Market Digest: Bitcoin Climbs Back to 114K as Wall Street Rotates from Tech into Safer Assets

Key Takeaways

U.S. stocks saw a second day of tech-led weakness as investors stepped back from AI names and positioned cautiously ahead of Jackson Hole.
Diplomatic tensions persisted with Trump pressing Zelenskiy on Ukraine talks, while divisions emerged among Western allies over troop commitments.
The Fed’s July minutes kept markets focused on Powell’s upcoming speech, with oil lifted by a surprise inventory drop.
Bitcoin hovered near $114K while Ethereum and Solana rebounded, supported by ETF flows and policy news.

Geopolitics & Market Sentiment

On August 21, markets recorded a second day of tech-led weakness as investors stepped back from giant AI names, braced for Jackson Hole and fresh Fed minutes, and grew cautious over talks of potential U.S. government equity stakes in chipmakers.

On the diplomatic front, Washington’s push for a Ukraine settlement stayed in focus after President Donald Trump told Volodymyr Zelenskiy the U.S. would help assure security guarantees but ruled out sending ground troops, while hinting at possible air support to enforce any deal.

In the Middle East, Israel said it had begun the first stages of a new operation around Gaza City even as mediators worked a fresh 60-day ceasefire proposal involving a partial hostage release. These Developments kept markets on edge, tempering risk appetite.

On the economic front, the Fed’s July minutes showed only two officials backing an immediate rate cut, keeping attention on Chair Jerome Powell’s Friday speech at Jackson Hole, while the ECB is holding steady with inflation near target.

U.S. oil inventories fell more than expected, lifting crude prices, though longer-term contracts still signal worries about oversupply into 2026

In Crypto, the tech selloff briefly weighed on digital assets before prices steadied mid-week. Bitcoin hovered around $114,000 after last week’s record, while Ether and Solana outperformed on a rebound, helped by positioning ahead of Powell’s speech and ongoing ETF activity.

Policy developments also moved the space. In Beijing, China is finalizing a roadmap to introduce yuan-backed stablecoin, marking a potential shift from its 2021 ban, and aiming at boosting international use of the currency.

Meanwhile, In the U.S., Wyoming launched the first state-issued stablecoin, FRNT, backed by 102% reserves in cash and Treasuries, and deployed across seven major blockchains with Visa integration. Officials say the token will streamline public payments such as refunds and contractor fees, underscoring a new frontier for public-sector crypto adoption.

Price movements

Global Indices

S&P 500 Index (SPX): 6,395.79 (-0.24%)
Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI): 44,938.31 (+0.04%)
Nasdaq Composite (IXIC): 21,172.86 (-0.67%)
Nikkei 225 Futures (NK2251D): 42,810.0 (-0.26%)
Euronext 100 (N100-D): 1,622.76 (+0.04%)
FTSE 100 (FTSE): 9,304.5 (+1.29%)

Cryptocurrencies

Bitcoin (BTCUSD): 114,416 (+1.37%)
Ethereum (ETHUSDT): 4,362.36 (+7.04%)
BNB (BNBUSDT): 871.93 (+5.8%)
Solana (SOLUSD): 187.31 (+6.25%)
BTC Dominance (BTC.D): 59.28 (-1.35%)

Major Stocks

Nvidia (NVDA): 175.40 (-0.14%)
Tesla (TSLA): 323.90 (-1.64%)
Microsoft (MSFT): 505.72 (-0.79%)
Meta Platforms (META): 751.48 (-2.07%)
Apple (AAPL): 225.56 (-1.14%)
Amazon (AMZN): 228.01 (-1.5%)

Commodities

Silver (SILVER): 37.2512 (-0.34%)
Gold (GOLD): 3,314.880 (-0.02%)
WTI Crude (USOIL): 61.88 (-0.18%)
Brent Crude (BRENT3!): 68.1660 (-3.68%)

Forex

U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 97.781 (-0.04%)
EUR/USD: 1.1648 (-0.02%)
GBP/USD: 1.3450 (-0.04%)
USD/JPY: 147.28 (-0.02%)

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