U.S. stocks rose, with the S&P 500 up 0.37%, the Dow up 0.67%, and the Nasdaq 100 up 0.10%, as steady crude prices lifted sentiment. Bitcoin climbed more than 5% to a three-month high and is up more than 20% for the week, with more than $2 billion in short positions liquidated in the perpetual futures market since Wednesday. Markets are pricing in a 35% probability of a 25-basis-point Fed rate hike in September. European equities also advanced, with the Euro Stoxx 50 up 0.45%.

U.S. investors were net buyers of equity funds for a second straight week through August 19, with net inflows totaling $11.72 billion. Largecap and multicap funds drew $9.58 billion and $1.36 billion, respectively, while midcap and smallcap funds saw modest outflows. Fund demand was supported by a strong earnings season and cooler inflation data, despite pressure from a bond market selloff and rising oil prices.

Investor’s Business Daily said that Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk are locked in intense competition in the weight-loss drug market. It added that Eli Lilly’s stock performance has been the clear winner, putting the company in the lead within the sector.

India’s soybean oil imports could reach 62 lakh tonnes in August, setting a monthly record and running nearly 46% above the current marketing-year monthly average, the Solvent Extractors’ Association of India (SEA) said. Kharif oilseed sowing is slightly below last year overall, with soybean acreage lower while groundnut, sesame and sunflower acreage has increased. As one of the world’s largest edible oil importers, a spike in imports would directly affect India’s import bill, domestic prices and food inflation.

Bitcoin has climbed more than 25% since Monday, briefly hitting an intraday high of $79,500 after spending six weeks range-bound between $62,000 and $66,000. A US digital-asset regulation bill has cleared the House but still needs 60 votes in the Senate to overcome a procedural hurdle. The legislation would split oversight responsibilities between the SEC and the CFTC.

London shares rose on Friday, with mining stocks leading gains on the FTSE 100. Spot gold traded above $4,500 an ounce and copper held near record levels, boosting the sector. Antofagasta climbed 4% to 3,864p, while Fresnillo and Anglo American rose 3% each and Endeavour Mining gained 3%, with Glencore up 2%. Bitcoin also surged 10% to above $79,000.

Crypto-linked U.S. stocks climbed sharply in premarket trading after Bitcoin jumped 6.6% to nearly $77,800 and Ethereum gained 2.7%. Strategy rose 9.3%, while Coinbase added 6.2%, Robinhood gained 5.1%, and Hyperliquid Strategies advanced 3.2%. Investors have grown more confident that the U.S. crypto regulatory environment is turning more favorable, lifting sentiment across the sector.

XRP swung sharply intraday, surging from below $1 to $1.39 for a 41% move. The rally triggered liquidations of roughly $1.25B in short positions. On-chain data show whale addresses accumulated about 300M XRP, reshaping supply-demand dynamics in a short span.