US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Canada, British Columbia Launch $5 Billion Infrastructure Partnership to Boost Housing, Transit, and Healthcare 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
Fed Chair Kevin Warsh Signals Policy Overhaul as Hawkish Rate Outlook Rattles Markets 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Trump Says No Hormuz Strait Tolls During 60-Day Iran Ceasefire 
BOJ Signals More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Energy Price Pressures 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details 
Asian Currencies Stabilize as Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High After Fed Hawkish Signal 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
Oil Prices Ease as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Peace Deal and Strait of Hormuz Reopening 
Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Italy’s Economy Outpaces Eurozone Peers as Investment Spending Fuels Growth 
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.
