Wall Street was full of political twists, tariffs and AI headlines this week! Stocks tumbled Monday after President Trump unveiled new tariffs, hitting cybersecurity and software shares while gold climbed. Optimism returned Tuesday with gains led by AMD’s (AMD) AI chip deal with Meta (META). Midweek, Nvidia (NVDA) excitement lifted the market, even as its stock wobbled. On Thursday, Nvidia’s stock fell sharply despite strong earnings and the major indexes including the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also slipped. Software stocks recovered slightly but caution prevailed with investors weighing both AI excitement and policy-driven uncertainty. Over the weekend, Iran’s dictatorship was overthrown by an American operation, driving up gold and oil prices in the early futures markets.
What does it mean for you?
Market sentiment can shift fast when policy actions and technology developments intersect. Combine this with world political wars and you get a real mish-mash of highs and lows throughout sectors. It highlights the concentration of influence certain large tech companies have on overall indexes and shows that even strong earnings do not always prevent sharp short-term moves or political news events from driving a new narrative on the markets.
TSX: Banks Deliver Stability
This week, Canada’s stock market felt the push and pull of U.S. tariffs, AI breakthroughs, and earnings headlines. Monday opened with a decline as tech shares reacted to new tariff announcements while gold edged higher. On Tuesday, optimism returned as technology and financial sectors gained, boosted by strong earnings. That momentum continued Wednesday with further advances across major companies. Thursday brought turbulence as Nvidia’s sharp drop in the U.S. weighed on sentiment, yet the S&P/TSX still managed steady climbs overall.
What does this mean for you?
Canadian stocks are influenced by both global events and new technology trends. Big news and earnings can cause sharp swings, and sectors leading in innovation or responding to global changes can move the whole market. It highlights how domestic and international factors work together to shape stock prices.
Crypto: Rally, Then Reality
On Wednesday, Bitcoin jumped nearly 9.3% to just under US $70,000, ending a three-day losing streak as tech stocks rebounded and risk sentiment improved. Ether rose about 13%, with altcoins also gaining. The rally was short-lived, and by Thursday Bitcoin had eased back to around US $67,000. Overall, the cryptocurrency is still down about 50% from its October all-time high, with nearly 45% of tokens below purchase price. Market watchers note that selling pressure and tighter liquidity continue to shape price swings.
What does this mean for you?
Bitcoin remains sensitive to broader market sentiment, tech sector performance, and short-term liquidity shifts. Sharp intraday moves show how quickly positions can adjust in response to news, while widespread holdings below purchase price indicate potential supply-side pressure.
Emerging Markets: Asia Leads the Charge
Emerging markets extended their strong run, with stocks and currencies reaching fresh highs as Asian tech shares powered ahead. South Korea’s rally lifted its market to ninth globally, while Taiwan and other tech-heavy markets surged, pushing MSCI’s emerging-market index to a record and up 15% this year. Indian IT stocks bounced back after AI-related worries eased. Currencies also gained as the dollar softened, supporting the Korean won, Chinese yuan and Hungarian forint.
What does this mean for you?
The surge signals growing risk appetite and stronger global liquidity support for emerging markets. Currency trends and political developments are increasingly influencing capital flows, highlighting heightened sensitivity to dollar movements. These shifts suggest broader portfolio reallocation patterns.
Commodity Craze: Oil Reacts to Regime Shock
Oil prices dipped late in the week as the U.S. and Iran agreed to continue talks over Tehran’s nuclear program, while markets kept an eye on rising Venezuelan oil exports. The February price drop was modest, as higher global supply and demand worries balanced earlier geopolitical tensions. U.S.-Iran negotiations ended without a deal, with technical discussions planned next week in Vienna. Then all of a sudden, the Trump Government, aligned with Israel, took down the Iranian regime in a historical moment. Meanwhile, Venezuela’s oil production, now under U.S. oversight, is picking up, with shipments headed to Asia and Europe. Supply trends and the strategic Strait of Hormuz remain key factors shaping the oil market. With all of these developments, it remains to be seen what will happen next.
What does this mean for you?
The developments highlight oil markets’ sensitivity to geopolitical events and shifting supply patterns. The defeat of the Iranian regime and Venezuela’s export ramp-up show how diplomatic moves and logistics influence sentiment. Strategic chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz continue to shape perceived risk and potential volatility in global crude markets.
Meme Stock Stalkers: AMC Refocuses
AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC), once a meme stock star, says it will keep closing more theaters than it opens to focus on stronger locations. Fourth-quarter revenue slipped 1.4% to US $1.28 billion, and attendance fell nearly 10%, reflecting ongoing challenges for movie theaters. While full-year revenue rose slightly, foot traffic remains pressured by higher ticket prices and competition from streaming platforms. Since 2020, AMC has closed 213 theaters and opened 65. Its stock now trades near US $1.16, far below its 2021 meme-era highs.
