President Trump nominated former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell, prompting investors to recalibrate interest-rate expectations toward a “higher-for-longer” path. Warsh, long viewed as inflation-hawkish but pragmatic, still faces Senate confirmation; in the meantime, the dollar strengthened and Treasury yields rose as markets weighed a steadier, less politically driven Fed stance. The shift could temper hopes for rapid rate cuts while supporting policy credibility amid sticky inflation data.
Source: MarketWatch
Metals rout and tech selloff roil markets as dollar jumps
Gold and silver suffered one of their sharpest single-day plunges in years as a resurgent dollar and rising yields sparked forced liquidations across commodities and risk assets. The metals wipeout—paired with a deepening tech selloff—underscored broad de-risking as investors digested tighter-liquidity signals and recalibrated rate-cut hopes. Near term, volatility and thinner liquidity raise the risk of overshoots before fundamentals reassert.
Source: MarketWatch
U.S. enters partial government shutdown; quick deal expected
A partial U.S. government shutdown took effect as funding lapsed, though negotiators signaled a near-term agreement is likely. While the immediate economic impact is expected to be modest if the impasse ends swiftly, the stop-start dynamic complicates agency operations during tax filing season and adds headline risk for markets already navigating rate and growth uncertainty.
Source: Seeking Alpha
Energy spotlight: Chevron beats as output hits records; Exxon mixed; oil posts biggest weekly gain since October
Chevron topped Q4 estimates and highlighted record 2025 output, while Exxon reported lower Q4 earnings despite full-year production at a 40-year high. Crude notched its strongest weekly advance since October amid geopolitical concerns and ahead of this weekend’s OPEC+ meeting on production targets. The combination of resilient supermajor cash flows and firmer crude supports energy sector positioning, though policy and supply headlines remain key swing factors.
Source: Seeking Alpha
SEC and CFTC launch “Project Crypto” to harmonize digital-asset rules
In a major policy shift, SEC Chair Paul S. Atkins and CFTC Chair Mike Selig unveiled “Project Crypto,” a joint effort to coordinate crypto oversight and move from fragmented, enforcement-led approaches toward clearer, principle-based rulemaking. The initiative emphasizes the “minimum effective dose” of regulation and greater staff guidance—potentially easing compliance uncertainty for exchanges, brokers, stablecoin issuers, and institutional investors.
Source: FinanceFeeds
Fidelity to launch a dollar-backed stablecoin on Ethereum
Fidelity Digital Assets plans to introduce a U.S. dollar–backed stablecoin on Ethereum, signaling accelerating convergence between traditional finance and tokenized money rails. The move could bolster institutional use of blockchain-based settlement and payments, while intensifying competition among regulated stablecoin issuers ahead of evolving U.S. and EU frameworks.
Source: American Banker
First U.S. bank failure of 2026: Chicago’s Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust
Regulators placed Metropolitan Capital Bank & Trust into FDIC receivership, selling its assets to First Independence Bank; the failure is expected to cost the Deposit Insurance Fund an estimated $19.7 million. While small in size, the closure is a reminder that higher rates and credit normalization can expose idiosyncratic weaknesses across the banking landscape.
Source: American Banker
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