Finance

Government bond yields eased slightly but remained near multi-decade highs, continuing to assert pressure on corporate borrowing and equity market valuations. The 10-year Treasury yield hovered around 5.11% following weeks of robust economic reports. Market participants remain highly sensitive to incoming data, as strong economic activity continues to reinforce expectations for further Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.

Shares of Akamai Technologies jumped over 3% on Friday following the announcement of an $11.6 billion deal with artificial intelligence firm Anthropic. The market reaction underscores a continuing trend where investor enthusiasm remains heavily concentrated in enterprise growth and artificial intelligence infrastructure. Major tech stocks continue to lead broader indices, showing relative resilience to elevated interest rates compared to less profitable sectors.

In digital asset markets, Bitcoin traded steadily near $83,915, reflecting a mild pullback of roughly 0.5% on the day but holding onto substantial recent gains. The broader cryptocurrency market has maintained an upbeat posture, with major assets consolidating at high valuation tiers as investors look past regulatory shifts and macroeconomic pressures.