Key takeaways
- Markets hit record highs as investors leaned into expectations of imminent Fed cuts.
- NATO confronted Russian drones in Polish airspace while the Middle East stayed tense after Qatar–Israel friction.
- The ECB held rates steady, with December seen as the next possible window for easing, while the dollar stayed weak and oil slid on oversupply worries.
- Bitcoin advanced toward 115K while gold steadied above $3,630.
Geopolitics & Market Sentiment
On September 12, 2025, markets recorded fresh highs as investors leaned into the expectations of imminent Fed rate cuts even as Europe witnessed a rare NATO-Russia Confrontation and the Middle East was hit with fresh tensions.
On the diplomatic front, Warsaw said 19 Russian drones crossed into Polish territory during a broader attack on Ukraine, pushing Polish forces and NATO jets to shoot down several objects.
Reacting to the incident, Poland called for Article 4 consultations with its NATO allies, and the United Nations Security Council plans to meet on Friday. European leaders also signaled support as capitals weighed additional air defense deployments.
However, despite the defensive steps, the Kremlin dismissed the incident as nothing out of the ordinary.
Meanwhile, The Middle East remained on edge after the Qatar–Israel tensions, with global powers working to restore a sense of normalcy.
In the US, a fresh Reuters/Ipsos survey showed most Americans felt concerned with efforts to expand presidential power, including troop deployments to major cities, underscoring a deep divisions ahead of the Fed’s decision.
On the economic front, traders priced a September Fed cut after August CPI rose 0.4% month on month and jobless claims hit a near four-year high, even as major indices ended at record highs
In Europe, the ECB kept its deposit rate at 2% and signaled it is “in a good place,” with December seen as the next realistic window to reassess easing, while money markets shaded down the odds of further cuts this cycle.
The dollar steadied but remained under pressure as investors focused on U.S. deficits, while oil fell about 2% on oversupply worries despite geopolitical tensions.
In crypto, Bitcoin climbed toward 115,000 dollars as a weaker dollar and record U.S. equities supported risk appetite. Ethereum rose past 4,460 dollars and Solana neared 229, with traders watching next week’s Fed meeting for direction.
Price movements
Global Indices
- S&P 500 Index (SPX): 6,587.48 (+0.85%)
- Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI): 46,108.00 (+1.36%)
- Nasdaq Composite Index (IXIC): 22,043.07 (+0.72%)
- Nikkei 225 Futures (NK2251D): 44,590.0 (+034%)
- FTSE 100 (FTSE): 9,320.5 (+0.04%)
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin (BTCUSD): 115,555 (+1.20%)
- Ethereum (ETHUSDT): 4,463.65 (+2.63%)
- Binance Coin (BNBUSDT): 901.19 (+0.83%)
- Solana (SOLUSDT): 228.49 (+1.97%)
Major Stocks
- Nvidia (NVDA): 177.17 (−0.09%)
- Tesla (TSLA): 368.81 (+6.04%)
- Microsoft (MSFT): 501.01 (+0.13%)
- Meta Platforms (META): 750.90 (−0.14%)
- Apple (AAPL): 230.03 (+1.43%)
- Amazon (AMZN): 229.95 (−0.16%)
Commodities
- Silver (XAGUSD): 41.561 (+0.04%)
- Gold (XAUUSD): 3,634.590 (+0.03%)
- WTI Crude Oil (USOIL): 62.21 (−0.03%)
- Brent Crude Oil (BRENT3!): 68.10 (−3.68%)
Forex
- U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 97.114 (−0.29%)
- EUR/USD: 1.1737 (+0.03%)
- GBP/USD: 1.3577 (+0.05%)
- USD/JPY: 147.15 (−0.03%)
Read More: Belarus’s Crypto Push Sparks Interest Across Borders; Are We Witnessing a Wider Shift?
