Important economic news for today, Monday, 17/02/2026.

1. Energy and Oil Markets

Rising Oil Prices: Brent crude climbed to approximately $88.60 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) reached $82.18 per barrel.

Drivers: The rise was driven by stalled talks, geopolitical concerns, and delays in tanker movements around key maritime chokepoints, all of which increased risk premiums in energy markets.

2. Gold and Dollar Movements

Gold’s rise as a safe haven: Gold broke through the $4,398–$4,400 per ounce range, driven by geopolitical uncertainty and a decline in the Dollar Index.

US Dollar decline: The Dollar Index edged down to the 99.50 level, influenced by recent data showing a slowdown in inflation and job growth in the United States.

3. Macroeconomic and Inflation Data

US Interest Rate Outlook: Bets on Federal Reserve interest rate hikes have eased following recent, weaker-than-expected Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Producer Price Index (PPI) data, providing some breathing room for stocks and commodities.

Asian and European Data: Markets are awaiting GDP figures from Japan, as well as industrial and sales data from China, to gauge the trajectory of the global economic recovery.

4. Global Equities and Markets

Record gains for technology and AI stocks: Wall Street indices continue to fluctuate near record highs, bolstered by strong earnings from companies specializing in AI infrastructure and networking.

Confidence indicators: Preliminary readings of the US Consumer Confidence Index revealed some current pressure stemming from persistently high living costs and consumer debt levels.