Bitcoin hit a record-breaking $98,000 on Thursday, continuing its impressive rally despite a mixed performance across global stock markets. This surge comes as tensions in the Russia-Ukraine conflict intensify, creating a volatile economic landscape. With investors seeking refuge, Bitcoin’s rise reflects growing optimism around a potential more crypto-friendly environment in the US.

Stock markets in Asia and Europe moved in different directions, with some indexes up and others showing losses. As Wall Street awaited its reopening, Nvidia’s strong earnings report made headlines but failed to meet investor expectations. The company, now the world’s most valuable, saw its stock dip in after-hours trading. Despite impressive growth over the past year, the market’s reaction underlined a growing focus on the finer details of company performance.

Geopolitical concerns continued to weigh on investor sentiment, with oil prices rising and gold gaining ground as a safe-haven asset. Tensions escalated when Kyiv accused Russia of launching an intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine, marking a dangerous new chapter in the conflict.

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In the corporate world, shares of India’s Adani Group plummeted after US prosecutors charged its owner, Gautam Adani, with bribery-related offenses. This caused significant losses across the group’s companies, especially Adani Enterprises, which saw a nearly 20% drop in value.

While the stock markets showed mixed results, Bitcoin’s upward trajectory seemed unaffected by the fluctuations. Some analysts believe growing optimism around Donald Trump’s potential return to office is contributing to the bullish sentiment toward cryptocurrencies.

In global market movements, the FTSE 100 in London rose by 0.2%, while the CAC 40 in Paris dropped 0.4%. Frankfurt’s DAX remained flat, and Japan’s Nikkei 225 saw a decline of 0.9%. Meanwhile, oil prices continued to climb, with Brent North Sea Crude rising 1.7%, and West Texas Intermediate increasing by 1.9%.