Zelensky-Trump Talks and Powell’s Speech Shape Markets

• Ukrainian President Zelensky’s meeting with President Trump follows a failed Alaska summit with Russian President Putin.
• The cryptocurrency market sees Bitcoin retracing after hitting an all-time high as Ethereum outperforms.

On August 17, 2025, global markets are set to navigate a critical week shaped by high-stakes geopolitical developments, Federal Reserve decisions, and essential economic data releases. This follows an unproductive summit in Alaska between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, shifting attention to Monday's meeting in Washington, D.C., between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The discussions aim to address the ongoing geopolitical conflict, with hopes for progress toward a peace agreement.

Midweek, the Federal Reserve is poised to release the minutes from its July meeting on Wednesday, which could signal the direction of future interest rate policies. With inflationary pressures stemming from tariffs and signs of a cooling labor market, speculation about potential rate cuts has heightened. Investors are closely monitoring these developments for cues on the central bank’s strategy.

On Thursday, market participants will analyze August’s flash Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data, providing early indicators of the U.S. economy’s performance under the strain of new tariffs implemented by the Trump administration. Simultaneously, PMI figures from Europe, Japan, and Canada will allow for a broader understanding of global economic conditions.

The week's events will culminate in Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s keynote speech at the Jackson Hole economic symposium on Friday. With concerns about inflation and sluggish economic growth mounting, Powell is under pressure to articulate a clear strategy on monetary easing. His remarks are expected to set the tone for the Fed’s upcoming decisions and offer markets a sense of direction.

In the cryptocurrency market, Bitcoin has seen a pullback after reaching an all-time high of over $124,000, retreating to around $118,000. Institutional interest in cryptocurrencies remains strong, as indicated by continued inflows into Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which recorded $246.75 million in early August and $547 million during the second week. Investor sentiment, as measured by the crypto fear and greed index, continues to reflect optimism within the "Greed" range.

Ethereum has outperformed Bitcoin in recent weeks, both in terms of ETF inflows and price appreciation. Ethereum ETFs attracted $326.83 million in the first week of August and hit a record $2.85 billion in the second week. Over the past week, Ethereum's price surged by more than 7%, further solidifying its appeal to investors.

As of August 17, 2025, at 17:11 UTC, Bitcoin (BTC) is trading at $117,915.46, with a minor 0.07% fluctuation in 24-hour trading volume, according to CoinMarketCap. Meanwhile, Ethereum (ETH) is priced at $4,519.62, showing a 2.58% increase in trading volume in the same period.