Markets Hold Breath Ahead of US-China Trade Showdown—While Bitcoin Casually Taps $103K

Global markets hover in nervous equilibrium as geopolitical theater takes center stage—yet crypto’s flagship asset moonwalks past another psychological barrier. Wall Street’s ’risk-on’ algorithms twitch at the spectacle.

Trade talks or trade tantrums? Either way, Bitcoin’s supply cap doesn’t negotiate. The asset’s 12% weekly surge coincides suspiciously with hedge funds quietly rebalancing ’digital gold’ allocations—just as traditional markets prep for another round of performative diplomacy.

Meanwhile, goldbugs and macro traders clutch their spreadsheets, muttering about ’unsustainable valuations.’ Tell that to the self-custody crowd stacking sats between Zoom calls.

Stocks tread water on tariff suspense

MSCI’s all‑country equity index inched up just 0.11% to 846.80, trimming a 0.3% weekly loss. Europe’s STOXX 600 added 0.44%, while Germany’s DAX notched another record close.

On Wall Street, the Dow fell 0.29%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.07% and the Nasdaq eked out a fractional gain. Weekly tallies were negative across the board, mirroring broader caution highlighted by the Wall Street Journal as traders braced for new tariff headlines.

Dollar eases while Treasury yields hover

The U.S. Dollar Index slipped 0.28% to 100.37, even as it preserved a weekly advance versus the yen, euro and Swiss franc. Benchmark 10‑year Treasury yields crept up to 4.386%, while the 2‑year note eased to 3.887%.

For additional context on how rising yields Ripple through crypto markets, see CryptoSlate’s recent analysis on Treasury yield volatility.

Bitcoin and Ethereum extend gains

Risk appetite rotated toward digital assets, with Bitcoin climbing 0.58% to $103,224—its highest since January—marking a fourth‑straight daily advance. Ether rallied 6.7% to $2,493. Traders cited lingering uncertainty in traditional assets and Optimism about eventual rate cuts.

For longer‑term perspectives, CryptoSlate’s feature on Bitcoin price projections through 2025 offers added insight.

Oil and gold catch a bid

• WTI crude settled at $61.02 (+1.85%)
• Brent closed at $63.91 (+1.7%)
• Spot gold firmed 0.67% to $3,327.53 per oz

Both commodities benefited from a softer dollar and hopes that any thaw in trade tensions could bolster demand.

Outlook

All eyes now turn to Saturday’s Geneva summit between U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and China’s Vice‑Premier. While analysts doubt a breakthrough, even incremental signs of progress could set the tone for global risk assets—and by extension, crypto—into next week’s U.S. CPI release and the mid‑May Federal Reserve minutes.