Bitcoin is taking a breather after the recent rally while altcoins are attempting to play catch up.
Several central banks have resorted to unprecedented monetary expansion and aggressive rate cuts to support their respective economies.
Bitcoin is taking a breather after the recent rally while altcoins are attempting to play catch up.
Several central banks have resorted to unprecedented monetary expansion and aggressive rate cuts to support their respective economies badgered by the coronavirus pandemic. Record liquidity has resulted in sharp rallies in the S&P 500, gold, and Bitcoin (BTC), which suggests that investors are plowing money into assets of their choice.
While gold is way below its all-time high set in August, both the S&P 500 and Bitcoin are near their all-time high.
The last five trading days of the year and the first two of the next year have historically been bullish for the S&P 500, dubbed as the "Santa Rally." It will be interesting to see whether Bitcoin continues its Santa rally into 2021 with the arrival of institutional investors.
Another interesting thing to note is that Bitcoin has rallied from a low at $10,377.10 in October to a high at $28,419.94 in December, a 173.87% rally in three months. Although the sentiment is bullish and the institutional inflows are accelerating, every bull market witnesses strong corrections and Bitcoin is unlikely to be an exception.
Traders should protect their paper profits and not get carried away with greed because corrections after vertical rallies can be ruthless. Let’s study the charts of the top-10 cryptocurrencies to determine the overhead levels that may act as a strong resistance that can trigger a correction.
BTC/USD
Bitcoin formed a Doji candlestick pattern on Dec. 27 with a long wick, which suggests profit booking above the $27,000 level. The bulls are again struggling to sustain the price above $27,000 today.
If the bears sink the price below $25,819.69, the BTC/USD pair could drop to the immediate support at $24,302.50 and then to the 20-day exponential moving average at $22,951.
A strong bounce off this support will suggest that the uptrend remains intact and the bulls are buying on dips. If that happens, the bulls will attempt to resume the uptrend.
However, if the bears sink the price below the 20-day EMA, it will suggest the formation of a short-term top. The correction could then deepen to the 50-day simple moving average at $19,577.
Contrary to this assumption, if the bulls push and sustain the price above $28,419.94, the pair could rally to $30,000, which is likely to act as a stiff resistance.
ETH/USD
Ether (ETH) rebounded off the 50-day SMA ($566) on Dec. 23, which suggests that the bulls are accumulating on dips. The buyers again pushed the price back above $622.807 on Dec. 25, indicating that the correction could be over.
The ETH/USD pair picked up momentum on Dec. 27 and cleared the $676.325 overhead resistance. This suggests that the uptrend has resumed. The next target objective on the upside is $800.
The upsloping moving averages and the relative strength index (RSI) close to the overbought territory suggest that bulls are in command. This positive view will invalidate if the pair turns down and plummets below the $622.807 support.
XRP/USD
XRP is in a downtrend. The altcoin broke below the critical support at $0.435 on Dec. 23 and this intensified the selling, resulting in a sharp fall to $0.2132.
The downsloping 20-day EMA ($0.426) and the RSI in the negative territory suggest that bears have the upper hand.
When the sentiment is bearish, minor rallies are sold into and that is what happened on Dec. 25. The XRP/USD pair turned down from $0.384998, just above the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement level of the most recent leg of the decline.
However, the bulls are currently trying to keep the pair above the $0.25 support. If they succeed, the pair may remain range-bound between $0.25 and $0.38 for a few more days. The first sign of strength will be a break above the 20-day EMA.
LTC/USD
Litecoin (LTC) broke above a flag pattern and the overhead resistance at $124.1278 on Dec. 25, which indicated the resumption of the uptrend. The breakout of this setup has a target objective of $160.
However, the bears are not willing to throw in the towel as they are currently attempting to stall the up-move at the $140 overhead resistance. If they can sink and sustain the price below 124.1278, a drop to the 20-day EMA ($107) may be on the cards.
On the other hand, if the bulls can defend the $124.1278 level, it will suggest that this level has flipped to support. That could enhance the prospects of a break above the $140 to $145 overhead resistance zone.
The rising moving averages and the RSI near the overbought territory suggest that the path of least resistance is to the upside.
BCH/USD
The bulls are currently trying to propel Bitcoin Cash (BCH) above the $370 overhead resistance. If they succeed, it will be a huge positive because during the previous two attempts, the price had quickly reversed direction from this level.
The upsloping moving averages and the RSI above 64 suggest that bulls are in command. If they can drive the price above $$370 and sustain the breakout, the BCH/USD pair could rise to $409 and then to $430.
