A replica "ether" cryptocurrency coin. Ether's value surged 30% on Sunday as cryptocurrencies surged. Getty Images
A replica "ether" cryptocurrency coin. Ether's value surged 30% on Sunday as cryptocurrencies surged. Getty Images
A replica "ether" cryptocurrency coin. Ether's value surged 30% on Sunday as cryptocurrencies surged. Getty Images
A replica "ether" cryptocurrency coin. Ether's value surged 30% on Sunday as cryptocurrencies surged. Getty Images

Digital currency Ether surges to record high after Bitcoin rally


  • English
  • Arabic

The digital currency Ether reached a record on Monday a day after Bitcoin breached $34,000 for the first time as the surge in cryptocurrencies continues.

Ether touched a high of about $1,010, its first foray past $1,000, following a 30 per cent surge on Sunday. Bitcoin held onto most of its weekend gains, dipping about 1.5 per cent as of 10:40am on Monday in Tokyo to $33,069. The largest cryptocurrency eclipsed its 2017 record late last year and only hit $20,000 for the first time in the middle of December.

Proponents of Bitcoin argue that it’s muscling in on gold as a hedge against US dollar weakness and inflation risk, citing evidence of growing interest among institutional investors. Sceptics view the digital asset’s more than 300 per cent surge over the past year as a risky bubble fueled by investors chasing the momentum in cryptocurrency prices.

“The drivers of the crypto rally, if anything, are strengthening amid still low interest rates, political uncertainty” and the prospect of more government stimulus, Julian Emanuel, chief equity and derivatives strategist at BTIG, said in an email. But he added that volatility can work both to the upside “as well as to the downside”.

Qosty Byogaani

Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny

Four stars

2019 ASIAN CUP FINAL

Japan v Qatar
Friday, 6pm
Zayed Sports City Stadium, Abu Dhabi

500 People from Gaza enter France

115 Special programme for artists

25   Evacuation of injured and sick

Mercedes V250 Avantgarde specs

Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo

Gearbox: 7-speed automatic

Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 350Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km

Price: Dh235,000

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

Score

Third Test, Day 2

New Zealand 274
Pakistan 139-3 (61 ov)

Pakistan trail by 135 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the innings

Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS

- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns 

- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;

- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces

- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,

- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.