Key Takeaways
- Trump’s firing of Fed Governor Lisa Cook raised concerns about central bank independence, but markets are still expecting a September rate cut.
- Political tensions in France deepened as Prime Minister François Bayrou faced a likely-failed confidence vote, sending French stocks and bonds lower.
- Nvidia earnings loomed large with options pricing in a $260B valuation swing, while Eli Lilly and EchoStar drove equity gains.
- Bitcoin held steady at $111K, Ethereum surged above $4,500, and gold climbed past $3,390 as investors sought safe havens amid economic risk.
Geopolitics & Market Sentiment
On August 27, 2025, markets recorded modest gains as Nvidia and Eli Lilly helped lift Wall Street, while investors digested market turbulence stemming from President Donald Trump’s firing of Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, which raised concerns over the central bank’s independence.
On the diplomatic front, Trump’s decision to remove Cook over alleged mortgage improprieties rattled financial markets, with futures briefly dipping before stabilizing as traders held to expectations of September rate cuts.
In Europe, France’s political turmoil intensified after Prime Minister François Bayrou called a confidence vote on September 8 over budget cuts, a move widely expected to fail. Reacting to the decision, French equities tumbled, with banking giants BNP Paribas and Société Générale losing over 6%, while the CAC 40 dropped to a three-week low.
On the economic front, Fed Chair Jerome Powell reaffirmed that monetary policy remains data-dependent, with traders still expecting a September rate cut despite political pressure.
Meanwhile, U.S. durable goods orders fell 2.8% in July, recording a smaller decline than expected, while consumer confidence slipped in August as households grew more cautious about the labor market.
Nvidia gained 1.1% ahead of its results due Wednesday, with options markets implying a $260 billion swing in valuation that could ripple across AI stocks. Similarly, Eli Lilly jumped after reporting that its diabetes drug cut body weight by more than 10% in patients.
In crypto, major tokens advanced, with Bitcoin stabilizing near $111,200 after a three-day slide, while Ethereum climbed more than 4% to $4,575 and Solana jumped over 5% to $196.
Beyond price action, Gemini and Ripple launched a no-fee XRP-linked credit card integrated with Ripple’s new RLUSD stablecoin, supported by a $150 million credit line.
Meanwhile, Trump Media, Crypto.com and Yorkville announced their collaboration to launch Trump Media Group CRO Strategy Inc., a digital asset treasury company focused on the cryptocurrency Cronos (CRO).
Additionally, Arkham Intelligence reported that the UAE’s Royal Group has accumulated over $719 million in Bitcoin from its mining operations, positioning itself as a notable sovereign player in the digital assets sector.
Price movements
Global Indices
- S&P 500 Index (SPX): 6,465.95 (+0.41%)
- Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI): 45,418.07 (+0.30%)
- Nasdaq Composite (IXIC): 21,544.27 (+0.44%)
- Nikkei 225 Futures (NK225): 42,520.0 (+0.52%)
- Euronext 100 (N100): 1,597.98 (−1.28%)
- FTSE 100 (FTSE): 9,301.7 (−0.18%)
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin (BTCUSD): $111,207 (+0.97%)
- Ethereum (ETHUSDT): $4,575.5 (+4.56%)
- Binance Coin (BNBUSDT): $891.64 (+2.58%)
- Solana (SOLUSDT): $196.73 (+5.10%)
- BTC Dominance (BTC.D): 58.13% (−1.11%)
Major Stocks
- Nvidia (NVDA): $181.77 (+1.09%)
- Tesla (TSLA): $351.67 (+1.46%)
- Microsoft (MSFT): $502.04 (−0.44%)
- Meta (META): $754.10 (+0.11%)
- Apple (AAPL): $229.31 (+0.95%)
- Amazon (AMZN): $228.71 (+0.34%)
Commodities
- Silver (XAGUSD): $38.60 (+0.20%)
- Gold (XAUUSD): $3,390.92 (+0.76%)
- WTI Crude (USOIL): $63.34 (−2.18%)
- Brent Crude (BRENT): $68.17 (−3.68%)
Forex
- U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 97.79 (−0.22%)
- EUR/USD: 1.1641 (+0.21%)
- GBP/USD: 1.3476 (+0.18%)
- USD/JPY: 147.43 (−0.23%)
Read More: Trump Media, Crypto.com and Yorkville Announce $6.4 Billion CRO Treasury Strategy; Know The Details
