November Jobs Report Due Friday as the Fed’s Powell Confirms Slower Pace of Rate Hikes

Equity markets soared on the news, led by the Nasdaq’s 4.5% advance. Bitcoin (BTC) rallied as well, briefly topping $17,000 from the mid-$16,000 area (it’s trading at $16,900 at press time). The rallies were somewhat surprising as bets on a smaller-than-usual rate hike in December barely changed after Powell’s comments on Wednesday.