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Dow retreats 200 points amid Walmart earnings miss

by admin August 21, 2025

The Dow Jones Industrial Average wavered on Thursday as investors reacted to retail giant Walmart’s quarterly miss, with stocks opening lower as Wall Street turned its attention to the Federal Reserve’s key symposium at Jackson Hole.

Summary

Dow fell 200 points and S&P 500 and Nasdaq shed gains amid stocks retreat.
Walmart shares dipped after the company’s earnings report.
Investors are eyeing the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 200 points at open, leading the pullback after bouncing to a record high on Wednesday. As the blue-chip index flipped lower, the benchmark S&P 500 shed 0.3% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite trimmed 0.3%.

Stocks dip amid Walmart earnings miss

While the bloodbath for mega-cap tech stocks cooled, a dip in Walmart (WMT) shares after the retail giant missed quarterly profit forecasts pulled the Dow lower. Walmart, however, raised its full-year sales and profit outlook.

Meanwhile, shorts have taken a rare edge in the stock market since the rally began in May, with sentiment down after sellers scored big on the sharp sell-off in tech stocks.

Analysts have pointed to Palantir Technologies’ streak of six losing sessions as a slide that has erased tens of billions in market value. Although the company’s stock ticked higher on Aug. 21, it remains more than 17% down from its Aug. 12 peak.

Bearish momentum across risk assets has also weighed on cryptocurrencies, with Bitcoin down over 4% in the past week to hover near $113k. Despite the dip, Coinbase founder and CEO Brian Armstrong has predicted BTC could reach $1 million by 2030.

Jackson Hole in focus

As stocks struggle and investors retreat from risk-on assets, all eyes are firmly on this week’s key event, the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium. The gathering of policymakers and economists has the market focused not only on what Fed Chair Jerome Powell will say on Friday morning, but also on what his remarks signal about the future of interest rates.

That focus has sharpened after the Fed’s July minutes revealed the central bank is more concerned with sticky inflation than with weakness in the labor market.

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August 21, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

Top XRP Contributor Points to ‘Dangerous’ Bitcoin Centralization

by admin August 18, 2025

Eight blocks in a row from Foundry USA will not break BTC, but it did crack open the same old question that never quite goes away: how much control a few big players can exert over the chain at any given moment, and what that means when the design itself allows the past to be rewritten under the right conditions.

That is the issue Vet, an XRPL validator and xrpcafe cofounder, wanted to make a blunt point: Nakamoto-style systems, whether proof-of-work or mostly proof-of-stake, tolerate chain reorganizations by design.

XRP or Bitcoin?

Together, it is very much a snapshot of 2025: Bitcoin commands roughly 59% dominance of the market, and centralization nerves flare whenever a pool has a night like this, while XRPL backers try to sell “different, not just faster or cheaper” — finality you cannot rewind, assets that do not vanish behind someone’s API.

Dow Jones up 500 points on Iran-Israel ceasefire, Powell to wait with rate cuts

by admin June 25, 2025

U.S. stocks are up as lowering tensions in the Middle East create more positive, risk-on sentiment.

Major U.S. stock indices rose after the announced ceasefire between Israel and Iran. On Tuesday, June 24, Dow Jones was up 470 points or 1.1%, reclaiming its levels before the 12-day war started. At the same time, the S&P 500 was up 1.05%, and the tech-focused Nasdaq was up 1.43%.

Dow Jones Industrial Average heatmap | Source: TipRanks

Driving the markets were hopes that the conflict between Iran and Israel would cease for now. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two countries. Moreover, he pressured Israel to stop its attacks against Iran, which promised hope for an end to the war.

The escalation of a broader conflict threatened the global oil economy. This was particularly true after the U.S. got directly involved with its own strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. After these strikes, Iran even threatened to push the price of oil to its historic levels by closing the Strait of Hormuz.

