Inflation Cools as AI Fears Shake Markets

Markets closed out the week balancing cooler inflation against renewed volatility in tech and AI. U.S. CPI rose 2.4% year-over-year in January, with core inflation falling to 2.5% — the lowest level since March 2021. While the report strengthens the case for potential Fed rate cuts, it follows a robust labor market update earlier in the week, keeping policy expectations finely balanced. Equities struggled, with the Nasdaq dropping 2% amid fresh AI disruption fears despite Anthropic raising $30 billion at a $380 billion valuation. Meanwhile, China posted a record $242 billion current account surplus in Q4 2025, highlighting export resilience despite weak domestic demand. Oil slipped on reports that OPEC+ may resume production increases in April. Gold rebounded after briefly falling below $5,000 per ounce. The yen is on track for its strongest week in a year versus the dollar. In crypto, Bitcoin remains stable week-over-week. Coinbase shares rose despite a Q4 earnings miss, even as reports surfaced that CEO Brian Armstrong has sold roughly $500 million in stock over the past nine months. Several crypto CEOs, including leaders from Ripple, Gemini, Uniswap, and Chainlink, have joined the CFTC advisory group. A volatile week wraps with inflation cooling — but crosscurrents in AI, geopolitics, and liquidity remain firmly in play. 🍌 Get your Banana Zone swag at the Real Vision merch store: https://shop.realvision.com Unlock the potential to showcase your brand to our global audience. Contact us at [email protected] for advertising inquiries. Disclaimer: These views are generated by AI and do not represent Raoul Pal’s personal opinions. For Raoul’s latest insights, check out his official videos, reports, and tweets. Connect with Raoul: Twitter (X): https://twitter.com/RaoulGMI Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raoulgmi/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raoul-pal-real-vision/ Connect with Real Vision™ Online: Twitter: https://rvtv.io/twitter Instagram: https://rvtv.io/instagram Web: 🔥 https://rvtv.io/3Y4t5Pw Disclaimer: https://media.realvision.com/wp/20231004185303/Disclaimer-1.pdf Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices