Bitcoin saw what was described as a coordinated short-selling move in the futures market. Against a risk-off backdrop tied to U.S.-Iran tensions and a 30% jump in crude oil prices in July, two entities executed 181 synchronized trades within 1.3 seconds. On Aug. 17, they added 585.3 BTC in short exposure at an average price of about $62,935, taking total short exposure to 2,675 BTC worth around $169 million. The operation was characterized as a planned whale attack intended to exploit macro-driven fear by creating the appearance of a short squeeze.

India’s gold market is showing renewed momentum ahead of the festive season, with jewellery demand and inventory restocking picking up, according to the World Gold Council. In the first half of August, international gold prices rose 9% to USD 4,391 per ounce. Domestic prices climbed almost 7% over the same period. Gold futures trading has also become more active.

European stocks were largely flat on Thursday as investors stayed cautious amid Middle East geopolitical risks ahead of the release of the Federal Reserve’s meeting minutes. Basic resources stocks rose 0.6%, supported by stronger gold prices. Technology shares fell 0.4% as a selloff in government bonds pushed yields higher. Semiconductor names including Soitec, Nordic Semiconductor and Scout24 lagged after a muted market reaction to Anthropic’s latest revenue figures.

U.S. natural gas futures ended higher as prolonged extreme heat in Texas drove a surge in air-conditioning demand. The hotter weather is increasing stress on gas-fired power generation and the state’s electricity grid. In Houston, highs from Aug. 20-23 are expected to reach 100F, about 5F above the seasonal norm. Peak demand on the ERCOT grid could set a new record this week, especially as wind output eases, according to AccuWeather.

Mumbai’s retail sugar price jumped Rs 8 per kilogram this week, rising from Rs 50 around Aug 10 to a record Rs 58. Traders at the APMC said prices are expected to climb further to Rs 61. They attributed the increase to tighter domestic availability, stronger demand ahead of the festival season and diversion of supply for ethanol fuel blending.

A U.S. federal court approved Google’s $700 million antitrust settlement to resolve a multistate lawsuit alleging the company monopolized Android app distribution and in-app payments. Washington state consumers are expected to receive about $13 million, with around 2.4 million residents potentially eligible. Nationwide, eligible users will be compensated based on their Google Play spending between August 2016 and September 2023.

Circle (NYSE: CRCL) shares fell 3.83% on Aug. 19, closing at $71, even as its euro stablecoin EURC supply rose 100% year over year to €400 million. USDC posted $849 billion in transaction volume in July, accounting for 62% of total stablecoin volume that month. Since Aug. 3, CRCL is still up 22% amid continued buying by ARK Invest.

SOL Strategies disclosed in an SEC filing that it held C$1.87 million in cash as of June 30 and about C$22 million of unencumbered digital assets available for conversion into fiat. The company also reported C$37.33 million of current liabilities, including a C$13.90 million DeFi loan and C$10.73 million of current convertible debentures. Over the same period, it recorded a C$7.80 million net cash outflow from operating activities.