The price of crude oil dropped back down to $64 per barrel, down 5.33% in just one day. Crude oil traded near $75 at the height of the crisis, the highest price since January this year. Lower oil prices are good news for the global macro outlook as they could lead to cooling inflation.

Fed can afford to wait with rate cuts: Powell

With de-escalating tensions in the Middle East, focus is once again on the Federal Reserve and interest rates. In his testimony before Congress, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said that the Fed will wait for more information before making changes to the interest rates.

In particular, Powell is concerned by the potential effects of Trump’s tariffs, which could both push inflation up and lower growth. What is more, effects on inflation could be either short-lived or persistent, which would require a different response.

In any case, Powell stated that rate cuts could come sooner if inflation stays low or if the unemployment rate picks up.

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June 25, 2025 0 comments

Dow drops 115 points as S&P 500’s six-day rally ends

Crypto Trends

Dow Jones up 200 points despite Iran’s soft retaliation

by admin June 24, 2025

U.S. stocks have shown gains as Iran’s attack on a U.S. airbase in Qatar produced no casualties. Still, tensions threaten to escalate.

Major U.S. stock indices saw small gains despite the U.S. entry into Israel’s war with Iran. On Monday, June 23, Dow Jones was up 270 points or 39.98%, while the S&P 500 was up 0.69%. Tech-heavy Nasdaq was up 0.78%, boosted by growth stocks, while oil prices dropped 5%.

Nasdaq 100 heatmap | Source: TipRanks

The timing of the three U.S. strikes on major Iranian nuclear facilities, which happened when the markets were closed, may have muted a reaction. Oil also traded only slightly higher, despite fears that Iran may resort to drastic measures. This included the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil artery.

Still, traders braced for Iran’s response, and on June 23, the Iranian military reported that they had already launched a strike on the U.S. military base in Qatar. Qatar’s foreign ministry confirmed, but added that there were no casualties, as the U.S. evacuated its planes and personnel days ago.

Trump declares victory, threatens regime change

U.S. officials have already threatened severe consequences if Iran chooses to retaliate. Trump even talked about regime change, suggesting that Iranian Ayatollahs could be replaced with a democratic government.

Still, it is not yet clear whether or not the U.S. is committed to a full-fledged war with Iran. The effectiveness of the U.S. strikes on Iran, which President Donald Trump called a “spectacular military success,” still has to be assessed. Independent agencies saw no signs of elevated radiation.

The questionable effectiveness of the U.S. strikes, as well as Iran’s careful response, suggests that tensions may be de-escalating. For this reason, growth stocks were up, with Tesla gaining almost 10% after launching its Robotaxi service.

Still, the launch was not without its problems, with numerous riders reporting speeding and traffic law violations.

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June 24, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Bitcoin Bull Market Intact As Key On-Chain Metric Points To Fresh Rally Potential

by admin June 20, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

Bearish pressure still lingers within the crypto sector following recent unfavorable macroeconomic conditions, and Bitcoin has fallen sharply, with its price now hovering near the $104,000 level. The bearish tension may be growing, but key on-chain metrics show that the current bull market phase is likely to continue.

Bullish Outlook For Bitcoin Endures

Bitcoin’s strong upward move, triggering a bull market phase, has stalled after hitting a new all-time high. However, the pullback does not imply that the ongoing bull market has ended, as on-chain signals point to sustained strength.

In a recent research shared on X, Alphractal, an advanced on-chain data analytics platform, has outlined a key trend that hints at a potential for a fresh rally. “Bitcoin On-Chain Analysis Still Allows Room for a New Rally,” the platform stated.

Such a trend, which is believed to be a trustworthy indicator of market maturity, indicates that Bitcoin has more room to rise and might lead to a new surge in the coming weeks.

Alphractal’s research is solely centered on the Bitcoin On-Chain CapFlow Sentiment Index. Specifically, the key metric uses a mix of momentum and stochastic indicators with several on-chain oscillators to assess BTC’s realized capitalization.

