Global Market Brief – February 4, 2026 **Equities: Tech Sector Wobbles** Global stocks are facing headwinds as a sharp rotation out of software hits Wall Street. The **Nasdaq Composite** dropped **1.43%** to **23,255**, while the **S&P 500** fell **0.84%** to **6,917**. Investors are increasingly concerned that advanced AI agents—specifically Anthropic’s latest tools—could cannibalize traditional SaaS revenue models. While giants like **Microsoft** and **Adobe** faced selling pressure, **Palantir** surged after beating earnings expectations. In Asia, Japan’s **Nikkei 225** shed **1.2%**, tracking the US tech slump, while India's **Nifty 50** remained flat near **25,727**, supported by defensive sector buying. **Commodities: Safe Havens in Demand** Geopolitical friction has sparked a flight to safety. **Gold** prices rallied **1.3%** to hit **$5,447 per ounce**, recording one of its strongest daily gains in years. Energy markets also reacted to renewed tensions in the Middle East. **Brent Crude** climbed to **$68.03** per barrel following reports that the US military intercepted an Iranian drone near the Abraham Lincoln carrier group. **Crypto: Bitcoin Retests Support** The crypto market remains under pressure. **Bitcoin** has slid approximately **5%** recently, trading around the **$84,000** level. Analysts view the **$74,000** zone as critical support; a break below this could signal a deeper structural correction. **Key Market Drivers** * **AI Disruption:** Capital is shifting from legacy software firms to AI hardware and infrastructure plays. * **Fed Policy:** Markets are calibrating expectations following President Trump’s nomination of **Kevin Warsh** as the next Federal Reserve Chair. * **Geopolitics:** Naval incidents in the Middle East are reintroducing a risk premium to oil and precious metals.