AI, Crypto and Gold on Watch as Equity Bull Run Continues

The seven great stocks remain popular and earnings are strong — factors that have already seen the Nasdaq and S&P 500 rise about 15% and 12%, respectively, as of mid-October. Barring an unexpected shift in monetary policy, deteriorating economic conditions and/or another unforeseen event, the rally may continue into next year.

“The train doesn’t stop,” said Greg Benheim, head of product and trading at cryptocurrency investment firm 3iQ, adding that quantitative easing and strong liquidity are encouraging investors to pour billions into a slew of assets, be it real estate, cryptocurrencies or Mag 7 stocks.

Benheim added that a weaker dollar is helping to lift gold, which has risen 51% this year versus an 11.7% gain for the S&P 500.

“Gold’s recent rally is fantastic,” Benheim continued. “It shows me that there is a huge demand for protection from currency declines including the US dollar, which has fallen 10% in the past year.”

The analyst also expects Bitcoin, which some call “digital gold,” to benefit. The trend of declining dollarization This is something that could gain more momentum if Washington continues to issue bonds, which would deepen the US debt of $38 trillion, which some say could lead to a decline in stocks.

Amid changes in the regulatory environment, which contributed to Bitcoin reaching a new all-time high of over $125,000 on October 5, digital currencies have become… It is also gaining traction. In addition to cryptocurrency ETFs, a large number of companies have started creating treasuries to hold a myriad of coins. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives-backed Eightco (created to hold Sam Altman’s startup Worldcoin) is a high-profile recent example.

This growth extends to the derivatives market – where CME Crypto Group futures and options volume exceeded $900 billion in the third quarter, reaching an all-time high. In response to customer demand for continuous market access, CME Group recently announced plans to launch 24/7 trading in cryptocurrency futures and options starting in early 2026.