Silver Eyes $84 as China’s Record March Imports Crush Seasonal Average

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

China’s silver imports hit a record high in March, well above the seasonal average amid the nation’s massive solar industry and retail demand. China, the world’s biggest consumer of silver, imported roughly 836 tons last month, continuing a strong run of inbound shipments this year, according to customs data.

On the other hand, over the previous ten years, the March seasonal average has been roughly 306 tons. Retail investors are buying tiny silver bars in place of pricey gold, and solar manufacturers are front-loading production in preparation for the export tax rebates’ removal on April 1.

Analyst projections vary widely due to silver’s dual role (industrial and monetary metal), volatility, and sensitivity to macro factors like the strength of the USD, interest rates, and industrial activity. China’s record imports raise bullish pressure through physical tightness, even though they are a bit of an anomaly (solar front-loading is unlikely to repeat at this scale

(JP. Morgan, LBMA/Reuters poll): The average price per ounce is between $79 and $81 for the full year. The quarterly averages for Morgan are roughly $84 (Q1), $75 (Q2), $80 (Q3), and $85 (Q4). This is based on persistent shortages as well as some moderation of solar demand due to rising prices and substitution/thrifting.

The solar industry, which is primarily based in China, uses about one-fifth of the annual supply. It is unlikely that the high rate of imports will persist, though.

Traders shipped silver as strong demand drove Chinese prices well above global benchmarks to profit from the arbitrage opportunity.

A large portion of the metal passed through Hong Kong. Non-yielding precious metals like silver and gold have seen their prices decline from their January highs amid worries about inflation caused by the Iran war’s energy crisis. Additionally, retail-driven demand, which comes after significant price momentum, has stagnated.

Beijing’s pledge to reduce overcapacity in the solar industry, which results in lower output, puts pressure on industrial use in China. Additionally, the industry may choose to replace less expensive base metals with silver due to persistently high prices.

Intel Jumps as Analysts Hike Targets to $100 on AI Surge

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The stock surged to the $82-85 range intraday (hitting new highs, surpassing its .-com era peak in some sessions) after closing around $66.78 pre-earnings. The volume was very high. Citing AI CPU momentum, foundry advancement, and turnaround under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, some companies raised their ratings and targets following (or before) earnings: Roth Capital: Upgraded to Buy, target $100 (from $50). HSBC: Increased to $100 (from $95), on server CPU growth, buy rating.

The positive outlook indicates that CEO Lip-Bu Tan is moving forward with a difficult recovery plan. He is now fulfilling a pledge to enhance operations after securing significant investments in Intel last year, which strengthened the company’s balance sheet.

Great Hill Capital Chairman Thomas Hayes, an Intel investor, stated on Bloomberg Television that “everyone is starting to direct orders to Intel, and I think we are in the early days.” In a very short time, this has transitioned from hopelessness to exhilaration. The earnings report demonstrates the necessity of a data center.

. According to the earnings report, demand for Intel’s flagship Xeon server processors is rising because of the need for data center chips to support the massive expansion of AI. The central processing unit, or CPU, is a type of general-purpose semiconductor that businesses attempting to transform their AI software into profitable services are focusing on again. Tan stated in an interview that Intel produced a “solid result” that exceeded its expectations.

He stated that the company is “laser-focused” on boosting output from Intel’s factories, which are still unable to produce enough to fulfill all of its orders, and he anticipates that the robust demand for processors used in AI systems will grow.

Google Plans to Invest Up to $40 Billion in Anthropic

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Google will invest $10 billion in Anthropic PBC, with an additional $30 billion possibly to come. This will strengthen the partnership between two businesses that are competitors and partners in the race to develop artificial intelligence. Google’s stock increased by more than 1% on Friday, closing at $341.

According to Anthropic, Google has committed to investing $10 billion in cash at a $350 billion valuation, the same as its valuation in a February funding round, excluding the recent funds raised. Alphabet Inc. -owned business will support a major expansion of Anthropic’s computing capacity and invest an additional $30 billion if Anthropic meets performance goals, the startup announced on Friday

Anthropic has increased its fundraising efforts in response to the breakthrough success of Claude Code, an AI agent that accelerates software development. Earlier this week, the startup announced that it had received an additional $5 billion from Amazon at a $350 billion valuation, with the option to add $20 billion over time. In February, Anthropic raised $30 billion.

Anthropic is a significant consumer of Google’s chips and cloud services, which the company is working to expand as its primary source of revenue, search advertising, matures. Over the next five years, Anthropic will receive five gigawatts of processing power from Google Cloud; several more gigawatts may be added.

The agreement is an extension of one that Anthropic, Google, and Broadcom Inc. announced earlier this month. Approximately 750,000 US homes can be powered at any time by a single gigawatt.

