📈 Stocks / Finance

Stocks achieve rare back-to-back 20% gains for the first time in 26 years

CNN

The S&P 500 rose 23% in 2024, marking its best two-year streak since 1997-1998. Tech stocks drove over 50% of gains, supported by cooling inflation and strong consumer spending. Analysts see potential for growth in 2025 but caution against overvaluation risks.

Housing market faces high supply but weak demand in 2025 outlook

CNBC

Active listings rose 12.1% YoY in November, the highest since 2020, but over 54% sat unsold for 60+ days. Redfin noted slower sales and rising home prices, with October prices up 3.6% YoY. Elevated mortgage rates and inflation-adjusted costs have strained both buyers and sellers.

Cocoa tops 2024 commodity performance amid supply fears

Yahoo Finance

Cocoa surged 172% in 2024, driven by poor harvests in Ivory Coast and Ghana, dwindling stockpiles, and volatile trading with record price swings. Low futures liquidity heightened volatility, while challenging weather in West Africa continues to pressure supply expectations.

🪙 Crypto

Swiss National Bank faces Bitcoin reserve proposal

CoinTelegraph

A proposal to mandate the Swiss National Bank to hold Bitcoin has launched, aiming to amend Article 99 of the Swiss Constitution. Advocates need 100,000 signatures by June 2026 to trigger a referendum, targeting a "financially sound" Switzerland despite concerns over energy use and adoption challenges.

🌎 Global Economy

BRICS Pay's potential challenge to SWIFT

The Lowy Institute

Russia's push for BRICS Pay, a decentralized payment system to bypass SWIFT and de-dollarize trade, highlights tensions in the global financial order. While Brazil supports the initiative, China and India remain cautious. Feasibility challenges and U.S. dollar dominance remain key barriers.

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