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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 Wednesday's session as stocks closed down amid concerns over a banking crisis and ahead of next week's Fed meeting.
Caleb Silver, editor-in-chief of Investopedia, joined Cheddar News to explain the risks in the banking sector after the recent turmoil with Silicon Valley Bank and the news that Credit Suisse's biggest backer said it wouldn't provide further financial help.
T-Mobile has entered into an agreement to acquire the parent company of Mint Mobile, a direct-to-consumer prepaid wireless company partially owned by actor Ryan Reynolds.
Mortgage applications jumped 6.5 percent from a week ago, according to a weekly survey from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), even as they remain well below their pace a year ago.
Ed Egilinsky, Managing Director, Head of Sales and Distribution & Alternatives at Direxion, joins Cheddar News to discuss trading bank volatility, how traders can navigate the race in the A.I. space, and how traders are reacting to the most recent economic data.
