Over the weekend, Bitcoin trended upwards from $87K to $90K on Monday. On the other hand, Ethereum climbed back above $3,000 over the last 24 hours. Altcoins like XRP, Dogecoin, and Solana outperformed slightly over the weekend.
CoinMarketCap’s Crypto Fear and Greed Index currently stands at 30, revealing investor caution amid recent price pressures as a hoped-for “Santa rally” failed to materialize last week.
What Traders Should Watch Out for this Week
U.S. stock markets ended 2025 on a strong note, with the S&P 500 near record levels as the year closed.
Last week, U.S. GDP growth for the third quarter of 2025 was announced at 4.3%, a two-year high. While President Trump boasted about the news, some analysts fretted that the economy could be overheating and inflation could see a resurgence, causing markets to dip.
As we head into the new year, the Federal Reserve’s Meeting Minutes from December’s meeting are due to be released this week, and they may offer more guidance for 2026.
Also, this week traders are watching key economic releases for 2026 monetary policy clues:
- Dec 29: Pending home sales
- Dec 30: S&P Case-Shiller home price index (20 cities) and Chicago Business Barometer (PMI)
- Dec 31: Initial Jobless Claims
Additionally, Hong Kong lifted its 2025 growth outlook to 3.2%, highlighting regional momentum growth. Traders are also looking ahead to early Q1 economic releases for China, which may indicate a stimulus that could pump global markets and lift sentiment.
