U.S. stocks held steady after slower job growth eased Federal Reserve rate hike pressure, while global chip stocks fell due to AI supply concerns. Oil prices dipped to pre-Iran war levels as peace talks progressed, impacting various international markets.
Despite a prolonged bear market for Chinese stocks, with the iShares China Large-Cap (FXI) down 18% and KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB) down over 40%, options traders are making significant bullish bets on a rebound, particularly in KWEB, signaling a potential shift in sentiment.
Franklin Templeton has filed with the SEC to launch two ETFs that reinvest dividends from U.S. stocks into Bitcoin. The funds, named Franklin U.S. Equity Bitcoin DRIP Index ETF and Franklin U.S. Innovation Bitcoin DRIP Index ETF, will initially have a 5% Bitcoin weighting, capped at 20%. This move follows a trend of crypto-linked ETF launches.
Crypto and U.S. stocks declined Wednesday as renewed Middle East conflict pushed Brent crude to a 12-day high of $96/barrel. Rising energy costs sent the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield to 4.5%, signaling inflation concerns.
Bitcoin’s hold above $80,000 is turning into a live test of whether BTC can trade on its own macro signal while U.S. stocks weaken. After months of Bitcoin following the US stock market open in terms of direction, volatility, and stress, it appears to be decoupling from the AI-fed S&P 500. The contradiction showed up […] The post Bitcoin decouples from S&P 500 as oil, yields, and dollar pressure stocks appeared first on CryptoSlate.
Asian markets mostly higher after US stocks set new records, with tech shares leading gains in South Korea and Taiwan. Oil prices slipped after Trump announced Project Freedom to help ships leave the Strait of Hormuz starting Monday, though Iran rejected the plan. The S&P 500 closed at a record high as 84% of reporting companies beat earnings estimates, with the index on track for 15% profit growth.
Asian markets showed mixed results on Monday as investors balanced strong U.S. corporate earnings against ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices remained steady as the U.S. announced plans to facilitate shipping in the region.
South Korean individual investors, known as 'seohak ants,' are heavily investing in U.S. stocks, making South Korea the third-largest buyer of U.S. equities in 2025. This trend persists despite record gains in South Korea's domestic Kospi index, with investors citing higher potential returns and better corporate governance in the U.S. market. The South Korean government has introduced tax incentives to encourage domestic investment, but skepticism remains about their effectiveness.
Japan's Nikkei 225 and South Korea's Kospi both reached record intraday highs on Thursday, driven by tech stock gains and positive sentiment from Trump's Iran ceasefire extension. The Nikkei rose to 60,013.98 while the Kospi advanced to 6,538.72. South Korea's economy grew 1.7% in Q1, its fastest pace since Q3 2020, exceeding expectations. Oil prices also ticked higher amid geopolitical uncertainty.
Asia-Pacific markets opened broadly higher Thursday, tracking U.S. stocks that rose after President Trump extended the Iran ceasefire. South Korea's economy grew 1.7% in Q1, the fastest since Q3 2020, beating estimates. Meanwhile, Iran's navy seized two container ships in the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran's negotiators refused to attend U.S. talks.
