Asian Stocks Fall as Surging Bond Yields Rattle Markets 
Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High as Yen Approaches 160 
Fed Unveils Stablecoin Rules Under GENIUS Act 
U.S. Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Oil, Treasury Yields Surge 
Fed’s Hammack Says Bond Yield Surge Is Not Driven by Inflation Fears 
Dollar Falls as Oil Eases, Yen Jumps on Intervention Signals 
Germany’s 2026 Growth Outlook Strengthens on Fiscal Spending 
Trump, Xi Focus on Trade and AI at White House Summit 
Japanese Yen Rebounds as Trump Flags Currency Weakness 
UK PM Burnham to Unveil Economic Vision at Labour Conference 
Wall Street Ends Flat as Oil, Treasury Yields and Fed Jitters Rattle Markets 
Canadian Dollar Faces Pressure as Fed-BoC Policy Gap Widens 
Gold Holds Near $4,275 as Rising Treasury Yields Fuel Fed Rate Hike Bets 
European Stocks Fall as Bond Yields and Geopolitical Risks Weigh 
US Comfortable With Canada Trade Standoff as Import Bans Loom 
China Agrees to Buy 20 Million Tons of U.S. Coal 
U.S. Treasury Yields Surge as 30-Year Hits 22-Year High 
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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.
