Global markets drifted through a quiet session on Thursday as Wall Street remained shut for Thanksgiving, leaving cryptocurrencies as the day's main source of price action.
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) rose 1.1% to $91,500 by midday in New York, aiming for a fourth gain in five sessions as it battles to recover from a weeks-long slide that pushed prices as low as $80,000. Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) slipped 0.3% to $3,000 after five straight days of gains, while Solana (CRYPTO: SOL) dipped 0.7% to $141.9.
Still, Bitcoin is down nearly 17% this month—its worst performance since February—while Ethereum has shed more than 20%.
In Europe, equities saw modest profit-taking. The STOXX 50 slipped 0.2% and the STOXX 600 edged down 0.1%, cooling after three straight sessions of gains, including a solid push higher on Wednesday.
Puma SE (OTCPK: PUMSY) was the big outlier, jumping more than 18% following reports that China's Anta Sports is exploring a possible takeover of the German sportswear group.
Fresh minutes from the European Central Bank suggested policymakers are comfortable with the current policy stance, pointing to firm economic conditions and inflation gradually aligning with target—factors that support expectations for steady rates.
Geopolitics remained in focus as U.S. envoy Richard Witkoff is set to visit Moscow next week for discussions tied to Washington's proposal for a Russia-Ukraine peace framework. On Thursday, President Vladimir Putin said Russia is open to serious negotiations and that President Donald Trump's plan could serve as the basis for future talks.
In Asia, Japan's Nikkei rose another 1%, helped by optimism over additional government stimulus. Brazil was the day's standout performer. The IBOVESPA climbed 1.7% to a new record, extending its winning streak to a fourth month and pushing year-to-date gains to 32%.
The iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSE:EWZ)—boosted further by the stronger real—has surged 47% over the same period.
On the currency front, the euro held near $1.16, while the British pound steadied at $1.3240 after a multi-day climb. The South Korean won led the day's movers with a 0.6% rise, followed by the New Zealand dollar at 0.5%.
Thursday’s Performance In Major Crypto Markets
| Crypto | Symbol | Last | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitcoin | BTCUSD | 91,528.03 | 1.12% |
| Ethereum | ETHUSD | 3,020.19 | -0.27% |
| Ripple (CRYPTO: XRP) | XRPUSD | 2.2088 | -0.64% |
| Solana | SOLUSD | 142.06 | -0.71% |
| Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) | DOGEUSD | 0.1527 | -1.36% |
| Cardano (CRYPTO: ADA) | ADAUSD | 0.431 | -1.15% |
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