Finance

Nvidia sparked optimism in the technology sector by announcing a historic $150 billion share repurchase program alongside the launch of its new artificial intelligence safety platform. The massive buyback provided a lift to the stock even as the broader equity market faced downward pressure from rising interest rates. The move underscores the company's strong capital position and the ongoing reliance of the major indexes on a small cluster of mega-cap tech stocks.

Bitcoin's price fluctuated around the $84,000 mark as macroeconomic risks and regional headwinds balanced out strong exchange-traded fund demand. Market participants monitored the aftermath of a major security breach at the Bitget exchange, which began a phased resumption of withdrawals after hackers compromised hundreds of millions in digital assets. Concurrently, regulatory actions drew attention as California's governor enacted a ban preventing public officials from launching meme coins.

Citigroup has partnered with Coinbase Global to allow its institutional clients to accept stablecoin payments from retail consumers. Coinbase will supply the underlying blockchain technology and automated conversion mechanisms to change the stablecoins into fiat currency before settlement. This strategic collaboration highlights a growing trend of traditional financial giants integrating digital asset infrastructure into real-world transaction networks.