KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sophomore Mason Falslev scored 25 points to match his career high for the second straight game, adding 12 rebounds for his first double-double, and Utah State defeated Iowa 77-69 on Friday night in the Hall of Fame Classic. Falslev sank 9 of 15 shots from the floor, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range, for the Aggies (5-0). Ian Martinez totaled 13 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals for Utah State. Tucker Anderson pitched in with 10 points, five rebounds and five steals off the bench. Brock Harding led the Hawkeyes (5-1) with 19 points. Owen Freeman finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Payton Sandfort scored 14, but he made only 4 of 18 shots — including 1 for 13 from beyond the arc. Falslev had two baskets in the first two minutes and Utah State grabbed the lead and held it until Freeman scored on a layup to put Iowa up 13-12 midway through the half. The Hawkeyes had a six-point lead late but Falslev's tip-in with 5 seconds left pulled the Aggies within 37-33 at intermission. Iowa maintained its lead in the second half until Falslev's layup with 14:46 remaining gave Utah State a 47-46 lead. Harding answered with a 3-pointer for the Hawkeyes, and they played with the lead until Martinez sandwiched a jumper and a 3-pointer around two free throws by Falslev to give Utah State a 58-53 lead with 10:02 left to play. The Aggies never trailed again. Iowa was trying to win six in a row to begin the season for the first time since the 2021-22 season when it won seven straight. Utah State forward Karson Templin (22) shoots over Iowa forward Owen Freeman (32) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Credit: AP/Charlie Riedel The Hawkeyes will host South Carolina Upstate on Tuesday. The Aggies travel to Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Thursday and open the NIT Season Tip-Off against St. Bonaventure.Harry and Meghan’s polo docuseries to highlight ‘grit behind the glamour’m casino events 。

BOISE, Idaho — Freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge on the first play of double overtime and Jordan Hansen ended the game on a fourth-down sack to give Northern Illinois a 28-20 victory over Fresno State on Monday in the Idaho Potato Bowl. Dimopoulos, who played quarterback in high school, also converted the two-point conversion when he passed it to quarterback Josh Holst for his second completion of the season. Related Story: Holst, a freshman walk-on, was making just his third start at quarterback as NIU was without starter Ethan Hampton, who entered with 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns to go with six interceptions. Holst completed 18 of 30 passes for 182 and two touchdowns for Northern Illinois (8-5). He was also intercepted on the first play of the game. Both teams missed a 35-yard field goal in the final three minutes of regulation, including Dylan Lynch’s third miss of the game on the final play to send it to overtime. Fresno State started overtime with a touchdown when Bryson Donelson was left wide open out of the backfield to haul in a 9-yard touchdown pass. NIU needed five plays, and a defensive holding penalty, to score as Holst found Grayson Barnes for a 3-yard touchdown. Related Story: Donelson finished with 15 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State (6-7). He added three catches for 28 yards and another score. Dual-threat quarterback Joshua Wood was 16 of 23 for 180 yards and a touchdown. Mac Dalena made six catches for 118 yards to help go over 1,000 yards for the season. Fresno State was without 14 players, including starting quarterback Mikey Keene after he transferred to Michigan. Two top-three receivers, Jalen Moss and Raylen Sharpe, also did not play as the Bulldogs were forced to use five new starters.

