The U.S. stock market ended the week on a mixed note as investor sentiment remained cautious ahead of scheduled trade discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials in Switzerland over the weekend.

Stock Market Performance

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite inched up marginally by 0.0043%. The S&P 500 remained relatively flat, slipping slightly by 0.07%. This trading activity followed the announcement of a preliminary U.S.-U.K. trade agreement. However, concerns over tariffs continued to unsettle markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently suggested an “80% Tariff on China” via social media. While this proposal is lower than the current 145% tariff, it still exceeds earlier expectations of under 60%, adding to market uncertainty.

“Progress this week was encouraging, but we remain in the ebbs and flows of the news cycle,” said Mark Hackett of Nationwide. “We are likely in a sideways period of volatility until we begin to get tangible outcomes.”

Bitcoin’s Performance and Institutional Inflows

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin surged past $104,000 on Friday morning, propelled by robust institutional inflows and strong ETF performance. Spot Bitcoin ETFs achieved a new lifetime high in cumulative flows, reaching $40.33 billion, according to recent data. However, the largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization lost some of its momentum later in the day, trading at approximately $103,000 after Wall Street’s closing bell.

Key Drivers Behind Bitcoin’s Surge:

  • Increased institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies.
  • Positive performance of Bitcoin-related ETFs.
  • Growing investor confidence in digital assets.

Corporate Earnings Update

On the corporate front, Wells Fargo reported that only 13 companies have withdrawn their earnings guidance this quarter, which is fewer than anticipated. This trend has been described as a “positive surprise” by analysts. Notable companies such as Ford, Delta, and Snap were among those revising their forecasts.

As markets continue to navigate economic uncertainties, both traditional assets and cryptocurrencies remain under close scrutiny. Investors are advised to stay informed and consider portfolio diversification to mitigate risks in this evolving landscape.

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