Financial Markets Daily Report26 February 2026
Risk sentiment recovered during yesterday’s session, as concerns over AI disruptions eased and global tech stocks advanced, with the Nasdaq gaining +1% in the session and global stocks recording gains overall. Against this backdrop, sovereign bond markets had a quiet session, with yields posting slight movements on both sides of the Atlantic.
In Asia, the Japanese Nikkei-225 equity index led gains as PM Sanae Takaichi appointed two advocates for economic stimulus as future members of the BoJ's board. The Japanese yen weakened slightly following the news, trading around 156 JPY per USD.
In commodities markets, Brent prices were flat as a larger-than-expected crude stock in the US conflicted with concerns around a potential conflict between Iran and the US. Despite all the geopolitical risks, volatility dipped and the Bitcoin, known as a proxy of risk appetite, rose nearly 8%.