Bitcoin Surges Above $90,000

Brazilian crypto exchange Mercado Bitcoin has released an update on its security incident, noting that affected assets are currently valued at around $36.3 million, with $12.9 million already frozen and related work ongoing. The platform and its mobile application remain suspended until security is confirmed to be restored. The company stated that customer assets are secure, with balances still recorded in individual accounts. Previously, the exchange had announced it had frozen $11 million in related assets.

According to Iran's Fars News Agency, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Baghaei stated that no new progress has been made in the negotiations. All parties continue to exchange information via mediators as before, while Iran has maintained its highest level of defensive readiness and preparedness to deliver a firm response to any act of aggression. Past experiences have left Iran unable to hold any optimism regarding the sincerity of U.S. diplomatic engagement.

According to CNN, while state legislative races may not have garnered the highest level of attention in this year's consequential U.S. midterm elections, strategists from both major parties agree that state legislatures in several key U.S. states are shifting politically in a direction favorable to the Democratic Party. In swing states including Arizona, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Democrats are poised to gain legislative seats. Currently, Republicans hold full or partial control of these states' legislatures. A shift in state legislature control could have major implications: it would not only alter policy directions in these states, but also impact future congressional redistricting and the political landscape of the 2028 presidential election. Sabato's Crystal Ball, the independent political analysis unit at the University of Virginia, recently adjusted election ratings for 10 state legislative districts to lean more favorable to the Democrats, citing a relatively unfavorable political environment for Republicans this year. Per data from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Republicans currently control bicameral state legislatures in 28 U.S. states, Democrats control 18, and three states are split between the two parties. Nebraska's legislature is classified as a nonpartisan body.

It is reported that Oracle (ORCL.N) will allocate 65% of its $10 billion stock offering to 10 investors.

The S&P 500 is just about 3% shy of its latest all-time high, yet roughly 60% of its constituent stocks have already fallen into bear market territory. Goldman Sachs trader Bobby Molavi noted this market dynamic is quite striking. He said the so-called "oddity" lies in the fact that the capital expenditures of tech giants that drive AI-related stock gains, and the companies receiving those investments, have both seen their stocks decline simultaneously. Molavi, Goldman Sachs’ head of execution services for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, wrote in a client note: “I don’t understand why both sides are being punished by the market, especially when the basic expectation remains that AI will change everything.” He described the current market landscape as a “stealth bear market.” A broad market rotation has taken place as investors pull out of AI-linked stocks over concerns about the sustainability of massive AI spending, with tech stocks suffering sharp losses in recent weeks. On the flip side, the majority of S&P 500 constituents have still posted gains over the past month, as capital flows out of crowded trading spaces into defensive sectors and underallocated areas.

According to a report by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), a spokesperson for the Iranian delegation stated that no new agreement has been reached.