Australia’s Corporate Regulator Urges Pension Funds to Boost Technology Investment as Industry Grows 
South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
Vietnam’s Trade Surplus With US Jumps as Exports Surge and China Imports Hit Record 
Silver Prices Plunge in Asian Trade as Dollar Strength Triggers Fresh Precious Metals Sell-Off 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
Trump Endorses Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Ahead of Crucial Election Amid Market and China Tensions 
Asian Currencies Trade Sideways as Dollar Stabilizes, Yen Weakens Ahead of Japan Election 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Oil Prices Slide on US-Iran Talks, Dollar Strength and Profit-Taking Pressure 
Asian Markets Slip as AI Spending Fears Shake Tech, Wall Street Futures Rebound 
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility 
Oil Prices Slip as U.S.–Iran Talks Ease Supply Disruption Fears 
Asian Markets Wobble as AI Fears Rattle Stocks, Oil and Gold Rebound 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Global financial markets extended their losses for a third straight session on Friday as a deepening Wall Street selloff rattled investor confidence across equities, cryptocurrencies, and precious metals. Rising concerns over artificial intelligence profitability, labor market weakness, and aggressive unwinding of crowded trades have fueled sharp volatility worldwide.
Asian markets led the downturn, with MSCI’s Asia-Pacific index excluding Japan falling 1% for a second consecutive day. South Korea’s Kospi plunged 5%, triggering a temporary trading halt shortly after the open. U.S. equity futures pointed lower, with S&P 500 e-mini futures down 0.2% and Nasdaq futures sliding 0.4%, signaling continued pressure on technology stocks. The S&P 500 has now turned negative for the year as fears mount over slowing economic growth and potential job losses.
Investor anxiety intensified following data showing U.S. employer layoffs surged in January to the highest level for that month in 17 years, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. At the same time, concerns that new AI models could erode software company margins sparked a sharp selloff in the S&P 500 software and services index, which dropped 4.6% and has lost roughly $1 trillion in market value since late January in what traders have dubbed “software-mageddon.”
Commodities and digital assets also experienced extreme swings. Gold edged down 0.1% to $4,764.43, while silver saw a dramatic intraday plunge of up to 10% before recovering to trade 1.4% lower. Cryptocurrency markets rebounded after a $2 trillion wipeout, with bitcoin rising 3.7% to $65,446 and ether gaining 4.4%, reversing earlier steep losses.
In fixed income and currency markets, expectations of potential Federal Reserve rate cuts grew, with futures pricing a higher probability of easing at the March meeting. The U.S. dollar index remained flat, Treasury yields eased, and the yen strengthened ahead of Japan’s upcoming election. Oil prices also slipped, with Brent crude down 0.4%, reflecting broader risk-off sentiment across global markets.
