Welcome to Markets Desk, here's what's moving the needle this Monday morning.
In Asia, Japanese equities are heading into the open under pressure after the Nikkei snapped a three-day winning streak on Friday, giving back ground following a rally of more than two thousand four hundred fifty points, or roughly four percent. Tech shares remain the drag, and traders should expect continued softness at the bell.
Shifting to digital assets, Binance saw three point six billion dollars in outflows after reopening withdrawals in the wake of what's being called the largest hack in crypto history. Meanwhile, THORChain's co-founder is pushing back against FBI demands to freeze the protocol, setting up a direct tension between decentralized finance principles and law enforcement compliance.
On the equities side, PayPal is drawing fresh scrutiny from analysts asking whether the stock is actually a value opportunity trading at roughly ten times expected two thousand twenty six earnings, or simply a cheap name in a tough spot. Competition is intensifying and growth is plateauing, which makes the valuation case harder to build with conviction.
That's the tape. Markets Desk, signing off the floor.
