Friday

• Wall Street opened higher Friday as trading resumed after a major technical outage at CME Group halted futures markets for over 11 hours due to cooling system failures at a CyrusOne data center. The Dow rose 0.12%, S&P 500 gained 0.15%, and Nasdaq climbed 0.33% in the shortened post-Thanksgiving session.
• Gold and silver rallied strongly on expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts in December, with silver hitting record highs above $54.76 per ounce and gold reaching $4,192. Bitcoin stabilized above $91,000 while crypto markets consolidated following recent volatility.

Thursday

• Global markets gained on rising expectations of a December Federal Reserve rate cut, with probability estimates jumping from 30% to 85% following dovish Fed commentary.
• Eurozone bank lending accelerated in October, with credit to households reaching a two-and-a-half-year high of 2.8% growth.
• The Japanese yen strengthened past 156 per dollar as traders anticipated potential Bank of Japan intervention. Oil prices declined on expectations of potential Russia-Ukraine ceasefire progress.

Wednesday

• Bitcoin jumps back above $90,000, after a rough month, Bitcoin rose above the $90 K mark, recovering some losses and reigniting optimism in the market.
• Broad crypto recovery lifts most top assets — The overall crypto market saw a rebound, with major coins posting gains and market cap rising on improving risk appetite and inflows.
• Vice President JD Vance stated that Bitcoin will become a strategically important asset for the United States, emphasizing its role in strengthening national competitiveness. He highlighted the importance of embracing crypto innovation rather than pushing it offshore. Vance’s comments signal a more pro-Bitcoin stance within the current U.S. administration.

Tuesday

• Federal Reserve officials reinforced expectations of a December rate cut with markets pricing an 81% probability of a 25 basis point reduction. Chinese markets gained nearly 1% after President Trump announced plans to visit Beijing in April following his call with Xi Jinping.
• Even as representatives from the three nations undertake negotiations to reach an agreement, Russia has hinted that it may reject a revised US peace proposal to end the war in Ukraine if it does not meet Moscow’s long-standing demands.
• Bitcoin recovered to around $87,000 after touching $80,000 on Friday as the crypto market capitalization returned to $3 trillion. The UK prepared for Wednesday’s budget announcement expected to include significant tax measures.

Monday

• European and global markets opened with broad gains as expectations for a December Federal Reserve rate cut surged to 70% from 44% a week earlier. The rally followed supportive comments from New York Fed President John Williams suggesting rates could fall “in the near term” due to labor market weakness.
• Oil prices declined on speculation about potential Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations that could restore sanctioned Russian crude to global markets. Brent crude fell 0.4% to $61.67 per barrel while WTI dropped 0.5% to $57.78.
• Defense stocks in Europe fell 0.4% after Friday’s 3% decline as Ukraine peace talks progressed. Pharmaceutical giant Bayer surged 8.9% on positive anticoagulant drug trial results.