digital currencies and the future of the monetary system, Knowledge

NATO Secretary General Rutte: We will need to spend far more than 2% of GDP on national defense.Central Economic Work Conference: Effectively loosen the burden on the grass-roots units, so that cadres who want to be officers and know how to be officers can be officers and get things done. The Central Economic Work Conference was held in Beijing from December 11 to 12. The meeting stressed that it is necessary to strengthen the party's leadership over economic work, persist in doing things first, enhance confidence, face difficulties, and work hard to ensure that the decision-making arrangements of the CPC Central Committee are implemented. It is necessary to strengthen positive incentives and stimulate the endogenous motivation of entrepreneurs. Effectively loosen the burden on the grassroots, so that cadres who want to be officers and officers can be officers and do things. Unswervingly punish corruption and maintain a fair and just market environment and a clean and honest business environment. Persist in seeking truth from facts and being pragmatic, and resolutely oppose formalism and bureaucracy that are keen on showing up to the top, not being responsible for the bottom, and not considering actual results. (Xinhua News Agency)The European Central Bank predicts that inflation will decline in 2025, and the European Central Bank currently predicts that inflation will cool down slightly faster than predicted in September. The bank's latest forecast shows that the average inflation rate in 2024 and 2025 is 2.4% and 2.1% respectively, while the previous forecast is 2.5% and 2.2% respectively. After cutting interest rates by 25 basis points, the European Central Bank said in a statement: "The anti-inflation process is on the right track." The bank said: "Domestic inflation has declined slightly, but it is still at a high level, mainly because wages and prices in some industries are still adapting to the past inflation surge, but there is a great delay." The European Central Bank maintains its inflation forecast of 1.9% in 2026, and predicts that the average inflation rate in 2027 will be 2.1%.

European Central Bank President Lagarde: Regardless of the market pricing of interest rate hikes, European Central Bank President Lagarde said that the European Central Bank will adjust its policies according to the data and will decide the policies of each meeting one by one. The neutral interest rate cannot be accurately determined without considering the market pricing of interest rate hikes.US President-elect Trump: If it cannot be approved, it is not excluded to use recess appointments to fill cabinet vacancies. It is "possible" to veto the budget or appropriation that does not conform to the newly established government efficiency department.European Central Bank President Lagarde: Reiterating the European Central Bank policy statement.

The promotion of "Investing in China" in the Middle East was held in the United Arab Emirates, and the promotion of "Investing in China" in the Middle East and the docking of industrial capital between China and the Middle East were held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, from 11th to 12th. 40 China enterprises from the fields of new energy, advanced manufacturing, biomedicine, information technology, etc. negotiated and docked with more than 70 sovereign wealth funds and investment institutions in the Middle East.Spot gold fell 1% to $2,690.81. COMEX silver futures fell 1.5% in the day to $32.47 per ounce.American stock index futures maintained a downward trend, with S&P 500 E-MINI futures down 0.3%, Nasdaq futures down 0.6% and Dow Jones futures down 0.1%.