Key Takeaways
- Washington sanctioned Russia’s top oil producers while Moscow staged nuclear drills, heightening global tension.
- Reports of new U.S. export limits to China unsettled markets, adding to pressure on technology shares.
- Global central banks struck a cautious tone, with Bank Indonesia pausing further rate cuts while Japan’s central bank was seen preparing to raise rates soon.
- Bitcoin fell toward $108K and gold eased below $4,100 as traders booked profits ahead of U.S. inflation data.
Crypto Morning News: Geopolitics & Market Sentiment
On October 23, 2025, markets showed a cautious tone as Washington’s fresh sanctions on Russia’s oil majors collided with revived U.S.–China trade tensions and a sharp pullback in precious metals ahead of U.S. inflation data.
Equities softened, oil firmed, and haven flows rotated unevenly after a volatile week for gold.
On the diplomatic front, the United States imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil in an effort to limit Moscow’s war financing. The announcement came as Russia conducted large-scale nuclear drills, highlighting rising tensions and the growing risk of military escalation.
Furthermore, plans for a Trump–Putin summit were put on hold, with the White House citing stalled progress and unhelpful timing.
Meanwhile, trade tensions with China flared again as Washington considered new limits on exports that use U.S. software. The move added uncertainty ahead of a possible Trump–Xi meeting in South Korea and raised fresh concerns for global supply chains and technology companies.
On the economic front, U.S. equities slipped after mixed earnings, led by weakness in technology and communication services, while Treasury yields held steady as investors focused on the Federal Reserve’s concern about jobs.
In Asia, Bank Indonesia kept interest rates unchanged after six straight cuts, in order to see how the earlier moves are affecting lending and growth. Meanwhile, a Reuters poll showed most economists expect the Bank of Japan to raise rates later this quarter as the weaker yen continues to push prices higher.
In Switzerland, the central bank said inflation is likely to rise slightly in the coming months but kept its stance flexible to maintain price stability.
In energy markets, Saudi Arabia’s crude exports climbed to a six-month high, and oil prices rose after data showed lower U.S. inventories, though expectations of higher OPEC+ output capped further gains.
Meanwhile, gold extended its pullback from record highs after Tuesday’s 5% drop, as traders took profits ahead of the delayed U.S. CPI report due Friday.
In Crypto, major tokens eased over the last 48 hours as risk appetite wavered. Bitcoin slipped toward $108,000, Ethereum fell below $3,800, and Solana traded under $180, with Bitcoin’s dominance edging higher toward 60% as investors favored liquidity amid macro cross-currents.
Price movements
Global Indices
- S&P 500 Index (SPX): 6,699.41 (−0.53%)
- Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI): 46,590.41 (−0.71%)
- Nasdaq Composite Index (IXIC): 22,740.40 (−0.93%)
- Nikkei 225 Futures (NK2251!D): 48,830.0 (−0.97%)
- FTSE 100 (UKX): 9,514.0 (+0.01%)
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin (BTCUSD): 107,629 (−0.69%)
- Ethereum (ETHUSDT): 3,782.31 (−2.34%)
- Binance Coin (BNBUSDT): 1,067.50 (+0.98%)
- Solana (SOLUSDT): 179.74 (−3.17%)
- BTC Dominance (BTC.D): 59.97% (+0.42%)
Major Stocks
- Nvidia (NVDA): 180.28 (−0.49%)
- Tesla (TSLA): 422.70 (−3.71%)
- Microsoft (MSFT): 520.54 (+0.56%)
- Meta Platforms (META): 733.41 (+0.02%)
Commodities
- Silver (XAGUSD): 48.2575 (−0.37%)
- Gold (XAUUSD): 4,087.420 (−0.26%)
- WTI Crude Oil (USOIL): 59.93 (+0.94%)
- Brent Crude Oil (BRENT3!): 68.16606 (−3.68%)
Forex
- U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 98.536 (−0.07%)
- EUR/USD: 1.1609 (+0.00%)
- GBP/USD: 1.33542 (−0.01%)
- USD/JPY: 151.94 (−0.01%)
Read More: Standard Chartered Warns of Bitcoin Fall Below $100K Amid US-China Trade Strain
