Market Update

Bitcoin rose slightly on Wednesday but remained on course to end 2025 in negative territory, weighed down by a sharp fourth-quarter downturn as thin liquidity and fading risk appetite pressured the broader cryptocurrency market. The world’s largest cryptocurrency was last up 1.3% at $89,010 by 06:56 ET (11:56 GMT). Despite …

Most Asian stock markets were closed on Wednesday, the final trading day of 2025, but the region remained on track to finish the year with strong gains, led by technology and semiconductor shares amid accelerating demand for artificial intelligence, despite periodic volatility tied to U.S. trade policy. With major markets …

Gold prices rose modestly in Asian trading on Tuesday, recovering slightly after a steep drop from near record highs in the previous session, as year-end profit-taking eased and investors reassessed a range of geopolitical risks. By 00:12 ET (06:12 GMT), spot gold was up 0.7% at $4,362.30 per ounce, while …

Economic Data Fuels Dollar Momentum: The US dollar rose to a one-week high on Tuesday, boosted by encouraging economic indicators and market expectations of a cautiously managed Federal Reserve. Recent data showed home prices increasing steadily across major cities, signaling resilience in the housing sector. The monthly and annual growth …

Oil prices fell on Tuesday as a stronger US dollar and rising American inventories weighed on the market, but robust Chinese demand, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and OPEC+ production freeze plans limited the losses.The market appears poised for a period of cautious equilibrium, balancing supply pressures with sustained global demand.Crude futures …

Dollar Gains Strength as Fed Signals More Rate Cuts: As the year winds down, forex markets are digesting the latest insights from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) December meeting. The released minutes revealed that many Fed officials are open to additional rate cuts if inflation continues to ease, while …

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) released the minutes of its December meeting, signaling that most officials are open to further interest rate reductions if inflation continues its gradual decline. The document also highlighted a modest upward revision to the U.S. economic growth forecast compared to the October meeting. Policymakers …

USD/JPY Gains Amid Dollar Strength: The Japanese yen weakened against the US dollar on Tuesday, pushing the USD/JPY pair up by approximately 0.3%. The yen came under clear pressure during US trading hours as a strong dollar and rising US Treasury yields made dollar-denominated assets more attractive compared to the …

Thin Trading, Soft Sectors, and a Fed Reality Check Cap the Year-End MoodThe Dow Jones Industrial Average edged lower on Tuesday, slipping by roughly 100 points as Wall Street continued to drift through a slow, holiday-thinned trading session. With many institutional players already sidelined for year-end, low volumes exaggerated modest …

Crude oil prices edged higher on Tuesday, shaking off earlier losses in Asian trading as geopolitical tensions resurfaced and overshadowed ongoing concerns about global oversupply. With trading volumes thinned by the year-end holiday period, political headlines had an outsized impact on market sentiment. West Texas Intermediate crude climbed above $58 …