Key Takeaways:
- Wall Street hit record highs as Nvidia’s results confirmed strong AI demand, while broader tech names including Microsoft, Apple and Amazon advanced.
- U.S. growth rebounded 3.3% in Q2 and jobless claims fell, though hiring remained weak and the Fed signaled possible September rate cuts.
- Trump’s tariffs on Indian imports and the end of low-value parcel exemptions widened global trade disruptions, with Russia benefiting from India’s crude purchases.
- Bitcoin held near $112K alongside gains in Solana, while gold climbed above $3,400 as investors balanced risk appetite with safe-haven demand.
Geopolitics & Market Sentiment
On August 28, 2025, markets showed resilience as the S&P 500 hit a record high, with Nvidia’s results confirming strong demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure despite excluding China sales from its outlook. The positive mood was reinforced by U.S. data showing a rebound in second-quarter growth alongside a decline in weekly jobless claims.
On the diplomatic front, Washington’s tariff escalations continued to weigh on global trade, as President Donald Trump imposed duties of up to 50% on Indian imports, citing New Delhi’s continued purchases of Russian crude oil.
The move underscores deepening trade rifts, with analysts warning both India and the U.S. could face economic costs while Russia benefits from expanded energy ties.
Furthermore, the global fallout widened as Japan, Australia, Taiwan and Mexico joined other nations in suspending some parcel shipments to the United States after the administration ended tariff exemptions on low-value imports, disrupting e-commerce and postal networks.
On the economic front, U.S. weekly jobless claims fell to 229,000, suggesting stability in layoffs but continued weakness in hiring, with the unemployment rate expected to climb to 4.3% in August.
Additionally, earlier data showed the economy rebounded at an annualized 3.3% in the second quarter, driven by strong consumer spending and firm business investment, though trade and exports remained soft.
The Federal Reserve, which has held rates in the 4.25%–4.50% range since December, has signaled a possible rate cut at its September meeting to guard against labor market risks, even as inflation pressures linger.
Markets digested a full batch of corporate updates, with Nvidia shares dipping 0.6% despite posting a 56% surge in quarterly revenue, while Microsoft rose 0.6%, Meta gained 0.4%, Amazon climbed 1.1%. and Apple rose 1.1%.
In Crypto, Bitcoin traded near $112,000, holding firm as the U.S. growth rebound fueled risk appetite, while Ethereum slipped slightly below $4,500, and Solana extended gains above $210.
Furthermore, in the crypto sector, Pyth Network was selected to distribute U.S. economic data on-chain, sending its token up 60%, and Tether announced the launch of USDT on the RGB protocol, positioning Bitcoin as a platform for stablecoins.
Meanwhile, law firm Fenwick & West denied any role in the collapse of FTX, dismissing claims against it as “facile” and “flawed.”
Price movements
Global Indices
- S&P 500 Index (SPX): 6,503.23 (+0.34%)
- Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI): 45,634.91 (+0.15%)
- NASDAQ Composite Index (IXIC): 21,731.81 (+0.66%)
- Nikkei 225 Futures (NK2251): 42,930.0 (0.00%)
- Euronext 100 Index (N100): 1,600.72 (+0.06%)
- FTSE 100 Index (FTSE): 9,228.3 (−0.26%)
Cryptocurrencies
- Bitcoin (BTCUSD): 112,147 (+0.58%)
- Ethereum (ETHUSDT): 4,469.74 (−0.82%)
- Binance Coin (BNBUSDT): 870.59 (+1.80%)
- Solana (SOLUSDT): 211.97 (+4.44%)
Major Stocks
- Nvidia (NVDA): 180.47 (−0.62%)
- Tesla (TSLA): 345.58 (−1.15%)
- Microsoft (MSFT): 509.78 (+0.60%)
- Meta Platforms (META): 750.31 (+0.39%)
- Amazon (AMZN): 231.62 (+1.09%)
- Apple (AAPL): 233.02 (+1.10%)
Commodities
- Silver (XAGUSD): 39.056 (+1.29%)
- Gold (XAUUSD): 3,419.040 (+0.60%)
- WTI Crude Oil (USOIL): 64.31 (+0.72%)
- Brent Crude Oil (BRENT): 68.166 (−3.68%)
Forex
- U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 97.840 (−0.35%)
- EUR/USD: 1.1685 (+0.41%)
- GBP/USD: 1.35136 (+0.12%)
- USD/JPY: 146.87 (−0.35%)
Read More: Pyth Network Selected to Distribute U.S. Economic Data On-Chain; Token Surges 60%