Bitcoin nears $100K, Alphabet drags Mag 7: Market Takeaways

How the 15-minute city idea became a misinformation-fuelled fight that's rattling GTA councilsWarriors face Pelicans, out to stay perfect in NBA Cup playDuke Energy ( NYSE:DUK – Get Free Report ) had its price objective reduced by Morgan Stanley from $122.00 to $118.00 in a research note issued on Friday, Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “equal weight” rating on the utilities provider’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 2.88% from the stock’s current price. Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $110.00 to $122.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 7th. Mizuho raised Duke Energy from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $116.00 to $121.00 in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on Duke Energy from $111.00 to $120.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Duke Energy in a report on Thursday, September 19th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $138.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Scotiabank increased their target price on shares of Duke Energy from $104.00 to $113.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 20th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $121.69. View Our Latest Stock Report on Duke Energy Duke Energy Stock Down 0.1 % Duke Energy ( NYSE:DUK – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Thursday, November 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.62 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.73 by ($0.11). The business had revenue of $8.16 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.06 billion. Duke Energy had a net margin of 14.31% and a return on equity of 9.34%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 2.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.94 earnings per share. As a group, equities analysts anticipate that Duke Energy will post 5.97 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Institutional Trading of Duke Energy A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of DUK. Fortitude Family Office LLC increased its holdings in shares of Duke Energy by 69.6% in the second quarter. Fortitude Family Office LLC now owns 290 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $29,000 after buying an additional 119 shares in the last quarter. Legacy Investment Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of Duke Energy in the third quarter worth approximately $29,000. Olistico Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Northwest Investment Counselors LLC purchased a new position in Duke Energy during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Finally, EntryPoint Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Duke Energy in the first quarter valued at $36,000. Institutional investors own 65.31% of the company’s stock. Duke Energy Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through two segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure (EU&I), and Gas Utilities and Infrastructure (GU&I). The EU&I segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Duke Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Duke Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign

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Video: Michigan, Ohio State Players Fight on Field After Wolverines' CFB Upset Win

Michigan, Ohio State fight broken up with police pepper spray after Wolverines stun Buckeyes 13-10

Papua New Guinea is riding Australia’s wake in legislating for social media. The nation’s Ministry for ICT this week announced that it has finalized its Social Media Policy Concept Note, which would prohibit underage users from accessing “certain social media platforms.” A notice on LinkedIn posted by government lead Steven Matainaho says that “with the concerning rise in fraud, illegal goods distribution, human trafficking, disinformation, and cyber harassment, it’s clear that hard action is necessary” to “protect our children from harmful content.” The draft law would also require “mandatory digital ID (SevisPass) for adults,” meaning adult users accessing age-restricted content will need a verified digital ID for – but again, only “on certain platforms.” The ambiguity around which platforms could be covered by the suggests that Papua New Guinea is having the same conversations as Australia about the status of sites like YouTube. The law would also require social media companies operating in the country to register there. The first draft is set to be introduced in January 2025, followed by “broad consultations” before proposing formal legislation. “Social media is not just a platform,” Matainaho writes. “It’s where many illegal and frequently converge. Should we continue allowing full access for our children and vulnerable populations to such places? It’s time to build a safer online community for all Papua New Guineans.” The prompted a flurry of comments, indicating fault lines in the argument that also mirror the between advocates for online protection and those for online freedom. Stances range from “don’t play the role of the parents” to “I have kids and this is great news. I also know that Australia has also done a similar approach for their kids. Excellent direction by the PNG government.” The stakes around social media are higher in Papua New Guinea than many other places, in that it has been linked to incidents of violence. According to D.C. nonprofit the United States Institute of Peace, local show a “notable proliferation of horrible images, videos and viral narratives surrounding sorcery accusation related violence ( ), along with justifications for employing violence against those who are accused.” | | | | | |

