The Weekly Rundown 📊

Revaluing Gold: How Washington Could Unlock $800 Billion Without Raising Debt​

For decades, gold has sat on the U.S. balance sheet at a token valuation of $42.22 per ounce—an official figure unchanged for generations—but mounting fiscal strain and a national debt exceeding $37 trillion suggest that number may soon change. In an unusual acknowledgment that gold still holds relevance in U.S. monetary policy, the Federal Reserve recently referenced the metal in an official report, aligning with draft versions of President Trump’s proposed Bitcoin Act circulating in both the Senate and House. These bills explicitly outline a plan to revalue America’s official gold reserves—a process that, if approved, could unfold as early as 2026—to fund new sovereign wealth and Bitcoin reserve initiatives, redefining gold’s statutory value under 31 U.S. Code §5117. Repricing gold to around $3,400 an ounce could instantly “create” nearly $800 billion in debt-neutral liquidity—capital that might finance these funds without formally expanding the federal debt. Supporters hail it as an innovative way to rebalance public finances, while critics warn it mirrors a sophisticated form of quantitative easing that could trigger inflationary shockwaves worldwide. Should the U.S. move forward, other central banks may follow, reanchoring their currencies to tangible assets even as fiat values continue to erode. Whether the goal is to ease America’s debt burden or to redefine reserves for a digital age, the implications are profound: gold—once dismissed as a barbarous relic—may again become the measure of monetary credibility, and the next chapter of U.S. finance could well be written in both gold and code.

Disclaimer: The information discussed reflects ongoing market speculation and legislative proposals. As of now, the U.S. government has not announced or approved any official revaluation of its gold reserves. Figures such as $800 billion in liquidity are based on independent analyst estimates, not formal projections from the Treasury or Federal Reserve.

 

[Elina Ward]

Monday 15 December 2025​

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GE Weekly Stock Move Explained: Aerospace Demand, Analyst Confidence, and Structural Clarity​

General Electric (NYSE: GE) was a U.S.-based industrial company founded in 1892, originally built around Thomas Edison’s early electricity businesses. Over more than a century, GE evolved into a global conglomerate before undergoing a major transformation in recent years. Following the spin-offs of GE HealthCare and GE Vernova, the company operated primarily as GE Aerospace, focused on commercial jet engines, military propulsion systems, and long-term aviation services. As a result, GE stock increasingly reflected aerospace and defense fundamentals, rather than the risks of a diversified industrial group.

This article reviewed GE’s stock performance during the week from December 8 to December 12, explaining what caused the share price to rise and why investors responded positively over the period.

During the week, GE shares traded with a steady upward bias and finished higher, with gains developing over several sessions rather than appearing as a single, abrupt move. The advance reflected a mix of fundamental catalysts, improving investor confidence, and supportive market positioning.

What Drove GE’s Weekly Gain​

The most important driver was renewed confidence in GE Aerospace’s order pipeline and earnings visibility. On December 10, GE announced new defense-related engine orders tied to U.S. military applications. These contracts are typically long-term, service-oriented, and less sensitive to economic cycles, making them attractive from a revenue stability perspective.

Following the announcement, GE shares began to recover on December 11 as investors started positioning for improved long-term visibility, and the move accelerated on December 12 as the market more fully priced in the implications of the order flow alongside supportive analyst commentary. Rather than reacting instantly, investors responded in stages, with conviction building as the week progressed.

Commercial aviation fundamentals also remained supportive. Airline demand stayed resilient, and aircraft production continued to rely heavily on engine deliveries and aftermarket servicing. Investors focused increasingly on GE’s large installed engine base, which generates recurring service revenue over many years and underpins confidence in future cash flows.

Analyst positioning further reinforced the move. Institutions highlighted GE’s simplified structure after the breakup, stronger margins, and improved capital discipline. This made the business easier to value and encouraged accumulation rather than short-term trading.

