Markets Adjust to Changing Interest Rate Expectation - 2.2.2026

Senior Analyst

Articles:245

Todays’ Market Summary

The U.S. dollar is moving a lot
Crypto prices are also under pressure
Global stock markets started the week lower
Oil prices dropped sharply
Gold prices are falling after recently reaching record highs

Top daily news

Over the weekend, President Trump suggested that a workable deal with Iran could happen. That reduced fears of war, which had been pushing market prices higher. In the U.S., Kevin Warsh’s nomination to lead the Federal Reserve is making investors think interest rates could stay higher for longer. This week is also important for economic data, especially Friday’s U.S. jobs report, which could strongly affect markets.

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Forex news

The U.S. dollar is moving a lot as traders react to the possibility of tighter monetary policy under new Fed leadership.

EURUSD is near 1.1850. The euro is holding up but struggling against the stronger dollar.
GBPUSD is falling as traders wait for the Bank of England’s policy update.
USDJPY is moving with changes in U.S. bond yields.
AUDUSD is weaker because commodity prices are falling, which often hurts the Australian dollar.

Stock Market news

Global stock markets started the week lower. S&P 500 down about 0.9%, Dow Jones down about 0.5% and Nasdaq under pressure because excitement around AI stocks is cooling down. In Asia Hong Kong’s Hang Seng fell more than 2%, Australia’s ASX 200 dropped 1.1%, mainly due to weaker gold and energy stocks. Japan’s Nikkei rose slightly (about 0.2%), standing out in an otherwise weak region.

Commodity Market news

Oil prices dropped sharply after rising for weeks due to Middle East tensions. Brent crude fell 3 - 4% to around $65.47 and WTI crude dropped to about $61.30. The reason is Trump’s comments about serious talks with Iran. If supply disruptions seem less likely, oil prices usually fall.

Gold Market News

Gold prices are falling after recently reaching record highs. Gold dropped more than 4%, trading below $4,700. Investors are taking profits, and the stronger U.S. dollar is also hurting gold. As fears of conflict ease, demand for gold as a safe haven is decreasing.

Crypto

Crypto prices are also under pressure. Bitcoin and Ethereum have fallen to multi-month lows. Over $2.5 billion in crypto positions were forced to close (liquidations). Money is flowing out of crypto ETFs, adding to selling pressure. However, a reported $500 million investment from Abu Dhabi into a Trump-linked crypto project is keeping long-term interest in the sector alive.