Market Analysis 2026

World

Rafah Crossing Reopens After Two-Year Closure, Easing Gaza-Egypt Movement Under Strict Scrutiny

The vital Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip reopened Sunday for limited passenger traffic, marking a significant shift after more than two years of closure. The move, part of a ceasefire deal, initiates a tightly controlled process allowing medical evacuations and returns, though humanitarian aid flow remains uncertain.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Fernandez Holds Commanding Lead in Costa Rica Presidential Vote, Early Results Show

With over half the early vote counted, governing party candidate Laura Fernandez appears poised to secure a first-round victory, potentially avoiding a runoff.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Rafah Crossing to Reopen Monday, Offering Lifeline to Gaza's Sick and Wounded

After nearly two years of near-total closure, the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt is set to reopen under a coordinated pilot operation. The move, a key element of international ceasefire efforts, will initially allow hundreds of critically ill patients and their families to seek medical care abroad.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Khartoum Airport Reopens for Scheduled Flights After Two-Year War Hiatus

A Sudan Airways flight from Port Sudan touched down in the capital, marking a tentative step toward reconnecting a nation fractured by conflict.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Venezuela Frees Rights Activist Javier Tarazona in Sweeping Prisoner Release Initiative

Prominent Venezuelan human rights defender Javier Tarazona has been released after over four years in detention on charges widely condemned as politically motivated, as the government announces a new amnesty law and the U.S. re-engages diplomatically.

Feb 2, 2026

World

West Bank Tensions Escalate as Israeli Forces Order Bedouin Expulsion, Settlers Target Schools

Israeli authorities have issued expulsion orders to a Bedouin community near Ramallah, while settler attacks on schools and homes intensify across the occupied West Bank, further constricting Palestinian living space.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Amid Rising Iran Tensions, Top US and Israeli Military Chiefs Hold Pentagon Talks

The highest-ranking US and Israeli military officials held a closed-door meeting at the Pentagon last Friday, as regional tensions with Iran continue to escalate, according to US officials speaking on condition of anonymity.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Costa Rica Votes Amid Security Crisis, Populist Party Seeks to Consolidate Power

Voters head to the polls in Costa Rica, with the ruling right-wing populist party aiming to secure a decisive mandate and a legislative supermajority to tackle record violence and political gridlock.

Feb 2, 2026

World

U.S. Accuses Cuba of Harassment After Protesters Confront Top Diplomat

Washington has formally accused Havana of orchestrating intimidation tactics against its chief envoy, following a series of heated public confrontations that underscore escalating bilateral tensions.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Judicial Conduct Complaint Dismissed in High-Profile Clash Over Trump-Era Deportations

A federal appeals court has thrown out a Justice Department misconduct complaint against a judge who blocked deportations to El Salvador's notorious prisons, citing a lack of evidence. The ruling highlights ongoing tensions between the judiciary and executive branch over immigration enforcement.

Feb 2, 2026

World

The Weight of a Word: How 'Axis' Became a Geopolitical Weapon

From Mussolini's Rome-Berlin Axis to Bush's 'Axis of Evil,' the term has evolved from a descriptive label to a powerful political tool, framing global rivalries and shaping diplomatic realities.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Khamenei Warns U.S. Strike Would Ignite "Regional War" as Gulf Tensions Simmer

Iran's Supreme Leader issues his most direct threat yet amid heightened U.S. military presence and stalled diplomacy, while internal crackdown death toll estimates soar.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Venezuela Frees Over 30 Detainees Amid Amnesty Push, Rights Groups Report

Venezuela has released more than 30 individuals classified as political prisoners, according to a leading rights organization. The move follows the government's announcement of a proposed amnesty law and comes amid mounting international pressure and domestic calls for faster action.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Nomura's Crypto Conundrum: Losses Prompt Trading Pullback While US Banking Ambitions Advance

Nomura's digital asset arm, Laser Digital, reports quarterly losses leading to reduced crypto exposure, even as it aggressively pursues a US banking charter and global expansion, highlighting a dual-track strategy of short-term risk management and long-term infrastructure build-out.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

AT&T Doubles Down on Fiber with Lumen Acquisition and Open Access Strategy

AT&T's landmark deal to acquire Lumen's fiber assets signals a major strategic pivot, creating a new open-access network subsidiary to expand its broadband reach and challenge rivals Verizon and T-Mobile.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

RXO Names Daniel Morris as New Chief Accounting Officer Amid Stock Volatility

RXO (NYSE:RXO) has appointed Daniel Morris as its new Chief Accounting Officer, succeeding the retiring Jason Kerr. The leadership transition comes as the company's shares show significant volatility, with a 43.2% decline over the past year despite recent monthly gains.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Salesforce Secures Major U.S. Army AI Contract, Joins Wildfire Tech Coalition

Salesforce expands its enterprise footprint with a landmark $5.6 billion defense contract and a new role in an AI-driven wildfire response initiative, signaling a strategic push into mission-critical government and infrastructure sectors.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

BeOne Medicines Doubles Down on Predictive Modeling in Expanded InSysBio Alliance

BeOne Medicines (NasdaqGS: ONC) has significantly expanded its strategic partnership with systems biology firm InSysBio. The deepened collaboration aims to leverage advanced mechanistic modeling to de-risk clinical trial design, with a particular focus on optimizing dosing and preempting safety challenges like cytokine release syndrome in oncology studies.

Feb 2, 2026

World

Japan's Deep-Sea Breakthrough: Rare Earth Minerals Retrieved from 6,000-Meter Depths in Pacific

Japan has successfully retrieved sediment containing rare earth minerals from a depth of 6,000 meters in the Pacific Ocean, marking a world-first achievement in deep-sea resource exploration. The mission, part of a strategic push to reduce reliance on Chinese supplies, could reshape global supply chains for critical technology components.

Feb 2, 2026

Business

Illinois Tool Works Q4 Earnings Preview: Can the Industrial Giant Beat Expectations?

As Illinois Tool Works prepares to report its fourth-quarter results, investors are weighing steady growth forecasts against a history of revenue misses. The report comes amid a mixed performance for the industrial machinery sector.

Feb 2, 2026