Markets Hold Steady in Holiday-Thinned Trading as Crypto Assets Show Resilience
U.S. equity futures hovered NEAR flatline during the abbreviated Christmas Eve session, with the S&P 500 maintaining its record highs. Commodity markets saw gold and silver extend their rally to a third consecutive record close, while crude oil held near two-week highs at $58.50/barrel.
Bitcoin demonstrated characteristic volatility, retreating to $87,300 after briefly testing $89,000 resistance. The MOVE comes as institutional traders adjust positions ahead of year-end, with derivatives markets showing elevated open interest across major exchanges including Binance, Coinbase, and Bybit.
Notable altcoin activity centered on AI-related tokens (FET, AGIX) following UiPath's index inclusion news, while DeFi bluechips (UNI, AAVE) saw muted flows. Market depth remains shallow across crypto exchanges with holiday liquidity constraints.