Why the Stock Behaved the Way It Did​

Despite the gains, GE’s price action remained orderly and controlled. The stock advanced through steady buying rather than a single spike, suggesting institutional accumulation rather than speculative momentum. Some profit-taking appeared near recent highs, but it did not disrupt the broader trend.

Positioning also mattered. After a strong run earlier in the year, expectations were already elevated. As a result, positive developments translated into measured accumulation instead of aggressive chasing, keeping volatility contained and reinforcing the fundamental nature of the move.

Takeaway​

GE’s gain during the December 8–12 period was driven by improving clarity rather than surprise. A defense-related order announcement on December 10 strengthened long-term revenue visibility, the market began responding on December 11, and confidence solidified into a stronger advance on December 12. Combined with analyst support and GE’s streamlined aerospace focus, these factors helped lift the stock in a controlled and sustainable way, underscoring investor confidence in GE Aerospace as a durable industrial leader rather than a speculative trade.

The chart below illustrates how General Electric’s share price moved from December 8 to December 12, based on 5-minute candlestick data.

 

[Elina Ward]

Tuesday 16 December 2025​

XRP/USD Market Summary: 9 Dec – 16 Dec 2025​

In this post, we look at how XRP (XRP/USD) moved between 9 December and 16 December 2025, and what broader market forces — alongside XRP-specific background developments — shaped that behaviour during the week.

XRP/USD tracks how much one XRP token is worth in U.S. dollars. XRP is the native asset of the Ripple network, launched in 2012, and is widely used as a proxy for sentiment around payments-focused cryptocurrencies. As a large-cap and highly liquid altcoin, XRP often moves closely with overall crypto risk appetite, while also being sensitive to positioning, liquidity conditions, and regulatory context surrounding Ripple.

From 9 to 11 December, XRP attempted to trade higher early in the week. Price pushed up toward a short-term high but struggled to hold those gains. Selling pressure emerged near resistance, suggesting profit-taking and distribution into strength rather than a sustained bullish breakout. During this phase, XRP underperformed parts of the market that showed clearer upside momentum, as traders rotated capital elsewhere.

Mid-week, the tone shifted more decisively lower. Broader crypto sentiment weakened, and XRP followed the wider market as risk appetite faded. This move was not triggered by negative XRP-specific news, but instead aligned with market-wide risk reduction, as traders reduced leverage and responded to macro uncertainty and declining liquidity. As major cryptocurrencies moved lower, XRP broke below near-term support and trended down alongside them.

In the latter part of the period, selling pressure intensified across digital assets. Bitcoin and other large-cap cryptocurrencies declined further, reinforcing a defensive environment. XRP/USD continued to weaken into December 16, reaching its weekly low. While XRP-specific developments during this time — such as continued institutional interest and ecosystem expansion — provided a supportive long-term backdrop, they did not offset the short-term risk-off conditions driving price action.

In short, XRP’s movement during this period was not driven by a single XRP or Ripple headline. Instead, it reflected the broader rhythm of the crypto market: an early-week upside attempt that met profit-taking, followed by a market-wide pullback as sentiment turned defensive. The price action highlighted XRP’s sensitivity to overall crypto risk conditions, even when project-specific fundamentals remained broadly constructive.

The chart below displays XRP/USD price action on the H1 timeframe, covering the period from 9 December to 16 December 2025.

 

[Elina Ward]

Wednesday 17 December 2025​

Home Depot Post-Earnings Sell-Off Explained: Expectations, Earnings Miss, and Market Reaction​

The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: HD) is the largest home-improvement retailer in the world, selling tools, building materials, appliances, and home supplies to both DIY shoppers and professional contractors. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Because Home Depot is closely tied to housing and consumer spending, its earnings often influence how investors feel about the wider economy.

Going into its Q3 2025 earnings release, investors were cautious. On November 17, Home Depot shares closed at $357.76 as the market waited to see if the company would beat expectations. On November 18, 2025, Home Depot released earnings and reported EPS of $3.74, which was slightly below the $3.81 analysts expected. Even though the miss was small, it mattered — and the stock reacted quickly, opening much lower around $341.50.

