2026-02-08 15:00 UTC | ⛏️ 935586

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Based on verified reporting, here are the top 4 stories right now:

1. Bitcoin plummets below $70,000 as hedge funds exit
-- Bitcoin fell sharply in early February due to $272 million in ETF outflows and hedge fund deleverage, with institutional demand evaporating as arbitrage opportunities collapsed. Bitcoin now correlates 0.5 with the S&P 500 rather than serving as inflation hedge or alternative asset.

2. OpenAI planning $500 billion IPO in late 2026
-- OpenAI is preparing a historic public offering focused on science research and fintech partnerships, signaling institutional AI investment priorities. This IPO would value the company at half a trillion dollars as enterprise AI deployment accelerates.

3. US and Iran begin nuclear talks to avert military strike
-- US and Iranian officials are meeting face-to-face in Istanbul this week following Trump administration demands and the approach of a large US Naval force. Oil and gas markets could see significant movement if nuclear agreement is reached.

4. Ukraine faces cascading Russian strikes on energy infrastructure
-- Russia conducted drone strikes killing at least 15 mineworkers in Dnipro and continues targeting thermal power stations, forcing Ukraine to implement emergency power outages nationwide.