LONDON / ASIA-PACIFIC – Global markets ended the day with mixed performances as bitcoin reached a record high, oil prices climbed, and equities showed divergent trends ahead of the upcoming high-stakes summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Bitcoin touched an all-time high of nearly $124,480 before retreating slightly to around $118,854, buoyed by expectations of U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and supportive policy signals from the Trump administration. The rally reinforced investor confidence in digital assets amid a weaker U.S. dollar.
Oil markets also strengthened, with Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate both rising between 1.6 and 1.8 percent. Analysts attributed the surge to optimism over global demand recovery and hopes that diplomatic progress at the Trump–Putin talks could ease supply concerns linked to geopolitical tensions.
Equities displayed a split picture. European markets closed higher, supported by energy and commodity gains, while major Asian indices slipped amid investor caution. The MSCI All Country World Index remained close to record highs, reflecting continued resilience in global equities despite regional disparities.
Currency markets saw the dollar weaken as traders increasingly anticipated a possible Fed rate cut in September, adding further momentum to risk assets, including cryptocurrencies.
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