Bitcoin and major stock markets started Monday in positive territory as China’s better-than-expected economic figures and falling oil prices helped restore appetite for riskier assets. Nasdaq futures advanced alongside Asian equities, reversing some of the previous week’s losses.
Bitcoin was trading near $83,000 in early European hours, up 1% since midnight UTC and 1.60% over the past 24 hours. Nasdaq futures rose more than 1%, while Japan’s Nikkei gained 1.8% and South Korea’s Kospi increased 0.6%. All three markets had faced pressure last week, particularly from a sell-off in artificial intelligence-related stocks.
Chinese equities added 0.3%, while gold remained steady at approximately $4,180. The U.S. Dollar Index held below 102, close to its Friday levels.
China’s economy grew 4.5% year over year in the third quarter, according to figures released Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics. The result exceeded the previous quarter’s 4.3% growth rate. Consumer spending data also showed signs of improvement, with retail sales rising 1.1%—more than twice the 0.5% increase analysts had expected and above the previous month’s 0.4% reading.
As the world’s second-largest economy and a major manufacturing and commodities-importing hub, China has a significant influence on global financial sentiment. Strong economic data can encourage investors to take on more risk, supporting assets such as stocks and cryptocurrencies.
The market rebound also aligns with the historical tendency of the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) to retreat after sharp Friday spikes. Such declines have often coincided with calmer conditions in equity markets.
Oil prices dropped in both U.S. and European trading, reversing some of the gains recorded last week. Reuters reported that the decline reflected expectations that a waiver granted by U.S. President Donald Trump related to Russia would increase available supply. Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East remain a source of uncertainty.
A prolonged decline in oil prices could help ease inflationary pressure and strengthen the case for Federal Reserve rate cuts. At the time of writing, markets expected the Fed to maintain its benchmark interest rate within the 4.75%–5% range this month, after raising it by 25 basis points last month.
