Gold prices hit a record high in Asian trade on Friday, buoyed by persistent speculation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in the coming week, while increased safe haven demand in the face of a tight U.S. presidential election also helped. 

London's FTSE 100 hit its highest level in over a week on Thursday, amid broader gains after some clarity around the U.S. Federal Reserve's expected interest rate cut improved risk appetite.

In a recent X post, pseudonymous trader HornHairs stated that Bitcoin seems to be nearing its "grand finale." He then provided some current macro context for the largest crypto that made him believe so.

Oil prices rose on Friday, extending a rally sparked by output disruptions in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, where Hurricane Francine forced producers to evacuate platforms before it hit the coast of Louisiana.

Boeing (NYSE:BA)'s U.S. West Coast factory workers stood in long lines on Thursday to vote on a much-criticized new contract, some loudly calling for a strike, piling pressure on the planemaker as it wrestles with chronic production delays and mounting debt.

Wall Street's main indexes closed higher on Thursday after the latest inflation data reinforced expectations for a 25-basis point rate cut by the Federal Reserve, while Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA)'s weak revenue forecast made it the S&P 500's biggest percentage loser.