Nvidia disappoints, bitcoin nears $100K

A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Ankur Banerjee

The prospect of slowing sales growth at AI juggernaut Nvidia and simmering worries over geopolitical tensions are keeping investors on edge but bitcoin keeps marching upward, undeterred, towards $100,000 on bets that Trump 2.0 will be crypto-friendly.

Futures indicate that European stock markets are set for a subdued open as investors digest Nvidia's NVDA projection of its slowest revenue growth in seven quarters. For investors used to the AI darling blowing past all estimates, the numbers proved disappointing.

The forecast will likely weigh on suppliers and the broader markets given Nvidia's place at the centre of all things AI, which has driven most of the market gains in recent months.

With few economic readings due during the European session, the region's tech stocks (.SX8P), which had already fallen to three-and-a-half-month lows this week, will likely weigh down the markets on Thursday.

Indian conglomerate Adani Group was in the spotlight after its chairman Gautam Adani was indicted in New York over his suspected role in a $265 million bribery scheme, according to U.S. prosecutors.

The fallout for the Adani empire, which was rocked by a short-seller attack in February 2023, was immediate, with shares in the conglomerate's listed companies tumbling between 10% and 20%. Its dollar bonds also fell.

In the currency markets, the dollar remained on the front foot, with the dollar index DXY hovering close to a one-year high touched last week.

The dollar has been on the rise since Donald Trump's decisive victory early this month as investors expect his proposed tariffs will likely be inflationary, keeping U.S. rates higher for longer.

The talk of the town though remains bitcoin BTCUSD, which is up about 40% in the two weeks since the election as investors expect the Trump administration to set friendlier regulations for the crypto sector.

The biggest cryptocurrency touched a record high of $97,798 in Asian hours, with $100,000 not far off.