Investors entered the New Year cheerful about the prospects of a business- and crypto-friendly Trump administration. Yet two months into 2025, US stocks have lagged Europe and Chinese stocks, bitcoin is sliding and concerns about inflation are mounting.

The S&P 500 fell 0.5% after fluctuating between gains and losses. Consumer sentiment is declining with inflation expected to rise due to tariffs and policies

Bitcoin, the world’s most popular cryptocurrency, was trading at about $89,000 as the U.S. stock market opened. That’s down from about $106,000, which was the price around Trump’s inauguration. The decline in bitcoin and other crypto assets accelerated after a report showed a bigger-than-expected drop in consumer confidence for this month.