Asia Markets Tumble as Gulf Conflict Drives Oil Prices to Historic Highs 
Asian Currencies Hold Steady Amid U.S.-Israel-Iran Tensions and BOJ Signals 
U.S. Trade Rep Dismisses WTO's Future Role After Failed Cameroon Summit 
RBC Capital: European Medtech Firms Show Minimal Middle East and Energy Risk Exposure 
Dollar Surges to Monthly High as Middle East Conflict Rattles Global Markets 
U.S. Stock Futures Drop as Iran War Escalates, Oil Surges Past $115 
Oil Prices Surge to Record Monthly Highs as Middle East War Rattles Global Markets 
Bessent: Global Oil Market Well Supplied as U.S. Eyes Hormuz Navigation Control 
Canada's Economy Grows Modestly in January 2025, Driven by Energy and Construction 
Bank of Japan Signals Rate Flexibility Amid Yen Volatility 
Gold Prices Inch Higher Amid U.S.-Iran War Tensions and Technical Rebound 
Dollar Surges to Nine-Month High as Middle East Tensions Drive Safe-Haven Demand 
Bank of Korea Nominee Shin Hyun-song Calls for Flexible Monetary Policy Amid Iran War Risks 
Goldman Sachs Sees Value in European Real Estate Stocks Despite Sharp Selloff 
Asian Stocks Drop Amid Iran War Fears and BOJ Rate Hike Signals 
WTO Digital Trade Moratorium Expires Amid Stalled Negotiations 
The S&P 500 closed higher Tuesday as investors balanced strong earnings with rising US-China trade tensions. The Dow gained 142 points (0.3%), the S&P 500 climbed 0.72%, and the Nasdaq surged 262 points (1.4%).
President Trump postponed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico but imposed a 10% duty on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate. China imposed tariffs on US coal, LNG, crude oil, and automobiles while restricting rare earth exports, escalating trade war concerns. Beijing also blacklisted PVH Corp (NYSE:PVH) and Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) and launched an antitrust probe into Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG).
Wall Street remains cautious about Fed rate cuts, with Morgan Stanley now predicting only one in 2025. Meanwhile, earnings reports drove market movements. PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) dropped 4.5% on weak revenue growth, while Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) soared 13.3% on strong Q4 results. Palantir (NASDAQ:PLTR) surged 24% on AI-driven revenue forecasts. Estee Lauder (NYSE:EL) fell 16% due to weak Asian retail sales, and Merck (NYSE:MRK) slipped 9% after pausing Gardasil shipments to China.
All eyes are on Alphabet’s post-market earnings, with investors eager for AI spending updates amid competition from China's DeepSeek.
Oil prices dipped as trade tensions threatened economic growth. WTI crude fell 0.49% to $72.80 per barrel. Despite global concerns, OPEC+ upheld production plans, keeping output cuts in place until April.
Markets remain volatile as earnings and economic policies shape investor sentiment.
