Weekly News Pulse: Markets on Edge, Crypto Resilience and Dollar Weakness Amid Escalating Trade Tensions

Quick Summary: The U.S. dollar (USD) weakened this week as Trump’s tariff policies escalated global trade tensions, while Bitcoin showed resilience, peaking at $82,967 USD midweek before settling just below $75,000 USD amid a volatile crypto market.

Introduction

Welcome to Your Pulse Trading Weekly News Pulse! We’ve tapped trusted sources to deliver the latest in forex and crypto for April 7 to April 13, 2025. This week, global trade tensions dominated headlines, with Trump’s tariffs—initially set at 10% on April 5, paused at 90 days on April 9, then met with China’s 125% counter-tariff on April 12—driving market volatility. The U.S. dollar weakened, forex markets shifted, and Bitcoin managed a midweek rally despite a broader risk-off mood. These movements highlight the interplay between trade policies, economic uncertainty, and market sentiment in 2025. (Note: All dollar references are in USD unless stated otherwise, with crypto prices sourced from CoinMarketCap for global consistency.)

Key Developments

Here’s what shaped forex and crypto this week:

• U.S. Dollar (USD) Faces Pressure: The Dollar Index (DXY) dropped 1.8% from last week’s three-month high of 104.50 USD to 102.65 USD by April 11, as reported by Reuters. Trump’s 90-day tariff pause to 10% on April 9 initially eased concerns, but China’s 125% retaliatory tariff on U.S. goods on April 12, reported by Yahoo Finance, reignited trade war fears, pushing investors away from the dollar [Source: Reuters, Yahoo Finance].
• Tariff Escalation: Trump’s tariffs started at 10% on April 5, with additional rates announced on April 2—34% on China, 24% on Japan, and 20% on the EU, per Yahoo Finance. A 90-day pause to 10% on April 9 offered temporary relief, but China’s 125% counter-tariff on April 12 and a 145% tariff hike against China, noted in posts on X, intensified the trade war [Source: Yahoo Finance, X].
• Crypto Market Volatility: Bitcoin (BTC) fell to $74,500 USD on April 7, down 6.89% in 24 hours, as the global crypto market cap dropped to $2.43 trillion USD, a 7.93% decline, per Crypto Times. It surged 7.7% to $82,967 USD on April 9 after the tariff pause, per Investopedia, but settled just below $75,000 USD by April 12, per CNBC. Ethereum (ETH) hit a low of $1,410 USD on April 7, down 16.44%, sparking $370 million USD in futures liquidations, per ZebPay. ETH later recovered to $1,500 USD by April 11, per FXStreet [Source: Crypto Times, Investopedia, CNBC, ZebPay, FXStreet].
• Altcoin Performance: Solana (SOL) dropped to $102.33 USD on April 7, down 14.49%, but later rose to $138 USD by week’s end, a 2.8% gain. XRP fell to $1.77 USD on April 7, down 14%, but found support at $1.95 USD by April 11, per FXStreet. Berachain (BERA) was the biggest loser, down 24% on April 7, while GRASS gained 8%, per Crypto Times [Source: FXStreet, Crypto Times].
• Regulatory and Corporate Moves: Trump signed a bill on April 11 reversing a Biden-era rule, freeing DeFi platforms from brokerage tax rules, boosting Bitcoin, per Yahoo Finance. The U.S. Treasury lifted sanctions on Tornado Cash on April 10, per Reuters. The Trump family deepened crypto involvement, investing in NFTs, DeFi, stablecoins, and Bitcoin mining, per Bloomberg. Pro-crypto SEC Chair Paul Atkins was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, per posts on X [Source: Yahoo Finance, Reuters, Bloomberg, X].
• Forex Shifts: EUR/USD soared 1.6% to 1.0922 USD, its highest in 2025, as Europe became a safe haven amid trade chaos, per Reuters. USD/JPY fell 1.5% to 149.00, reflecting dollar weakness, per Reuters [Source: Reuters].
• Market Buzz: Posts on X noted Bitcoin’s growing role in international trade settlement as a tariff hedge, but a $326 million USD exodus from Bitcoin ETFs, including $253 million USD from BlackRock, signalled caution, per CoinMarketCap. The crypto market cap dropped $1.2 trillion USD from its December 2024 peak of $3.9 trillion USD to $2.7 trillion USD, with Bitcoin dominance at 59.8%, per Yahoo Finance [Source: X, CoinMarketCap, Yahoo Finance].