Dublin, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Telematics for Rental and Leasing Fleets - 3rd Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. Car rental services allow customers to rent cars for a specific period, usually ranging from a few hours to a few weeks. The total average fleet managed by car rental companies in 2023 was about 4.4 million cars in Europe and North America. Vehicle leasing refers to the leasing of a motor vehicle for a fixed period at an agreed cost. The leasing market can broadly be divided into financial and full-service leasing. Vehicle leasing has historically mainly been a financial service but now also allows customers to outsource the ownership and entire management of their vehicles in a full-service lease model. In a full-service lease, the client pays the leasing company a regular monthly lease payment to cover financing, depreciation of the vehicle and various services provided in relation to the use of the vehicle. The number of telematics systems deployed by rental and leasing companies will increase at a steady rate in the next years. Key influencers expected to boost the telematics market in this vertical include the connected car trend driven by the vehicle OEMs and related service providers, the need for fleet owners to increase fleet utilisation and decrease the carbon footprint, the emergence of new mobility services and the general electrification trend in the automotive industry. The total number of active OEM and aftermarket telematics systems in use in the European rental and leasing market reached around 3.28 million at the end of 2023. The total installed base in Europe is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6 percent to 6.79 million in 2028. In North America, the total number of OEM and aftermarket telematics systems in use is forecasted to increase from around 2.89 million at the end of 2023 to reach 5.53 million by 2028, representing a CAGR of 13.9 percent. The telematics penetration rate in the total population of rental vehicles in Europe and North America was about 37.2 percent and 42.8 percent respectively at year-end 2023. The corresponding numbers for the car leasing market were 32.2 percent in Europe and 44.3 percent in North America at the end of 2023. The car rental and leasing markets are gradually consolidating, and a handful of major North American and European companies dominate each market. Rental and leasing companies with notable activities within the implementation of telematics include Enterprise Mobility, Hertz Corporation, Avis Budget Group, Europcar Mobility Group, Sixt Group, Arval, Leasys, Element Fleet Management, Ayvens and Alphabet. Players in the rental and leasing industry can either develop telematics programs independently or rely on partners to varying degrees. Multiple leading rental and leasing companies use a combination of centralised and decentralised telematics strategies across their footprints. In addition to the traditional car rental operators, several companies exclusively offer fully digital and contactless car rental services enabled by telematics solutions. Examples of these are Liigu, Locauto Elefast, Toosla and Virtuo. The telematics solution market for rental and leasing fleets is dominated by players such as Geotab, Targa Telematics, OCTO Telematics, CalAmp (Lojack), Webfleet, Powerfleet, Munic, MySmartObject, Connected Cars and RentalMatics. Leading hardware telematics vendors such as Teltonika Telematics and Ruptela are also serving the market. Several telematics service providers such as Fourth Tier, RentalMatics, TSD Mobility Solutions, Zubie, WITTE:digital, HQ Rental Software, Kirrk and Autofleet specialise in solutions for the rental industry. Some players specialising in carsharing telematics have broadened their product portfolio to target car rental and leasing companies. Examples of leading carsharing telematics technology vendors include Invers, Vulog, OpenFleet, WeGo Carsharing, Convadis and Atom Mobility. Automotive OEMs are increasingly taking an active part in the ecosystem by offering OEM telematics services or utilising connected car services via its captive rental and leasing companies. Examples include General Motors, Stellantis, Volkswagen, Ford, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, Toyota, Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. Highlights from the report Insights from 30 executive interviews with market leading companies. New data on rental and leasing fleets. Comprehensive overview of the rental and leasing telematics value chain. In-depth analysis of market trends and key developments. Case Studies of telematics activities among 21 car rental and leasing companies. Detailed profiles of 33 companies that serve the rental and leasing companies. Market forecasts by segment and region lasting until 2028. The report answers the following questions What is the current status of the telematics activities among rental and leasing fleets? Which are the leading providers of rental and leasing telematics services? How are the vehicle OEMs involved in the ecosystem? How will the market evolve in Europe and North America? How will the telematics-based corporate carsharing market evolve