Esteban Ma
574 Articles
Esteban Ma, CFA Level 2 CANDIDATE, is a financial editor at TradingKey, mainly focusing on covering equities, cryptocurrencies and commodities. With two years of experience in crypto at Gate.io Research and three years in comprehensive finance, he specializes in cryptocurrency industry analysis and macroeconomic analysis.
He passed the Certificate of Security Qualification(CSQ) and Certificate of Futures Qualification(CFQ).
Written by Esteban Ma
Reviewed by Esteban Ma
20-Year JGB Auction Holds Up — Fiscal and Technical Recession Risks Loom
TradingKey - On July 10, Japan’s 20-year government bond auction concluded without major disruptions. The bid-to-cover ratio and tail spread did not show significant weakness — but amid concerns over economic technical recession and rising fiscal spending, investors remain cautious.
Thu, Jul 10
Ferrero Nears $3 Billion Deal to Acquire WK Kellogg — Shares of the Cereal Maker KLG Surge 60%
TradingKey - According to a Wall Street Journal report, Italian confectionery giant Ferrero, the world’s third-largest chocolate and candy company, is close to finalizing a deal to acquire U.S. breakfast cereal brand WK Kellogg for around $3 billion. The news sent WK Kellogg shares up over 60% in
Thu, Jul 10
Q2 2025 Earnings Season Preview: The First Test Under Trump’s Tariffs — Could Low Expectations Bring Surprises?
TradingKey - Mid-July will mark the first earnings season since President Donald Trump’s tariff policy took effect, offering investors a glimpse into how American companies are handling the impact of trade tensions. Analysts believe that with low expectations heading into Q2, it may be easier for
Wed, Jul 9
20-Year JGB Auction Back in Focus as the Japan Bond Market Faces Political Risk
TradingKey - With growing concerns that Japan’s ruling coalition may lose power in the July 20 Upper House elections, and potentially unleash a new wave of large-scale fiscal stimulus, 30-year Japanese government bond (JGB) yields hit record highs, signaling the arrival of a fresh bond market
Wed, Jul 9
Merck to Acquire Verona for $10 Billion — A Major Move into Respiratory Care, Shares of VRNA Surge 20%
TradingKey - According to a report by the Financial Times, U.S. pharmaceutical giant Merck (MRK.US) is nearing a deal to acquire Verona Pharma (VRNA.US) for $10 billion, marking Merck’s largest biopharma acquisition since 2023. The acquisition will expand Merck’s presence in the respiratory disease
Wed, Jul 9
Figma IPO: The “Last Hope” of the Software Listing and a Bitcoin Bull — Could It Be the Next Circle?
TradingKey - With its upcoming IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, design software giant Figma has drawn significant investor attention. The company plans to raise $1.5 billion, potentially making it one of the largest tech IPOs in 2025. One unique feature of Figma’s IPO prospectus is its exposure
Tue, Jul 8
Japan and South Korea Hit with New Tariffs — Will Asia See A Round of Currency Depreciation?