Google’s tensor processing units, or TPUs, are a rare and valuable resource since they are among the best substitutes for Nvidia’s chips

China Slams Door on US Investors in Strategic Tech Companies

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Chinese regulators intend to prohibit technology companies, including some of the nation’s best-known AI pioneers, from accepting US capital without government approval.

The contentious purchase of startup Manus. According to people familiar with the situation, agencies such as the National Development and Reform Commission have instructed several private companies in recent weeks to reject US-origin capital in funding rounds unless specifically authorized.

Moonshot AI, which is considering going public, was among the companies that received advice from the influential state planner. Another person claimed that StepFun, a fellow Chinese startup, was given similar instructions and asked to remain anonymous to discuss a private matter.

Regulators have also decided to impose comparable limitations on ByteDance Ltd. The most valuable startup in the nation, according to the people, is the owner of TikTok.

The main goal of the most recent regulations is to keep US investors from investing in delicate industries where national security is a top concern. The $2 billion Manus buyout earlier this year, which prompted a Beijing investigation into illicit foreign investment and tech exports soon after its December announcement, is the source of the previously unreported action.

Critics have since bemoaned the loss of important AI technology to a geopolitical rival, despite the deal’s initial praise as a model for startups with international goals. According to the people, the commission, a potent state planning agency with extensive policy-making authority, is currently leading a multi-agency investigation into the deal and its consequences that involves the Ministry of Commerce.

The new regulations run the risk of further cutting off China’s rebounding tech industry from the venture capital funding that has supported it for the past 20 years, a portion of which came from American endowments and pensions. Beijing’s decision to prohibit “red chips,” or Chinese companies incorporated abroad, from pursuing initial public offerings in Hong Kong threatens to disrupt a decades-old strategy that allowed Chinese businesses to access foreign capital by floating abroad.

Elon Musk Drops Fraud Claims Against OpenAI, Sam Altman Before Trial

Posted on April 25, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Elon Musk narrowed the scope of his lawsuit against his business rivals by dropping his fraud claims against OpenAI and co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Only two of the 26 claims in Musk’s November 2024 complaint will go to trial after US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers granted his request to “streamline” the case on Friday.

In federal court in Oakland, California, jury selection is scheduled for Monday. Musk claims that after receiving billions of dollars in funding from Microsoft, the artificial intelligence startup abandoned its original goal of serving humanity as a nonprofit. and intended to reorganize it as a for-profit company

If he prevails in court, Musk wants up to $134 billion in damages, which he has requested be given to OpenAI’s charitable division. In addition, he wants a judge to order Altman and Brockman to resign from their positions and to restore the firm’s status as a nonprofit research organization.

OpenAI accused the richest person of a “legal ambush” and complained to the judge that Musk’s proposed remedies were an 11th-hour surprise. OpenAI, Altman, Brockman, and Microsoft have all refuted any misconduct, calling Musk’s allegations harassment. There will be two stages to the trial.

A jury will hear arguments and testimony regarding Musk’s accusations, which now center on two claims: breach of charitable trust and unjust enrichment.

Gonzalez Rogers, who will ultimately determine whether Musk has proven his claims, will not be bound by the panel’s “advisory verdict.”. Gonzalez Rogers will hear arguments regarding the remedies Musk is requesting and render a decision during the second phase of the proceedings.

Along with Altman and others, Musk co-founded OpenAI in 2015. However, in recent years, the former business partners have turned into fierce rivals. After leaving the OpenAI board in 2018, Musk co-founded the company in 2023.

Meta, Microsoft to Trim Thousands of Jobs Through Buyouts and Layoffs

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

Meta and Microsoft are planning layoffs or announcing buyouts that could impact up to 23,000 jobs to streamline operations and counteract significant spending on artificial intelligence. In an internal memo on Thursday, Meta informed staff that it intended to lay off 10% of its workforce, or about 8,000 workers, beginning on May 20.

Additionally, the social media company stated that it would not fill 6,000 open positions. Microsoft offered thousands of its US employees voluntary buyouts in a memo it released earlier in the day. A person familiar with the planning estimates that the buyouts will be available to about 7% of the US workforce.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss an internal issue, stated that the company has never carried out buyouts of this magnitude before. As of June 2025, Microsoft employed 125,000 people in the United States. Approximately 8,750 workers would then be qualified for the program.

Microsoft announced new AI investments in Australia and Japan this month as part of its race to build data centers worldwide. In the meantime, Meta has announced multiple multibillion-dollar agreements with AI partners in recent months and has predicted record capital expenditures this year. In recent years, both businesses have implemented multiple rounds of layoffs. The memo, written by Chief People Officer Janelle Gale, referenced Meta’s AI expenditures.

