Britain’s FTSE 100 closed at a fresh peak after HSBC lifted a key earnings target and miners hit new highs, as fading worries over AI’s disruption to traditional businesses lifted global sentiment.
Stablecoin issuer Circle Internet Group reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings, driven by rapid growth in its USDC stablecoin business and expanding payments operations, underscoring continued momentum in an otherwise challenging crypto market.
Strategy bought 592 Bitcoin for about $39.8 million last week, marking its 100th purchase since the company adopted its Bitcoin-focused treasury strategy in August 2020. The latest purchase brings the company’s total holdings to 717,722 BTC.
Oil prices eased but remained at a six-month high ahead of a third round of nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, and amid increased economic uncertainty after the latest U.S. tariff upheaval.
The British pound kicked off the week on a firmer footing, as traders digested the fallout from the U.S. Supreme Court striking down tariffs and political uncertainty from an upcoming election to fill a parliamentary seat.
Shares of cybersecurity companies including CrowdStrike and Datadog slumped, as investors weighed the potential impact of artificial intelligence startup Anthropic’s new security tool on the industry.
