Solid Intel 📡

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INTEL: Trump is weighing a Kharg Island blockade or seizure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with 7,500 Marines moving toward the Gulf

INTEL: FBI and Thai police seized 8,000 phones and froze $580 million in crypto in a crackdown on scam compounds targeting Americans

INTEL: Super Micro co-founder Wally Liaw was arrested on charges of smuggling $2.5 billion in Nvidia servers to China

INTEL: China says a "peaceful reunification" with Taiwan would solve Taiwan's energy crisis.

INTEL: SEC CHAIR PAUL ATKINS SAYS "CRYPTO MARKETS AND THE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WHO PARTICIPATE IN THEM DESERVE LONG-OVERDUE CLARITY."

INTEL: The US says it will not impose a ban on crude oil exports

INTEL: US new home sales dropped 17.6% in January to 587,000, far below the 720,000 estimate

INTEL: US jobless claims fell to 205,000 for the week ending March 14, below the 215,000 estimate

INTEL: Bessent says the US may consider another Strategic Petroleum Reserve release to help keep oil prices down, despite reserves near record lows

INTEL: China has bought gold for 16 straight months, taking reserves to a record 2,309 tons worth about $371 billion

INTEL: SEC APPROVES NASDAQ RULE CHANGE TO ENABLE TOKENIZED SECURITIES TRADING

INTEL: US registers aliens(.)gov domain ahead of expected disclosure of information related to UFOs

INTEL: Powell press summary -Implications of Middle East are uncertain -There will be some effects on inflation coming forward -Progress on tariffs inflation should be seen by middle of the year -If we don't see inflation progress, won't see rate cut -Would serve as chair pro-tem until successor confirmed, no intention of leaving Fed board until DOJ probe is over -What happens in Middle East will be a big factor -Energy shock may or may not make big imprint on economy -Haven't started to see productivity effects from AI; recent productivity trend not because of AI -Data center buildout probably is pushing inflation up -Standard to look through an energy-price spike, but the context is important -Economics effect could be bigger, they could be smaller, they could be much smaller or much bigger, we just don't know

INTEL: Powell remarks -Vast majority of participants don't see hike as a base case, but we don't take things off the table -This energy supply shock is a one time thing -We have seen more supply shocks in the last five years than we've seen in many years before that

INTEL: Powell remarks -If no Fed chair confirmed by end of my term I would serve as chair pro tem -No intention of leaving Fed board until DOJ probe is over -Have not made decision if will stay on board if DOJ probe is over

INTEL: Powell remarks -If don't see inflation progress won't see the rate cut -We just don't know what effects of energy rise will be -Inflation overshoot is mainly from goods and tariffs -Looking through oil prices depends on inflation expectations and the broader context of five years above target

INTEL: Powell remarks - Inflation remains somewhat elevated -Implications of Middle East are uncertain -Near-term higher energy prices will push up overall inflation -Too soon to know scope and duration of effects on economy

INTEL: FEDERAL RESERVE DECISION SUMMARY -The Fed kept interest rates unchanged for the second meeting in a row -The Fed raised its 2026 inflation outlook, now forecasting PCE at 2.7% -Officials flagged ongoing uncertainty around the situation in the Middle East -Policymakers now expect just two total rate cuts one this year, one in 2027 -The decision passed 11-1, with Governor Miran the lone vote for a cut

INTEL: Fed keeps projections for one interest rate cut in 2026 and one in 2027

INTEL: FED RATES UNCHANGED