{"id":52137,"date":"2025-08-21T05:08:45","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T09:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-jitters-as-aramco-hits-low-crypto-dips-ahead-of-powell-walmart-faces-earnings-test\/52137\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T05:08:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T09:08:45","slug":"market-jitters-as-aramco-hits-low-crypto-dips-ahead-of-powell-walmart-faces-earnings-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/market-jitters-as-aramco-hits-low-crypto-dips-ahead-of-powell-walmart-faces-earnings-test\/52137\/","title":{"rendered":"Market Jitters as Aramco Hits Low, Crypto Dips Ahead of Powell, Walmart Faces Earnings Test"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Saudi Aramco<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/2222.SA\">2222.SA<\/a>) has plummeted to a fresh <strong>5\u00bd-year low<\/strong>, with its shares now trading at levels last seen in March 2020, significantly underperforming its major oil peers.<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>cryptocurrency market<\/strong> is experiencing widespread losses, with <strong>Bitcoin<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTC\">BTC<\/a>) dropping below <strong>$114,000<\/strong> and other major digital assets seeing declines, as traders brace for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&#39;s highly anticipated speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Walmart<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMT\">WMT<\/a>) shares saw a <strong>1% fall<\/strong> in <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/pre-market\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Premarket Movers\">premarket<\/a> trading as the retail giant prepares to release its quarterly earnings report, with investors closely watching for insights into consumer spending and the impact of tariffs.<\/li>\n<li>Belarusian President <strong>Alexander Lukashenko<\/strong> met with Chinese President <strong>Xi Jinping<\/strong> in Beijing in June, discussing enhanced cooperation and technological modernization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Saudi Aramco&#39;s Steep Decline and Market Concerns<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Saudi Aramco<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/2222.SA\">2222.SA<\/a>), the world&#39;s largest oil producer, has hit a fresh <strong>5\u00bd-year low<\/strong>, with its shares trading at the same level as in late March 2020, a period when Brent crude prices were near <strong>$20<\/strong> per barrel. This significant drop marks an extraordinary underperformance compared to its peers, including <strong>Exxon Mobil<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/XOM\">XOM<\/a>), <strong>Chevron<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/CVX\">CVX<\/a>), and <strong>Shell<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/SHEL\">SHEL<\/a>), all of which have delivered total returns exceeding <strong>50%<\/strong> since Aramco&#39;s initial public offering (IPO). In contrast, Aramco has yielded a paltry <strong>16%<\/strong> total return since its 2019 IPO, even lagging behind Russia&#39;s sanctioned <strong>Rosneft Oil Co. PJSC<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>The company is reportedly taking on debt to cover its dividend, and a lack of buyers combined with shunning by both local and foreign investors has contributed to its struggles. <em>Analysts suggest the initial valuation at IPO was too high, and the stock has effectively run out of buyers.<\/em> The company is increasingly viewed as a proxy for the Saudi economy and the stewardship of the royal family, exposing investors to political and economic risks.<\/p>\n<h2>Crypto Market Braces for Powell&#39;s Jackson Hole Remarks<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>cryptocurrency market<\/strong> is experiencing significant volatility, with traders exhibiting nervousness ahead of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&#39;s speech at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday, August 22. <strong>Bitcoin<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/BTC\">BTC<\/a>) dropped <strong>3.2%<\/strong> in the past 24 hours, slipping below <strong>$114,000<\/strong>, while <strong>Ether<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/ETH\">ETH<\/a>) fell <strong>5.3%<\/strong> to under <strong>$4,200<\/strong>. Other major cryptocurrencies like <strong>XRP<\/strong> and <strong>Cardano&#39;s ADA<\/strong> also saw declines of <strong>6.2%<\/strong> and <strong>8%<\/strong>, respectively, contributing to a <strong>3.2%<\/strong> downturn in the broader crypto market.<\/p>\n<p>Shares of crypto-related companies have suffered even larger losses, with <strong>Marathon Digital Holdings<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/MARA\">MARA<\/a>) down <strong>5.72%<\/strong>, <strong>Coinbase<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/COIN\">COIN<\/a>) falling <strong>5.82%<\/strong>, and <strong>MicroStrategy<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSTR\">MSTR<\/a>) dropping <strong>7.43%<\/strong>. <strong>Galaxy Digital<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/GLXY\">GLXY<\/a>) slid <strong>10%<\/strong>, and <strong>Robinhood<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/HOOD\">HOOD<\/a>) sank <strong>6.5%<\/strong>. <em>This risk-off sentiment is fueled by uncertainty surrounding the Fed&#39;s future monetary policy, as Jackson Hole has historically been a venue for critical statements that have shifted market direction.<\/em> A hawkish or even neutral message from Powell could trigger further selloffs, while a dovish surprise might lead to a rebound in equities and digital assets.<\/p>\n<h2>Walmart&#39;s Premarket Dip Ahead of Earnings Report<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Walmart<\/strong> (<a href=\"\/stock\/WMT\">WMT<\/a>) shares experienced a <strong>1% fall<\/strong> in <a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/pre-market\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Premarket Movers\">premarket<\/a> trading as the retail giant prepares to release its quarterly earnings report. The company&#39;s financial performance is closely watched for insights into consumer spending habits and the ongoing impact of broader economic factors.<\/p>\n<p>In its previous Q2 2021 report (as per the search results for the specific headline), <strong>Walmart<\/strong> reported total revenue of <strong>$137.7 billion<\/strong>, marking a <strong>5.6%<\/strong> increase. <strong>Walmart U.S. comparable sales<\/strong> rose <strong>9.3%<\/strong>, with <strong>U.S. eCommerce sales<\/strong> jumping an impressive <strong>97%<\/strong>. <em>Analysts are overwhelmingly bullish on Walmart stock, with all 12 analysts tracked by Visible Alpha recommending a buy rating.<\/em> Options prices suggest the stock could move approximately <strong>4%<\/strong> up or down following the earnings announcement. The company&#39;s recent investments in <strong>artificial intelligence (AI)<\/strong>, e-commerce, and its advertising business are viewed as key growth drivers.<\/p>\n<h2>Geopolitical Developments: Belarus and China Strengthen Ties<\/h2>\n<p>In a significant geopolitical development, Belarusian President <strong>Alexander Lukashenko<\/strong> met with Chinese President <strong>Xi Jinping<\/strong> in Beijing in June 2025. The leaders discussed intensifying interaction and strengthening cooperation across various fields. Key areas of discussion included joint pilot projects aimed at creating production facilities based on scientific research and the technological modernization of Belarus&#39;s manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n<p>President Xi congratulated Lukashenko on his re-election, emphasizing the &quot;enduring traditional friendship&quot; and &quot;formidable political mutual trust&quot; between China and Belarus. Both leaders called for enhanced coordination within multilateral frameworks like the <strong>United Nations<\/strong> and the <strong>Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)<\/strong> to jointly oppose hegemony and unilateralism. Lukashenko lauded China for setting an example in upholding multilateralism and opposing sanctions, underscoring Belarus&#39;s high degree of trust in China.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways Saudi Aramco (2222.SA) has plummeted to a fresh 5\u00bd-year low, with its shares now trading at levels last 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