What does this mean for you?
AMC’s struggles show that even popular, once-hyped stocks can struggle with long-term industry shifts. Changing consumer habits and competition reshape businesses, and market sentiment can swing sharply. Investors increasingly focus on operational efficiency and long-term trends, rather than short-term hype, highlighting how structural challenges can outweigh past popularity.
Moderate Markets: Canadian Banks Show Resilience
Canada’s six biggest banks delivered better-than-expected profits, powered by strong wealth management and fee income, showing the economy remains steady despite U.S. tariffs and policy uncertainty. Royal Bank of Canada (RY), TD Bank (TD) and CIBC (CM) beat forecasts, joining BMO Financial Group (BMO), National Bank of Canada (NA) and Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS). Executives pointed to resilient consumers and healthy corporate activity, even as some tariff-exposed sectors face pressure. Strong retail banking, rising capital markets revenue and robust fee businesses kept earnings on track, giving banks confidence in their medium-term targets.
What does this mean for you?
The results point to earnings stability despite trade uncertainty. Strong diversification across business lines is cushioning volatility, while steady credit conditions suggest limited near-term stress. Consistent outperformance can bolster market confidence and valuations, reinforcing perceptions of resilience within Canada’s banking sector and broader financial system.
ESG: AI Steps Into Risk Oversight
Norway’s US $2.2 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the largest in the world, is now using AI to spot risky companies before they become a problem. The fund owns small stakes in about 7,200 companies worldwide, roughly 1.5% of all listed stocks. Since 2025, its manager has used AI tools to quickly scan new companies for red flags like forced labour, corruption, or fraud. The system reviews public information that regular data providers might miss, especially for smaller companies in emerging markets. In some cases, the fund has sold investments early and avoided losses before the wider market reacted.
What does this mean for you?
Large investors are using AI to detect risks earlier, which could make markets react faster to corporate controversies. Hidden issues may surface more quickly, especially in smaller or emerging market companies. It also signals that risk monitoring is becoming more automated and data-driven across global financial markets.
An overdraft happens when you spend more money from your bank account than you actually have in it. Your bank covers the extra amount for you, but you usually have to pay them back quickly and might be charged a fee or interest for using this service.
In a sentence, please!
"The company’s account went into overdraft after a large payment, triggering a bank fee."
What’s Your Profession? (It’s Anonymous!)
We want to get to know our audience better so we can make Finliti even more relevant to you! Your answers are confidential.
Finliti's newsletter is published as an information service to our subscribers and may contain references to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, cryptoassets, etc., but this should not be construed as direct or indirect advice or recommendation to any reader to buy or sell these assets.
Finliti believes the sources it quotes to be reliable, but does not guarantee their accuracy or completeness.
Finliti is not paid by any company to recommend its stocks.
Employees or publishers of Finliti's newsletter may own the assets discussed in the publication for their own investment purposes.
Past results are not necessarily indicative of future performance.
The information provided is for general information services to our readers as a convenience the materials are not a substitute for obtaining professional advice vis-a-vis your personal situation.
Given the time critical nature of the market, the information in this article may become outdated and Finliti has no obligation to change the article.
March 16, 2026 | Finliti | Free Subscriber 😃 War Winds 🌪️ Markets jerked back and forth last week as the Iran conflict sent oil prices surging and inflation fears climbing. Highlights From Last Week: 🛢️ Oil surged above US $100 as Middle East tensions escalated. 📉 U.S. indexes swung sharply as inflation fears resurfaced. ⚡ Energy stocks gained while airlines and consumer sectors weakened. Listen Now 🎧 US Markets: Oil Shock Sends Stocks Swinging U.S. stocks swung dramatically this week as Iran...
March 9, 2026 | Finliti | Free Subscriber 😃 Oil Oscillation 🛢️ Markets whipped back and forth last week as rising oil prices and war fears rattled investors. Highlights From Last Week: 🛢️ Oil surged as Middle East conflict raised fears about global supply disruptions. ✈️ Airlines and cruise stocks dropped sharply as higher fuel costs hit travel companies. 📉 Weak U.S. job data and geopolitical risk pushed major indexes lower by week’s end. Listen Now 🎧 US Markets: Oil Drives Volatility U.S....
February 23, 2026 | Finliti | Free Subscriber 😃 Nvidia Nerves 👩🏻💻 Nvidia whipped markets around on AI headlines, yields climbed, oil firmed on Iran tension, and private-credit names took a hit as investors reassessed “AI winners” and “AI losers. Highlights From Last Week: 🤖 Nvidia and AI chip headlines drove sharp intraday swings despite modest index moves. 📈 Treasury yields climbed as tech briefly lifted the tape midweek. 🛢️ Oil edged higher on U.S.–Iran jitters while risk pockets (private...