On Tuesday, the cryptocurrency market capitalization sank below $300 billion for first time since November, according to CoinMarketCap data. The top 10 digital assets by market value are facing double-digit losses for the fourth time in the last five days.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have been hammered by a series of crackdowns by banks and governments around the world. On Tuesday, the Bank for International Settlements warned that authorities must be prepared to act against the “invasive spread of cryptocurrencies.”

Since this year has been dominated by negative news for cryptocurrencies, most of them are down at least 70 percent from their record highs. Bitcoin’s market cap has plunged to $106 billion from its record of $326 billion.

Also this week, Britain’s Lloyds Banking Group, which comprises Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax and MBNA, announced that it had banned cryptocurrency purchases on its credit cards. The move was followed by similar decisions from American giants Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup. Another British bank, Barclays, said its customers can use their cards to purchase cryptocurrency legitimately.

One large business hub that has no plans to ban cryptocurrency trading is Singapore. This was made clear in a statement by Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Tuesday.

In specific, I-III class wheat will receive incentive of MNT 60 thousand per ton and IV class MNT 50 thousand.

The Cabinet also agreed on tariff discount for wheat seeds of the Crop Farming Support Fund in order to support land farmers who suffered crop loss last year, and run spring sowing normally.

MNT 14.9 billion was projected last year’s budget for wheat bonus. The incentive requirements have been fulfilled by 597 citizens and entities in 13 aimags for supply of 128 thousand tons of wheat.
Kh.Aminaa

During its meeting on February 6, the Cabinet discussed air pollution reduction and ways of intensifying the National Program on Air Pollution Reduction.

The Cabinet decided to grant the authority of air pollution inspector to rangers and the staff of the Air Pollution Reduction Department of the Capital city, and the authority of non-staff inspector to corresponding officials in Khoroos of the capital city.

Corresponding Ministers and Governors of aimags and the capital city were ordered to look into possibilities of assisting citizens interested in migrating from UIaanbaatar to provinces to work in the agriculture sector, and introduce their proposals to the Cabinet meeting.

The Government is ready to render all forms of support for intensification of infrastructure development aiming to reduce air pollution such as establishment of a satellite city, sub-center, village and industrial and technological parks.

Corresponding Ministers and the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar were also assigned to study the matter of moving some government agencies, state-owned universities and higher educational institutes from downtown and present their proposals.

Furthermore, the Government aims to phase out the consumption of crude coal, promote use of refined fuel and broaden the centralized network.

The Government plans to take measures including converting public transport and taxi to gas fuel, exempting gas and electric-engine buses, trolleybuses and taxi vehicles from customs duty and value-added tax, and supporting domestic vehicle manufacturers. Furthermore, more actions like infrastructure development in ger areas, intensification of construction works and circulation of unsold apartments will be taken.

The IMF said in a notice that it has completed its third assessment of Mongolia's $434 million three-year Extended Fund Facility, part of a quarterly review process agreed last year and designed to ensure Mongolia's reforms remain on track.

Mongolia agreed in 2017 to cut spending and undertake structural reforms as part of a $5.5 billion IMF-led bailout package aimed at relieving debt pressure and bolstering the tugrik currency, which went into freefall in 2016.

But the agreement faced "significant risks" and would therefore be subject to a quarterly review, the IMF said.

The IMF said on Tuesday that Mongolia had met key fiscal deficit targets while strong international commodity demand had aided the country's recovery.

Mongolia's economic growth was now projected at 5 percent in 2018 and 6.3 percent next year, compared with an estimated 3.3 percent in 2017, it added.

"The economy is doing better than expected led by commodity exports and a pick-up in domestic demand," IMF staff team leader Geoff Gottlieb was quoted as saying.

Government revenues also benefited from the pick-up in commodities demand, with coal exports more than doubling on the year in 2017 thanks to stronger sales to China.

"These developments have resulted in a largely stable exchange rate, a fall in interest rates, and have greatly improved the government's debt service schedule," Gottlieb said.

"Nevertheless, the growth outlook is subject to risks including a fall in external demand for commodities and higher fuel prices," he added. "In light of these risks and still limited buffers, fiscal and monetary policies should remain prudent."

Neil Saker, the IMF's representative in Mongolia, told Reuters the next disbursement of funds will be made after the assessment is approved by the IMF's executive board meeting in March.

In December, Mongolia made a scheduled repayment of $500 million to investors in its $1.5 billion 2012 debt offering, named the Chinggis bond after the 13th century Mongolian conqueror known in the West as Genghis Khan.

Mongolia's stronger-than-expected recovery also enabled the government this month to abandon a 10-25 percent progressive income tax, which led to protests. The levy will instead revert to a flat rate of 10 percent. (Reporting by Terrence Edwards; Editing by David Stanway and Eric Meijer)

Wang Lixin, managing director of the WGC in China, said that annual demand in China last year was 8 percent higher than in 2016, comfortably above its five-year average of 284.8 tons.

"Looking at jewelry demand, China's 6 percent growth year-on-year in the sector in the fourth quarter heavily contributed to a 3 percent rise in annual jewelry demand－the first yearly increase since 2013," Wang said.

Consumption within China's gold jewelry market rose 3 percent year-on-year to 646.9 tons in 2017, data from the WGC show.

The country's overall gold consumption rose 9.41 percent to 1,089 tons last year, making the country the world's biggest gold market for the fifth year running, according to Beijing-based China Gold Association.

Wang said the trend for lower-weight, better designed, higher-margin premium gold jewelry products continued to gather momentum. Also in 2017, China harnessed more cutting-edge retail technologies, such as augmented reality and virtual reality.

