Bitcoin is on the verge of recording its worst monthly performance since June 2022, the month of the cryptocurrency ecosystem crash. The digital asset, down 19 percent in February, is heading toward its fifth consecutive monthly decline, the longest losing streak since 2018. The main reason for the drop is the negative sentiment dominating global markets after Trump announced a plan to increase global tariffs, pushing investors toward traditional safe haven assets. Bitcoin is now close to breaking the key 60000 dollar support level.

Investment bank UBS, in its latest forecast, raised its gold price target for the first half of 2026 to 6200 dollars per ounce. The bank’s analysts cite geopolitical tensions, especially in the Middle East, continued Federal Reserve rate cuts, and record central bank demand of 5000 tons as the main drivers of this increase. They also warned that by 2028 about 80 major mines worldwide will face resource depletion, a supply constraint that, alongside rising demand, will become the next engine for prices.

Donald Trump claimed in his speech that Iran is reviving its nuclear program alongside negotiations with Washington and warned that if talks fail, the option of military action will be considered. Iranian officials rejected the claim, and Abbas Araghchi stressed that Iran’s nuclear program is purely peaceful and that Tehran will never seek nuclear weapons. At the same time as the negotiations, the United States has increased its military presence in the Middle East. Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency have not been able to verify the status of Iran’s near weapons grade uranium stockpiles for more than eight months. The uncertainty surrounding the true state of Iran’s nuclear activities and the continuation of negotiations has preserved an atmosphere of tension and uncertainty.

Monthly inflation in January was higher than forecast, mainly driven by rising housing costs, reinforcing the case for continued monetary tightening. Data show core inflation reached 3.4% and has remained above the Reserve Bank of Australia’s 2 to 3% target range for a seventh consecutive month. Following the release, traders increased expectations of another rate hike in the coming months, and some institutions, including Goldman Sachs, have even raised the possibility of continued increases.