🚀 Markets Rally Ahead of Critical Jobs Report & Nvidia Earnings - What Traders Need to Watch

Tech bulls flex as risk assets rebound—just in time for the week's two biggest volatility triggers.

The Setup: A classic pre-data squeeze has traders chasing momentum ahead of Friday's jobs report and Nvidia's earnings bomb. Liquidity's thin, gamma's stacked, and everyone's pretending they have a 'macro thesis' beyond riding the V-shaped recovery.

Nvidia as Canary: If the AI darling stumbles after the bell, crypto's correlation beta will get tested fast. Meme coins and microcaps pumped hardest this run—always the first to bleed when risk-off hits.

Cynical Take: Wall Street's 'soft landing' narrative requires exactly 82,000 new jobs created—goldilocks math that just happens to justify December rate cuts. How convenient.

TLDR

• US stock futures rose Sunday evening with Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.6% as investors await Nvidia earnings on Wednesday and September’s jobs report on Thursday
• Bitcoin dropped 30% from its record high above $126,000 to below $94,000 in just over a month, erasing year-to-date gains
• Crypto market saw over $900 million in liquidations affecting nearly 250,000 traders in the past 24 hours
• The SEC’s “Project Crypto” initiative is working toward a comprehensive regulatory framework with proposals expected in 2026
• Institutional investors are increasing crypto exposure with 73% citing higher return potential as their main motivation

US stock futures showed gains Sunday evening as investors prepared for a busy week of economic data and corporate earnings. Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.6% while S&P 500 futures ROSE 0.4%. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures edged up 0.1%.

The market faces several key events this week that could shape trading direction. Nvidia will report earnings on Wednesday in what is always a closely watched event for the AI sector. The chip maker’s results typically influence broader tech stock movements.

Thursday brings the release of September’s jobs report, delayed due to the recent government shutdown. This will be the first official government snapshot of the labor market available to investors. Federal Reserve officials adopted a more cautious tone last week, raising questions about potential rate cuts next month.

Last week saw volatile trading across major indexes. The Nasdaq Composite finished lower as major tech companies including Alphabet, Amazon, Broadcom and Meta lost ground. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones managed small gains but both experienced sharp pullbacks on Thursday.

Retail earnings will also provide insight into consumer spending this week. Walmart leads a group of retailers reporting results including Home Depot, Target, Lowe’s and Gap.

Crypto Market Faces Pressure

The cryptocurrency market experienced severe pressure in recent weeks. Bitcoin fell 30% from its record high above $126,000 to below $94,000 in just over a month. The decline wiped out gains accumulated earlier in the year following the Trump administration’s friendlier stance toward crypto.

Trading conditions became difficult across the crypto market. Liquidations exceeded $900 million in the past 24 hours alone. Nearly 250,000 traders were impacted by these forced position closures.

Bitcoin currently tests resistance levels NEAR $52,000. Technical indicators suggest potential for upward movement with the relative strength index showing room for gains. On-chain data reveals increased holder conviction and rising active addresses.

Ethereum maintains relative strength with notable inflows into exchange-traded funds. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap shows resilience despite broader market weakness.

Regulatory Progress Continues

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is advancing its “Project Crypto” initiative. The program aims to establish a comprehensive regulatory framework for crypto assets. Proposals include a token taxonomy and potential regulatory SAFE harbors.

The SEC expects to release formal proposals in 2026. These rules WOULD provide clearer legal certainty for market participants. The UK is also moving forward with draft legislation to integrate crypto regulations into existing financial services laws.

Institutional participation in crypto markets continues to grow. Hedge funds and corporate investors are expanding exposure beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum. Many institutions now hold diversified digital assets including ETFs, stablecoins and tokenized securities.

Research shows 73% of institutions cite higher return potential as their primary reason for increasing crypto allocations. Some forecasts predict institutional crypto holdings could double to comprise 16% of portfolios within three years. These inflows are expected to improve market liquidity and reduce volatility over time.

The hawkish Federal Reserve policy stance affects both traditional and digital assets. Risk assets globally face recalibration as the central bank maintains its current approach.