Wolf Money(world market review 16-22 Feb 2026)
Market Summary 16-22 Feb 2026
*USA*
± US Supreme Court overturns Trump’s tariffs
-Trump boosts new tariff rate to 15% a day after announcing 10%, after court ruling
+ Trump to travel to China from Mar 31 to Apr 2: WH
-Fed Reserve officials discussed interest rate hike scenarios at their last meeting
± US GDP expanded 2.2% in 2025, vs 2.8% in 2024, weakest annual growth since the pandemic in 2020
± US GDP growth 1.4% YoY in Q4, the least since Q1 2025, badly missing estimate; inflation firms at 3%
± US 1-year inflation expectations compiled by Uni of Michigan revised slightly down to >1-year low of 3.4% in Feb
+ US PCE rose by US$91bn or 0.4% MoM in Dec, up 2.9% YoY
+ US industrial production up 0.7% MoM in Jan
+ US consumer spending up 0.4% MoM in Dec, or US$91bn, led by higher spending on housing and utilities, recreation services
+ US personal income rose 0.3% MoM to US$26.512 trillion in Dec, vs revised 0.4% in crease in Nov
± US consumer confidence index up 0.6% MoM to 56.6 in Feb, but down 12.5% on annual level
± US Composite PMI Output Index at 52.3 in Feb vs Jan’s 53, slows to 10-mth low
+ US Manufacturing PMI at 51.2 in Feb vs 52.4 in Jan, 7th straight mth of expansion
+ US sells US$9bn in 30-year bonds at 2.473% yield
-US trade deficit at US$901bn in 2025 vs US$904bn in 2024, the 3rd largest deficit on record
-US trade deficit was US$901.5bn in 2025, down 2.3% from US$903.5bn in prior year
-Trump’s administration proposed banning investors with >100 single-family homes from purchasing additional homes: WSJ
+ US mortgage rates fallen to lowest level in >3 years; 30-year fixed loan dropped to 6.01% vs 6.85% a yr ago
+ US building permits up 4.8% MoM to annualised rate of 1.455m in Dec
+ US new home sales fell 1.7% MoM in Dec still hold near 4-year high; pending home sales down 0.8% in Jan
-US proposed tax on foreign-built ships and land-border goods that could raise US$1.5 trillion
-US commercial crude oil inventories excluding Strategic Petroleum Reserve down by 9m barrels to 419.8m barrels
+ Nvidia is closing on a US$30bn investment into OpenAI that seeks to replace longe-term US$100bn partnership agreed last Sept
*CHINA*
+ Xi priorities ‘AI-plus’ and consumer spending to counter economic headwinds
+ China’s current account recorded surplus of US$734.9bn in 2025
+ China’s SOEs administered by central govt R&D spending reached ¥1.1 trillion in 2025, 4th consecutive yr exceeded 1-trillion threshold
+ China’s bond market custody balance stood at 197.7 trillion (US$29 trillion) at end 2025
+ China’s green loans stood at ¥44.8 trillion (US$6.46 trillion) at end 2025, up 20% YoY
± China’s top regulator summoned 7 major internet platforms, warning them against cutthroat competition and aggressive promotional tactics
-Chinese steel hit with duties up to US$670 per tonne after Brazil dumping probe
+ China submits first comprehensive policy document outlining its stance on WTO reform
+ China’s emerging sector ‘ice and snow’ economy is tipped to be worth ¥1.5 trillion in 2030
+ China aims to build ¥1.5 trillion tea industry by 2030
+ China’s predicts >285m inter-regional trips on 1st day of CNY holiday
-Chinese tourist arrivals to Japan plunge 41% in Jan
-HK jobless rate edged up to 3.9% in 3 mths ending Jan, highest level since Sept 2022
*EUROPE*
-EU bans Chinese bodies from critical tech programmes, including AI and chips
+ Eurozone Composite PMI Output Index at 51.9 in Feb, up by 0.7 MoM, reaching 3-mth high
-EU launched formal investigation into China’s Shein over various issues
+ Germany Manufacturing PMI climbed to 50.7 in Feb, expanded for the first time since Jun 2022
+ Germany Flash Composite PMI Output Index landed at 4-mth high of 53.1 in Jan, vs 52.1 in Jan
-Germany producer prices down by 3% YoY in Jan, declined by 0.6% MoM
+ UK Manufacturing PMI rose to 52 in Feb from 51.8 to 18-mth high
+ UK recorded £30.4bn budget surplus in Jan, doubling from £14.5bn YoY, the biggest budget since records began in 1993
-UK jobless at 5.2%, highest since early 2021
+ UK’s retail sales rose 4.5% YoY in Jan, up 1.8% MoM, marking the highest monthly increase since Mar 2024
-France’s Manufacturing PMI slipped to 49.9 in Feb into contraction to hit 3-mth low
-Greece’s current account deficit widened to €3.86bn in Dec, from €3.73bn a year ago, largest in 3 years
*ASIA*
+ Japan’s GDP expands 0.1% QoQ in Q4
+ Japan’s inflation drops from 2.1% to 1.5% in Jan, lowest since Mar 2022
+ Japan manufacturing PMI rose to 52.8 in Feb from 51.5 in Jan, strangest expansion since May 2022
+ Japan’s composite index up from 53.1 in Jan to 53.8 in Feb
-Japan posted t ¥1.2 trillion trade deficit in Jan
+ India manufacturing PMI rose to 57.5 in Feb from 55.4 in Jan to 4-mth high
-Indonesia posted US$2.5bn deficit in its current account in Q4, about 0.7% of GDP, deficit stood at US$1.5bn for whole 2025
+ Vietnam Airlines orders 50 Boeing 737-8 aircraft
+ Malaysia’s Jan trade climbs 12.6% to its highest level in 36 yrs
+ Sg key exports up 9.3% in Jan, fuelled by electronics shipments on strong AI demand
Contribution by Derek@valueinvestments chat group. Thank you
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