Trump delivered a 100 minute speech. Trump focused almost entirely on the economy in his State of the Union address and tried to present a very positive picture of current conditions. He said inflation is declining sharply, incomes are rising quickly, and the US economy is booming more than ever. He also emphasized that tariffs on imports will continue and argued that these tariffs can replace tax revenues.

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.

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.

The Nikkei 225 rose 1.4% to 58,740, setting a fresh all time record, with gains supported by renewed demand for technology and semiconductor stocks. The weakening yen against the US dollar has strengthened the profitability of Japan’s export oriented companies and is seen as one of the key drivers of the rally. Reports from Sanae Takaichi’s meeting with the Bank of Japan indicate the government remains cautious about raising interest rates, boosting expectations that supportive policies will continue. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s speech in the United States failed to provide a new catalyst for global markets, prompting part of international liquidity to shift toward Asian markets, especially Japan.