Why the Stock Kept Falling After Earnings​

That gap down on November 18 showed that many investors were disappointed right away. When a large, widely held stock misses earnings expectations, markets often react quickly before a more detailed reassessment takes place. — especially when expectations were tight. The miss added to worries about slower home-related spending and pressure on profits, so selling continued rather than fading immediately.

On November 19, the stock dropped again and hit a low near $331.18. After that, the move started to calm down, with the price trading in a tighter range. This suggested the market had mostly “priced in” the earnings news and was starting to settle.

Takeaway:​

Home Depot’s drop from November 17 to November 19, 2025 mostly happened because the company missed earnings expectations, which triggered a sharp gap down and then more selling the next day. It was less about the business suddenly breaking, and more about the market reacting quickly to a disappointing earnings result and adjusting the stock price to match.



The chart below illustrated Home Depot’s (HD) price action from 17 November to 19 November 2025, highlighting the stock’s movement around the company’s earnings release on 18 November 2025 and the market’s subsequent reaction in the sessions that followed.

 

[Elina Ward]

Thursday 18 December 2025​

The Geopolitical Pulse Behind Oil: WTI Moves Between 8–12 December 2025​

Introduction: Why Geopolitics Still Drives Oil​

Geopolitics examines how conflicts, policy decisions, and power dynamics between nations influence global systems. In oil markets, these forces are particularly influential because supply relies on stable production, secure shipping routes, and predictable enforcement of sanctions. Even when physical supply is not immediately disrupted, changes in geopolitical risk can quickly reshape expectations and price behaviour. As a result, crude oil often reacts sharply to political developments, sometimes overriding short-term fundamentals.

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What This Article Covers​

This article examined how geopolitical developments between 8 and 12 December 2025 shaped WTI crude price action, as early-week supply comfort and Russia–Ukraine diplomacy weighed on prices, while midweek U.S. actions against Venezuelan oil flows briefly added risk premiums that ultimately failed to reverse the broader downward trend.

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Sanctions Risk, Diplomatic Signals, and a Volatile Week for WTI​

Between 8 and 12 December, WTI crude traded under persistent pressure despite intermittent geopolitical support. The week began with a bearish tone, with WTI opening at 60.19 on 8 December before selling accelerated as markets responded to improving supply conditions and ongoing optimism surrounding diplomatic efforts linked to the Russia–Ukraine conflict. By the end of the session, WTI had closed lower at 58.86, reflecting confidence that near-term supply remained adequate.

Midweek, geopolitical headlines briefly interrupted the decline. On 9 December, WTI rebounded modestly, reaching an intraday high of 59.18, as renewed U.S. enforcement actions against Venezuelan oil shipments raised concerns about tighter regional supply and shipping disruptions. However, the rebound lacked follow-through, with prices failing to reclaim prior levels as traders continued to weigh broader supply comfort and inventory dynamics.

Selling pressure resumed into 11 December, when WTI fell to the weekly low of 57.00, highlighting the market’s reluctance to sustain a geopolitical risk premium. Although prices recovered slightly to close the session at 57.90, the rebound remained limited. By 12 December, WTI settled lower again, closing the week at 57.51, confirming a net bearish outcome for the period.

Overall, the week saw WTI decline from the 60.19 opening level to a 57.51 close, as geopolitical developments generated short-lived reactions but failed to outweigh structural supply comfort and cautious demand expectations.

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Summary​

From 8 to 12 December 2025, WTI crude price action was defined by the balance between geopolitical risk and underlying fundamentals. Early-week selling driven by supply restoration and Russia–Ukraine diplomacy set the tone, while U.S. actions targeting Venezuelan oil flows produced only a modest and temporary rebound. Ultimately, strong supply conditions and limited demand momentum prevailed, leaving WTI lower by the end of the week and reinforcing the market’s sensitivity to fundamentals despite ongoing geopolitical tension.


The chart below illustrates WTIUSD price action on the 1-hour timeframe between 8 and 12 December.