(Photo Illustration by Filip Radwanski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
The price of bitcoin fell 48 percent in two days and lost 30 percent of its value this week, moving in tandem with risk assets and challenging the narrative that bitcoin acts as a safe haven asset in times of political and economic uncertainty.
Bitcoin is currently trading at $5,364, about 40 percent up from a low of $3,858 late Thursday night – the lowest since May 2019. Bitcoin has historically demonstrated strong recoveries from similarly violent sell-offs.
Crypto exchanges briefly went offline early Friday morning, and the New York State Department of Financial Services is requiring licensed crypto firms to produce coronavirus contingency plans.
On Thursday afternoon, between President Trump's speech about travel restrictions and before Christine Lagarde's speech in which she refused to cut rates, the crypto markets fell 20 to 30 percent in the span of an hour in one of bitcoin's sharpest ever selloffs. Gold, platinum, palladium, gasoline, and sugar plummeted around the same time.
"The latest market meltdown centers around liquidity (or lack thereof) as investors sell whatever they can to minimize additional losses or cover their positions," Kevin Kelly, lead analyst at Delphi Digital, said in an investor note Thursday. "The old adage 'cash is king' rings truer than ever at times like this as markets crater and hysteria takes hold. Beware fakeout rallies and false bottoms as they've claimed more careers than they've made."
Melissa Armo, founder and owner of The Stock Swoosh, joined Cheddar News to discuss this week's markets which were little changed in trading as investors digested the latest corporate earnings results as concerns over a coming recession grow.
Peter Krull, a partner and director of sustainable investing at Prime Capital Investment Advisors company Earth Equity Advisors, joined Cheddar News to give some tips on green investments.
Investment in space was down 53% over the first three months of the year, according to a report from investment fund Space Capital. Chad Anderson, founder and managing partners of Space Capital, joined Cheddar News to discuss the funding downturn that's hit the lowest level in 14 quarters for the space industry.
The Week's Top Stories is a guided tour through the biggest market stories of the week, from winning stocks to brutal dips to the facts and forecasts generating buzz on Wall Street.
Pulitzer Prize winning digital media outlet BuzzFeed News is being shut down as part of a cost-cutting drive by its corporate parent that’s shedding about 15% of its entire staff, adding to layoffs made earlier this year.
Belgian customs have destroyed more than 2,000 cans of Miller High Life, advertised as the ″Champagne of Beers,” at the request of houses and growers of the bubbly beverage.
Stocks remained listless in afternoon trading Friday, as Wall Street closed out a quiet week highlighted by a batch of mostly mixed corporate earnings reports.
