bet the farm on the basis of surveys alone. You might also like: [How to get started trading currencies.]( Copy to share story: [/europes-siesta]( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Europe’s Siesta&utm_campaign=daily-global-26-06-2023&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day "I don't believe in astrology; I'm a Sagittarius and we're skeptical." – Arthur C. Clarke (a British science fiction writer, science writer, and futurist) [Tweet this]( SPONSORED BY CME Trace the world’s biggest stock indexes for less Investors can use [futures]( to buy into different markets, manage their risk, and hedge their risk. (Remember, buying into a futures agreement means you’re obligated to buy or sell a specific asset – like a commodity, currency, or stock index – at a set price on a set date in the future.) But futures can be expensive. That’s where [Micro futures]( come in: as the name suggests, you can [trade a fraction of a futures contract with micros](, making them a more manageable option. You can even [trace the world’s biggest stock indexes]( for way less with [Micro E-mini Equity Index futures](. But before you can reap their benefits, you need to [know how they work](. [Discover how Micro futures can grant you access to stock indexes for less with this free guide](. [Find Out More]( CME Group futures are not suitable for all investors and involve the risk of loss. Copyright © 2023 CME Group Inc. When you support our sponsors, you support us. Thanks for that. 🤔 Q&A · [RE: Bang Of England]( “What’s happening with the UK stock market this year?” From Eli in London, UK “In short, Eli, it’s not good news. By the end of last week, the FTSE 100 – the UK’s leading stock market index – had wiped out all its gains from earlier this year. Now, there are a handful of factors at play here, some of which you’ve probably come across in this very newsletter. But here’s one nugget you might find interesting: the mining sector has taken the biggest hit. That could be because a predicted surge in demand for certain commodities – which would have given prices and miners a boost – hasn’t quite panned out as expected this year.” [Finimize] 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=I have a question Finimize!&utm_campaign=daily-global-26-06-2023&utm_source=email) 🌍 Finimize Live 🥳 Coming Up Soon... All events in UK time. 🔥 [Co-Trading: A New Way To Beat The Market](: 5pm, June 26th 🚀 [Your Guide To Investing With Artificial Intelligence](: 5pm, July 11th 🤖 [Artificial Intelligence & Crypto Investing](: 7pm, July 20th 🎉 [Modern Investor Summit 2023](: 12pm, December 5th and 6th 🎯 On Our Radar 1. Worse than Jaws. Florida beach-goers ran into a [black bear]( taking a dip. 2. Wild and unwise night owls. The vices of late sleepers can seriously [harm their health](. 3. Friends with benefits. Here’s what happens to those [strange, awkward friendships]( over time. 4. Eight wallet-emptying traits. These bad financial habits are [holding you back](. 5. Quit the alarmism. Conspiracy theories aren’t actually [on the rise](. ❤️ Share with a friend Thanks for reading {NAME}. If you liked today's brief, we'd love for you to share it with a friend. You stay classy, {NAME} 😉 We’d love to hear your thoughts. [Give feedback]( Want to advertise with us too? [Get in touch]( Image Credits: Image credits: Midjourney | Chrisbrignell – Shutterstock Preferences: [Update your email]( or [change preferences]( [View in browser]( [Unsubscribe]( from all Finimize Emails 😴 Crafted by Finimize Ltd. | 280 Bishopsgate, London, EC2M 4AG All content provided by Finimize Ltd. is for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to represent trade or investment recommendations. You signed up to this mailing list at finimize.com or through one of our partners. © Finimize 2021 [View Online](