Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
Asian Stocks Waver as Trump Signals Fed Pick, Shutdown Deal and Tech Earnings Stir Markets 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Markets Brace for Big Tech Earnings and Key Data 
UK Employers Plan Moderate Pay Rises as Inflation Pressures Ease but Persist 
Japan Election Poll Signals Landslide Win for Sanae Takaichi, Raising Fiscal Policy Concerns 
U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Oil Prices Surge Toward Biggest Monthly Gains in Years Amid Middle East Tensions 
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 
Gold Prices Stabilize in Asian Trade After Sharp Weekly Losses Amid Fed Uncertainty 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Closes Unchanged Amid Mixed Global Signals 
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 
Canada’s Trade Deficit Jumps in November as Exports Slide and Firms Diversify Away From U.S. 
Gold Prices Pull Back After Record Highs as January Rally Remains Strong 
Wall Street closed sharply lower Friday following Iran’s missile strike on Israel, a retaliatory move after Israeli attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites. The conflict has triggered fears of a broader Middle East war, shaking global investor confidence.
Explosions rocked Tel Aviv and Jerusalem as Israel’s military confirmed missile launches from Iran. The geopolitical tension sent oil prices soaring nearly 7%, raising concerns about disruptions in Middle East crude supply. Analysts warned that if the Strait of Hormuz is affected, global markets could face serious turmoil.
Energy stocks surged in response, with ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) up 2.2% and Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG) climbing 3.7%. In contrast, airline shares tumbled on rising fuel cost fears—Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) dropped 3.8%, United Airlines fell 4.4%, and American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) sank 4.9%.
Defense stocks gained as investors looked to military suppliers. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), RTX, and Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) all rose over 3%.
The S&P 500 declined 1.13% to 5,976.97, the Nasdaq lost 1.30% to 19,406.83, and the Dow fell 1.79% to 42,197.79. Financial and tech sectors led the decline, with financials down 2.06% and tech off 1.5%. For the week, the S&P 500 slipped 0.4%, Nasdaq 0.6%, and Dow 1.3%.
Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) dropped 5.3% over AI adoption concerns, while Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) surged 7.7% on strong AI-driven forecasts. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) dipped 2.1% and 1.4%, respectively. Visa (NYSE:V) and Mastercard (NYSE:MA) both fell over 4% amid reports that retailers are exploring crypto alternatives.
Despite rate-hike concerns easing, the market remains volatile, with declining S&P 500 stocks outnumbering gainers by over 6 to 1.
