Merlin takes several listener questions focusing on some long term instruments many are talking about. Merlin takes a look at the differences between Value and Growth investing, and why they have their challenges, unlike trading pure supply and demand. He also takes a look at Annuities and what investors should be aware of.
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD meets some support near 1.1670
EUR/USD further extends its bearish leg on Wednesday, coming under extra pressure and breaching below the 1.1700 level to flirt with four-week troughs in a context of marginal gains in the US Dollar ahead of the key US NFP on Friday.
GBP/USD deflates to daily lows near 1.3470
GBP/USD stays under pressure on Wednesday, dipping to fresh lows around 1.3470 and extending the pullback that began the previous session. Cable remains on the defensive, with the US Dollar nudging slightly higher in the wake of key US December data.
USD/JPY wavers around 156.70 with all eyes on US employment data
USD/JPY consolidates around 156.50 ahead of US employment data. The US ADP is expected to show a 47,000 net increase in employment in December. Growing tensions between Japan and China have provided support to the safe-haven yen on Wednesday.
Editors’ Picks
When is the Australian Trade Data and how it could affect AUD/USD?
The Australian Bureau of Statistics will publish its data for November on Thursday at 00.30 GMT. Trade Balance gives an early indication of the net export performance. If a steady demand in exchange for Australian exports is seen, that would turn into a positive growth in the trade balance, and that should be positive for the AUD.
EUR/USD meets some support near 1.1670
EUR/USD further extends its bearish leg on Wednesday, coming under extra pressure and breaching below the 1.1700 level to flirt with four-week troughs in a context of marginal gains in the US Dollar ahead of the key US NFP on Friday.
Gold remains offered near $4,450
Gold remains on the back foot on Wednesday, hovering around $4,450 per troy ounce after bringing a three-day rally to an end. The metal’s advance seems to have run out of steam near the $4,500 area, with a firmer US Dollar after key US data weighing on prices. Still, the downside looks limited for now, thanks to falling US Treasury yields across the curve.
XRP faces selling pressure as key on-chain metric resets and ETF inflows weaken
Ripple (XRP) is trading downward but holding support at $2.22 at the time of writing on Wednesday, as fear spreads across the cryptocurrency market, reversing gains made from the start of the year.
2026 economic outlook: Clear skies but don’t unfasten your seatbelts yet
Most years fade into the background as soon as a new one starts. Not 2025: a year of epochal shifts, in which the macroeconomy was the dog that did not bark. What to expect in 2026? The shocks of 2025 will not be undone, but neither will they be repeated.
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