The Zimbabwean ZiG currency has lost momentum this year, even as the price of gold has surged to a record high, boosting its assets. The official USD/ZWG exchange rate stands at 26.77, much higher than the listing price of 13. This means that it has lost almost 100% of its value a year after its inception.

Why the Zimbabwe ZiG currency crashed

Zimbabwe, a country in Southern Africa, has moved from one currency crisis to the other. In April last year, the central bank launched ZiG, the sixth attempt to have a stable currency since 2009. 

It launched ZiG, whose benefit was that it was backed by gold and fiat currencies. According to the central bank, the currency is now backed by assets worth over $550 million, mostly because of the recent gold price surge. 

The government hopes that the ZiG will be the only legal tender in the country in the long term.

However, recent data shows that the currency’s popularity has weakened as Zimbabweans remain skeptical about a local currency. For one, they remember well that the country’s central bank devalued it by 43% in September last year. This devaluation meant that people who held the currency at the time saw the value of their holdings fall.

The central bank justified the devaluation noting that it would help to bridge the gap between the official and the black market rate. To a large extent, the bank has achieved this goal as the two markets have converged.

Read more: What is happening with Zimbabwe’s currency ZiG?

Once bitten, twice shy

The Zimbabwe ZiG currency has also lost market share because many people and businesses in the country have been here before. Many of them recall how the original Zimbabwe dollar crashed to a record low during the Robert Mugabe era. This happened as the government embarked on a currency-printing spree. 

Most recently, Zimbabweans suffered when the RTGS currency crashed, which led to the creation of the ZiG currency in April last year. Therefore, many people and businesses are not interested to take the risk even as the ZiG interest rate rises. The central bank has pushed interest rates to 35% to make it a more attractive currency.

Zimbabwe is largely a dollar-based economy

Most importantly, Zimbabwe is swimming in the US dollar, which is the most widely used currency in the country. According to Bloomberg, the amount of dollars in circulation in Zimbabwe has jumped in the past few months, with the ZiG being used to handle small transactions like utility bills and some wages. Many landlords reject rent payments in this currency. 

Meanwhile, analysts warn that the currency may not survive for long since it is not used often to settle transactions. In a note, one analyst said:

“What else is the ZiG used for except arbitrage opportunities and to pay civil servants. I can’t see the ZiG surviving that long.”

Therefore, there is a likelihood that the USD/ZWG exchange rate will continue falling over time as the use of the US dollar in the country rises. 

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Cannabis stocks have plunged this year, continuing a trend that has been going on in the past few years as the bubble bursts. Most of them have lost over 50% of their value this year, and are down by over 80% from their all-time highs. 

Why cannabis stocks crashed

These companies have crashed because of Donald Trump’s election in the United States. Republicans also won the Senate and the House of Representatives, ruling out the passing of a cannabis bill in the country.

Cannabis stocks have also plunged as competition has risen from the mainstream brands and mom-and-pop stores. They also dropped because of the large losses they are reporting and the relatively slow growth in the industry. 

This article highlights some of the top two cannabis stocks to sell, and one that could possibly bounce back over time.

Canopy Growth (CGC)

Canopy Growth is one of the top cannabis stocks to sell as it trades at an all-time low. It crashed to a low of $0.9473, down by over 65% this year, making it the worst performer in the industry. 

Canopy Growth share price has plunged after the company reported weak financial results. Its numbers showed that the revenue dropped to $75 million in the fourth quarter from $88.6 million a year earlier. That is a sign that its demand has largely dried up.

Most importantly, the company has no path to profitability as its net loss jumped to over $127 million from $41 million a year earlier. Worse, analysts believe that the trajectory will continue this year, with the average revenue estimate for the last quarter being a 13% decline to $71 million. They expect its annual revenue will be down by 19.7% to $276 million. 

Therefore, selling Canopy Growth stock price makes sense as demand wanes and the losses mount. 

Read more: 5 Best Cannabis Stocks to Buy for Q2 2025

Curaleaf Holdings (CURLF)

Curaleaf Holdings is another cannabis stock to sell as its growth gains steam. Its stock has crashed by 45% this year and over 85% in the last 12 months. This crash has brought the total market cap to below $500 million. 

Curaleaf’s business has deteriorated in the past few years, a trend that continued in the last quarter. Its net revenue dropped by 4% in the fourth quarter to $331 million. Also, its profitability worsened, with the adjusted EBITDA of $75.8 million being lower than a year earlier. 

Curaleaf’s annual revenue was flat at $1.34 billion, while the adjusted net loss was $116 million. Analysts expect that Curaleaf’s first-quarter revenue will be $316 million, down by 6.75% from a year earlier. 

Tilray Brands (TLRY)

Tilray Brands stock price has crashed by 53% this year and over 78% in the last 12 months. While most cannabis stocks have a bearish outlook, one can make a contrarian case for the company.