in the upcoming years? What technology choices are there for rental and leasing fleet operators? How will the carsharing market evolve in Europe and North America? Which are the key future trends in this industry? Key Topics Covered: 1 Cars and Personal Mobility Services 1.1 The automotive market in Europe 1.1.1 Vehicles in use and car park density 1.1.2 New car registrations and leading manufacturers 1.2 The automotive market in North America 1.2.1 Vehicles in use and car park density 1.2.2 New car registrations and leading manufacturers 1.3 Car-based mobility services 1.4 The car rental market 1.4.1 Car rental operational models 1.4.2 Car rental seasonality 1.4.3 Fully digital and contactless car rental services 1.5 The car leasing market 1.5.1 Financial and full-service lease models 1.5.2 Second-hand market 2 Rental and Leasing Telematics Solutions 2.1 Introduction to telematics in the rental and leasing industry 2.2 Car telematics infrastructure 2.3 Car telematics applications in the rental and leasing segment 2.3.1 eCall and roadside assistance 2.3.2 Stolen vehicle tracking 2.3.3 Usage-based insurance 2.3.4 Remote control and convenience services 2.3.5 Phone-as-a-Key technology and keyless vehicle access 2.3.6 Vehicle diagnostics and maintenance 2.3.7 Remote vehicle data monitoring 2.3.8 Tyre pressure monitoring systems 2.3.9 Fuel card integration and reporting 2.3.10 Driving data registration and analysis 2.3.11 Eco-driving schemes 2.4 Regulatory compliance and reporting 2.4.1 CSA - Compliance, Safety, Accountability 2.4.2 Hours-of-Service and electronic logging devices 2.4.3 Fuel tax reporting 2.4.4 Other applications 3 Market Forecasts and Trends 3.1 Market analysis and forecasts 3.1.1 Regional market dynamics 3.1.2 Rental and leasing companies' adoption of telematics systems 3.1.3 Telematics solution provider market shares 3.1.4 Market forecasts - telematics systems in Europe 3.1.5 Market forecasts - telematics systems in North America 3.2 Carsharing telematics in Europe and North America 3.3 Value chain analysis 3.3.1 Automotive industry players 3.3.2 IT industry players 3.3.3 Rental and leasing industry players 3.3.4 Telematics industry players 3.3.5 Telecom industry players 3.4 Market trends 3.4.1 OEM embedded telematics systems are becoming more popular 3.4.2 OEM SVT services compete with aftermarket services in many countries 3.4.3 Data exchanges make OEM data available to independent service providers 3.4.4 Rental and leasing to be increasingly integrated with mobility services 3.4.5 Carsharing becomes a popular means to reduce corporate mobility costs 3.4.6 Digital and contactless car rental services on the rise 3.4.7 The consolidation trend to continue in the rental and leasing markets 3.4.8 CRM solutions and vehicle diagnostics enable improved customer care 3.4.9 Telematics solutions facilitate corporate ESG reporting 3.4.10 Electric vehicles to drive telematics adoption 3.4.11 The car rental and leasing market returns to pre-pandemic levels 4 Rental and Leasing Companies Car rental companies Ace Rent a Car Avis Budget Group Drivalia Enterprise Mobility Europcar Mobility Group Green Motion Hertz Corporation Sixt Group Fully digital car rental companies Leasing and fleet management companies Ayvens (ALD Automotive and LeasePlan) Alphabet Arval Athlon Element Fleet Management Leasys Lex Autolease Volkswagen Financial Services Wheels 5 Technology Vendors End-to-end solution providers Airmax Remote CalAmp (LoJack International) Connected Cars Geotab Guidepoint Systems Invers Munic MySmartObject OCTO Telematics OpenFleet Powerfleet RentalMatics Targa Telematics Vulog Webfleet WeGo Carsharing Zubie Software platform providers Atom Mobility Autofleet Beast Coastr Eccocar Fourth Tier HQ Rental Software Kirrk TSD Mobility Solutions Ufodrive (Ufofleet) Vinli In-vehicle telematics systems providers Continental Convadis Ruptela Teltonika Telematics WITTE:digital For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wawqo8 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has highlighted the complexities surrounding the historical figure of Tipu Sultan, the former ruler of Mysore, at a recent book launch event. He emphasized the challenges in understanding Tipu Sultan's legacy, which often involves selective interpretation of historical facts for political purposes. The minister was speaking at the launch of 'Tipu Sultan: The Saga of Mysore Interregnum 1761-1799,' a book by historian Vikram Sampath. Jaishankar remarked on the narrative around Tipu Sultan, noting how certain aspects of his life have been either highlighted or downplayed over the years. He called for a more balanced understanding of history that accounts for varied perspectives. Jaishankar praised the book for presenting a comprehensive view of Tipu Sultan's era, which spans diplomacy, politics, and society. He called for open debate and nuanced scholarship to better grasp the complexities of historical figures like Tipu Sultan, who resisted British colonization but also shows inconsistencies in his alliances and treatment of local populations. (With inputs from agencies.)By AAMER MADHANI, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden has been briefed on the findings and that the White House “has made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” The Chinese embassy in Washington on Tuesday rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages on Wednesday. Associated Press writer David Klepper contributed reporting.

