Esteban Ma
328 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
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
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BlackRock Bets on U.S. Equities Outperforming European Stocks: Earnings Cycle to Accelerate from July
TradingKey - In the first half of 2025, uncertainty over Trump’s trade policies and U.S. fiscal outlook prompted global investors to shift capital away from U.S. assets and into European equities. While European stock indices outperformed their U.S. counterparts in H1, BlackRock, the world’s largest
Thu, Jul 3
A Big Rally for U.S. Treasury Bulls? June NFP Jobs Report Is Expected to Disappoint while Trump’s Tax Bill Faces Final House Vote
TradingKey - The U.S. June ADP employment data unexpectedly declined, signaling a slowdown in the labor market. U.S. Treasury bulls are now waiting for June’s potentially weaker-than-expected nonfarm payrolls report, which may reinforce expectations of a July rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
Thu, Jul 3
U.S. Stocks Rise at Greater Risk: “Irrational Exuberance” Indicator Hits Bubble Level as U.S. Economy Flashes Yellow Warning
TradingKey - U.S. stock investors have largely shrugged off concerns such as trade tariffs, economic slowdown, and rising government deficits. In the first half of 2025, the S&P 500 has delivered record highs by mid-year. Although major investment banks remain optimistic about year-end equity
Wed, Jul 2
U.S. Senate Tax Bill Through an Industry Lens: A Win for Chip Stocks, a Relief for Solar Shares
TradingKey - On July 1, the U.S. Senate passed Trump’s tax and spending bill by a razor-thin one-vote margin. The revised version includes enhanced tax credits for semiconductor manufacturers, while notably excluding feared tariffs on imported wind and solar components — bringing relief to clean
Wed, Jul 2
Senate Tax Bill’s Problem: Tax Cuts for the Wealthy, Income Losses for the Poor
TradingKey - Despite widespread public opposition — with 50% of voters against the bill according to Morning Consult — the U.S. Senate narrowly passed Trump’s massive tax cut and spending bill on Tuesday, July 1, by a margin of just one vote. Some Republican lawmakers warned that slashing Medicaid
Wed, Jul 2
U.S. June Nonfarm Payroll Preview: Will a 4.3% Unemployment Rate Clear the Path for a July Rate Cut?
TradingKey - On Thursday, July 3, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the June Nonfarm Payrolls report, moved up one day due to the Independence Day holiday. Analysts believe this report may reveal early signs of Trump’s tariff policies impacting labor markets, and could further boost
Wed, Jul 2
Euro’s Parity Narrative Collapses — EUR/USD Hits Longest Winning Streak in Years, on Track for 9-Day Rally
TradingKey - In the first half of 2025, the U.S. dollar fell at its fastest pace since the early 1970s, and the euro surged in response. The EUR/USD exchange rate is now on track to record a rare nine-day consecutive rally, rendering many Wall Street forecasts from earlier this year obsolete.
Tue, Jul 1
“Golden July” for the Yen? Market Bets on JPY Strength — Could USD/JPY Return to 140?
TradingKey - Since mid-May, the USD/JPY exchange rate has hovered around 145 , with the yen’s earlier strengthening trend stalling in early 2025. However, as the U.S. dollar weakens at its fastest pace in over half a century and Japanese economic activity picks up, investors are increasingly betting
Tue, Jul 1
