Coin World reported on Friday (October 18) that the US dollar index rose to 103.80, and the price of gold climbed to $2,692, reaching a high of $2,696 overnight. Bitcoin broke through $67,000, reaching its highest level since 2021. Israel killed the Hamas leader and vowed to continue the fight. US retail sales data exceeded expectations, suppressing the dovish pricing of significant interest rate cuts.
According to Bloomberg, Israeli soldiers killed Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 attack and the leader of Hamas. His death left a huge void in the upper echelons of the extremist organization and prompted the United States to once again pressure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military said that Sinwar, who had been missing for weeks, was killed on Wednesday along with two other Hamas militants in southern Gaza, in what appears to be an accidental encounter with the mastermind behind the deadliest attack against Israel.