TradingKey - Ahead of the July 9 expiration of reciprocal tariff suspensions, U.S. President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on Japan and South Korea at 25%, reigniting concerns over trade tensions. Foreign exchange strategists warn that the yen, won, baht, and other Asian currencies may face
Tue, Jul 8
Rate Hold Surprises Markets: RBA’s Inflation Reasoning Puzzling, Australian Dollar Rises 1%
TradingKey - In a surprise move that defied market expectations of a rate cut, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) left its policy rate unchanged amid concerns over inflation sustainability — potentially influenced by U.S. tariff policies. The decision sent the Australian dollar (AUD/USD) surging
Tue, Jul 8
New Lineup of U.S. Tech "Magnificent Seven": Apple and Tesla Removed, Broadcom and Oracle Added
TradingKey - Amid Apple’s delayed progress in upgrading artificial intelligence (AI) features and Tesla’s struggles with electric vehicle price wars and an unclear autonomous driving outlook, Wall Street has long been considering removing the two companies from the elite group of “Magnificent Seven”
Mon, Jul 7
China’s PBOC Buys Gold for Eight Consecutive Months, but Gold Prices Remain "Easier to Defend than to Advance"
TradingKey - Since July, gold prices have weakened due to easing geopolitical tensions and a cooling trade dispute. Although the People's Bank of China (PBoC) has been continuously increasing its gold reserves for eight months, providing some support to prices, momentum for a significant rally
Mon, Jul 7
Three Scenarios for How U.S. Markets View “Uncertainty” as Trump’s Reciprocal Tariff Deadline Nears
TradingKey - With just two days remaining before the July 9 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump to end reciprocal tariff suspensions, uncertainty remains over the tariff levels, effective dates, and whether the deadline will be extended. Yet so far, U.S. markets have not shown signs of panic
Mon, Jul 7
OPEC Accelerates Output Unexpectedly, Oil Price Support to Rely on Only “Two Factors” in Second Half of 2025
TradingKey - OPEC+ surprised the market by announcing its fourth consecutive round of crude oil production increases at its early July meeting — the scale of the increase far exceeded expectations and triggered a new supply shock, deepening concerns over oversupply in 2025 and weighing on oil prices
Mon, Jul 7
Tokenized Funds, Not Stablecoins, May Be the True Engine Driving Crypto Growth in 2025
TradingKey - So far in 2025, stablecoins and asset tokenization have emerged as the two biggest trends in the crypto space. Compared to the steady 25% increase in stablecoin market capitalization this year, tokenized money market funds and U.S. Treasury-backed products have surged by an impressive
Mon, Jul 7
U.S. Stocks Enter “Extreme Greed” Mode — BofA Sets Profit-Taking Level at 6,300 for S&P 500
TradingKey - Despite ongoing concerns over tariffs and rising U.S. fiscal deficits, investor optimism in U.S. equities remains strong. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite hit new all-time highs on multiple occasions this week. CNN’s Fear & Greed Index has now entered the “extreme greed” zone, raising
Fri, Jul 4
Musk vs. Trump’s Economic Agenda: $250 Million in Political Spending, Billions in Tesla Losses
TradingKey - From ally to opponent — Elon Musk’s investment in Donald Trump’s political campaign appears to have gone south. Tesla shares and vehicle deliveries have plummeted as tensions between Musk and the Trump administration escalate.
Fri, Jul 4
Tariff Deadline Follows Tax Bill — U.S. Stocks Face Next Test: Bilateral Tariffs Could Reach 70% as the US-China Truce Looks Fragile
TradingKey - In the week of July 4, when Trump’s massive tax cut and spending bill cleared both the Senate and House votes, the S&P 500 hit record highs three times. However, as the July 9 deadline for reciprocal tariff suspensions approaches, investor sentiment has cooled — with major U.S. equity
Fri, Jul 4
U.S.-Vietnam Trade Deal = A Hidden Front in the U.S.-China Trade War? 40% Transshipment Tariff Targets “Made-in-China Goods via Vietnam”
TradingKey - Just weeks after the U.S. and China reached a trade framework agreement in June, the fragile truce appears to be cracking — as the U.S.-Vietnam tariff deal signals a new attempt by Washington to curb Chinese exports indirectly.
Fri, Jul 4
What Happens If the Euro Hits 1.20? ECB Is Uneasy while Bessent Says Europe Can’t Handle a Strong Euro Moment
TradingKey - The U.S. dollar’s sharp decline in H1 2025 has lifted non-dollar currencies, with the euro appreciating around 14% against the greenback — aligning with European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde’s vision of a “Global Euro Moment.” However, the recent strength in EUR/USD
Fri, Jul 4
Is the Strong U.S. June Jobs Report a Mirage? Hidden Signs of Labor Market Weakness Amid Falling Unemployment
TradingKey - The June 2025 U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday, July 3, surprised markets with stronger-than-expected job growth and a falling unemployment rate — effectively eliminating market expectations for a July Fed rate cut.
Fri, Jul 4
U.S. June NFP Jobs Report Unexpectedly Strong — Unemployment Drops to 4.1%, Crushing July Rate Cut Odds
TradingKey - On Thursday, July 3, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released data showing that the June nonfarm payrolls rose by 147,000, far exceeding the expected 110,000, and up from the previous reading of 139,000. More surprisingly, the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%, down from 4.2%, and well
Thu, Jul 3
