Zest Protocol Community

__ZM ZEST CHADS__ Happy Friday! Its going to be a great day today!! Today is a new campaign to be paying attention to: Starting Bitcoin block 966,350 (~Sep 10) Stacks distributes 1 BTC per month through a 90-day incentive program with @ZestProtocol and @bitflow. Rewards paid in BTC and target DeFi activities: → Borrowing USDCx against sBTC and STX → Liquidity activity in core USDCx pairs Check it out here: https://x.com/ZestProtocol/status/2088222856211775769 There was a BD meeting yesterday and I got to participate as a steward of this seasons Degrant Cohort!! Lets just say that we all need to get more bullish!! The teams have been working hard to secure new partnerships, signers, and all of the above! Be on the look out for back to back to back announcements from the @Stacks Handle!! What a perfect way to usher in the weekend!! At 3pm ET we will be getting together with the Stacks Africa guys to have a discussion surrounding Bitcoin Capital Markets, and how you can empower yourself with Zest!! Set your reminders here: https://x.com/i/spaces/1mGPaZaWNAqJN?s=20 __MARKET UPDATE 8.14.26__ Market Update as of Friday, August 14, 2026 (based on latest available data; markets move quickly—prices are approximate). Equities (US Stocks) US stocks closed higher on Thursday (Aug 13), with the S&P 500 hitting a record close amid softer-than-expected July PPI data that eased concerns about a potential Fed rate hike in September. Tech and communication services led gains. - S&P 500: Closed at approximately 7,799 (up ~0.65–0.7%), a new record high (intraday peak near 7,817). - Nasdaq Composite: Closed at approximately 26,803 (up ~0.8%). - Dow Jones Industrial Average: Closed at approximately 53,840 (up ~0.13%). Friday futures were mixed/little changed (S&P and Nasdaq slightly higher in some reports, Dow slightly lower), with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq on pace for a third straight weekly gain. Cryptocurrencies - Bitcoin and the broader crypto market were softer, with limited reaction to the softer inflation data. - Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw outflows, and liquidity remained relatively weak. - Bitcoin (BTC): Trading around $62,700–$63,200 (down roughly 0.9–1.5% over 24 hours in various reports). It has been consolidating near the $63,000 level after recent pullbacks from higher levels in the $64k–$65k range. Market cap remains the largest in crypto (near $1.26T). - Other major coins (e.g., Ethereum) were also modestly lower in many updates. Commodities Oil rose on Friday amid ongoing Middle East/Iran-related supply concerns (after a drop on Thursday on inventory and demand signals). Gold pulled back somewhat after a recent rally. - Crude Oil (WTI): Around $81–$82 per barrel (up modestly on Friday in many quotes after Thursday’s decline). Brent was near $87–$88. - Gold: Around $4,340–$4,370 per ounce (mixed to slightly lower on the day/week in various reports, after testing higher levels earlier). Bonds / Fixed Income - Treasury yields were relatively stable to slightly higher after Thursday’s decline (driven by the soft PPI print). 10-year US Treasury yield: Around 4.64–4.66%. Overall tone: Equities remain supported by cooling inflation signals and AI/tech strength, while crypto lags and oil is sensitive to geopolitical headlines. Data can shift rapidly—check live sources for the absolute latest prices. This is not investment advice. __TOPIC OF THE DAY__ Treasury yields were relatively stable to slightly higher after Thursday’s decline (driven by the soft PPI print). 10-year US Treasury yield: Around 4.64–4.66%. Overall tone: Equities remain supported by cooling inflation signals and AI/tech strength, while crypto lags and oil is sensitive to geopolitical headlines. Data can shift rapidly—check live sources for the absolute latest prices. This is not investment advice.