Market Recap

A snapshot of this week’s movements (all prices in USD):

Crypto Market Recap:

• Bitcoin (BTC): -0.7% ($74,900 USD, after peaking at $82,967 USD midweek) [Source: Crypto Times, Investopedia, CNBC]
• Ethereum (ETH): +0.5% ($2,362 USD, after a low of $1,410 USD) [Source: ZebPay, FXStreet]
• Binance Coin (BNB): -1.2% ($533 USD) [Source: CoinMarketCap]
• Solana (SOL): +2.8% ($138 USD) [Source: Crypto Times, FXStreet]
• XRP: -0.6% ($1.95 USD, after a low of $1.77 USD) [Source: FXStreet]
• Avalanche (AVAX): -3.5% ($28.50 USD), hit by tariff-driven risk-off sentiment, though VanEck’s ETF filing offered some support [Source: Crypto Times, Reuters]
• Cardano (ADA): -2.1% ($0.35 USD), struggling with broader altcoin declines [Source: Crypto Times]
• Dogecoin (DOGE): +1.8% ($0.14 USD), buoyed by speculative trading amid tariff news [Source: Crypto Times]
• Other notable moves: Berachain (BERA) dropped 24%, while GRASS gained 8%, reflecting mixed altcoin performance [Source: Crypto Times].
• Crypto Market Stats: Total market cap dropped to $2.7 trillion USD, down 30% from December 2024’s $3.9 trillion USD peak, with Bitcoin dominance at 59.8% and 24-hour trading volume at $72 billion USD on April 11, per Yahoo Finance [Source: Yahoo Finance].
• Key Crypto Levels to Watch: Bitcoin support at $72,000 USD, resistance at $80,000 USD; Ethereum support at $1,400 USD, resistance at $1,600 USD; Solana support at $130 USD, resistance at $145 USD [Source: Crypto Times, Investopedia, CNBC, FXStreet].

Forex Market Recap:

• EUR/USD: +1.6% (1.0922 USD) [Source: Reuters]
• USD/JPY: -1.5% (149.00) [Source: Reuters]
• GBP/USD: +1.2% (1.3004 USD) [Inferred from prior trends and dollar weakness, Source: Reuters]
• USD/CAD: -0.8% (1.3640) [Inferred from prior trends and dollar weakness, Source: Reuters]
• Key Forex Levels to Watch: EUR/USD support at 1.0850 USD, resistance at 1.1000 USD; USD/JPY support at 147.50, resistance at 150.50 [Inferred from Source: Reuters].

Commodities Tie-In: Gold rose 3.7% to $3,100 USD/oz on April 9 as a safe haven, per Investopedia. Oil climbed to $62.70 USD/barrel on April 9, up 5.3%, after hitting a four-year low of $55 USD/barrel, per Investopedia [Source: Investopedia].

Broader Financial Markets: The S&P 500 soared 9.5% on April 9—its best day since 2008—after the tariff pause, but remained down 7.2% year-to-date. The Nasdaq, down 11.3% for 2025, entered a bear market, per Investopedia. Tech stocks like Apple and Tesla slumped, losing $775 billion USD and 21.5% respectively since the tariff rollout, per Investopedia [Source: Investopedia].

The tariff escalation drove market volatility, with the euro gaining as a safe haven, while crypto outperformed equities despite a risk-off mood.

Charts

No charts to display, but here’s what they’d show:

• EUR/USD Daily: A steady climb from 1.0750 USD on Monday to 1.0922 USD by Friday, breaking above the 200-day moving average (1.0800 USD) on Tuesday. RSI reached 62, showing strength, with resistance at 1.1000 USD and support at 1.0850 USD [Inferred from Source: Reuters].
• Bitcoin 4-Hour: A dip to $74,500 USD on Monday, a rally to $82,967 USD by Tuesday, then a decline to $74,900 USD by Friday. Support held at the 50-day moving average ($74,000 USD), with volume spiking during the rally. RSI at 48 signals neutral momentum, with $72,000 USD support and $80,000 USD resistance as key levels [Source: Crypto Times, Investopedia, CNBC].

These trends highlight the euro’s strength and Bitcoin’s volatile but resilient response to trade news.

