Finance

Crude oil futures and long-dated Treasury yields moved lower at the end of the week, easing intense pressure on the broader financial markets. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield settled slightly below 5.25% after touching its highest level in 24 years earlier in the week. Simultaneously, West Texas Intermediate and Brent crude futures edged down following recent geopolitical escalations in the Middle East and new global supply arrangements.

Digital assets saw steadier trading conditions as Bitcoin hovered around the $82,300 mark, moving past a mid-week drop that wiped out roughly $88 billion from the total crypto market capitalization. The prior downturn was heavily amplified by over $700 million in leveraged long liquidations over a 24-hour period. Despite the recent stabilization, digital assets continue to face underlying hurdles from restrictive macroeconomic policies and a reduction in spot ETF inflows.

A preliminary report from the University of Michigan revealed that consumer sentiment is dropping significantly, particularly among lower-income individuals. Domestic consumers raised their short-term inflation expectations to 4.7%, up from 4.6% in the prior month. This growing anxiety reflects the mounting financial squeeze felt by Americans facing elevated living costs, creating a stark contrast against Wall Street's resilient equity performances.