The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit record highs on Monday, lifted by Alphabet and other megacaps ahead of several earnings reports this week, while investors bet on potential trade deals to blunt economic damage from the Trump administration’s global tariffs.
Gold prices rose as a weaker U.S. dollar and ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty boosted demand for the safe-haven metal, while platinum prices eased after reaching their highest level since 2014.
Crude oil futures were little changed on mixed U.S. economic and tariff news and worries about oil supplies following the European Union’s latest sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine.
The U.S. dollar slipped against the euro on Friday but held on to weekly gains, as investors weighed expected Fed policy amid signs that tariffs may be starting to increase some inflation pressures and as Trump continued to criticise Chair Jerome Powell.
Cryptocurrency spot trading declined by another 22% in Q2 2025, extending its slump despite bullish market conditions. The ongoing downturn in the spot market came amid a drop in altcoin trading activity and liquidity in Q2, which contrasted with resilience in derivatives markets.
Gold prices jumped following news reports that U.S. President Donald Trump planned to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but trimmed gains after Trump denied the claim. U.S. gold futures settled 0.7% higher
