Headline: Markets Turn Risk-Off as Tech Wobbles and Bitcoin Slides Below $90K
A risk-off tone swept through global markets, with futures pointing lower and crypto under pressure. Investors are reassessing growth and valuation narratives heading into a pivotal week for big tech, while shifting rate expectations and supply chain headlines add to caution.
Equities opened on the back foot after a big-box home improvement retailer missed profit expectations, reinforcing concerns about consumer momentum. Tech shares led the retreat ahead of a major chipmaker’s earnings, with fresh downgrades for Microsoft and Amazon reflecting doubts about near-term returns from generative AI and stretched valuations. Traders flagged a potential 1.5% pre-market dip in megacaps, while the probability of additional Federal Reserve rate cuts appeared to narrow—undercutting risk appetite even as earlier cuts have already started to pull down deposit yields.
In digital assets, Bitcoin extended its pullback, sliding below $90,000 and surrendering gains for the year. The token is now roughly 30% off its all-time high and trading below the 2025 “realized price,” leaving the average buyer facing an estimated double-digit loss. Options positioning has shifted defensively, with notable interest around the $80,000 strike, as macro uncertainty and tighter liquidity feed volatility across cryptocurrencies.
Beyond markets, the AI rollout faces a stark trust gap: U.S. sentiment remains divided while China shows stronger net acceptance, highlighting uneven adoption risks for enterprise AI spending. Industrial supply chains are also back in focus after production disruptions at several manufacturing sites tied to chip trade frictions. Meanwhile, high-yield savings rates have slipped below 4.3% APY following recent Fed moves, while traditional accounts hover near 0.40%—a reminder for consumers to shop aggressively for yield as the rate cycle evolves.
Key Points: – Stock futures soften as profit miss in home improvement retail and tech weakness weigh on sentiment – Microsoft and Amazon downgraded on concerns over near-term gen-AI economics and stretched valuations – Bitcoin falls below $90,000, roughly 30% off its peak; options bets cluster around $80,000 – Odds of additional Fed rate cuts appear lower, pressuring risk assets even as deposit rates drift down – AI adoption shows a sharp trust divide between the U.S. and China, with job concerns persisting – Supply chain risks re-emerge amid chip-related trade disputes; high-yield savings slip under 4.3% APY
Last updated on November 18th, 2025 at 01:46 pm