On the contrary, if the bears again defend the $370 resistance and the price turns down sharply, it could keep the pair range-bound between $370 and $255 for a few more days.
DOT/USD
Polkadot (DOT) had been trading in a range between $3.53 and $5.60 for the past few weeks. The bulls have pushed the price above the $5.60 to $6.0857 overhead resistance zone today.
If the bulls can sustain the price above $6.0857, it will suggest the start of a new uptrend that could retest $6.8619 and then rally to $7.67. The gradually upsloping moving averages and the RSI above 68 suggest bulls have the upper hand.
The bears are likely to defend the $6.8619 level aggressively but if the bulls do not allow the price to dip below $6, it will suggest that the uptrend remains intact. This bullish view will be invalidated if the DOT/USD pair re-enters $5.60.
ADA/USD
Cardano (ADA) rebounded off the $0.13 support on Dec. 24 and the bulls have been sustaining the price above the 20-day EMA ($0.154) since then. This is a positive sign as it prepares a launchpad to thrust the price above the $0.175 to $0.1826315 overhead resistance zone.
The RSI has risen into positive territory and the 20-day EMA has started to turn up gradually. This suggests that bulls are attempting to gain the upper hand.
If the bulls can push the price above the overhead resistance zone, the ADA/USD pair could resume the uptrend and rally to $0.22 and then to $0.235.
Contrary to this assumption, if the pair again turns down from $0.175, it could extend its stay inside the range for a few more days.
BNB/USD
The bulls are currently attempting to propel Binance Coin (BNB) above the $35.69 overhead resistance. If they succeed, the altcoin could resume the uptrend and rally to the all-time high at $39.5941.
The bears are likely to mount a stiff resistance at the all-time high but the upsloping moving averages and the RSI in the positive territory suggest that bulls have the upper hand.
If the bulls can push the price above $39.5941, the BNB/USD pair could pick up momentum and start its journey towards $50.
This bullish view will be invalidated if the price turns down from the current levels and plummets below the 50-day SMA ($30). Such a move will suggest profit-booking at higher levels.
LINK/USD
Chainlink (LINK) plummeted to $8.05 on Dec. 23 but rebounded strongly from the lower levels as seen from the long tail on the day’s candlestick. The bulls again bought the dips on Dec. 24, indicating strong demand at lower levels.
The failure of the bears to sustain the LINK/USD pair below $11.29 attracted buying from the bulls who pushed the price to $13.2448 on Dec. 27. However, the bears are in no mood to relent as they sold close to $13.28 as seen from the long wick on the candlestick.
Both moving averages have flattened out and the RSI is just below the midpoint, which suggests a balance between supply and demand.
The bulls may gain an upper hand if they push and sustain the price above the downtrend line. Conversely, a break below $10 will suggest advantage to the bears.
XLM/USD
The bulls are currently attempting to sustain Stellar Lumens (XLM) above the $0.14 support. However, any rise from the current levels could face selling at the downsloping 20-day EMA ($0.159) and then at $0.17.
If the price turns down from the overhead resistance, it increases the likelihood of a break below $0.14. The next support on the downside is at $0.11 and then $0.08.
Conversely, if the bulls can push the price above $0.17, the XLM/USD pair may move up to the downtrend line. The sentiment is likely to remain negative as long as the price remains inside the descending triangle pattern.
A break above the downtrend line of the triangle will invalidate the bearish setup and that could result in a rally to $0.231655.
The views and opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cointelegraph. Every investment and trading move involves risk. You should conduct your own research when making a decision.
Former Project Veritas & O’Keefe Media Group operative and Pfizer formulation analyst scientist Justin Leslie revealed previously unpublished recordings showing Pfizer’s top vaccine researchers discussing major concerns surrounding COVID-19 vaccines. Leslie delivered these recordings to Veritas in late 2021, but they were never published:
Principal scientist at Pfizer, Kanwall Gill in 2021:
“We had no idea how it’s going to look like. MRNA vaccines have been there for 50 years, but nothing went to clinical trial because MRNA have been known to have side effects.”
Featured in Leslie’s footage is Kanwal Gill, a principal scientist at Pfizer. Gill was weary of MRNA technology given its long research history yet lack of approved commercial products. She called the vaccines “sneaky,” suggesting latent side effects could emerge in time.
