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Landing Gear Failures Shake Aviation Industry

Aircraft landing gear malfunctions led to multiple incidents on Saturday, including a catastrophic crash in South Korea that killed 179 people and a fiery runway skid in Canada that forced an emergency evacuation.

The deadly Jeju Airlines crash occurred when a Boeing 737-800’s landing gear failed after a reported bird strike at Muan airport, sending the aircraft into a concrete barrier where it burst into flames. Two crew members survived.

You can read more on the matter here.

What’s going on?

• Landing Gear Failures Mark Deadly Day for Global Aviation (theDeepDive)

• Paying down debt the top financial priority for Canadians in 2025, CIBC poll finds (Globe)

• Indeed: Canada’s Job Market Faces Crisis as Unemployment Has Path To 7.5% (theDeepDive)

• US credit card defaults jump to highest level since 2010 (FT)

• Kim Kardashian Quietly Exits Executive Role at SKKY Partners (theDeepDive)

• Trump asks Supreme Court to pause law that could ban TikTok (Reuters)

• Azerbaijan Plane Crash Linked to Russian Air Defense (theDeepDive)

• US to send Ukraine $6bn in fresh military and budget assistance (FT)

• Right-Wing Activist Says Musk Stripped Her Verification on X: “He Is A Free Speech Fraud” (theDeepDive)

• Canada’s backlog of asylum claims could climb higher when Trump returns to White House, experts say (Globe)

What’s the latest?

• Boeing: Boeing shares fell over 3% after South Korea ordered inspections of all 737-800 planes following a Jeju Air crash that killed 179 of 181 passengers. The crash involved landing gear failure, prompting investigations by MOLIT, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, and Boeing. Jeju Air's shares dropped 8.65%, hitting an all-time low, as concerns over maintenance and regulatory compliance escalated.

• NVIDIA: Nvidia completed the acquisition of Israeli startup Run:ai, reportedly valued at $700 million, according to Calcalist. Run:ai’s software, currently exclusive to Nvidia-based systems, will be open-sourced to benefit the broader AI ecosystem. Nvidia, a leader in AI hardware with quarterly revenues in the tens of billions, aims to expand Run:ai’s reach and product capabilities. This follows Nvidia's $7 billion acquisition of Mellanox Technologies in 2020.

• Crypto: BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) became the fastest-growing ETF in history, reaching over $50 billion in assets within 11 months of its 2024 launch. It accounts for 50% of daily trading volume among Bitcoin ETFs and generates approximately $112 million annually with a 0.25% expense ratio. The fund helped drive Bitcoin’s price past $100,000, solidifying BlackRock’s dominance in the crypto ETF market.

• Housing Market: Canadian home sales rose 26% year-over-year in November 2024, with cumulative 2024 sales up 6.9% versus 2023, signaling a market rebound. The Bank of Canada’s five rate cuts this year, reducing the policy rate to 3.25%, and new federal mortgage rules are expected to boost 2025 sales by 16% and home prices by 8%. First-time buyers are returning, but lingering affordability challenges and supply backlogs in Ontario and B.C. remain barriers. The average home price in November 2024 was $694,411, with economists projecting a competitive yet balanced market in 2025.

• Treasury Yields: U.S. Treasury yields slightly declined Monday, with the 10-year yield at 4.557% (-6 basis points) and the 2-year yield at 4.269% (-6 basis points). The Federal Reserve signaled fewer rate cuts ahead, with the first 2025 decision due in late January. Investors are monitoring pending home sales, manufacturing indices, and jobless claims data for economic insights. Bond markets close early Tuesday and remain closed Wednesday for New Year’s observances.

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The stock market and stuff

• MicroStrategy’s Debt Problem Grows On Bitcoin Acquisition Strategy; Saylor: “It’s Not Debt” (theDeepDive)

• US Stock Market to Close Jan. 9 on Carter’s Day of Mourning (Bloomberg)

• Michael Saylor Claims There’s “60% Risk-Free Returns” At The Bitcoin Lake (theDeepDive)

• A Record-Shattering $1 Trillion Poured Into ETFs This Year (WSJ)

• Entourage Health To Be Taken Private By Affiliates Of LiUNA Pension Fund (theDeepDive)

In the juniors

• Aya Gold Hits Commercial Production At New Processing Plant (theDeepDive)

• Jaguar Mining Still Evaluating Timing Of Turmalina Restart, Expects Fines For Tailings Slide (theDeepDive)

• Simply Solventless To Acquire Delta 9 Bio-Tech For Basically Free (theDeepDive)

• Electra Battery Materials To Conduct 1 For 4 Reverse Split To Meet Nasdaq Requirements (theDeepDive)

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