Tilray Brands has evolved in the past few years. It has moved from being a mere cannabis company into a diversified firm. It did that by investing heavily in the beverage industry. 

It acquired several brands of alcoholic beverages from companies like Molson Coors and AB InBev. There are signs that these acquisitions are working out. For example, its quarterly revenue rose by 9% to $211 million. 

Most importantly, these buyouts have made its business more diversified. Alcoholic beverages stood at $63 million, while its cannabis segment made $66 million. The distribution and wellness businesses rose to $68 million and $15 million.

Therefore, while Tilray Brands stock is risky, there are signs that it is a better one than most pureplay cannabis companies.

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The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) has plummeted this week as the US economic risks jumped following Donald Trump’s Liberation Day speech. It plunged to a low of $40,545 on Thursday, its lowest level since September 11. It has crashed by 10% from its highest point this year as it moved into a correction. 

Fear and greed index has plunged

The Dow Jones crashed as investors panicked and either sold their shares or stayed in the sidelines. 

A good example of this is the performance of the fear and greed index has plunged to the extreme fear zone of 8. The last time the index was this low was during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

All sub-indices of this index have moved to the extreme fear zone. The market momentum indicator, which compares the S&P 500 index with the 125-day moving average, has dropped to the extreme fear zone. 

Similarly, the stock price strength has crashed as the number of companies trading at their 52-week lows has risen. The stock price breadth, which looks at the McClellan Volume Summation Index has also plummeted. Other gauges like put and call options, market volatility, safe haven demand, and junk bond demand have moved to the extreme zone. 

The VIX index, which is widely seen as the fear gauge in Wall Street, has jumped to $30, its highest level since August 2024. It has risen by over 135% from its lowest point in December last year.

Is the rising fear a good catalyst?

A common saying in the stock market recommends buying when everyone is fearful, and selling when everyone is greedy. 

This saying has worked relatively well in the past as bull markets typically start when the fear and greed index is in the deep red zone. For example, the Dow Jones and the S&P 500 index started a strong comeback in March 2020 when the fear gauge plummeted.

Numerous catalysts may push the Dow Jones Index higher in the coming months. First, Donald Trump has already unveiled his tariffs against all countries bringing goods to the United States.

The next stage will be negotiations with other countries. He has already hinted that he will be willing to take some “phenomenal’ offers from countries like China. For example, he has said that he may decide to lower tariffs if China agrees to a TikTok deal. 

Trump is also under pressure from the business community to offer some exclusions. In a statement, the Business Roundtable said:

“However, universal tariffs ranging from 10-50% run the risk of causing major harm to American manufacturers, workers, families and exporters. Damage to the U.S. economy will increase the longer the tariffs are in place and may be exacerbated by retaliatory measures.”

The Dow Jones index may also rebound as the Federal Reserve intervenes if it believes that the economy was moving to a recession. While US inflation is high, the Fed may decide that a rate cut will be necessary to supercharge economic growth.

Dow Jones Index technical analysis

The daily chart shows that the Dow Jones Index has crashed in the past few months. This crash happened after it formed a double-top chart pattern. It has also moved below the 50-day and 200-day moving averages, meaning that a death cross may happen soon. 

The distance between the double top and the neckline is about 7%. Therefore, measuring the same distance from the neckline gives the next Dow Jones target at $38,900, the lowest level since August 7. 

Therefore, there is a likelihood that the index will drop to that target and then resume the uptrend.

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The Nasdaq 100 Index has slumped into a technical correction this year, falling by over 16% from its highest level in January. It has crashed to a low of $18,520, its lowest level since August 9 of last year. 

The tech-heavy index has crashed as concerns about the American economy and the artificial intelligence (AI) sector continued. Just this week, it was reported that Microsoft was reducing its investments in data centers, a sign that the industry was softening. 

The Nasdaq 100 index has also crashed because of the ongoing trade war between the United States and other trading partners like China, the European Union, and Canada. Analysts warn that many technology companies could become retaliatory targets by these trading partners.

Indeed, many well-known Nasdaq 100 index stocks have crashed this year. The worst performers are names like Trade Desk, Marvell Technology, On Semiconductor, Datadog, Broadcom, and MongoDB. This article explores some of the top-performing Nasdaq 100 index stocks this year.

Top Nasdaq 100 index stocks of 2025

Exelon Corp (EXC)

Exelon is the best-performing Nasdaq 100 stock this year, rising by over 25% since January. While its name is not a popular one, many Americans use its services since it is one of the biggest utility companies in the country. 

Exelon owns brands like Atlantic City Electric, Commonwealth Edison, and PECO Energy Company. Its stock has jumped because of the rising demand from data centers, and the fact that it has a higher dividend yield than other firms. Its dividend yield stands at 3.50%.

