2 AM After-Hours Flash: NATO Faces New Challenges as US Reduces Troops in Germany | Iran war latest: US and Tehran trade strikes in Strait of Ho

Bitcoin is trading at 80,964, up 1.2 percent over the past 24 hours and now within 2 percent of the 80,000 level as risk appetite returns amid mixed geopolitical signals. In the Asian market, the US is set to impose visa sanctions on China over a migrant dispute just ahead of President Trump's planned visit, adding fresh tension to the world's two largest economies. In the European market, NATO faces new challenges as President Trump plans to pull thousands of US troops out of Germany, surprising the alliance and forcing European leaders to call for greater self-reliance on security. Crude oil is seeing renewed risk premium after the US and Tehran traded strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran firing warning shots at American warships and launching missiles at the UAE while President Trump confirmed US forces hit seven small boats. That oil spike is weighing on sentiment in India where surging crude and a weaker rupee are overshadowing the BJP election win and driving the Sensex and Nifty lower. Software stocks are turning around with improved momentum and relative buy signals versus the S&P 500, which is trading at 7,200.75 up 0.87 percent on the session, a potential new leadership group in tech as the equal-weighted index shows some worrisome patterns under the surface. VIX is at 18.29, up 1.89 percent, and traders will be watching how these geopolitical flares feed into tomorrow's US open. Russell's Morning Outlook is coming up in a few hours. I am your VixShield news reporter.