Breaking News Today – Thursday 15 January 2026

Business News Today 

Bitcoin Bounces Back

Yesterday saw crypto majors surging back into the investor spotlight Yesterday, January 14, 2026, with Bitcoin (BTC) briefly hitting highs above $97,500, up about 4.4% amid renewed risk-on sentiment and ETF inflows. This was its strongest level in over two months, driven by technical breakouts and macro factors like easing U.S. inflation data. Ethereum (ETH) outperformed, rallying over 5% to around $3,380, breaking key resistance at $3,300 for the first time this year, fuelled by liquidations of $700 million in shorts.

This morning, both have seen a modest pullback with BTC around $97,000 and ETH near $3,300, likely due to profit-taking after the rapid gains. However, on-chain metrics like rising open interest, Binance net taker volume spikes over $500 million, and bullish derivatives data suggest sustained momentum. Analysts point to potential for BTC to test $100,000 soon, with Polymarket odds at 73% for January, supported by gold’s safe-haven demand and technical paths to $103,500. This could lay a foundation for further upside if macro tailwinds persist.

US Venezuelan Oil Sales Start

The U.S. has completed the first sales of Venezuelan oil that are part of a $2 billion deal reached earlier this month between the Venezuelan Government and Washington, according to U.S. officials yesterday. Reports indicate that additional sales are expected in the coming weeks, with Revenue from the initial oil sales that is valued at around $500 million to be held in bank accounts in Qatar that will be controlled by the U.S. government, according to an administration official, citing an order issued on Friday. Venezuelan crude oil was being offered this week to U.S. Gulf Coast refiners at a premium to competing Canadian barrels, according to several oil traders said. Venezuelan Merey-16 crude oil was offered for U.S. Gulf Coast delivery at a discount of around $6 per barrel compared to Brent crude futures sold earlier this week, according to various traders.

Digg is Digging in on Social Community Groups

An early social media competitor to Reddit is back online after founder Kevin Rose, and Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, teamed up to rebuild Digg. They launched its open beta site to the public yesterday. Digg offers a website and mobile app where you can browse feeds featuring posts from across a selection of its communities and join other communities that align with your interests. There, you can post, comment, and upvote (or “digg”) the site’s content. Before today’s public beta launch, the site offered 21 more generalised communities like gaming, technology, and entertainment, and was open to 67,000 users on an invite-only basis. The company believes that AI advancements will play a large role in the future developments.

Breaking News Shorts:  

• The Bank of Japan (BOJ)will likely pause interest rate hikes until July before looking to raise its key interest rate again, according to economists who give a more than 75% likelihood of interest climbing to 1% or higher by September from the current three-decade high of just 0.75%. The BOJ is expected to eventually lift rates to reach a median expected terminal rate of 1.5%.
• Brent crude oil futures slid more than -3% to around $64.40 per barrel this morning, breaking a five-day rally as easing fears of an imminent US military strike on Iran triggered a swift reversal in prices. The decline followed comments from President Donald Trump indicating he had been assured that executions of protesters in Iran had stopped, 
• South Korea’s 10-year government bond yield climbed to around 3.47%, reaching its highest level since June 2024, after the central bank held its key rate steady and indicated that the current easing cycle has likely concluded. 
• Silver tumbled about 5% to below $89 per ounce this morning, retreating sharply from all-time highs after US President Donald Trump held off on imposing new tariffs targeting imports of critical minerals. Trump said he would instead seek to negotiate agreements with foreign nations to ensure the US has sufficient critical mineral supplies
• China’s Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to below 4,120, while the Shenzhen Component dropped 0.3% to 14,200 today, extending losses from yesterday as stricter margin requirements kept the recent market rally in check. On Wednesday, Chinese regulators raised the minimum margin for stock financing to 100% from 80%,

Markets by Numbers 

Currency markets indicate the US dollar stronger today, with the Euro trading against the US dollar at 1.16365 while the Pound is trading at 1.34282 to the US dollar. The Yen is currently trading at 158.50 to the dollar. The rand (ZAR) has strengthened further today and currently trading at around R16.41 to the dollar.

Commodities:  

• Gold futures have dropped after hitting new highs yesterday on profit taking, and are currently down around -0.9% this morning, and currently trading at around $4586.35 per ounce.  
• Copper prices are trending -1.7% lower today, with prices currently around $59.501 per pound
• Silver futures have retreated rapidly from new highs yesterday, and currently trading around $87.790 per ounce.
• Platinum futures are down by over -3% this morning, and currently trading at $2309.00, While Palladium prices have slid by over -5% this morning, and currently trading around $1800.00 per ounce.
• Brent crude oil prices are trending over -3% lower today, and currently at $64.38 with WTI trading lower at $60.00
• Cocoa futures are trending -2.5% lower today, and currently trading around $5090.00 per ton. 
• Coffee futures are currently -1.2% lower today, and trading at around $3.5570 per pound

Crypto Currencies: 

• Bitcoin prices are trending -0.6% lower this morning, after a surge yesterday, and trading at around $96272 per coin currently 
• Ether prices are trending -1.3% lower today, and are currently trading around $3305.68
• $Trumpcoin are trending fairly flat today, and currently trading around $5.477

(All prices quoted at approximately 07H30 Central African Time) 

Africa News Briefs:

• Ugandan elections are due to run today with Internet access being suspended ahead of voting day, with Uganda’s Communications Commission saying a blackout was necessary to prevent misinformation, fraud and the incitement of violence – a move condemned by the UN human rights office as “deeply worrying”. Opposition party gatherings and rallies have also been interrupted by violent police action raising concerns of a fair and free election. President Yoweri Museveni is taking on his main opposition – pop star Bob Wine, in a bid to prolong his existing 40-year rule. Since Saturday, security has been heightened in Kampala, Uganda’s capital city.
• The US State Department said yesterday it will suspend the processing of immigrant visas for citizens of 75 countries whose nationals are deemed likely to require public assistance while living in the United States.The State Department, said it had instructed consular officers to halt immigrant visa applications from the countries affected in accordance with a broader order issued in November that tightened rules around potential immigrants who might become “public charges” in the US.The suspension, which will begin on 21 January, will not apply to applicants seeking non-immigrant visas, or temporary tourist or business visas.