This week cryptocurrencies fell, stocks moved higher, and national currencies and commodities were mixed. Bonds were little changed. The largest gains were in crude oil, which rose 9.5%, recovering much of the prior week's 11% loss. Ethereum fell the most, dropping another 4.4%.
The Japanese Yen outperformed other national currencies, rising 0.3%. The weakest major currency was the British Pound (not in table) which fell 1.5%, followed by the Euro, which closed down 0.6%. The US Dollar and short term treasuries declined 0.1%. Long term bonds closed unchanged.
Ethereum prices worked slowly lower until dropping sharply on Friday to close at 4.07 grams, down 4.4%. Bitcoin rose to 172.5 grams on Tuesday, then declined slowly at first, and rapidly on Friday, to finish the week at 166.5 grams, off 2.1%.
Stocks all traded higher, led by the S&P 500 and the HUI gold stocks, which rose 1.8% each. Laggards were the Dow Industrials and the Nikkei index, which added 1.0% apiece.
Crude oil rebounded strongly, gaining 9.5%. Cotton was also higher, adding 2.8%. Precious metals fell, as palladium dropped 2.5% and silver declined 0.6%. Copper bucked the trend in metals, rising 0.4%.
Gold stocks are now the only asset class in the black from one year ago, up 14.8%. Crude oil is down 42.7% over the same period.
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