Daily Digest — 15 May 2026

Markets fluctuated sharply today as geopolitical tensions and regulatory developments created divergent paths across asset classes. Bitcoin surged above \(81,000 after the [US Senate Banking Committee passed the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act](https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2026/05/15/xrp-doge-surge-5-bitcoin-above-usd81-000-as-clarity-act-clears-senate-banking-panel) in a bipartisan 15-9 vote, with XRP and Dogecoin leading crypto gains of 5%. However, traditional safe havens like gold fell 1.9% to \)4,596 as Treasury yields hit 12-month highs, creating headwinds for precious metals.

Oil climbed 1.4% to $102.60 amid ongoing Middle East tensions, as a top US admiral defended strikes that “severely degraded Iran’s military” during Congressional testimony. The energy rally comes as Trump concluded his China visit with promises that Beijing will buy US oil to feed its “insatiable appetite,” though analysts remain skeptical about meaningful trade breakthroughs.

Political turmoil gripped the UK as Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned, citing lost confidence in Keir Starmer’s leadership, while Andy Burnham announced his bid to return to Parliament ahead of a potential Labour leadership challenge. The pound weakened 0.4% against the dollar as Westminster faced mounting pressure.

In the tech sector, Cerebras debuted on Nasdaq with a 68% pop, pushing the AI chipmaker’s market cap to $95 billion, while SpaceXAI reportedly lost over 50 employees following its merger earlier this year.