Global markets opened the week with limited direction as holiday closures thinned trading across Asia and the United States.
Currency and equity moves were subdued, commodities held near recent ranges, and investors monitored geopolitics and corporate dealmaking on Monday.
From calm Asian foreign-exchange markets to renewed merger speculation in Hollywood, several developments are shaping sentiment at the start of the week.
Asian currencies and equities see little action
Emerging Asian currencies traded in narrow ranges on Monday as multiple market holidays reduced liquidity and muted investor activity.
Markets in China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Indonesia were closed, leaving regional trading largely quiet.
Among the few actively traded currencies, the Malaysian ringgit and Thai baht both rose about 0.2%.
The ringgit has strengthened in four of the past five sessions and is the region’s best-performing currency so far this year, helped by global inflows into Malaysian assets as a softer US dollar and rising geopolitical tensions encourage diversification.
Most other regional currencies were largely flat.
Equities were weaker in parts of Southeast Asia. Philippine stocks fell nearly 1%, touching their lowest level since early February.
Malaysian stocks also fell, slipping as much as 0.4% to their lowest levels since February 6, pressured by benchmark component 99 Speed Mart Retail after its quarterly results.
Thailand was an exception.
Thai equities climbed up to 1.2% to their highest level since December 2024, building on their strongest weekly performance since mid-2025 after a decisive election outcome improved investor confidence.
India’s Nifty 50 was also up by 0.23%. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was trading 0.13% in green.
Investors are now watching upcoming central-bank meetings on February 19. Analysts expect Bank Indonesia to hold rates steady, while the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas is expected to lower its benchmark rate to 4.25%.
Crude steadies amid geopolitical watch
Oil prices were little changed as traders watched geopolitical developments ahead of expected US–Iran talks in Geneva.
Brent crude traded near $68 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate hovered around $63 after back-to-back weekly declines.
Crude has risen roughly 10% this year as tensions with Iran raised concerns about supply disruptions from a region producing about a third of global oil.
Prices have recently eased after fears of an imminent strike faded and the International Energy Agency reduced its demand growth outlook.
OPEC+ members also indicated there may be scope to resume output increases in April, though no decision has been taken ahead of the group’s March 1 meeting.
Bullion slips in thin holiday trading
Gold prices declined amid thin trading volumes, with US markets closed for Presidents’ Day and Chinese markets shut for Lunar New Year holidays.
Spot gold fell 1.1% to $4,988.04 an ounce, while US gold futures dropped 0.8% to $5,006.60.
The decline followed a 2.5% jump in the previous session, with traders booking profits and a lack of fresh catalysts weighing on prices.
The Consumer Price Index rose 0.2% in January, below expectations.
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said interest rates could fall, though services inflation remains elevated.
Markets expect the Fed to hold rates at its next meeting while pricing in 75 basis points of cuts this year, beginning in July.
Silver, platinum, and palladium also declined.
Warner Bros to reconsider Paramount’s offer
Corporate activity also drew attention as Warner Bros. Discovery considered reopening talks with Paramount Skydance after receiving an amended proposal, reported Bloomberg.
The board is evaluating whether Paramount could provide a superior deal, potentially triggering a bidding contest with Netflix.
Warner Bros. already has a binding agreement to sell its studio and HBO Max streaming business to Netflix for $27.75 a share.
Paramount has offered $30 per share and pledged to cover a $2.8 billion termination fee owed to Netflix and support a debt refinancing.
It also promised compensation to shareholders if the deal fails to close by December 31.
Both Paramount and Netflix have indicated a willingness to raise bids, though investors remain cautious.
Netflix shares have fallen more than 40% from their June peak amid concerns over the acquisition.
Chris Marangi, co-chief investment officer at Gabelli Funds, said the amended terms suggest the company is finding “ways to be creative about structuring a deal.”
Warner Bros. faces pressure from shareholders like Pentwater Capital Management and Ancora Holdings Group to engage with Paramount, though tendered shares so far represent less than 2% of outstanding stock.
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