Global markets started the week in a cautious mood as Trump tariffs, Iran nuclear talks, and fresh strikes in Ukraine weigh on growth expectations, pull the dollar lower, lift gold, and keep crypto under pressure.
Crypto
Total crypto market capitalization stands at $2.26 trillion, down 2.9% over the past day, with sentiment sinking into extreme fear as the Fear and Greed Index points to 14, the Altcoin Season Index sits at 31 out of 100, underscoring a market led by Bitcoin rather than smaller coins, and the average crypto RSI at 39.38 sits in oversold territory.
Bitcoin trades at $65,766, down 2.73% in the last twenty-four hours, as traders digest confusion over United States trade policy and its effect on global growth. Ethereum hovers at $1,884.84 after falling 3.73%, while Solana trades at $79.06 and BNB is at $597.89, showing even steeper losses across major altcoins.
Spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds show a mixed three-day picture, with 18 February seeing a net outflow of $133.30 million, followed by a larger $165.80 million outflow on 19 February, before flows turned positive on 20 February with a net inflow of $88.10 million.
Commodities
Oil prices are softer as markets balance lower tariff uncertainty with signs of progress in nuclear talks between the United States and Iran. United States crude trades at $65.91 a barrel, down 0.59%, while Brent stands at $71.257, down 0.16%, both easing from last week when fears of military escalation pushed prices higher.
Safe haven demand supports precious metals, pushing gold to $5,138.40, while silver hovers at $85.8893, helped by the weaker dollar and ongoing concern over trade and geopolitics.
Stock Market Indices
U.S. equities are firmer as large technology and artificial intelligence names lead the market, with the S&P 500 at 6,909.52, up 0.69%; the Dow Jones Industrial Average at 49,625.97, a rise of 0.47%, and the Nasdaq Composite at 22,886.07, up 0.90%, as investors continue to favor growth and chip makers ahead of this week’s Nvidia earnings.
In Asia, Nikkei 225 futures trade at 56,650, down 0.33%, as exporters face a firmer yen and tariff uncertainty, while Europe’s FTSE 100 stands at 10,678.0, posting a loss of 0.38%.
Geopolitics and Market Sentiment
On the diplomatic front, the United States Supreme Court ruling against the earlier emergency tariff program and President Trump’s rapid move to force a temporary 15% global tariff have unsettled markets that were already nervous about growth, dragging the dollar index down 0.33% to 97.155, and reflecting a modest shift away from United States assets as investors question fiscal discipline and the durability of the new tariff structure.
Iran nuclear talks add another layer, with Tehran signaling readiness to limit enrichment in exchange for sanctions relief and recognition of its civilian program, easing immediate fears of military action and trimming some of the risk premium in oil. At the same time, renewed Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure keep Europe’s energy security in focus.
On the economic side, traders focus on central bank speakers and key data in Europe and the United States for clues on how far policymakers will look through tariff noise, while U.S. attention shifts between the details of tariff implementation and Nvidia’s results, which will show whether the artificial intelligence trade can keep supporting market sentiment as macro risks build.