Bitcoin price predictions ... why Luke Lango is looking beyond Bitcoin ... perspective for crypto naysayers ... where to start investing today Let’s begin today with our crypto expert Luke Lango and his forecast for Bitcoin: We think Bitcoin can rally to $120,000 by Christmas. We think this Fourth Boom Cycle has about 12 months runway left, with room for Bitcoin to pop towards $200,000 by late 2025. And we also believe altcoins will start to join the party soon and could soar in 2025, similar to how they soared in 2021. Let’s back up and fill in a few details. Beneath Bitcoin’s price surge has been record-setting demand. Here’s Bloomberg : US exchange-traded funds investing directly in Bitcoin and Ether are enjoying unprecedented demand, buoyed by President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to unfetter the crypto industry from regulatory shackles. The groups of Bitcoin and Ether ETFs each posted record monthly net inflows in November, $6.5 billion and $1.1 billion respectively, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Friday’s daily Ether ETF subscriptions also hit an all-time peak. Propelling this wave of capital is the idea that Trump will not just be friendly to crypto, but an advocate. You’ve probably read headlines suggesting that Trump is considering creating a national strategic Bitcoin reserve. Regardless of whether that happens, the forecasts for Bitcoin’s price have been climbing. And while some are based on little more than wishful thinking, Luke’s prediction of $200,000 is anchored in history...and a lot of math. Here he is with more: If we run a regression analysis on the size of previous boom cycles, we can see a pathway for BTC to rally towards $200,000 in 2025. In the First Boom Cycle, BTC rallied about 55,000%, trough to peak. In the Second Boom Cycle, BTC rallied about 9,000%. In the Third Boom Cycle, BTC rallied about 2,000%. The rallies have been getting smaller. If we run a simple regression on that, we find that BTC could rally about 1,000%, peak-to-trough, in the current boom cycle. Bitcoin bottomed around $16,000 in late 2022. A 1,000% rally from there would get you to about $180,000 on BTC. If we run a regression analysis on Bitcoin’s peak price in previous boom cycles – and not the returns of previous boom cycles – we see a pathway for Bitcoin to hit about $250,000 in this Fourth Boom Cycle... If you throw in the very first peak of ~$25 on BTC in 2011 and then run on regression of those four previous peaks, the statistics suggest that Bitcoin should rally to above $250,000 in this boom cycle. Luke settles at $200,000 as a rough mid-point for his 2025 forecast. Now, while Bitcoin climbing another 50% or 100% by late-2025 is nothing to brush off, it’s the broader altcoin world that offers the real potential for fireworks. That’s a popular opinion. Many investors are reluctant to wade into this corner of the market. The mindset here is something like: altcoins have no inherent value... they’re basically nothing but a gamble ... and you’d better be prepared to lose your shirt if you touch one. Our response might raise an eyebrow... Agreed! At least, up to a point (some of these coins do have inherent value). But yes, there is a heavy element of gambling with altcoins. And yes, you should be prepared for extreme volatility and losses. But for a small percentage of your portfolio that you have earmarked for speculations, the potential payoff is worth taking these risks. In Breakout Trader , Luke trades stocks based on something called “stage analysis.” In short, you only trade stocks that are surging in a “stage 2” bullish breakout. There’s zero consideration given to profits, revenues, margins, cash flows, or any other such traditional measure of fundamental strength. Instead, only one thing matters – price. Here’s more from the User Guide : Let’s say you found a truly atrocious company – we’re talking the opposite of a blue chip. It’s hemorrhaging cash, has awful management, and is in a dying industry. But what if its stock price had just broken out and, hypothetically, was on its way to doubling from $5 to $10? Would any of those negative characteristics matter to you? If what you care about is your personal wealth, they shouldn’t. Why would they? All that would matter is that the