She stated in the note, “We’re doing this as part of our continued effort to run the company more efficiently and to allow us to offset the other investments we’re making.”. The Reality Labs division and other teams have already experienced job cuts, which caused Meta employees to worry. According to Gale, the company was making the layoffs public early because information about the plan had already leaked. Earlier this month, Meta’s planned workforce reductions were first reported by Reuters.

Intel Shares Soar as AI Outlook Powers $80 Price Target

Posted on April 24, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

The long-struggling chipmaker is benefiting from the massive build-out of artificial intelligence computing, as evidenced by Intel’s spectacular sales forecast that exceeded Wall Street expectations. Following the release of the results, Intel’s stock shot up 20% in extended trading, setting new records. It had increased by 81% this year, before the report closed at $66.78.

Tesla, Nvidia & Boeing Power S&P 500 to Fresh All-Time High

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

President Donald Trump’s extension of a ceasefire with Iran and numerous positive corporate results rekindled risk appetites after a two-day retreat, sending stocks to all-time highs. The value of Bitcoin rose.

The S&P 500 maintained its monthly upward trend with a 1% gain, the highest since 2020.

Chipmakers climbed for 16 days in a row, the longest winning streak in history. Boeing Co. expanded on solid first-quarter deliveries. Tesla Inc. increased as earnings surpassed forecasts. Texas Instruments, Inc. offered a reliable forecast for the current period.

Trump’s decision to extend the ceasefire signified a retreat from his threats to start bombing Iran again if a deal could not be reached by Wednesday’s deadline. This move would have reignited a conflict that has killed thousands of people and driven up energy costs.

Tensions are still high as Tehran maintains a firm hold on the Strait of Hormuz, regulating trade routes and firing on ships. The US is unwilling to end its blockade of ships with ties to Iran. The price of Brent oil settled around $102.

Strong corporate profits, the revival of the artificial intelligence trade, and an otherwise strong economy have all helped to boost stocks despite ongoing geopolitical risks. Nearly 80% of the SandP 500 companies reporting first-quarter results have surpassed analyst earnings estimates thus far. Despite the continued uncertainty and saber-rattling surrounding the Iran conflict, Rick Gardner of RGA Investments claims that markets are looking ahead.

Ripple’s XRP Craves Freedom While Bitcoin Charges on Steam

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

XRP is still trading in a tightening structure, which comes before a significant increase in volatility in cryptocurrency markets.

The asset is at a technical turning point where market players anticipate a clear breakout or breakdown following weeks of decreased directional movement.

A balance between buyers and sellers that usually does not last long in digital asset markets is reflected in the price action, which has steadily narrowed around the $1.43 level. Now, traders keep a close eye out for confirmation signals that might indicate the next big trend for XRP.

XRP continues to tell a different story as Ethereum makes a case for a bullish breakout and Bitcoin pushes against recent months’ highs. The altcoin, which is currently trading at $1.44, has mainly missed out on the larger market rebound. One of the defining features of this correction cycle is this divergence, which doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. The USDT chart’s most notable aspect at the moment is how quickly the moving averages are approaching the current price.

The 200-day MA is currently close to $1.90, while the 100-day MA has dropped to about $1.50. Both moving averages are compressing the space above and sloping downward, forming a tightening ceiling that will get more difficult to break through the longer the price stays range-bound below it. Since February, XRP has fluctuated between about $1.20 and $1.60 with no discernible direction, and the RSI has also been fluctuating in the same dull mid-range region.

Mythos Escapes Control: Unauthorized Users Access Anthropic’s Powerful AI

Posted on April 23, 2026 by Olumide Adesina

A small number of unauthorized users have gained access to Anthropic PBC’s new Mythos AI model, a technology the company claims is so potent that it can enable dangerous cyberattacks.

The person, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation, claimed that on the day Anthropic first announced plans to release the model to a small number of companies for testing, a few users in a private online forum were granted access to Mythos. Since then, the group has been using Mythos on a regular basis, but not for cybersecurity, according to the person who provided screenshots and a live model demonstration to support the account.

According to Anthropic, Mythos can find and take advantage of flaws “in every major operating system and every major web browser when directed by a user to do so.”.

The company has taken steps to ensure that the technology is accessible to a limited group of software providers through an initiative known as Project Glasswing, to enable those companies to test and protect their own systems from potential cyberattacks.

. The unreported unauthorized access underscores the difficulty Anthropic has in completely stopping the spread of its most potent—and potentially hazardous—technology outside of authorized partners. It also begs the question of whether and for what reason anyone else might be using Mythos without authorization.

The users used a variety of strategies to enter Mythos; these included attempting popular internet sleuthing and utilizing the access as an employee of a third-party contractor for Anthropic.