BoE's Bailey: Size of BoE balance sheet to be major issue over next 5 years

EUR/USD struggles below 1.1750 in the European session on Wednesday, the final day of 2025. The pair is under pressure as the US Dollar edges higher despite Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Minutes of the December policy meeting, released on Tuesday, showing that most policymakers stressed the need for further interest rate cuts.

GBP/USD remains under pressure near 1.3450 in European trading on Wednesday. The US Dollar finds fresh demand due to the end-of-the-year position adjustments, weighing on the pair amid the pre-New Year trading lull. 

Gold price reverses a dip below $4,300 in the European trading hours on Wednesday, recovering intraday losses. The precious metal draws support from the prospect of further US interest rate cuts in 2026. Gold has surged about 65% this year and is set to record its biggest annual gains since 1979.

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple are holding steady on Wednesday after recording minor gains on the previous day. Technically, Bitcoin could extend gains within a triangle pattern while Ethereum and Ripple face critical overhead resistance. 

After a year marked by global economic resilience and ending on a note of optimism, 2026 looks promising and could be a year of solid economic performance. In our baseline scenario, we expect most of the supportive factors at work in 2025 to continue to play a role in 2026.

Year 2025 was volatile, as crypto often is.  Among positive catalysts were favourable regulatory changes in the U.S., rise of Digital Asset Treasuries (DAT), adoption of AI and tokenization of Real-World-Assets (RWA).