stock is doubling while you’re invested... With all due respect to whatever your preferred market approach might be, our Breakout Trader system focuses on the one thing that really matters to your wealth... A price breakout. At the end of the day, the only thing that will make a difference to your portfolio is whether the stocks you own rise in value while you own them. A stock is not a family heirloom to pass down and cherish. It’s a tool. It’s only as useful as its ability to generate wealth, which puts its price (or its dividend payments) squarely in the spotlight. At the end of the day, any other focus is misguided. For example, in early November, the company Quantum Computing ( QUBT ) reported a Q3 net loss of $5.68 million. Its margins also collapsed from 52% to 9%. And yet, since November 1, QUBT is up a staggering 404% as I write. At the end of last month, it was up nearly 600%. The chart below shows this price explosion with a bit longer timeline for context. Now, if you bought QUBT on October 31, would you care that it’s never made one dime of profit... is burning through cash... and has collapsing margins? I doubt it. You’re probably too busy planning your vacation with your profits. So, if you wouldn’t care with a stock like QUBT, why should you care if an altcoin doesn’t have obvious inherent value – as long as it’s surging like QUBT? If your purpose for being in the market is increasing your wealth, you won’t. You’ll see altcoins for what they are – tools for making money. Bitcoin is the big dog in the crypto universe. The chart below will give you a sense for this. We’re looking at Bitcoin’s market cap (in blue at the top) compared to the market cap of the top 125 altcoins (only a handful of those altcoins are shown). As I write, Bitcoin makes up about 56% of the crypto sector’s market cap (specifically, the largest 125 altcoins just referenced). Given its monster size, early in a new cycle, Bitcoin outperforms smaller altcoins. This “Bitcoin dominance” makes sense as the sector is coming out of its prior bust. Bruised investors are in “safety” mode, focusing on what they consider to be the biggest, strongest assets. For crypto, that’s Bitcoin by a mile. But as the cycle continues, gains snowball, investor confidence returns, and animal spirits take over. Eventually, emboldened investors begin allocating to smaller altcoins in search of bigger gains. Leadership rotates away from Bitcoin, toward altcoins. Here’s Luke with the general timing: Our monthly RSI analysis of BTC suggests that we are just now entering the “bubble phase” of the boom cycle. The “bubble” phase is also when altcoins start to soar. As it turns out, the so-called “altcoin season” tends to start right when Bitcoin enters the “bubble phase” – or when its monthly RSI crosses above 70. Which means, in our view, that 2025 could be the altcoin season. Luke isn’t the only analyst suggesting this. Below is a chart from J-C Parets. It shows Bitcoin dominance hitting a three-month low. The question asked is, “Is it the start of altcoin season?” If we go by recent performance, the answer is “yes” – altcoin season appears to have begun. To illustrate, here are some of the top gainers over the last 30 days, according to Crypto Slate : And as a quick reminder of what’s possible, rewind to 2021. Though the last altcoin season ran longer than just that one year, this is what a few of the biggest winners returned in 2021: Now, as quickly as I write this, let’s circle back to yesterday’s Digest in which I highlighted the danger of greed/envy, which can derail your investment plan. As always, remember that return of capital is more important than return on capital. That means altcoins are at the bottom of your list when it comes to allocating your money. Everything else gets priority: bills, savings, blue chip stocks, you name it. However, the good news is that even a few leftover dollars have the potential to generate enormous returns. Say you put $350 into the next “Solana,” and it climbs 10,000% in 2025. Congrats – you’re suddenly sitting on $35,000. This is why we love altcoin season. You don’t have to bet big to win big. A basket approach is the way to go. Spread your money across roughly 10 or more altcoins. Target a mix of some of the larger altcoins with some