Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook 
Brazil Holds Selic Rate at 15% as Inflation Expectations Stay Elevated 
Fed’s Dovish Tone Sends Dollar Lower as Markets Price In More Rate Cuts 
Mexico Moves to Increase Tariffs on Asian Imports to Protect Domestic Industries 
Japan Weighs New Tax Breaks to Boost Corporate Investment Amid Spending Debate 
Fed Near Neutral Signals Caution Ahead, Shifting Focus to Fixed Income in 2026 
Gold Prices Hold Firm as Markets Await Fed Rate Cut; Silver Surges to Record High 
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes 
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals 
Asian Stocks Rally as Tech Rebounds, China Lags on Nvidia Competition Concerns 
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen 
Russia Stocks End Flat as Energy and Retail Shares Show Mixed Performance 
Asian Currencies Steady as Fed Delivers Hawkish Rate Cut; Aussie and Rupee Under Pressure 
Ireland Limits Planned Trade Ban on Israeli Settlements to Goods Only 
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High 
The S&P 500 closed at 6,111.75, just shy of its record 6,118.71, slipping 0.1% on Friday as weak retail sales and inflation concerns curbed gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 166 points (-0.4%), while the NASDAQ Composite remained flat.
January retail sales fell 0.9%, exceeding forecasts of a 0.2% decline, after a 0.7% rise in December. Cold weather and Los Angeles wildfires contributed to the drop, raising concerns over consumer spending. Year-over-year sales rose 4.2%. Stifel projected a potential Q1 GDP revision below 2% due to a 0.8% fall in control group sales.
Despite hotter-than-expected CPI and PPI data this week, softer components in PPI may signal a milder PCE price index print—the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge—offering room for possible rate cuts. Fed Chair Jerome Powell, however, urged caution on easing monetary policy.
President Trump signed an executive order proposing reciprocal tariffs matching those from key trading partners, including the EU, South Korea, and Japan, though he delayed implementation for further investigations. This pause eased market concerns, despite existing 25% duties on steel and aluminum.
Hopes for an end to the Ukraine-Russia war lifted sentiment as leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference following Trump's announcement of upcoming peace talks.
In earnings news, Moderna (MRNA) climbed 3% despite a wider Q4 loss, driven by cost-cutting measures amid declining COVID-19 vaccine demand. GameStop (GME) rose 2.5% following reports of potential Bitcoin and cryptocurrency investments. Airbnb (ABNB) surged over 14% on strong Q4 earnings and increased first-time bookings. Roku (ROKU) jumped 14% after projecting strong ad revenue growth, driven by increased streaming platform demand.
This concise market update highlights key trends, earnings movers, and economic indicators impacting the financial landscape.
