Weekly Market Update ☀️
Easter rebound lifts global equities as ECB cuts rates and U.S. futures extend gains—gold hits $3,333.000 while Bitcoin reclaims $90,000.000.
Crypto flows surge with new SEC leadership and Solana memes lead the altcoin charge.
Let’s dive in 👇
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Global Market Snapshot 🏦
➡️ Equity markets staged an impressive recovery after the Easter holidays, after a turbulent period dominated by trade policy concerns.
The S&P 500 rebounded strongly, gaining 2.5% on Tuesday, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 2.7%.
At the time of writing, U.S. markets are still closed, but this positive momentum appears to be continuing, with futures extending gains— S&P 500 futures up 110 points and Nasdaq futures up 440 points early Wednesday.
The Euro STOXX 50 is up 2.4% so far today, exceeding 5,000.000 points once again. This rally follows a challenging start to April, with major indices having fallen into correction territory earlier this month amid escalating tariff concerns.
➡️ Gold continues to demonstrate remarkable strength as a safe-haven asset, recently hitting a record $3,333.000 per ounce.
Goldman Sachs recently raised its year-end gold price target to $3,700.000—their third upgrade this year—citing economic uncertainty and strong physical demand from Eastern markets
➡️ Bitcoin (+11.7%) followed equities and gold, reclaiming the $90,000.000 level yesterday, currently changing hands for $93,500.000.
The GMCI 30 ($GM30), an index of the top 30 digital assets, stands at 143.000 (+12.5%), matching Bitcoin's positive trajectory.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Macro & Policy Developments 🔁
➡️ In the past week, macroeconomic sentiment has been shaped by central bank actions and ongoing trade policy uncertainty.
The European Central Bank (ECB) announced its sixth consecutive rate cut, lowering its deposit facility rate by 25 bps to 2.25%, effective today.
This move reflects deteriorating growth prospects in the euro area, with the ECB citing increased economic uncertainty and rising trade tensions as key drivers for the decision.
While the disinflation process remains on track and wage growth is moderating, the ECB warned that confidence among households and firms is weakening, and tighter financing conditions could further weigh on the outlook.
➡️ In the United States, the macro environment remains volatile following the implementation of sweeping new tariffs earlier this month.
These measures have unsettled financial markets, with equities in correction territory and consumer expectations plunging to levels last seen during major recessions.
The April tariff shock is expected to trigger a growth scare in Q2 and Q3 2025, and forecasts now anticipate the Federal Reserve may respond with rate cuts later in the year if economic conditions deteriorate further.
Nonetheless, a recession is not viewed as inevitable, with expansionary fiscal policy expected to cushion the slowdown.
Recent sessions also suggest growing optimism about a more measured approach to trade negotiations, particularly regarding US-China relations.
➡️ The most significant policy development for digital markets was the confirmation of Paul Atkins as SEC Chair.
Sworn in on April 21, 2025, Atkins brings a markedly different regulatory philosophy than his predecessor, emphasizing "rational, coherent, and principled" approaches to digital asset regulation.
His leadership signals a potential shift from enforcement-driven regulation toward constructive engagement with the blockchain and cryptocurrency industries, with over 70 crypto-related ETF applications awaiting review.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
• Sector-Specific Insights 🔍
➡️ In the digital asset space, Bitcoin ETF flows showed robust institutional demand with a significant net inflow of $936,000,000.000 recorded on April 22, 2025.
Notably, ARKB and FBTC led contributions with $267,100,000.000 and $253,800,000.000, respectively
This substantial capital influx reflects growing institutional comfort with digital asset exposure through regulated vehicles, potentially providing support for broader crypto market stability despite recent volatility triggered by policy uncertainty.
➡️ Investors also seem to shift toward a risk-on mode again, as GMCI's Solana Memes Index and Gaming Index make up this week's top performers, up 34% and 35%, respectively.
The worst-performing index, GMCI's Top 30 index, still slightly outperformed Bitcoin's price development (+12.5% vs +11.7%), but was left behind by GMCI's Mid-Cap (+22.2%) and Small-Cap (+21.5%) indices.
Will this mark a shift in a long-lasting trend, or will it just be a short-term relief from the overall risk-off environment over the past months?
Up or down, red or green, track our indices to follow the market in real time. Until next week!