newer, high-momentum picks. For the largest altcoins, CoinMarketCap will rank them by size. The top five are currently: Ethereum, XRP, Tether, Solana, and BNB. For smaller momentum picks, there are plenty of online tools that show you which coins are trending. CoinMarketCap has such a feature simply called “Trending Coins.” As you’d expect, Luke is beginning to make moves as well. We’ll bring you more of his insights as we get them. Bottom line: Yes, we expect more gains from Bitcoin next year. But the real wealth could come from select altcoins. It’s time to make some wise speculations in anticipation of the buying surge that history suggests is on the way. Do it safely. Prepare for volatility. But recognize the wealth potential of altcoin season. Have a good evening, Jeff RemsburgSimeon Boikov has been variously described as a misinformation spreader, serial pest and Russian pawn or signup to continue reading But he may prove a "useful idiot" for the Australian government in securing the freedom of captured Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins. Mr Boikov has been holed up in the Russian consulate in Sydney's eastern suburbs since December 2022, after being charged with assaulting an elderly man at a pro-Ukraine protest in Sydney's CBD. While the self-styled "Aussie Cossack" is seeking asylum with the Russians of his own accord and is not a prisoner of the Australian judicial system, opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said he could be used in an exchange to secure Mr Jenkins' release. "If he potentially proves himself to be, shall I say, a useful idiot in terms of a possibility for a Christmas swap, well that is something for the government to consider as it looks at ways to potentially bring an Australian free and break him from Russian custody," Senator Birmingham told ABC Radio on Tuesday. Mr Boikov volunteered himself to be exchanged with Mr Jenkins in a video posted on social media platform Telegram. "I'm sure the Russians will be happy to accept," Mr Boikov said. "We should bring him home, he shouldn't have been in Ukraine. "Let's do a deal." In a video posted to Russian social media on Sunday, Mr Jenkins is repeatedly slapped and interrogated by a Russian-speaking man assumed to be his captor. The man asks Mr Jenkins how it was he came to be in Kramatorsk, a town 700km east of Kyiv in the Donbas region, near the Russian-Ukrainian frontline. Standing in a forest and dressed in army fatigues, Mr Jenkins tells the man he wanted to help Ukraine. The footage was disturbing, Senator Birmingham said. "Obviously, all Australians would want to see and have confidence that this Australian citizen is going to be treated humanely, fairly, in accordance with the type of rules that should apply to prisoners of war," he said. Parading prisoners of war on social media is a breach of the , which dictates that they must at all times be protected against insults and public curiosity. The Australian government was making representations to Russia about Mr Jenkins, acting foreign affairs minister Mark Dreyfus said. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was yet to determine his whereabouts but was first made aware about concerns for Mr Jenkins' wellbeing in November, the ABC reported. People close to the 32-year-old have not known his whereabouts for months. "If that's the case, then what steps has Australia taken to try to ascertain his whereabouts and seek to ensure his well being?" Senator Birmingham said. While Mr Jenkins is believed to be the first Australian captured while fighting against Russia in Ukraine, at least seven Australians are believed to have died in the conflict. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Nationals leader David Littleproud have both implored Australians not to go over. "This isn't some great adventure," Mr Littleproud told Nine's Today Show. "I had to bring back the remains of a young man from my own electorate, Jed Danahay, who was over there as a medic helping Ukrainians in the war zone and was tragically killed. "I never forget the look and the anguish and the pain in his mother's eyes when I handed back his ashes to her." Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementExperts give positive update on Thyssenkrupp steel, reports Spiegel