Market Update

U.S. stock futures pointed lower on Friday, putting both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq on track for a second straight weekly decline, as a sharp drop in Intel shares and lingering geopolitical uncertainty weighed on risk appetite. By 8:35 a.m. ET, S&P 500 E-minis were down 0.2%, Nasdaq 100 futures …

Bitcoin slipped on Friday, capping a weak week as easing tensions over Greenland and a major corporate purchase failed to revive appetite for cryptocurrencies. The world’s largest digital asset fell 0.5% to $89,517 in early Asian trade, and was on track for a weekly decline of about 5%. Any brief …

Private sector activity in the U.K. expanded at its fastest pace in nearly two years in January, according to S&P Global’s latest flash PMI data, signaling a stronger start to 2026 for the economy. The composite PMI rose to 53.9 from 51.4 in December, marking the ninth straight month above …

Business activity across the Eurozone remained in expansion territory in January, but momentum showed signs of softening as the services sector lost steam, according to the latest flash HCOB PMI data. The Composite PMI held steady at 51.5, slightly below market expectations of 51.6. While the headline figure still points …

U.K. retail sales rebounded sharply in December, signaling a return of consumer confidence after months of caution surrounding the Autumn budget and giving the Bank of England fresh food for thought ahead of its February policy meeting. Monthly sales rose 0.4%, reversing November’s decline, while annual growth surged to 2.5%—well …

Oil prices advanced in Asian trading on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of potential military action against Iran, reigniting fears of supply disruptions in the Middle East. Despite some volatility earlier in the week, crude was on track for a fifth consecutive weekly gain, supported by expectations of …

Most Asian stock markets advanced on Friday, supported by gains in technology shares, while Japanese equities held on to mild gains after the Bank of Japan left interest rates unchanged, in line with expectations. The BOJ raised its inflation and growth forecasts, shifting market focus to an upcoming address by …

On January 22, 2026, the North American trading session buzzed with a flurry of corporate earnings announcements, delivering a patchwork of results that highlighted resilience in consumer staples and commodities while revealing ongoing pressures in the semiconductor space. Major U.S. companies stepped into the spotlight, posting outcomes that ranged from …

Yen Finds Support, Dollar Recovers Modestly: The Japanese Yen recovered some lost ground against the US Dollar on Thursday, though gains remained limited, as USD/JPY stabilized near 158.42, up 0.11% on the day.The pair pulled back from earlier highs as broad Dollar weakness resurfaced, even as US macro data pointed …

Global markets advanced as investors reacted to signs of easing tensions between the United States and Europe, following renewed diplomatic engagement that reduced fears of imminent trade measures.The US Dollar continued to weaken even after inflation and growth data broadly met expectations. Recent figures confirmed that price pressures remain manageable, …