Key Takeaways
- Global markets eased on August 25 as investors weighed last week’s rally against renewed geopolitical and policy uncertainty.
- South Korea moved to reset ties with China, while Ukraine-Russia strikes raised energy concerns.
- The dollar strengthened and Treasury yields edged higher ahead of U.S. PCE inflation and jobs data.
- Bitcoin slid to a six-week low near $110,000, with Ethereum and Solana posting steeper declines.
On August 25, markets showed a cautious tone as investors weighed last week’s rally against renewed geopolitical tensions and uncertainty over U.S. monetary policy.
The dollar firmed, bond yields ticked higher, and commodities showed mixed signals as traders positioned ahead of key U.S. inflation data and labor market reports that could shape the Federal Reserve’s September decision.
On the diplomatic front, South Korea moved to reset ties with Beijing by dispatching a presidential envoy to deliver a personal letter inviting Xi Jinping to the October APEC summit, a move aimed at easing years of tensions and boosting trade ties.
At the same time, Russia’s parliamentary speaker visited Beijing to coordinate efforts on sanctions and deepen bilateral cooperation ahead of Vladimir Putin’s planned summit in China.
Meanwhile, Ukraine-Russia tensions flared after Kyiv’s drone strikes on Russian power facilities drew retaliatory attacks, raising supply concerns in global energy markets.
On the economic front, investors reassessed Friday’s Fed-inspired rally after Chair Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole comments hinted at the possibility of a September rate cut.
After last week’s surge, markets retreated on Monday as investors turned focus to U.S. PCE inflation and jobs data seen as pivotal for the Fed’s September decision.
In Crypto, Bitcoin fell sharply, sliding more than 2.5% to near $110,400, marking a third straight daily loss and hitting its weakest level in six weeks. Meanwhile, Ethereum and Solana posted steeper declines, shedding over 7%.
Despite the pullback, industry headlines stayed active as the Philippines prepared to add Bitcoin to reserves, Japan’s SBI Group expanded tokenized finance ties, and Galaxy Digital joined Multicoin and Jump Crypto in a $1 billion bid to build the largest Solana treasury.
Price movements
Global Indices
- S&P 500 Index (SPX): 6,439.31 (–0.43%)
- Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI): 45,282.47 (–0.77%)
- Nasdaq Composite Index (IXIC): 21,449.29 (–0.22%)
- Nikkei 225 Futures (NK2251D): 42,560.0 (–0.49%)
- Euronext 100 Index (N100-D): 1,618.78 (–0.78%)
- FTSE 100 (UK): 9,320.6 (–0.19%)
Major Stocks
- Nvidia (NVDA): 179.83 (+1.03%)
- Tesla (TSLA): 346.00 (+1.94%)
- Microsoft (MSFT): 504.26 (–0.59%)
- Meta Platforms (META): 753.30 (–0.16%)
- Apple (AAPL): 227.16 (–0.26%)
- Amazon (AMZN): 227.94 (–0.39%)
Commodities
- Silver (XAGUSD): 38.54 (–0.89%)
- Gold (XAUUSD): 3,365.64 (–0.17%)
- WTI Crude Oil (USOIL): 64.71 (+1.49%)
- Brent Crude (BRENT): 81.10 (–3.68%)
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin (BTCUSD): 110,413 (–2.70%)
- Ethereum (ETHUSDT): 4,361.33 (–8.75%)
- Binance Coin (BNBUSDT): 854.24 (–2.54%)
- Solana (SOLUSDT): 189.63 (–9.94%)
- BTC Dominance: 58.6% (+1.26%)
Forex
- U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 97.97 (+0.71%)
- EUR/USD: 1.1621 (–0.82%)
- GBP/USD: 1.3459 (–0.45%)
- USD/JPY: 147.73 (+0.58%)
Read More: Galaxy Digital, Jump Crypto, Multicoin Plan $1B Solana Treasury Backed by Cantor Fitzgerald
