Key Takeaways:
- Bitcoin trades near $118,800, holding gains after a record high, with analysts citing a bullish consolidation phase.
- United States and Japan reached a major trade agreement, cutting auto tariffs and prompting $550 billion in Japanese investment.
- Nikkei 225 climbed 4%, leading global markets, on renewed trade optimism.
- EU leaders arrived in Beijing for high-level talks on trade, climate, and Ukraine amid rising tariff tensions.
- Gold eased 0.4% as risk sentiment improves following diplomatic breakthroughs.
Global markets rallied on Wednesday, July 23, lifted by a breakthrough U.S.–Japan trade agreement and cautious optimism surrounding diplomatic talks between the European Union and China.
In Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 surged 3.2%, marking its strongest daily performance in over a year, after Washington agreed to lower planned tariffs on Japanese automobile exports to 15% from 25%
Japan, in turn, committed to $550 billion in long-term investments targeting U.S. infrastructure, electric vehicles, and semiconductor supply chains. Automakers rallied sharply, with Toyota Motor Corp rising around 11% and Mazda Motor Corp climbing approximately 17%.
Meanwhile, in Brussels and Beijing, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel arrived in Beijing for a one-day summit commemorating 50 years of diplomatic relations.
The visit takes place amid ongoing U.S. tariff tensions affecting both China and the EU, with talks expected to focus on rare-earth dependencies, climate collaboration, and China’s position on the war in Ukraine. While officials signaled constructive dialogue, expectations for breakthroughs remain low.
This combination of trade de-escalation and high-level strategic engagement pushed gold prices lower, as investors shifted toward riskier assets amid improved geopolitical tone.
In the crypto market, Bitcoin is hovering near $119,000 after touching a record $123,120 last week.
Analysts at Bitfenix characterize Bitcoin movement as a bullish mid-cycle consolidation, citing increased altcoin momentum and a marked decline in Bitcoin dominance.
As Bitcoin remains in profit for most holders, long-term investors have begun offloading coins, while ETFs and newer market participants absorb the supply.
Analysts note that a potential breakout to $136,000 remains possible. However, further gains will likely require renewed institutional demand.
Global Indices
S&P 500 (SPX): 6,309.63 (+0.06%)
Dow Jones (DJI): 44,502.44 (+0.40%)
Nasdaq Composite (IXIC-D): 20,892.69 (−0.39%)
Nikkei 225 Futures (N2251D): 41,340.0 (+4.07%)
Euronext 100 (N100-D): 1,573.39 (−0.57%)
FTSE 100 (FTSE): 9,065.1 (+0.21%)
Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin (BTCUSD): 118,801 (−1.03%)
Ethereum (ETH): 3,709.81 (−0.97%)
Binance Coin (BNBUSDT): 798.12 (+1.45%)
Solana (SOLUSDT): 201.18 (−2.20%)
Commodities
Gold (GOLD): 3,417.94 (−0.40%)
Silver (SILVER): 39.217 (−0.10%)
WTI Crude (USOIL): 65.59 (+0.31%)
Brent Crude (BRENT3!): 67.5672 (+0.62%)
Major Stocks
NVIDIA (NVDA): 167.03 (−2.54%)
Tesla (TSLA): 332.11 (+1.10%)
Microsoft (MSFT): 505.27 (−0.94%)
Meta (META): 704.81 (−1.14%)
Apple (AAPL): 214.40 (+0.90%)
Amazon (AMZN): 227.47 (−0.80%)
Forex
U.S. Dollar Index (DXY): 97.085 (+0.16%)
EUR/USD: 1.1728 (−0.22%)
GBP/USD: 1.35225 (−0.03%)
USD/JPY: 147.16 (+0.39%)
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