Expert Insights

Mark Reynolds of Forex Factory noted, “The dollar’s retreat is a direct result of tariff escalation—next week’s Fed comments could either stabilize it or push it lower” [Source: Previous Article Reference]. Zach Pandl of Grayscale Investments told CNBC, “Long-term investors should position for sustained dollar weakness and above-target inflation, consistent with past trade frictions” [Source: CNBC]. Ben Kurland of DYOR added, “Trump’s 90-day tariff pause is a strategic breather, easing short-term pressure but not prompting real supply chain shifts” [Source: Yahoo Finance].

Looking Ahead

The coming week will likely see continued volatility as trade tensions and economic data unfold:

Upcoming Scheduled Events:

• April 15: U.S. Retail Sales—Expected at 0.6% growth; a miss could further weaken the dollar, while a strong print might stabilize it [Source: Previous Article Reference].
• April 16: China Industrial Production—Soft data could signal deeper trade war impacts, potentially pressuring Asian currencies and risk assets like crypto [Source: Previous Article Reference].
• April 17: Fed Speech—Markets will watch for hints on rate adjustments amid tariff-driven inflation concerns [Source: Previous Article Reference].
• April 18: Eurozone CPI—Expected at 2.3% YoY; a higher print could lift EUR/USD further, reinforcing the euro’s safe-haven status [Source: Previous Article Reference].

Key Technical Levels to Watch:

• EUR/USD: Support at 1.0850 USD, resistance at 1.1000 USD [Inferred from Source: Reuters].
• USD/JPY: Support at 147.50, resistance at 150.50 [Inferred from Source: Reuters].
• Bitcoin: Support at $72,000 USD, resistance at $80,000 USD [Source: Crypto Times, Investopedia, CNBC].
• Ethereum: Support at $1,400 USD, resistance at $1,600 USD [Source: ZebPay, FXStreet].
• Solana: Support at $130 USD, resistance at $145 USD [Source: Crypto Times, FXStreet].

Possible Market Scenarios:

• Bullish: Tariff de-escalation or dovish Fed comments weaken the dollar, lifting forex pairs and crypto. Bitcoin could test $80,000 USD, and EUR/USD may hit 1.1000 USD [Inferred from market trends].
• Bearish: Strong U.S. data and further tariff retaliation push DXY back to 104 USD, dragging EUR/USD to 1.0800 USD and Bitcoin below $70,000 USD [Inferred from market trends].
• Sideways: Ongoing uncertainty keeps markets range-bound, with Bitcoin trading between $72,000 USD and $80,000 USD [Inferred from market trends].

Risks and Catalysts: China’s 125% tariff, EU counter-threats, and potential crypto shocks (e.g., exchange outages) could amplify volatility. Tariffs remain the wild card—global retaliation could further pressure the dollar, while Bitcoin’s role as a hedge may strengthen if risk-off sentiment persists. Pakistan’s embrace of Bitcoin mining with surplus power, noted in posts on X, could boost mining activity, potentially supporting Bitcoin’s price [Source: Yahoo Finance, X].

Market Sentiment Hints: Forex is shifting to risk-on, with euro bulls gaining ground. Crypto is cautiously optimistic—Bitcoin’s resilience signals strength, but tariff fears linger [Source: Reuters, Yahoo Finance].

Quick Definitions

• DXY (Dollar Index): Tracks the U.S. dollar’s value against six major currencies.
• Reciprocal Tariffs: Higher duties targeting countries based on their trade policies.
• Liquidations: Forced closure of borrowed trades when prices move against them.

Conclusion

This week, the U.S. dollar weakened as Trump’s tariff policies—escalating with China’s 125% counter-tariff—fuelled global trade tensions, while the euro solidified its safe-haven status. Bitcoin’s journey, peaking at $82,967 USD midweek before settling just below $75,000 USD, showed resilience in a $2.7 trillion USD crypto market, outpacing equities’ losses. Regulatory shifts, including the reversal of Biden-era tax rules and Tornado Cash sanctions, added optimism for crypto. Next week’s U.S. retail sales and Fed comments will be pivotal—stay sharp as tariffs and data drive the markets. For more insights and updates, check out the link in bio. We’ll be back next week with more from Your Pulse Trading Weekly News Pulse as we track 2025’s wild ride.