Gill goes on to illustrate how the vaccine formulation process was dramatically rushed under the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization and adds that profit incentives likely played a role:
Pfizer's principal scientist in 2021:
“It takes 10 year for a vaccine to come out. It takes years of observations... we are doing everything at the same time."
"It’s going to affect my heart, and I’m going to die. And nobody’s talking about that."
Leslie recorded another colleague, Pfizer’s pharmaceutical formulation scientist Ramin Darvari, who raised the since-validated concern that repeat booster intake could damage the cardiovascular system:
Pfizer's pharmaceutical formulation scientist, Ramin Darvari, in 2021:
“They’re engineering it specifically for me to take the next one, so increasing my consumption."
“It’s going to affect my heart, and I’m going to die. And nobody’s talking about that.”
None of these claims will be shocking to hear in 2024, but it is telling that high-level Pfizer researchers were discussing these topics in private while the company assured the public of “no serious safety concerns” upon the jab’s release:
Vaccine for Children is a Different Formulation
Leslie sent me a little-known FDA-Pfizer conference — a 7-hour Zoom meeting published in tandem with the approval of the vaccine for 5 – 11 year-olds — during which Pfizer’s vice presidents of vaccine research and development, Nicholas Warne and William Gruber, discussed a last-minute change to the vaccine’s “buffer” — from “PBS” to “Tris” — to improve its shelf life. For about 30 seconds of these 7 hours, Gruber acknowledged that the new formula was NOT the one used in clinical trials (emphasis mine):
“The studies were done using the same volume… but contained the PBS buffer. We obviously had extensive consultations with the FDA and it was determined that the clinical studies were not required because, again, the LNP and the MRNA are the same and the behavior — in terms of reactogenicity and efficacy — are expected to be the same.”
According to Leslie, the tweaked “buffer” dramatically changed the temperature needed for storage: “Before they changed this last step of the formulation, the formula was to be kept at -80 degrees Celsius. After they changed the last step, we kept them at 2 to 8 degrees celsius,” Leslie told me.
The claims are backed up in the referenced video presentation:
I’m no vaccinologist but an 80-degree temperature delta — and a 5x shelf-life in a warmer climate — seems like a significant change that might warrant clinical trials before commercial release.
Despite this information technically being public, there has been virtually no media scrutiny or even coverage — and in fact, most were told the vaccine for children was the same formula but just a smaller dose — which is perhaps due to a combination of the information being buried within a 7-hour jargon-filled presentation and our media being totally dysfunctional.
Bohemian Grove?
Leslie’s 2-hour long documentary on his experience at both Pfizer and O’Keefe’s companies concludes on an interesting note: James O’Keefe attended an outing at the Bohemian Grove.
Leslie offers this photo of James’ Bohemian Grove “GATE” slip as evidence, left on his work desk atop a copy of his book, “American Muckraker”:
My thoughts on the Bohemian Grove: my good friend’s dad was its general manager for several decades. From what I have gathered through that connection, the Bohemian Grove is not some version of the Illuminati, at least not in the institutional sense.
Do powerful elites hangout there? Absolutely. Do they discuss their plans for the world while hanging out there? I’m sure it has happened. Do they have a weird ritual with a giant owl? Yep, Alex Jones showed that to the world.
My perspective is based on conversations with my friend and my belief that his father is not lying to him. I could be wrong and am open to evidence — like if boxer Ryan Garcia decides to produce evidence regarding his rape claims — and I do find it a bit strange the club would invite O’Keefe who is notorious for covertly filming, but Occam’s razor would lead me to believe the club is — as it was under my friend’s dad — run by boomer conservatives the extent of whose politics include disliking wokeness, immigration, and Biden (common subjects of O’Keefe’s work).
Therefore, I don’t find O’Keefe’s visit to the club indicative that he is some sort of Operation Mockingbird asset as Leslie tries to depict (however Mockingbird is a 100% legitimate conspiracy). I have also met James several times and even came close to joining OMG. While I disagreed with James on the significance of many of his stories — finding some to be overhyped and showy — I never doubted his conviction in them.
As for why Leslie’s story was squashed… all my sources told me it was to avoid jail time for Veritas executives.
Feel free to watch Leslie’s full documentary here and decide for yourself.
Fun fact — Justin Leslie was also the operative behind this mega-viral Project Veritas story where Pfizer’s director of R&D claimed the company was privately mutating COVID-19 behind closed doors:
BREAKING: @Pfizer Exploring "Mutating" COVID-19 Virus For New Vaccines
"Don't tell anyone this...There is a risk...have to be very controlled to make sure this virus you mutate doesn't create something...the way that the virus started in Wuhan, to be honest."#DirectedEvolutionpic.twitter.com/xaRvlD5qTo
“[…] our findings support the hypothesis that the intrauterine environment, particularly essential and non-essential metals, affect epigenetic aging biomarkers across the life course.”
