Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
U.S.–Venezuela Relations Show Signs of Thaw as Top Envoy Visits Caracas 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
JPMorgan Lifts Gold Price Forecast to $6,300 by End-2026 on Strong Central Bank and Investor Demand 
India Budget 2025 Highlights Manufacturing Push but Falls Short of Market Expectations 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
IMF Forecasts Global Inflation Decline as Growth Remains Resilient 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
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.
