Venezuela is close to resolving a years-long legal battle over 31 tonnes of gold held in the Bank of England, potentially unlocking significant resources for reconstruction efforts.
Venezuela is close to resolving a years-long legal battle over 31 tonnes of gold held in the Bank of England, potentially unlocking significant resources for reconstruction efforts. PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Venezuela is reportedly nearing a deal to move roughly $4 billion worth of gold from the Bank of England to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, potentially ending an eight-year legal battle over the country’s reserves. The agreement, reached between the government of interim President Delcy Rodríguez and opposition figures, would cover approximately 31 tonnes of gold held in London and give Rodríguez’s administration legal control over the bullion, although it would face restrictions on immediately selling it. DETAIL:…Open
Data: Federal Reserve, FactSet ; Note: Includes both directly held stocks and shares held indirectly in mutual funds and ETFs, as a share of total assets of U.S. households and non-profits; Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios Americans are letting it ride, with a record share of their wealth in the stock market. Why it matters: It means that the AI-driven rally is enriching Americans more than usual and exposing them to potentially painful losses from a reversal. State of play: A record 33% of the total wealth of the U.S. household sector was in stocks at the end of 2025, according to Federal Reserve data. - That beats the ~30% during the meme stock-and-SPAC mania of 2021. - And tops the ~27% reached in Q1 2000, just as the internet boom peaked.…
Data: Federal Reserve, FactSet ; Note: Includes both directly held stocks and shares held indirectly in mutual funds and ETFs, as a share of total assets of U.S. households and non-profits; Chart: Matt Phillips/Axios Americans are letting it ride, with a record share of their wealth in the stock market. Why it matters: It means that the AI-driven rally is enriching Americans more than usual and exposing them to potentially painful losses from a reversal. State of play: A record 33% of the total wealth of the U.S. household sector was in stocks at the end of 2025, according to Federal Reserve data. - That beats the ~30% during the meme stock-and-SPAC mania of 2021. - And tops the ~27% reached in Q1 2000, just as the internet boom peaked.…Open
Data: Federal Reserve Bank of New York ; Chart: Courtenay Brown/Axios The uncomfortable new normal for the U.S. economy: spending growth concentrated at the top of the income ladder, a split largely explained by wealth gains from financial assets. Why it matters: The K-shaped economy is real, though it is not particularly new. That's the conclusion of research out Friday morning from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. - It confirms an economic risk lurking beneath an economy that is navigating relentless disruption — a war driving energy prices higher, AI uncertainty and more — where spending growth is concentrated in a single cohort that could pull back sharply with a market downturn. - Low-income households have been squeezed by…
Data: Federal Reserve Bank of New York ; Chart: Courtenay Brown/Axios The uncomfortable new normal for the U.S. economy: spending growth concentrated at the top of the income ladder, a split largely explained by wealth gains from financial assets. Why it matters: The K-shaped economy is real, though it is not particularly new. That's the conclusion of research out Friday morning from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. - It confirms an economic risk lurking beneath an economy that is navigating relentless disruption — a war driving energy prices higher, AI uncertainty and more — where spending growth is concentrated in a single cohort that could pull back sharply with a market downturn. - Low-income households have been squeezed by…Open
The father of a U.S.-based activist wanted by Hong Kong authorities was convicted of attempting to deal with an absconder's financial assets on Wednesday, in the first court case of its kind brought under a homegrown national security law.