The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed the 50,000 point threshold for the first time and closed on Friday at 50,115 points. This 2.5 percent increase was mainly driven by optimism about the U.S. economy, lower interest rates, and the strong performance of companies such as Goldman Sachs and Caterpillar. Some analysts predict that if economic expansion continues, the index could reach 70,000 points by the end of the decade.

Bitcoin has taken a downward trend after reaching a historic record in October 2025, losing more than 50% of its value. In the past 24 hours, approximately $2.1 billion in long (bullish) positions were liquidated. Additionally, a heavy outflow of capital from Bitcoin ETFs was reported at $434 million in one day. The announcement of a $12.4 billion loss by MicroStrategy (led by Michael Saylor) in the fourth quarter, due to the decline in the value of its Bitcoin holdings, has also had a negative psychological impact on the market.

In Japan’s snap parliamentary elections, indicators and opinion polls point to a major victory for Sanae Takaichi, the country’s prime minister, and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The ruling coalition is expected to secure a decisive majority or even two thirds of the parliamentary seats. If power is consolidated, Takaichi is expected to pursue expansive fiscal policies with a focus on investment in technologies such as artificial intelligence and to adopt firmer positions in the defense sector.

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating the legal framework for imposing tariffs on goods from countries that trade with Iran. However, these tariffs have not yet been applied immediately or automatically. Under this order, officials from the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce must identify the countries concerned and determine the level of additional tariffs, cited for example at 25 percent. This threat could disrupt U.S. trade relations with countries such as India, Turkey, and China.