Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Ripple Update

Bitcoin invalidated the short-term pattern posted last month as it pulled both sides’ triggers and then returned to the current equilibrium. The other large-scale pattern is good to go.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Ripple Update - Bitcoin Daily Chart

I assumed that the right shoulder has been in progress with a possible spike to the upside. The price accurately followed that forecast as the price even surpassed the previous top to mirror the extreme in the left shoulder. Both shoulders peaked almost in the same area as the entire pattern aligns horizontally. Continue reading "Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Ripple Update"

What The Heck Is Defi?

I have to admit: Decentralized Finance – or “Defi” – is one of the most fascinating aspects of the blockchain and cryptocurrencies. In fact, it’s defi that got me really excited about crypto in the first place.

So, let’s get to it!

Defi Simplified

At its heart, defi uses the blockchain to make complicated things happen while cutting out the middleman in the process. Here’s what I mean...

Right now, finance is run by a hub-and-spoke model. And that model hasn’t changed much in a long, long time. In fact, it’s pretty much the same as it was before sophisticated computers and large financial networks.

And you can see why: The hub-and-spoke model organizes most financial transactions into large financial centers around the globe, such as New York and London. When financial transactions are made, activities are generated in one of these centers. Those institutions then determine the details of the transactions and make sure that they are carried out like all the parties intended.
Really, not very complicated. And for the most part, it’s not a bad system. Continue reading "What The Heck Is Defi?"

NASDAQ and S&P 500 Hit Record Closes

The U.S. stock market rose on Friday, with the NASDAQ and S&P 500 adding to their records for the week when both indexes closed at record highs. The NASDAQ closed up on the day with a gain of +0.81% or 116.95 points to close at 14,639.33, an all-time high. Not to be outdone, the S&P 500 closed that day up +0.75% or +32.45 points to close at 4,325.34, an all-time high. In fact, it rose for a 7th straight day after a strong jobs report, marking its best winning streak in 10 months. The DOW missed out on the record run this week, but it did finish the day up +0.44% or +152.82 points to close at 34,786.35.

On a weekly level, the NASDAQ rose +2%, while the S&P 500 and Dow climbed 1.7% and 1.1%, respectively. Continue reading "NASDAQ and S&P 500 Hit Record Closes"

S&P 500 Continues Record Run

The U.S. stock market rose on Friday, with the S&P 500 adding to its flurry of records for the week, as traders bet that higher inflation will only be temporary as the U.S. economy continues to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The S&P 500 climbed +0.33% on the day to hit another closing record high of 4,280.70. The financial sector was the best-performing S&P 500 sector with a +1.3% gain. The DOW rose 237.02 points or +0.69% to 34,433.84, sitting less than 2% from its all-time record high. The NASDAQ erased earlier gains and closed -0.06% lower at 14,360.39 as bond yields rose, with the 10-year Treasury yield jumping 4 basis points to 1.52%.

The S&P 500 rallied +2.74% for the week, notching its biggest weekly gain since early February of this year. The DOW gained +3.44% this week for its best week since mid-March, and the NASDAQ advanced +2.35%. Continue reading "S&P 500 Continues Record Run"

The Truth Behind Mining Cryptocurrency

If you’re like most of us, when your first heard about cryptocurrencies, you heard about Bitcoin (BTC). And as you waded through the morass of information trying to get a handle on what Bitcoin really was, one of the first big obstacles you ran into was that BTC comes into existence by a process called “mining.”

I thought to myself, “you mean like gold?”

If that stumped you, you’re not alone. I know it did me.

In fact, as I began my cryptocurrency journey, the process of mining became one of the most fascinating – and tricky – concepts to get my head around. I really didn’t know what to believe.
Well, no worries.

In today’s installment, I’ll give you the truth behind mining cryptocurrency. I’ll break down the basics of cryptocurrency mining, what it’s about, how it’s done, and why people do it. And if I’ve done my job, you’ll get a good understanding without a bunch of technical jargon.

Now, if you’re looking for a starter kit on crypto, I recommend taking a look at a high-level explanation of cryptocurrency and why it’s such a big deal. You don’t need those to get a good understanding of what we’ll talk about today, but they may be able to fill in some holes.

First off, some housekeeping items. Continue reading "The Truth Behind Mining Cryptocurrency"