Wall Street posts three-week losing streak as Iran war batters sentiment
Gold and silver take the lead on the global asset ranking.
Source: www.companiesmarketcap.com
The Gold-to-Silver Ratio Plunged to 50, the Lowest in 14 Years
Currently, to buy an ounce of gold, it takes 50 ounces of silver, compared to 105 required in April 2015. Since then, gold prices have gone up 43% while silver prices have soared 186%. Gold has been outperformed by silver at record pace in decades.
Source: Global Markets Investor
The AI Chip Boom Shows no Signs of Slowing
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) recorded a 35% year‑over‑year rise in net profit for Q4 2025, supported by strong growth in AI chip demand. The company has now delivered eight straight quarters of YoY profit growth. Simultaneously, revenue grew 21% YoY in Q4 of 2025, to $33.7 billion. Profits and revenue beat the estimations made by analysts. The revenue of 2025 climbed 32% YoY and overpassed $100bnas a historic first for the company. TSMC also projects record 2026 CapEx of $52-56bn, a 32% YoY increase aimed at expanding global manufacturing capacity.
Source: The Kobeissi Letter, Bloomberg
The Fed’s Renovation Cost Put Into Perspective
The cost of the renovation for The Fed’s headquarters was over the combined cost of: Penn State’s stadium renovation, Chicago’s Willis (Sears) Tower renovation, the Notre-Dame Cathedral fire restoration, MGM Grand’s 4,000 hotel room renovation, and the Rose Bowl’s 2028 Olympics upgrades.
Source: Jeff Weniger
Big Wall Street Banks Are Reducing Headcount
Wall Street cut more than 10,000 jobs last year, bringing staffing levels to their lowest since 2021.
Source: Markets & Mayhem @Mayhem4Markets, Bloomberg
If Iran Falters, China’s Energy Security Suffers
Iran has emerged as the most significant source of vulnerability in global oil markets. Whereas China purchased about a quarter of Iran’s crude in 2017, it now absorbs close to 90%, creating a highly concentrated exposure that directly links Iran’s stability to China’s energy security. Growing nationwide protests are intensifying this risk, contributing an estimated geopolitical premium of $3–4 per barrel.
At the same time, floating storage of Iranian oil has climbed to an unprecedented 166 million barrels amid tightening sanctions and rising military tensions. The United States has warned it may impose 25% tariffs on any country that continues trading with Iran, a move that could severely disrupt international trade patterns. As Iran’s economy has become increasingly reliant on Chinese refiners, any disruption to this channel could cause far-reaching changes in the global system that handles sanctioned oil.
Source: Visual Capitalist
China 2025 Trade Surplus Hit a New All-time High
The nation recorded an unprecedented trade surplus of $1.2tr, with declining exports to the United States more than compensated for by increased shipments to other markets, some of which are expected to respond more forcefully this year.
Source: Financial Times