President Donald Trump said he may prevent ExxonMobil from investing in Venezuela after the company's chief executive told him the country was "uninvestable" during a White House meeting, escalating tensions as the administration seeks to attract $100 billion in private oil sector investment to rebuild the nation's energy industry.

Gold surged to an all-time high of $4,600 per troy ounce on Monday, January 12th, while the dollar weakened after US prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell, triggering a flight to safe-haven assets amid fears about central bank independence.

US companies are borrowing at the fastest rate since the Covid-19 pandemic, with corporate bond sales in early January reaching levels not seen in nearly five years as firms rush to finance artificial intelligence infrastructure and a wave of anticipated mergers.

The UK's Financial Conduct Authority has released its first comprehensive regulatory framework for cryptocurrency markets, introducing rules covering digital asset listings, insider trading restrictions and capital requirements as Britain seeks to balance innovation with consumer protection.

Tether, the world's largest stablecoin issuer, has submitted an all-cash €1.1 billion offer to acquire Italian football giant Juventus, highlighting the cryptocurrency company's expanding ambitions and substantial financial resources generated from its USDT token operations.