💥 Russia does it anyway

A new crisis for markets | Alibaba's not feeling too good | [TOGETHER WITH]( Hi {NAME}, here's what you need to know for February 25th in 3:12 minutes. 💪 Crypto could be about to take a beating, so make sure your strategy is ready for the challenge. Join Dacxi’s Katharine Wooller for [Getting The Most Out Of Your Crypto Strategy]( on Monday, and find out how to embrace tough times in the market. [Get your free ticket]( Today's big stories - Russia invaded Ukraine - … and here’s how that invasion could impact bitcoin – [Read Now]( - China’s tech crackdowns made Alibaba’s last quarter one to forget Extra! Extra! [Extra! Extra!] What’s Going On Here? Russia [launched]( a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Thursday, sending shockwaves through global markets. What Does This Mean? The West has been [bracing]( for a Russian invasion of Ukraine for some time now, and things became even tenser on Monday when Russia [recognized]( the independence of – and ordered troops to enter – two separatist Ukrainian regions. Turns out that was just the amuse-bouche: Russia ordered a full-scale invasion of its neighbor on Thursday. This latest move crashed global stock markets and wiped a third of the value off Russia’s stocks in a single day – the biggest drop for the country on record ([tweet this](). The Russian ruble fell too, hitting an all-time low against the US dollar. Gold and government bonds, meanwhile, soared as investors rushed to buy [safe-haven]( assets, along with the prices of European [natural gas]( (up 30%) and oil, which hit $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014. Why Should I Care? For markets: The domino effect. The problem is a global one, but it’ll take a particularly serious toll on Europe – not least because Russia is the biggest supplier of [natural gas]( to the region. Natural gas is used to generate both electricity and heat, which means Europeans are now facing much higher energy bills over the next few months. That, in turn, will leave them with less cash to spend, which could ultimately derail the region’s much-needed economic recovery. The bigger picture: The ECB’s in a pickle. If economic growth does start to falter, the European Central Bank would usually just cut interest rates to encourage more borrowing and more spending. But the central bank’s interest rate is already at 0%, which doesn’t exactly leave much room for another cut. And if anything, the ECB should arguably be raising interest rates: it’s one of the best ways to counteract inflation, which energy prices are almost bound to push to yet [another]( record high in the next month or two. You might also like: [How to protect your portfolio from the Russian conflict.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Extra! Extra!&utm_campaign=daily-global-25-02-2022&utm_source=email) Analyst Take How Will The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Impact Bitcoin? [How Will The Russia-Ukraine Conflict Impact Bitcoin?]( By Jonathan Hobbs, Analyst What’s Going On Here? Back when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2014, bitcoin [fell into a bear market]( and stayed there for some time. But the cryptocurrency was a far more speculative asset back then: today, it’s [bigger](, [stronger](, and [much more accepted]( by institutional investors. And now, crypto enthusiasts argue that times of [conflict and uncertainty]( are when bitcoin should come into its own. Well, the latest [Russian invasion]( is certainly creating plenty of that. So that’s today’s Insight: [how this invasion might play out for the world’s biggest cryptocurrency](. [Read or listen to the Insight here]( SPONSORED BY MONEYFARM Your kid could have the best portfolio in town You can’t choose your kid’s friends or how much they study, it’s true. But what you can do is make sure their finances are on top of their game with a [Moneyfarm Junior ISA](. With Moneyfarm, you can [save up to £9,000]( tax free every year, and build up as much as £280,000 by the time your kid turns 18. That’s a lot of college. Even better, the experienced [Moneyfarm]( team will set up and manage your child’s portfolio for you – one made up of globally diversified stocks, tailored for steady, sustainable growth. [Just answer these quick questions](, and get started today. [Set Up Your JISA]( With investing, your capital is at risk Et Tu, Brute? [Et Tu, Brute?] What’s Going On Here? Alibaba [reported]( worse-than-expected results on Thursday, after the ecommerce giant was stabbed in the back by someone it thought it could trust… What Does This Mean? Alibaba’s own government has been punishing it in the last year, cracking down on the company alongside a host of other tech giants. That, as it’s been trying to sell products to shoppers who are shopping less, and as rival companies like Pinduoduo, JD.com, and TikTok-owner ByteDance sit hot on its heels. There was no rising from the ashes here: Alibaba’s revenue grew by a worse-than-expected 10% last quarter compared to the same time the year before. That’s its slowest since the company listed on the stock market in 2014, and a long way from the 40%-plus growth it boasted before China brought down its iron fist… Why Should I Care? For markets: Hits from all angles. Those crackdowns have now spread beyond the tech sector to industries like [education]( and [property](. You’d think Alibaba would be relieved with the shift in focus, but it’s an investor as well as an ecommerce business. And since it’s so heavily invested in those areas, its portfolio has taken a serious bruising. That’s a big part of why the company’s profit fell 74% last quarter from the same time the year before. The bigger picture: Misery loves company. The crackdowns also forced fintech giant Ant Group – a third of which is owned by Alibaba – to call off what would’ve been the world’s biggest [initial public offering]( back in 2020. That means Alibaba’s been left holding some toxic shares: Ant Group was caught up in a [corruption]( scandal last month, and Bloomberg reported this week that China’s [ordering]( the biggest state-owned banks to see if their finances are tied up with the firm. If those businesses are forced to cut those ties, it could seriously hurt Ant Group’s bottom line – and Alibaba’s too. You might also like: [The 50 stocks that could benefit from China’s new regulations.]( Copy to share story: [( 🙋 [Ask a question](mailto:questions@finimize.com?body=Ask us a question: Where are you writing from? Let us know and we'll mention it when we reply.&noapp=true&subject=Et Tu, Brute?&utm_campaign=daily-global-25-02-2022&utm_source=email) 💬 Quote of the day “Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.” – Harper Lee (an American novelist) [Tweet this]( A word of apology Hi there, Finimizer. The newsletter we published last night had a headline that we wrote earlier on in the day, before tension had escalated in Ukraine. We always stay true to being community-informed, and our community have been asking all week how to invest given the rising conflict. But the way we positioned the article on investing during conflict was off the mark. We don’t take political stances, but we do keep ourselves in check. Here’s to doing better. 🎯 On Our Radar - Go get ’em, champ. 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