The equity markets remain in a celebratory mood, buoyed by the AI-driven rally. Bond markets, on the other hand, are increasingly focusing on geopolitical tensions and the ongoing blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The longer the disruption lasts, the more inflationary effects are likely to build up - via rising oil prices and shortages of key commodities such as helium. Market expectations are therefore shifting away from interest rate cuts towards possible renewed interest rate hikes. Against this backdrop, the rolling 30-day correlation between the S&P 500 and the US two-year yield has fallen to extremely low levels. Historically, such divergences rarely last long - and risky assets such as Bitcoin are beginning to price in the fact that the interest rate markets could ultimately be right.
Interestingly, the recent $BTC (-2,06 %) -rally appears to have been driven primarily by strong ETF inflows and continued buying of digital asset treasuries, while activity in the derivatives market has remained comparatively subdued. ETF flows have turned negative in recent days, but funding rates for perpetual futures have risen significantly. This indicates that market activity is picking up again after several months of subdued trading conditions.
