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European stocks ended the day relatively flat while tech is enjoying a bounce in the US on the back of a spike in jobless claims, perhaps an early sign of the labor market weakening.

A well-timed spike in US jobless claims

Jobless claims spiked last week in what could be the start of another trend higher after stabilizing over the last few months. Claims had been expected to rise much earlier than this but for one reason or another, they’ve stayed remarkably steady. It’s also worth noting that this is only one release so unless it’s backed up by more of the same, we can’t read much into it. But the timing ahead of next week’s Fed meeting is interesting as it may add just a tad more comfort to policymakers leaning towards holding rates steady.

Bitcoin reaping the rewards of safe haven status

It’s been a rough week for the crypto space, with the SEC lawsuit against Binance and Coinbase causing significant uncertainty about what this means for exchanges and the coins traded on them. Of course, this was always likely at some stage with the two sides having not seen eye to eye in the past and this could ultimately lead to a clearer regulatory regime and less hostile environment in the future. But at what cost?

Bitcoin has held up surprisingly well, with crypto traders seemingly seeking out more established cryptos that appear relatively shielded from the SEC action in times of such uncertainty, rather than abandoning the space altogether. If the situation intensifies, that may change, but for now, bitcoin appears to be reaping the benefits of being cryptos safe haven.

For a look at all of today's economic events, check out our economic calendar: www.marketpulse.com/economic-events/