Markets digest, 5 November 2026: Nasdaq and Dow fall, Bitcoin drops and the CFTC targets geographic limits on contract markets

The Nasdaq Composite and the Dow Jones Industrial Average both fell on Thursday 5 November, Bitcoin and Ether fell on Coinbase, and the euro weakened against the dollar. The CFTC told contract markets to end US geographic limits on access.

Stocks

The Nasdaq Composite closed at 24,315.000, down from 25,736.510 on Wednesday, and the Dow at 51,523.06, down from 53,356.12. FRED had not yet published Thursday’s S&P 500 close; on Wednesday it closed at 7,688.62, up from 7,568.92 on Tuesday. FINRA fined Webull Financial $4.2 million over its anti-money laundering and best execution programs (read our brief).

Crypto

Bitcoin ended Thursday at $76,152.52 on Coinbase, down from $80,420.06 on Wednesday. Ether ended at $2,239.38, down from $2,416.13. The US Treasury sanctioned more of the network around the Prince Group, which it links to digital asset investment scams (read our brief).

Futures and options

FRED had not published Thursday’s VIX close at the time of writing; on Wednesday it closed at 16.61, down from 20.83 on Tuesday. The CFTC issued an interpretation on geographic access limits at designated contract markets (read our brief), and its staff said clearing houses may use trust companies for daily settlement (read our brief).

Energy and commodities

FRED’s latest oil and gas prices are still for Tuesday 3 November: WTI at $99.64 a barrel, down from $100.06 on Monday, Brent at $107.03, down from $107.39, and Henry Hub natural gas at $2.63, up from $2.54. The EIA’s weekly report put working gas in storage at 3,801 Bcf as of 30 October, a net increase of 77 Bcf from the previous week, 109 Bcf less than a year earlier and 54 Bcf above the five-year average.

Metals

There were no official metals releases on Thursday. The latest is the World Gold Council’s third-quarter demand report (read our brief).

Forex

The ECB’s euro reference rate against the dollar was 1.1224, down from 1.1267 on Wednesday. The euro was quoted at 0.83393 pounds, down from 0.8346, and at 177.85 yen, down from 178.3. Canada’s government and central bank renewed their monetary policy framework for another five years, keeping the 2% inflation target.

On the calendar

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the October Employment Situation today at 08:30 AM New York time. Its Consumer Price Index for October is due on Tuesday 10 November.