2026-02-19 18:00 UTC | ⛏️ 937433

₿ $66,279 | 🥇 $4,969

1. Bitcoin crashes 47% from peak
-- Bitcoin fell 47% from $126,000 October high to $66,801 amid heavy selling and volatility spikes.
-- Signals potential recovery as volatility normalizes and long-term holders stop selling, per Kraken economist.

2. US equities gain on strong data
-- US economy shows resilience with inflation contained; equities up led by cyclicals, Nasdaq +0.8%.
-- Boosts rate-cut hopes despite hawkish Fed minutes showing divided views on policy.

3. US forces position for Iran strike
-- US military buildup in Middle East allows Trump potential attack on Iran this weekend.
-- Drives oil above $66, gold over $5000 on supply disruption fears amid escalating tensions.

4. Altman-Amodei awkward AI summit clash
-- OpenAI's Altman and Anthropic's Amodei fist-bump avoiding hands at Modi's India AI Summit.
-- Highlights fierce AI rivalries between firms with shared history amid global AI push.