So far, the index has shown promise in pinpointing areas where the momentum of coin flow on the network begins to lose strength, indicating distribution by smart hands. According to the on-chain platform, the same is true during periods of accumulation, which frequently align with local bottoms.

BTC bull market remains strong | Source: Alphractal on X

Presently, Alphractal revealed the sentiment index is hinting at a new distribution phase as it continues to grow. When this stage is achieved, the current bull cycle is expected to come to an end, and Bitcoin will be at its most extreme level.

The platform has recollected its take on October 2025 being a critical month for Bitcoin, where fractal analysis, on-chain data, and technical metrics all suggest a possible market exit opportunity. This implies that October appears to be a good contender for the cycle peak, even if Bitcoin rallies or plummets in the days ahead.

Alphractal claims that this approach is still relevant until the analysis offers a different perspective. However, in the meantime, BTC’s bull market is still strong, and a new rally could still happen.

A Major Surge To Unprecedented Levels

While on-chain data signals the continuation of the bull market, crypto analysts like Trader Tardigrade have predicted a massive surge to unprecedented levels. Trader Tardigrade’s forecast is based on a crucial price trend known as the Power of 3.

After examining the 1-week chart, the seasoned expert revealed that BTC has entered a distribution phase that would trigger a notable upswing. If the ongoing distribution phase has a 5-wave structure, wave 1 and wave may be completed. According to the expert, the most aggressive wave is coming, and BTC may run to the top in wave 5, which is positioned at the $200,000 mark.

BTC trading at $105,765 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

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June 20, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Rainbow Six Siege is more popular and better than ever. That’s one point for ‘make something actually unique and stick with it,’ zero points for ‘give up and lay everyone off’

by admin June 17, 2025

Rainbow Six Siege is having a moment. The tactical FPS is one week into a major update that introduced a new name (Siege X), a wild 6v6 mode, modernized maps, and most consequential of all, a new price point: After holding out for 10 years, Siege is finally free-to-play.

Siege X is now more popular than ever, sustaining the kind of top-five Steam numbers that it used to only reach during free weekends. That boggles my mind, because to me, Siege has always felt like a game that’s just a handful of disasters away from collapse.

When I burnt out in 2020, those disasters were around every corner: forgettable operators, terrible battle passes, unpopular balance choices, and disruptive bugs introduced faster than Ubi could fix them. I can think of no other game that, even in its darkest moments, was forced to repeatedly disable entire characters because of game-breaking exploits. I remember players wondering at the time if Valorant, with its Siege-inspired abilities, would deal a fatal blow.

But Siege persisted. It’s a testament to its uniqueness that folks stuck around—Siege’s secret sauce is that there is no “other” Siege to match its combination of competitive lethality, operator counterplay, and granular destruction. I believe that uniqueness can also explain some of its big missteps over the years.

When I think about how different Siege was back in 2016, and how differently we played it, it’s clear to me that Ubisoft and the community were figuring out what this game was together. Ubisoft’s funky premise of asymmetrical teams of attackers with grapple hooks and defenders who aren’t supposed to go outside spawned a dictionary’s worth of techniques that only exist in Siege: runouts, vertical play, murder holes, rotation holes, bandit tricking, hard breaching, soft breaching, intel denial, droning.

Above: In Dual Front, defenders aren’t spotted for going outside, a fact some players are still getting used to.

It took time, experience, multiple leadership regimes, and a lot of mistakes for Siege to become the best (so far) version of itself. The big vibe shift came a few years ago, when Ubi officially slowed down on new maps and operators and instead focused on reworking existing systems, an initiative that has resulted in my favorite changes to Siege since launch, like attacker repick, attachments 2.0, operator reworks, a shooting range, match replay, and the secondary hard breach gadget.