"With the addition of AI-enabled tools, we believe the outlook for Chinese jewelry demand is positive," said Wang.

"The shift in taste has pushed the industry to upgrade, as many Chinese jewelry producers have already adopted machines with computer-controlled programs to design not only 18-karat, but also 24-karat gold products for better and more personal designs," said He Jingtong, a professor of business at Nankai University in Tianjin.

"Coupled with ongoing urbanization and rising domestic demand, powered by the Chinese government's measures to shift the economy to an internal consumption-driven model, the market potential in the Chinese mainland, particularly in lower-tier cities, continues to be attractive to jewelry retailers of all sizes," said Yang Lixin, director of the gemological training center for China's National Gem and Jewelry Technology Administrative Center.

The China Gold Association said the country's gold output dropped 6 percent to 426 tons in 2017, but it still retained its position as the world's biggest producer for the 11th consecutive year.

The country adopted new rules in 2016 to raise environmental requirements on solid waste from gold prospecting, leading to a wave of gold mine closures and output declines in the major producing provinces, including Shandong, Jiangxi and Hunan.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), expressed the hope that the NPC and the State Great Hural will make use of the mechanism of regular exchanges between the two legislatures to deepen their cooperation.

He said the two legislatures should share experience in state governance and legislation, improve the legal guarantee for pragmatic cooperation, and expand the social foundation of bilateral friendship.

He also called on the two sides to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and cement the political foundation of China-Mongolia ties.

Regarding the question of where the asylum seekers will live, it is being proposed that up to 52 will be supported in Ulaanbaatar, up to four in the Darkhan-Uul, Orkhon and Selenge provinces and up to two asylum seekers in other provinces.

He, also emphasized that increase in mining raw materials' prices has contributed to reaching economic growth in a short period of time.

Minister of Finance Ch.Khurelbaatar said "The IMF's working group is leaving back after working in Mongolia since January 25. As a result of the IMF's program, many positive changes has been recorded in the Mongolian economy. In 2017, our economic situation was difficult. Foreign exchange reserves accounted to USD 1 billion. Early 2017, we paid USD 580 millions for bond repayment and we faced a lot of difficult situations. However, with implementing the IMF's program economy has recovered and even grown by 5 percent over the past period. Foreign currency reserves exceeded USD 3 billion, and we drew foreign direct investments of USD 1.1 millions. Moreover, budget revenues exceeded MNT 600 billions," said the Minister.

Head of IMF's working group Geoff Gottlieb: As a result of the external and internal economic situation and policies implemented by the Government of Mongolia, the economy of Mongolia is expected to increase by 5 percent in 2018 and by 6.3 percent in 2019. The Mongolian government's policy adjustment program is being funded with USD 5.5 billion by donors including IMF. Moreover, governments bonds to be paid off in 2017-2018 were successfully re-funded. Official foreign currency reserves increased by USD 1.8 billion. Overall, a range of positive outcomes were reached such as drastic deacrese in government debt. Thanks to these changes, the exchange rate has stabilized, interest rate has fallen and the government debt service schedule has been greatly improved. However, there are several risks to economic growth. In particular, there is a tendency that external demand for raw materials might reduce and oil price increase. Taking into consideration insufficient funds allocated for risk protection, monetary and financial policies should remain adequate. In the near future, it is of importance to continue strengthening the banking system, building sophisticated taxation system and improving budget monitoring," said Gottlieb. IMF noted that as a result of the program Mongolia's foreign debt issue has been resolved in positive way, and foreign currency reserves increased by USD 1.5 billion.

Minister of Finance added that "Owing to the decrease in government’s debt and positive changes in economy, individual's income tax will be set at 10 percent as before. In 2018, 2019, a decision was made on increasing salaries in line with the inflation rate."

G.Tuguldur

Final preparations are underway at the Shanghai International Energy Exchange, or INE, in the city's pilot free trade zone. After five system tests in 2017, the trading platform has had small glitches but is nearly set to go, according to Tang Yun, an assistant to the president of Shanghai-based East Asia Futures. Trading in yuan could start by March, once the authorities give the go-ahead.

While China mostly prohibits foreign investors from trading commodity futures on its soil -- to prevent a flood of speculative funds -- it is opening its doors wide for crude. Jiang Yang, vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, on Jan. 15 said China will welcome domestic and overseas investors alike.

Simply put, the government is determined to turn the INE's crude oil futures into a global benchmark, and to do so it needs to get large numbers of traders involved. The more participants a market attracts, the more liquid it will be, and the more it will inspire confidence.

This is not China's first attempt at handling oil futures. It launched trading in 1993, only to shut down the operation about one and a half years later due to volatility and other issues.

Now China is calling on oil producers and consumers -- from global majors to its own big players -- to participate in the new market. The INE plans to handle seven kinds of Middle Eastern crude, including Basrah Light produced in Iraq, Dubai crude and Oman crude. China Petroleum & Chemical, or Sinopec, and other state-owned Chinese companies that import large volumes from the Middle East are expected to make use of the market.

So are small and midsize refineries. The government has been working to liberalize the business and in 2015 started assigning oil import quotas to "teapots" -- small, independent refineries. The teapots see the INE as a place to hedge the risk of price swings on Middle Eastern imports.

What China is doing here is challenging the U.S.-led world order, established in the wake of World War II.

Although oil demand has shifted toward Asia, the world's leading benchmarks are still West Texas Intermediate in the U.S. and Brent crude in London. Their position reflects market liquidity and transparency.

Dubai crude, a benchmark for Asia, is mainly traded on a spot basis, while futures trading in Tokyo and elsewhere is sluggish. In reality, Dubai crude prices are influenced by Brent futures.