Bitcoin Breaks Historic $100,000 Mark Amid Regulatory Hopes

Bitcoin reached near $100,000, fueled by expectations of favorable U.S. regulations, while global stocks hovered around record levels before a key U.S. employment report. France's government fell, affecting markets only slightly. U.S. stocks dipped after a run of record highs, amid mixed economic signals and anticipations of further rate cuts.

Bitcoin celebrated a milestone on Thursday, trading close to the $100,000 threshold as investors anticipated a shift towards more agreeable U.S. regulatory frameworks. Despite the political turmoil following the fall of France's government, European markets remained steady, focusing on potential new budgets.

Across the Atlantic, U.S. stocks saw slight declines after achieving record highs, partly buoyed by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's comments on the strength of the U.S. economy, despite ongoing concerns about valuations and future economic cooling.

Optimism around cryptocurrency grew with Trump's nomination of a pro-crypto figure for the SEC. Meanwhile, economic indicators such as the ISM services index and jobless claims pointed to a cooling labor market and a shifting interest rate landscape, adding complexity to the financial outlook.

(With inputs from agencies.)