Credit: 2024 Bozack et al.
“[…] our findings support the hypothesis that the intrauterine environment, particularly essential and non-essential metals, affect epigenetic aging biomarkers across the life course.”
BUFFALO, NY- March 12, 2024 – A new research paper was published inAging (listed by MEDLINE/PubMed as “Aging (Albany NY)” and “Aging-US” by Web of Science) Volume 16, Issue 4, entitled, “Associations of prenatal one-carbon metabolism nutrients and metals with epigenetic aging biomarkers at birth and in childhood in a US cohort.”
Epigenetic gestational age acceleration (EGAA) at birth and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in childhood may be biomarkers of the intrauterine environment. In this new study, researchers Anne K. Bozack, Sheryl L. Rifas-Shiman, Andrea A. Baccarelli, Robert O. Wright, Diane R. Gold, Emily Oken, Marie-France Hivert, and Andres Cardenas from Stanford University School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Columbia University, and Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai investigated the extent to which first-trimester folate, B12, 5 essential and 7 non-essential metals in maternal circulation are associated with EGAA and EAA in early life.
“[…] we hypothesized that OCM [one-carbon metabolism] nutrients and essential metals would be positively associated with EGAA and non-essential metals would be negatively associated with EGAA. We also investigated nonlinear associations and associations with mixtures of micronutrients and metals.”
Bohlin EGAA and Horvath pan-tissue and skin and blood EAA were calculated using DNA methylation measured in cord blood (N=351) and mid-childhood blood (N=326; median age = 7.7 years) in the Project Viva pre-birth cohort. A one standard deviation increase in individual essential metals (copper, manganese, and zinc) was associated with 0.94-1.2 weeks lower Horvath EAA at birth, and patterns of exposures identified by exploratory factor analysis suggested that a common source of essential metals was associated with Horvath EAA. The researchers also observed evidence of nonlinear associations of zinc with Bohlin EGAA, magnesium and lead with Horvath EAA, and cesium with skin and blood EAA at birth. Overall, associations at birth did not persist in mid-childhood; however, arsenic was associated with greater EAA at birth and in childhood.
“Prenatal metals, including essential metals and arsenic, are associated with epigenetic aging in early life, which might be associated with future health.”
Read the full paper: DOI:https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.205602
Corresponding Author: Andres Cardenas
Corresponding Email:andres.cardenas@stanford.edu
Keywords: epigenetic age acceleration, metals, folate, B12, prenatal exposures
Click here to sign up for free Altmetric alerts about this article.
About Aging:
Launched in 2009, Aging publishes papers of general interest and biological significance in all fields of aging research and age-related diseases, including cancer—and now, with a special focus on COVID-19 vulnerability as an age-dependent syndrome. Topics in Aging go beyond traditional gerontology, including, but not limited to, cellular and molecular biology, human age-related diseases, pathology in model organisms, signal transduction pathways (e.g., p53, sirtuins, and PI-3K/AKT/mTOR, among others), and approaches to modulating these signaling pathways.
Please visit our website at www.Aging-US.com and connect with us:
National insurance, income tax, VAT, capital gains tax, inheritance tax… it’s easy to get confused about the many different ways we contribute to the cost of running the country. The budget announcement is the key time each year when the government shares its financial plans with us all, and announces changes that may make a tangible difference to what you pay.
But you’ll likely be hearing a lot more about taxes in the coming months – promises to cut or raise them are an easy win (or lose) for politicians in an election year. We may even get at least one “mini-budget”.
If you’ve recently entered the workforce or the housing market, you may still be wrapping your mind around all of these terms. Here is what you need to know about the different types of taxes and how they affect you.
The UK broadly uses three ways to collect tax:
1. When you earn money
If you are an employee or own a business, taxes are deducted from your salary or profits you make. For most people, this happens in two ways: income tax, and national insurance contributions (or NICs).
If you are self-employed, you will have to pay your taxes via an annual tax return assessment. You might also have to pay taxes this way for interest you earn on savings, dividends (distribution of profits from a company or shares you own) received and most other forms of income not taxed before you get it.
VAT and excise duties are taxes on most goods and services you buy, with some exceptions like books and children’s clothing. About 20% of the total tax collected is VAT.
