The cryptocurrency reportedly reached its highest market price of $5,149 thanks to Chinese bitcoin exchange OkCoin.

Bitcoin’s surge in popularity is largely down to a growing interest in cryptocurrencies, improved technologies, and sustained inflow from investors, Forbes says.

The new record comes amid news that six big banks have joined a project developing a new settlement currency based on blockchain technology – the world’s leading software technology used by bitcoin, ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies.

Barclays, Credit Suisse, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, HSBC, MUFG, and State Street joined UBS, BNY Mellon, Deutsche Bank, Santander, NEX, and blockchain startup Clearmatics in the project to create a “utility settlement coin.”

Originally started by UBS, the new currency could pioneer how central banks chose issue cryptocurrencies.

“We see it as a stepping stone to a future where central banks issue their own [cryptocurrency] at some point," UBS director Hyder Jaffrey told CoinDesk.

The largest automaker in South Korea hosted a media preview for the G70, news about which was embargoed until Sunday morning, expecting the new model would boost growth and lead to a recovery following sales declines in China and other parts of the world. Hyundai said it had placed emphasis on the design of the third Genesis model, which it said embodied "athletic elegance," to satisfy customers' sense of luxury.

The company said in a press release that they had pursued athletic elegance for the car's design, "illustrating tension and beauty of the moment, such as when an archer releases an arrow".

Joo Byung-chul, a design director at the company, said that he tried to bring dynamism into the rear-wheel-drive car. "We carved a natural parabola from the rear to the front, making it more dynamic and powerful."

However, the company prevented journalists from taking photos of the car, seeking to keep the image confidential until it officially launches on Sept. 15. The automaker will start selling the sedan in South Korea the same day. In overseas markets, it will launch in the U.S. early next year, and then expand gradually to other areas.

Koo Za-yong, a vice president at Hyundai, said that the company aimed to draw young professionals in their 30s and 40s who have previously preferred the Mercedes-Benz's C-class and BMW 3 series models. "We want to win young customers from our German rivals."

G70's debut comes as Hyundai is suffering from falling sales at home and abroad. The company said its sales dropped 6% to 336,000 vehicles in August from a year ago. For the January-August period this year, its sales fell 7.2% to 2.86 million units.

Its domestic sales jumped 29.6% to 54,000 in August from the previous year when its labor union staged a partial strike. But overseas sales fell 10.8% to 282,000 during the same period, largely due to declining sales in China which have been hit by worsening consumer sentiment against South Korean brands since the launch of a U.S. missile defense system in the country.

Shares of Hyundai rose 1.78% to 143,000 won on Friday, erasing all of its 1.75% loss the previous day. The benchmark Kospi fell 0.23% to 2,357.69.

In the first half of 2017, the company has achieved the following results: 

Net sales revenue rose by 12% reaching 108.4 billion tugriks; 
Net income grew by 63% reaching 15.9 billion tugriks,
The Company paid 60.8 billion tugriks for taxes; 
APU repaid $7.9 million, or 19.1 billion tugriks of debt, and plans to similar repayments in the second half of 2017;
During its shareholder meeting on August 18th 2017, APU made several strategic decisions including: establishing "APU Dairy" LLC., reorganizing the company by merging with the “Evergreen Investments” LLC, and issuing 321,304,553 units of additional shares by a closed subscription. 
The Company announced that it will strive to further innovate, improve its successess, and generate steady growth while improving its transparency and setting new standards of disclosure.

Chief Justice Allen H. Loughry II and Supreme Court Administrative Director Gary Johnson met with the judges July 27.

“Even though these judges came to West Virginia to learn about our judicial system, we also learn from them,” Loughry told The West Virginia Record.

Loughry said that, “while it is clear that each country has a unique history and develops its own system,” there are also similarities in the countries’ justice systems.

“The judges I spoke with expressed their desire to have a system of justice that is fair and to have well-trained judges,” Loughry said. “This is obviously a viewpoint shared by me and by all of the judges in our judicial system.”

According to the release, the Mongolian judges’ experience with the West Virginia court system was planned by the Center for International Understanding, a non-partisan organization based in Princeton.

The court said the center, along with the Open World Rule of Law Program and the U.S. Department of State, brings professionals from emerging democracies to Appalachia to learn about American government. Since the center opened in 1988, representatives from more than 70 countries have visited West Virginia.

While in West Virginia, the Mongolian judges watched a circuit court sentencing hearing, a family court hearing and a video arraignment in magistrate court.

Loughry said programs like those run by the center are important because “it is in the best interest of the United States to discuss our judicial system with leaders from other countries.”

“The judicial branch is the cornerstone of democracy, and this program allows West Virginia judicial officials to help educate others about our system of government,” Loughry said. “It allows us to share with them the importance of an independent judiciary that makes rulings based upon the law and not based upon external influences.”

Loughry said the West Virginia court system has been involved in this program for years and has had visitors from many countries.

“I am hopeful that visiting judges learn the value of our democracy and value of the rule of law,” he said. “They are able to see how legal disputes are decided in open court for the entire world to see. I am hopeful they learn that the level of transparency in our judicial system also leads to trust in the judiciary by our citizens.”

Financial account totaled to a surplus of USD 313.0 million. In the first 7 months of last year, Mongolia had a net borrowing of USD 645.3 million from other countries, while this year the amount totaled to USD 313.0 million. Thus, the net external financing is decreased by USD 332.4 million.

As of July 2017, balance of payments aggregated a deficit of USD 48.8 million.

The deal, announced in March, places the Vancouver-based company among the world’s top ten zinc producers and helps it extend its footprint to Africa.

The acquisition of an 80% interest in Rosh Pinah and a 90% stake in Perkoa, will allow Trevali double its annual output to approximately 410 million pounds of zinc. It also makes it the first pure zinc company with operations in North and South America as well as Africa.

Rosh Pinah opened in 1969 and is expected to have a further 14 years of operating life, while Perkoa is set to produce for another six years.

The two African mines complement Trevali’s existing operations at the Caribou zinc-lead mine in Canada’s New Brunswick and Santander copper-zinc mine in Peru.

“We are very pleased to finalize our acquisition of the Rosh Pinah and Perkoa zinc mines, which marks a truly transformational event for Trevali shareholders,” President and CEO Mark Cruise said in the statement. “Additionally, we welcome Glencore as a key strategic shareholder in Trevali, expanding on the strong, proven business relationship we’ve enjoyed since 2010 at our Santander operation.”

Glencore now owns about 25.6% of Trevali’s issued and outstanding shares, representing about a 21% increase in ownership previous to the transaction.

Zinc was one of the best performing commodities last year, climbing up 60% as a few top mines, such as Lisheen in Ireland and Century in Australia, closed down. At the same time, top miners of the metal, including Glencore and Nyrstar, suspended some production.

Trading of Trevali shares was halted previous to the announcement and they were trading slightly up (0.70%) at 12:39PM ET.