Siege X is the culmination of Ubisoft slowly learning how to care for Siege. It’s a mature update, targeting fundamental features and improvements that have been a long time coming:

Rebuilt audio: Sound now travels realistically down hallways and through walls with believable reverb. It sounds better, but it’s also more accurate and consistent.
Modernized maps: Five popular maps got a graphical pass with new 4K assets, moody new lighting, and “destructible ingredients” that change how they’re played. Gas pipes can explode to kill players or deny areas. Fire extinguishers create smoke clouds.
Communication wheel: Better late than never, Siege finally has Apex-style contextual pings, so I can now point at a wall and ask teammates to reinforce it, or ping a hallway and declare it “all clear.”
Clash rework: The latest of a series of reworks that are so substantial that this is basically a new operator. Clash can now place her shield on the ground, creating a piece of cover for herself that also slows enemies with a shock.
Advanced rappel: Now you “sprint” on a wall and steer around corners while rappelling, a small movement change that saves so much time.
Pick & Ban 2.0: Instead of banning four operators at the start of the match, teams now ban one each round, speeding things along and encouraging teams to ban reactively based on the previous round. So, so much better.
Enemy outlines: Long ago, Siege made all its maps bright and flat-looking so players couldn’t hide in dark corners. Now that the good lighting is back, enemies now have the slightest red outline so they stand out in darkness. Sounds blasphemous for Siege, but it’s inoffensive so far.
First-person shadows: See your shadow? So can the enemy team!

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

There was a time when I would read a list of changes like that and think, “OK, but where are the two new operators and one new map that we used to get every three months?” But now I’m a bit older, busier, and aware that Siege has more than enough stuff. Maybe 73 operators’ worth of gadget interactions is as much as my brain can hold, and 27 multi-story complexes is more map than I’ll ever hope to master.

I like to think we’re entering Siege’s best years—seasoned gunplay, strong maps, impactful operators, less obtrusive (but still present) bugs, and a confidence in its identity so strong that it can take major swings like a 6v6 mode.

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June 17, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Caitlin Clark’s 32 points help Fever hand Liberty first loss

by admin June 15, 2025

Michael VoepelJun 14, 2025, 06:22 PM ET
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INDIANAPOLIS — Caitlin Clark isn’t sure how many consecutive 3-pointers she has ever made in a game, but she did recall 12 was the most. That was in high school in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Saturday, against the WNBA’s top team, the New York Liberty, she drained three in a row and seven total to lead the Indiana Fever to a 102-88 victory, handing the defending champions their first loss this season.

Clark had a spectacular return to the Fever after missing five games with a left quad injury. She totaled 32 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds, accounting for 54 of Indiana’s points through her scoring and passing.

Clark’s presence makes the Fever a different team. On Tuesday, they lost 77-58 at Atlanta, their season low in points. Saturday was their season high. The victory avenged a 90-88 loss to the Liberty on May 24, the last game Clark had played before being forced to sit out for the first time in her college or WNBA careers.

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“Don’t we always expect that kind of game from Caitlin?” Indiana coach Stephanie White said, smiling. “I knew her adrenaline was going to be high to start. She’s been itching to get back out there. [Her scoring] carried us in the first half, and then everybody else carried us in the second half. Her decision-making was outstanding; she did a really good job of getting everybody involved, and that’s what she does.”

Clark had 25 points at halftime. She had a stretch in the first quarter where she drained three straight triples and brought the Gainbridge Fieldhouse sellout crowd of 17,274 to its feet. She hit the first — a 33-footer — with 1:26 left in the quarter. She nailed a 27-footer 21 seconds later. Then came a 31-footer 22 seconds after that.

“I saw three in a row go in, so that gives you a lot of confidence,” Clark said. “Even in the second half, they all came off my hand feeling really good.”

Clark, who played 31 minutes, 18 seconds, said other than being a little winded a few times, she felt fine.

“My legs felt really strong, I felt in good shape,” she said. “A lot of that is credit to our medical team. They have kept me in shape. Now for me, it’s just how I recover, especially with the schedule that we have coming up.”