3. Taxes on wealth and assets
These are mainly taxes on the money you earn if you sell assets (like property or stocks) for more than you bought them for, or when you pass on assets in an inheritance. In the latter case in the UK, the recipient doesn’t pay this, it is the estate paying it out that must cover this if due. These taxes contribute only about 3% to the total tax collected.
You also likely have to pay council tax, which is set by the council you live in based on the value of your house or flat. It is paid by the user of the property, no matter if you own or rent. If you are a full-time student or on some apprenticeship schemes, you may get a deduction or not have to pay council tax at all.
This article is part of Quarter Life, a series about issues affecting those of us in our 20s and 30s. From the challenges of beginning a career and taking care of our mental health, to the excitement of starting a family, adopting a pet or just making friends as an adult. The articles in this series explore the questions and bring answers as we navigate this turbulent period of life.
Put together, these totalled almost £790 billion in 2022-23, which the government spends on public services such as the NHS, schools and social care. The government collects taxes from all sources and sets its spending plans accordingly, borrowing to make up any difference between the two.
Income tax
The amount of income tax you pay is determined by where your income sits in a series of “bands” set by the government. Almost everyone is entitled to a “personal allowance”, currently £12,570, which you can earn without needing to pay any income tax.
You then pay 20% in tax on each pound of income you earn (across all sources) from £12,570-£50,270. You pay 40% on each extra pound up to £125,140 and 45% over this. If you earn more than £100,000, the personal allowance (amount of untaxed income) starts to decrease.
If you are self-employed, the same rates apply to you. You just don’t have an employer to take this off your salary each month. Instead, you have to make sure you have enough money at the end of the year to pay this directly to the government.
The government can increase the threshold limits to adjust for inflation. This tries to ensure any wage rise you get in response to higher prices doesn’t lead to you having to pay a higher tax rate. However, the government announced in 2021 that they would freeze these thresholds until 2026 (extended now to 2028), arguing that it would help repay the costs of the pandemic.
Given wages are now rising for many to help with the cost of living crisis, this means many people will pay more income tax this coming year than they did before. This is sometimes referred to as “fiscal drag” – where lower earners are “dragged” into paying higher tax rates, or being taxed on more of their income.
National insurance
National insurance contributions (NICs) are a second “tax” you pay on your income – or to be precise, on your earned income (your salary). You don’t pay this on some forms of income, including savings or dividends, and you also don’t pay it once you reach state retirement age (currently 66).
While Jeremy Hunt, the current chancellor of the exchequer, didn’t adjust income tax meaningfully in this year’s budget, he did announce a cut to NICs. This was a surprise to many, as we had already seen rates fall from 12% to 10% on incomes higher than £242/week in January. It will now fall again to 8% from April.
While this is charged separately to income tax, in reality it all just goes into one pot with other taxes. Some, including the chancellor, say it is time to merge these two deductions and make this simpler for everyone. In his budget speech this year, Hunt said he’d like to see this tax go entirely. He thinks this isn’t fair on those who have to pay it, as it is only charged on some forms of income and on some workers.
I wouldn’t hold my breath for this to happen however, and even if it did, there are huge sums linked to NICs (nearly £180bn last year) so it would almost certainly have to be collected from elsewhere (such as via an increase in income taxes, or a lot more borrowing) to make sure the government could still balance its books.
There are likely to be further tweaks to the UK’s tax system soon, perhaps by the current government before the election – and almost certainly if there is a change of government.
Wealth taxes may be in line for a change. In the budget, the chancellor reduced capital gains taxes on sales of assets such as second properties (from 28% to 24%). These types of taxes provide only a limited amount of money to the government, as quite high thresholds apply for inheritance tax (up to £1 million if you are passing on a family home).
There are calls from many quarters though to look again at these types of taxes. Wealth inequality (the differences between total wealth held by the richest compared to the poorest) in the UK is very high (much higher than income inequality) and rising.
But how to do this effectively is a matter of much debate. A recent study suggested a one-off tax on total wealth held over a certain threshold might work. But wealth taxes are challenging to make work in practice, and both main political parties have already said this isn’t an option they are considering currently.
Andy Lymer and his colleagues at the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing at Aston University currently or have recently received funding for their research work from a variety of funding bodies including the UK's Money and Pension Service, the Aviva Foundation, Fair4All Finance, NEST Insight, the Gambling Commission, Vivid Housing and the ESRC, amongst others.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
