1. The feat of free climbing Taipei 101
A man, without any protective equipment, wearing only climbing shoes, carrying anti-slip powder and listening to music through Bluetooth headphones, free climbed the 508-meter-high Taipei 101 building, completing the climb in 1 hour and 31 minutes, half an hour ahead of schedule.
In 2004, the "French Spider-Man" completed the same climb with ropes in 4 hours, in contrast, this man appeared remarkably relaxed.
Scientists explain that the reason for his success lies in the amygdala in the brain, which is responsible for fear, showing almost no reaction to high-risk stimuli, allowing him to maintain high focus and calm in danger.
2. Suspension of silver LOF subscriptions and market reactions
The silver LOF announced that it would officially suspend subscriptions starting January 28, and this news has attracted market attention.
The market reaction has been likened to the unexpected feeling of "suddenly being interrupted while happily shearing sheep."
3. The impact of geopolitical factors on the crude oil market
The U.S. aircraft carrier strike group, "USS Lincoln," quickly arrived in the Persian Gulf, leading the market to believe that the probability of military action against Iran has increased, directly triggering a rise in crude oil prices.
The Strait of Hormuz, as a necessary passage for 30% of the world's seaborne oil and 20% of natural gas, will lead to soaring oil prices if it is blocked due to military conflict.
Currently, there is a general phenomenon of high premiums in the crude oil LOF market: the crude oil LOF has a premium of 10% and a purchase limit of 100 yuan, the Harvest crude oil has a premium of 4.32% also with a purchase limit of 100 yuan, and both the oil fund and the crude oil fund have premiums exceeding 8%.
4. The performance of gold as a safe-haven asset
The gold-themed LOF currently has a premium of 2.04%, rising in tandem with crude oil as the ultimate safe-haven asset.
Trump threatened that if Canada reaches a new trade agreement with China, a 100% tariff would be imposed on Canadian goods, such a level of threat puts pressure on the dollar and indirectly raises the price of gold.
The World Bank analysis points out that the core driving force behind the current rise in precious metal prices is geopolitical tension and economic uncertainty, with global monetary over-issuance breaking the old balance, and the rise of gold and silver is seen as the most striking performance in this "settlement."