Starmer’s China Visit Highlights Western Balancing Act Amid U.S.-China Rivalry 
India Budget 2026: Modi Government Eyes Reforms Amid Global Uncertainty and Fiscal Pressures 
Dollar Holds Firm as Markets Weigh Warsh-Led Fed and Yen Weakness Ahead of Japan Election 
EU Recovery Fund Faces Bottlenecks Despite Driving Digital and Green Projects 
South Korea Exports Surge in January on AI Chip Demand, Marking Fastest Growth in 4.5 Years 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
China Factory Activity Slips in January as Weak Demand Weighs on Growth Outlook 
China Home Prices Rise in January as Government Signals Stronger Support for Property Market 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
U.S. Eases Venezuela Oil Sanctions to Boost American Investment After Maduro Ouster 
South Korea Factory Activity Hits 18-Month High as Export Demand Surges 
Oil Prices Slide Nearly 3% as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Geopolitical Tensions 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
BOJ Policymakers Warn Weak Yen Could Fuel Inflation Risks and Delay Rate Action 
Wall Street closed sharply higher on Monday, driven by strong rebounds in major artificial intelligence (AI) and technology stocks, as hopes grew that Washington was nearing a resolution to the record-breaking U.S. government shutdown.
The longest shutdown in U.S. history appears close to ending after a bipartisan compromise to restore federal funding cleared a Senate hurdle late Sunday. Though final approval from Congress remains pending, investor sentiment turned positive.
“The shutdown had gone on longer than expected, raising concerns about the economy and potential travel disruptions,” said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management.
Tech giants led the charge, with Nvidia soaring 5.8%, Palantir jumping 8.8%, and Tesla gaining 3.7%. The S&P 500 technology sector, which had dropped 4.2% last week, bounced back strongly. “This is a classic ‘buy the dip’ rally,” said Ross Mayfield, investment strategist at Baird. “The AI theme remains solid, supported by strong earnings.”
The S&P 500 advanced 1.54% to 6,832.43, the Nasdaq surged 2.27% to 23,527.17—its biggest one-day gain since May 27—and the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.81% to 47,368.63. Semiconductor stocks also surged, lifting the PHLX index 3%, while the small-cap Russell 2000 gained 0.9%.
Trading volume was slightly below average, with 17.9 billion shares exchanged. Meanwhile, airlines faced pressure amid flight cuts and staff shortages—United Airlines slipped 1.3% and American Airlines lost 2.5%.
Health insurers tumbled as the Senate deal ended the 40-day shutdown without extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. Centene plunged 8.8%, Humana fell 5.4%, and Elevance Health dropped 4.4%.
Elsewhere, Pfizer won a $10 billion bidding war for Metsera, sending Metsera shares down 14.8%. Eli Lilly gained 4.6% to a record high after an analyst upgrade.
Optimism over AI continues to drive Wall Street’s 2025 bull run, signaling renewed investor confidence in the tech-driven economy.