The Fever are at home against Connecticut on Tuesday, their final game in the Commissioner’s Cup standings, where they are tied with New York at 3-1. Between Thursday and June 27, they play five times, four of those on the road. That includes their first West Coast trip of the season, as they play at Golden State, Las Vegas and Seattle.

With Clark and guard Sophie Cunningham (ankle) back, the Fever look ready to take on the rest of the league. Admittedly, New York wasn’t at full strength since 2024 Finals MVP Jonquel Jones (ankle) and fellow post player Leonie Fiebich (overseas commitment for Germany for EuroBasket competition) were out Saturday.

That impacted how the Liberty had to play, and by the fourth quarter it had taken a toll. Guard Sabrina Ionescu led New York with 34 points while forward Breanna Stewart had 24. Stewart also had the most success of any Liberty defender in guarding Clark, holding her to just three points on 1-of-5 shooting. Clark got 29 points on 10-of-15 shooting against six other defenders.

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“Credit to Indiana, I thought they did a really good job here,” Liberty coach Sandy Brondello said. “We had our moments … we had that run where Stewie was guarding Caitlin Clark. But then they executed well, and we had so many breakdowns in defense. They made shots, they really punished us at that end making 17 3s.”

Indiana’s Kelsey Mitchell (22 points) and Lexie Hull (14) each had three 3-pointers. Cunningham, who had started the season sidelined by an ankle injury, played four games and then hurt the ankle again, had five points but did her job defensively and finished at plus-31, the best plus/minus on either side.

The Fever also got 10 points from reserve guard Sydney Colson as the Liberty held Indiana’s starting posts, Aliyah Boston and Natasha Howard, to a combined 14 points. But Clark said the Fever understood what New York was trying to take away inside, which is why they focused so much on perimeter offense.

“That’s kind of what they gave up — they were going to let us shoot 3s,” Clark said. “When we came off of ball screens, they weren’t giving up the pocket as much. So we really took advantage of what they were giving us. That’s what you have to do when you play really good teams.”

The Liberty (9-1) and Minnesota Lynx, last year’s WNBA Finals teams, lost their first games of 2025 this week; Minnesota fell at Seattle on Wednesday. The Lynx bounced back with a 101-78 win over Los Angeles on Saturday. New York will try to do the same Tuesday vs. Atlanta.

For Indiana (5-5), it was a needed confidence boost to beat the Liberty, especially after having gone 2-3 with Clark sidelined. Even without DeWanna Bonner, who missed Saturday’s game for personal reasons, the Fever had the depth and composure to beat New York.

“Emotionally, it’s a relief, it’s a lift,” White said. “The biggest thing is this team is resilient. It hasn’t been easy, and it’s not going to be. Winning is hard. You’ve got to go through the ups and downs, the ebbs and flows. This group, they stay together. They draw strength from one another, I draw strength from them. Every single day we take one step forward together, we’re building trust.”

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June 15, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Dow Jones down 500 points on escalating Israel

by admin June 13, 2025

U.S. stocks are down as the deadly Israeli strike against Iran ignites fears of a regional war in the Middle East.

Major U.S. stock indices fell Friday, June 13, as fears of a regional war fueled risk-off sentiment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 525.80 points, or 1.22%, with nearly all major stocks trading in the red. The S&P 500 slipped 0.54%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq was down 100 points, or 0.53%.

Dow Jones Industrial Average heatmap | Source: TipRanks

Markets are rattled by the potential economic fallout of escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel carried out a series of deadly attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. The Israeli government claimed Iran’s nuclear program poses an existential threat, while Iran vowed to deliver a “legitimate and powerful response.”

Altcoins hit hard by global tensions

The escalating conflict is causing traders to rethink exposure to high-growth and high-risk assets like tech stocks. Notably, Nvidia fell 1.5%, and Apple declined 1% following the attacks. Simultaneously, investors rotated into traditional safe havens such as gold and the dollar.

