Trump's Ballot Presence, Cathie Wood's Palantir Stake, North Korea's Missile Deal And More: Top Five Stories Of The Weekend That You Shouldn't Miss

The weekend was certainly a rollercoaster. From international politics to financial markets, there was no shortage of headlines. North Korea made a controversial missile move while the debate over Donald Trump’s potential 2024 candidacy fueled discussions. In the financial world, Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest added to its Palantir holdings despite analyst downgrades, and the crypto world nervously awaits the decision on the inaugural Bitcoin ETF. Here’s your weekend round-up.

Kim Jong Un’s Missile Deal with Russia

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly agreed to send its latest nuclear-capable missiles to Russia in exchange for significant compensation from President Vladimir Putin. The missiles in question are believed to be from the Hwasong-11 range; they are difficult to intercept and can hit targets with a high degree of precision. The deal is expected to bring much-needed economic relief to North Korea. Read the full article here.

Pence on Trump 2024 Ballot Ban

Former Vice President Mike Pence expressed his opposition to the ongoing attempts to ban Donald Trump from the 2024 presidential ballot. Pence argued that such moves are “antithetical to democracy.” The push to ban Trump from the 2024 ballot is under the “insurrection clause” of the 14th Amendment, following the Jan. 6 incident. Read the full article here.

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Public Opinion on Trump’s 2024 Candidacy

As the debate over Trump’s 2024 candidacy continues, a new CBS News/YouGov poll found that a majority of Americans support retaining Trump’s name on the ballots. The poll, conducted among 2,157 U.S. adults, found that 54% of respondents were in favor of keeping Trump’s name on the ballots. Read the full article here.

Cathie Wood’s Bet on Palantir

Despite an analyst downgrade, Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest saw a buying opportunity in Palantir Technologies, Inc. PLTR. The company’s Ark Innovation ETF bought 777,143 shares of Palantir, while its Ark Next Generation Internet ETF and Ark Fintech Innovation ETF added 153,662 shares and 100,802 shares, respectively. Read the full article here.

Crypto ETF Decision Looms

Crypto investors are anxiously waiting for the decision on the United States’ first spot BTC exchange-traded fund (ETF). Senior Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas stated that most applicants who have met the regulator's requirements before Dec. 29 are expected to receive approval within the week. This could pave the way for the first-time approval of the funds in the U.S. Read the full article here.

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