Linera Launches Babbage Testnet

April 9 Following the U.S.-Iran temporary ceasefire, Goldman Sachs has cut its 2026 second-quarter oil price forecasts: Brent crude to $90/bbl from $99, WTI crude to $87/bbl from $91. The bank cited reduced geopolitical risk premium from the ceasefire and a gradual recovery in Hormuz Strait throughput as key drivers of the downgrade. Brent crude dropped ~11% earlier this week as a result. However, Goldman Sachs is keeping its second-half oil price forecasts unchanged, stressing persistent high supply-side uncertainty: - If Middle East supply disruptions linger and production losses worsen - In an extreme scenario, Brent could hit $115/bbl Goldman also cut its European TTF natural gas price forecast to €50/MWh, but warned gas prices could rebound above €75 if LNG shipments are disrupted. Overall, while the ceasefire has temporarily eased market tensions, the energy market remains geopolitically driven medium-to-long term, with significant ongoing volatility risks.

On April 9, ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl wrote in a recent article that former President Donald Trump told him he is “seriously considering forming a joint venture with Iran to collect tolls from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz,” calling the idea “a beautiful thing.”

April 9 — U.S. February PCE data is expected to reflect persistent high inflationary pressures, per market forecasts. Consensus estimates point to a 0.4% month-over-month rise in February PCE, with the year-over-year figure holding steady at 2.8%. Core PCE is seen at roughly 3.0% year-over-year — well above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Analysts note this inflation rebound is driven primarily by resurgent commodity prices and upward energy costs, while “super-core services inflation” remains highly sticky and unlikely to see a sharp near-term decline. Against this backdrop, the Fed is expected to keep its benchmark rate range unchanged at 3.50%-3.75% at its April policy meeting — marking a third consecutive pause in hikes. Market pricing has shifted quickly: Over 97% of traders now bet on a hold in April, with 2024 rate-cut expectations cooling sharply. The mainstream view leans toward a “later and fewer” easing path.

On April 9th, per Hyperinsight monitoring data, the "Strategy Whale" (address 0x94d3) adjusted its BTC short position—adding 81.06 BTC shorts, equivalent to approximately $5.209 million. Its total position size now stands at $75.2048 million, with the weighted average price edging slightly higher from $69,036.20 to $69,181.40 and a liquidation price of $79,320.81. The position is currently in a floating loss of roughly $1.8229 million (-96.96%) and is now the largest BTC short position on Hyperliquid. Notably, during MicroStrategy’s (MSTR) string of large-scale BTC purchases last December, this address took the opposite stance by building a sizeable short position across major coins—with its position peaking at $120 million, making it the largest BTC short on Hyperliquid at the time.

April 9 — OKX Europe has officially launched the KITEUSDT perpetual contract, available starting April 9, 2026, at 11:00 UTC+8 across its web platform, mobile app, and API. The contract supports up to 20x leverage.

April 9 — A senior NATO official says the U.S. government is pushing hard on European allies to fulfill their commitment to securing the Strait of Hormuz, demanding the countries submit specific escort plans within days to keep shipping open in the globally critical waterway. The demand emerged during NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s visit to Washington, where he consulted with former President Trump, Pentagon and State Department officials. As of late Wednesday local time, the White House and relevant agencies had not formally responded to the news. As the world’s top energy artery, the Strait of Hormuz handles roughly 20% of global oil and natural gas shipments. Past Middle East conflicts led to blockades there, spiking global energy prices and sparking deep fuel shortage panic. A 40-nation alliance led by the U.K. — including Japan, Canada and several European countries — previously committed to helping reopen the waterway once tensions eased. Top U.S. officials, includi