Analysts expect that Exelon’s business will continue doing well this year. The average estimate is that its annual revenue will grow by 3.9% this year to $23.93 billion, followed by $24.57 billion next year.

Gilead Sciences (GILD)

Gilead Sciences is another top Nasdaq 100 index stock doing well this year. GILD stock is up by over 21% in 2025 and 60% in the last twelve months for three main reasons. First, as a pharmaceutical company, there is a likelihood that Donald Trump’s trade war will not impact it.

Second, the company’s business is doing well. The most recent numbers showed that Gilead’s sales, excluding Veklury, rose by 8% to $26.8 billion. Most of this growth was driven by its Trodelvy, a drug used to treat certain types of cancers. Its sales jumped by 24%, and analysts believe that the trend will continue. 

Third, analysts are optimistic about its Lenacapavir drug, which will be used to treat certain HIV-1 illnesses. The company expects that this drug will receive full approval bythe summer of this year.

T-Mobile (TMUS)

T-Moble is another Nasdaq 100 index stock that has done well in the past few months, rising by over 21% this year. It has soared by 64% in the last twelve months and constantly beats its rivals like AT&T and Verizon. 

T-Mobile has continued to take market share in the telco industry, and the end of the pricing wars has helped it boost its margins. The company’s 5G rollout has been one of the best, helped by its Sprint acquisition. 

Further, the merger with Sprint helped it to boost its synergies, which has improved its profitability and cash flows. Also, the company’s business has not been affected by other slow-growing industries like cable and media that have affected their peers. 

Read more: Here’s why T-Mobile stock price keeps beating AT&T and Verizon

Other top Nasdaq 100 shares 

The other top Nasdaq 100 constituents this year are firms like Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Amgen, American Electric Power Company, PDD Holdings, and Mondelez. A closer look at all these firms shows that many of them have no presence in the slowing AI industry.

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Crypto prices remained on edge on Friday as the market came to terms with Donald Trump’s trade war and its implications. Bitcoin bounced back above $84,000, while other popular tokens like Ethereum, Ripple, and Solana crawled back. This article looks at some of the top notable tokens, including DigiByte (DGB), Cosmos (ATOM), and Pi Network (PI).

DigiByte price prediction

DigiByte is a mid-cap cryptocurrency established in 2014 to offer faster and secure payments. Users love it for its significantly faster speeds and much lower transaction costs.

Additionally, the network runs DigiAssets that enable users to issue digital assets, tokens, and smart contracts. 

The DigiByte token bounced back in the past few days as it defied gravity as other tokens crashed. It rose from a low of $0.0066 in January to a high of $0.011 today. It has jumped above the 50-day moving average and the ascending trendline that connects the lowest swings since November last year.

DGB’s MACD indicator has continued to rise and has now moved above the zero line. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) has moved above the zero line.

DigiByte token has formed what looks like a double-bottom pattern whose neckline is at its November. A move to that neckline would be a 103% from the current level.

Therefore, the path of the least resistance for the DigiByte price is bullish, with the next reference point to watch being at the psychological point at $0.015, which is about 37% above the current level. A drop below the ascending trendline will invalidate the bullish DigiByte price forecast.

Cosmos ATOM price analysis

The Cosmos ATOM token price bottomed about the key support at $3.617 this year, a sign that bears are afraid of shorting below it. ATOM was trading at $4.823 on Friday, up by 42% from the lowest level this year. 

The token has formed an inverse head and shoulders pattern whose neckline is at about $5. An inverse H&S pattern is one of the most popular bullish reversal signs in the market. 

The Relative Strength Index has moved above the neutral point at 50, while the MACD indicator has risen above the zero line. Also, ATOM token price has also formed a double-bottom pattern at $3.6, whose neckline is at $10.62.

Therefore, a combination of the double bottom and an inverse head and shoulders patterns, and the bullish divergence point to more gains in the coming weeks. A move above the neckline at $5 will point to more gains, potentially to the neckline at $10.6, up by 115% from the current level. A drop below the support point at $3.617 will invalidate the bullish outlook.

Pi Network price technical analysis

The Pi Network token price peaked at $3 shortly after its mainnet launch in February this year. Since then, the coin has crashed by 81% to the current level of $0.5575, its lowest level since February 20. It has moved below the 50-period moving average. 

On the positive side, the token has formed a falling wedge pattern, a popular bullish reversal sign. This pattern comprises two descending and converging trendlines, which are now nearing their confluence level. 

The Relative Strength Index has moved to the oversold level, while the MACD indicator has formed a bullish divergence pattern. Therefore, the coin will likely have a bullish breakout, with the next point to watch being at $1. A drop below the support at $0.4635 will invalidate the bullish outlook.

Read more: Is Pi Network (PI) headed for a new low after 26% plunge?

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