Market Beats | US Billionaires Are Stepping Up Security Measures; Bitcoin Hits Fresh New Record; Shanghai and Hangzhou Issue Air Pollution Warning; Canada Home Price Rises by Most in 16 Months; JPMorgan Sees FX Trading Volume Jump After Election; Goldman Buys Majority Stake in Dutch Drugmaker

—— Bitcoin Hits Fresh New Record; Shanghai and Hangzhou Issue Air Pollution Warning; US Billionaires Are Stepping Up Security Measures; Canada Home Price Rises by Most in 16 Months; JPMorgan Sees FX Trading Volume Jump After Election; Goldman Buys Majority Stake in Dutch Drugmaker

1. Bitcoin Hits Fresh New Record

Bitcoin surged to a record high amid President-elect Donald Trump’s favorable stance on digital assets and enthusiasm over the impending inclusion of MicroStrategy Inc., a major Bitcoin accumulator, in a prominent U.S. stock index.

The largest cryptocurrency climbed over 3.5% at one point in Asian trading on Monday, reaching an all-time high of $106,493, surpassing its previous peak from December 5. MicroStrategy revealed on Monday that it had purchased an additional $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin in the past week.

Trump is reportedly working toward establishing a regulatory environment more supportive of digital assets, reversing restrictions introduced by President Joe Biden’s administration. The Republican leader has also expressed support for the concept of a strategic national Bitcoin reserve, though the practicality of such a plan has drawn skepticism.

“There’s a lot of anticipation for a more crypto-friendly administration,” said Aya Kantorovich, co-founder of institutional crypto platform August, during an interview on Bloomberg Television. This optimism is evident in the growing demand for exchange-traded funds focused on digital assets, she added.

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2. Shanghai and Hangzhou Issue Air Pollution Warning

Shanghai, China’s financial and business hub, along with the nearby city of Hangzhou, issued heavy air pollution alerts, advising vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, and those with health conditions to limit outdoor activities.

On Monday, Shanghai raised a “yellow” alert, the third-highest level for air pollution, according to the municipal environment bureau. Schools were instructed to suspend outdoor physical education classes and activities starting at 8 p.m. local time. The city government also urged residents to use public transport, avoid outdoor sports events, and directed industrial companies to limit production and emissions until further notice. No specific timeline was provided for lifting these measures.

In Hangzhou, home to Alibaba Group, authorities advised children, the elderly, and those in poor health to remain indoors from 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

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3. US Billionaires Are Stepping Up Security Measures

Executives and billionaires across the U.S. have been ramping up their personal security, a trend that predates the recent murder of UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson earlier this month.

Fortified Estate, a company specializing in custom bulletproof fixtures and panic rooms for the ultra-wealthy, experienced one of its busiest months ever in October, ahead of the presidential election, according to founder Jon Harris. “People just weren’t sure what was going to happen,” said Harris, whose company, founded in 2018, has seen demand spike during periods of instability, including the Covid pandemic, the George Floyd protests, and the 2021 Capitol riot.

While high-end security for the wealthy is not a new concept, interviews with four executives in the elite security industry reveal a growing focus on personal safety among the nation’s wealthiest families over the past several years.

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4. Google Unveils Unimaginably Fast Quantum Computer

Alphabet Inc.’s quantum computer, powered by Google’s new Willow quantum chip, has demonstrated a remarkable capacity to solve complex computations much faster than traditional supercomputers. It completed a benchmark algorithm in just five minutes—a task that would take the Frontier supercomputer approximately 10 septillion years to finish. This performance is a significant leap from five years ago when Google’s quantum computer could solve a 10,000-year computational task in minutes.

Despite the impressive technical achievement, the specific algorithm solved has no immediate practical applications. However, Hartmut Neven, the founder of Google Quantum AI, emphasizes that the ability to solve any problem at all is a crucial step toward solving “useful” problems. Google is now focusing on identifying a real-world application for its quantum computing power, aiming to present a use case next year that would be impossible for classical computers to handle.

This effort comes as governments and major tech companies invest heavily in quantum computing, drawn by its potential to vastly outperform existing computing technologies and its implications for commercial and military dominance.

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5. Canada Home Price Rises by Most in 16 Months

Canadian home prices recorded their largest increase in nearly 18 months as declining interest rates rejuvenated the housing market.

In November, the benchmark home price rose by 0.6% from the previous month to C$723,100 ($507,360), according to data released Monday by the Canadian Real Estate Association. Home sales also climbed 2.8%, marking the fourth consecutive monthly increase.

The Bank of Canada has reduced its benchmark interest rate to 3.25% from 5% over the past six months. These lower borrowing costs are encouraging buyers to re-enter the housing market, which had previously seen subdued activity due to high mortgage rates and elevated property prices.

The central bank is anticipated to continue cutting rates into next year, with economists predicting the benchmark rate will drop to 2.5% by the second quarter, according to a Bloomberg survey.

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6. JPMorgan Sees FX Trading Volume Jump After Election

Donald Trump’s return to the White House is driving a surge in currency trading volumes, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co., which attributes the increase to heightened focus on his trade policies and their impact on foreign-exchange markets.

Stephen Jefferies, head of currencies and emerging markets trading at JPMorgan, noted that his global team of 260 traders has experienced elevated volumes since the U.S. presidential election, with expectations of an active year ahead. “When you’re talking about changing the dynamics of global trade, FX is one of the main pressure points,” Jefferies said in an interview. “High interest in FX markets naturally leads to high volumes.”

Trump’s plans to cut taxes and impose significant trade tariffs have been key drivers for global asset movements and are expected to shape market flows next year as he assumes office.

These policies could widen the economic divergence between the U.S. and other major economies, influencing interest rate trajectories and creating opportunities for significant market shifts.

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7. Goldman Buys Majority Stake in Dutch Drugmaker

Goldman Sachs Group Inc.’s alternative investment division has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Dutch generic drugmaker Synthon from BC Partners.

BC Partners will retain a minority stake in Synthon to support its future growth, according to a statement released Monday, which confirmed an earlier report by Bloomberg News. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. However, Bloomberg had reported that Goldman’s bid valued Synthon at approximately €2 billion ($2.1 billion), outpacing other contenders.

Founded in 1991, Synthon International specializes in developing and manufacturing generic drugs for therapeutic areas such as oncology, the central nervous system, and cardiovascular diseases. The Netherlands-based company also operates offices in Argentina, Chile, the Czech Republic, South Korea, Mexico, and Spain.

BC Partners acquired its majority stake in Synthon for $750 million in 2019 from the company’s founder, who retained a minority interest. Since then, BC Partners claims to have more than doubled Synthon’s operating profit.

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本文内容来自《Financial Times》、《Bloomberg》，以及《The Real Deal》等多家财经新闻媒体。