South Korea Assures U.S. on Trade Deal Commitments Amid Tariff Concerns 
Fed Governor Lisa Cook Warns Inflation Risks Remain as Rates Stay Steady 
South Korea’s Weak Won Struggles as Retail Investors Pour Money Into U.S. Stocks 
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices 
RBI Holds Repo Rate at 5.25% as India’s Growth Outlook Strengthens After U.S. Trade Deal 
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility 
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains 
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient 
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock 
Gold and Silver Prices Slide as Dollar Strength and Easing Tensions Weigh on Metals 
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns 
Dollar Steadies Ahead of ECB and BoE Decisions as Markets Turn Risk-Off 
Gold Prices Slide Below $5,000 as Strong Dollar and Central Bank Outlook Weigh on Metals 
Thailand Inflation Remains Negative for 10th Straight Month in January 
Japan Economy Poised for Q4 2025 Growth as Investment and Consumption Hold Firm 
U.S. Stock Futures Edge Higher as Tech Rout Deepens on AI Concerns and Earnings 
U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday, capping off a losing week, as renewed trade tensions triggered by President Donald Trump’s tariff proposals shook investor confidence. Trump suggested a 50% tariff on European Union goods and warned Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) of potential 25% tariffs on iPhones not made in the U.S., reigniting fears of a global trade war.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 256.02 points (0.61%) to 41,603.07, while the S&P 500 declined 0.67% to 5,802.82. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 1% to 18,737.21. For the week, the Dow lost 2.47%, the S&P 500 shed 2.61%, and the Nasdaq declined 2.48%.
High-growth tech and consumer discretionary stocks led losses. Apple hit a two-week low, sliding 3%. Major names like Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), and Meta (NASDAQ:META) also dipped over 1%, while Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) eased 0.5%. The semiconductor sector slid 1.5%. In contrast, defensive sectors such as utilities, consumer staples, and energy saw gains.
U.S. Treasury yields pulled back from recent highs, with the 10-year note falling 4.4 basis points to 4.509%. The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), a key gauge of market fear, surged 10% to a two-week high.
Ocean Park Asset Management’s James St. Aubin described the market’s reaction as a return to tariff anxieties that investors hoped were in the past. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent supported Trump’s stance, calling the EU’s offers unsatisfactory and expressing hope that tariff threats would pressure EU negotiators.
Deckers Outdoor (NYSE:DECK) plunged nearly 20% after a weak sales forecast, citing uncertainty from tariff tensions. Nike (NYSE:NKE) also fell 2.1%. Total trading volume reached 17.67 billion shares, near the 20-day average.