Consequently, crypto was among the most affected asset classes by Middle East tensions. The overall crypto market cap was down 2.7%, while Bitcoin (BTC) was down 2.19%, falling to $105k. Major altcoins like Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) were hit even harder, dropping 7.1% and 7.45% respectively.

Fears of a war between Iran and Israel contributed to surging oil prices. Crude oil was up 14% at one point, to a high of $79 per barrel. Iran sits at the Persian Gulf, a critical region for global oil production, close to some of the world’s largest oil producers.

Rising oil prices are also fueling renewed inflation fears. This comes at a time when U.S. tariffs on major trading partners are expected to add additional inflationary pressure. The growing uncertainty may reduce the likelihood of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, a negative signal for both tech and crypto markets.

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June 13, 2025 0 comments

US markets close green as Trump tariff drama muddies outlook

GameFi Guides

Dow Jones gains 105 points as U.S.-China trade talks continue in London

by admin June 10, 2025

U.S. stocks held steady Tuesday as a second day of trade talks between the U.S. and China got underway in London.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.25%, or 105.11 points whille the S&P 500 gained 0.55%. The Nasdaq index outperformed with a 0.63% gain and is now approximately 285 points away from reclaiming the 20,000 leve.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick described U.S. – China trade negotiations as going “really, really well,” suggesting a resolution may be close. Export controls remain central to discussions. U.S. officials are seeking Beijing’s release of rare earth materials, while China is pressing for eased access to American semiconductors.

Still, the mood was cautious on Wall Street, where investors are watching closely for signs of a breakthrough. Chinese markets, meanwhile, showed renewed volatility, with a sudden dip in equities early Tuesday reflecting investor nerves.

Markets have been sensitive to signals from the talks. Despite optimism from officials, President Trump warned Monday that “China’s not easy,” tempering expectations.

U.S. small-business sentiment

On the economic front, a survey from the National Federation of Independent Business showed a modest rebound in U.S. small-business sentiment in May, the first uptick since September.

The improvement was linked to easing tariff concerns and anticipation around Trump’s tax-and-spending bill, though some firms remained wary about the broader outlook.

The World Bank, however, lowered its U.S. growth forecast to 1.4% for 2025, citing ongoing trade uncertainty.

Elsewhere, Blackstone announced plans to invest up to $500 billion in Europe over the next decade, citing expectations of accelerating growth in the region.

Investors are also bracing for Wednesday’s release of the May Consumer Price Index report, which could reshape expectations for inflation and future Fed policy. Analysts anticipate an uptick in price pressures.

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June 10, 2025 0 comments

Dow drops 245 points as Fed minutes spooks Wall Street

NFT Gaming

Dow Jones jumps 443 points on strong labor data

by admin June 7, 2025

Wall Street finished ended the week on a strong note as a better-than-expected U.S. jobs report boosted investor confidence.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 443 points (1.05%) to lead Friday’s gains among major indices.The S&P 500 advanced 1.03%, closing above the 6,000 level for the first time since February. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 1.2%, dsriven by a rebound in major tech stocks.

The S&P 500 and Dow are both up over 1% for the week, while the Nasdaq gained more than 2%.

The U.S. economy added 139,000 jobs in May, beating estimates of 125,000, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2% while wage growth came in slightly better than expected. It is reasonable to conclude we are facing a resilient labor market despite tariff and trade uncertainty, and political turmoil at the White House.

Trump vs. Powell on rates

Despite the strong data, President Donald Trump renewed his call for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by a full percentage point, labeling Fed Chair Jerome Powell a drag on the economy. Trump may not get what he wants as the markets are currently pricing in no chance of a cut at the June meeting. Meanwhile, the odds of a September cut dipped from 74% to 62% after Friday’s report.

Meanwhile, Trump announced U.S.-China trade talks will resume in London next week and it will be led by the President’s point man, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Next week’s trading action will be dictated by inflation data and the Fed’s June policy meeting.

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June 7, 2025 0 comments