Market Brief 22 April, 2025

Good evening, investor/trader! The markets are experiencing a volatile day, with the S&P 500 Index (GSPC) up by 2.4% to 5,276.55 and the Nasdaq 100 Index (NDX) up by 2.3% to 18,210.72. The recent surge in Bitcoin, fueled by Trump's criticism of the Federal Reserve and rising gold prices, has pushed the cryptocurrency past $90,000 for the first time in over a month. The IMF has lowered its global growth forecast for 2025 to 2.8% due to the ongoing trade war between the US and China. The new SEC Chair, Paul Atkins, has been sworn in, signaling a potential shift in the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies. The crypto industry contributed over $18 million to Trump's inauguration fund, with Ripple being one of the top donors.