News about World markets

The political focus of accession of the candidate countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Western Balkan countries) is shifting from formal admission to the “club” to the actual ingrowth of economies and institutions into the EU structure even before the official membership status, Logos Press reports.

In 2020-25, the 15 largest buyers of gold increased their official reserves of this asset by almost 2 thousand tons. During this period, the price of gold increased by more than 230%, according to Logos Press.

The United States may launch a military operation against Iran this weekend, but U.S. President Donald Trump has not yet ordered it, according to Logos Press.

Indian authorities are aiming for the country to become one of the top three global powers in the use and creation of artificial intelligence technology, according to Logos Press.

Leading American technology company Nvidia, a world leader in the development of graphics processors and artificial intelligence technologies and Meta Platforms (owner of the largest social networks) announced a long-term strategic partnership, according to Logos Press.

Apple is preparing to launch several wearable devices with artificial intelligence elements and built-in cameras, according to Logos Press.

Cryptocurrencies started the shortened week in the U.S. on a downward trend, with bitcoin dipping below the $67,000 mark on Tuesday, breaking out of a narrow weekly range of $68,000-$70,000, according to Logos Press.

Turkey is the country with the largest number of defense companies among NATO countries. The country has more than 3,500 defense companies, compared to about 2,800 in the 29 allied countries of Europe, Logos Press reported.

India’s gold imports have shown a sharp jump in early 2026. According to the country’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the volume of purchases of the precious metal abroad reached $12.07 billion in January, Logos Press reported.

Amid the surge in gold prices, a disturbing trend has emerged in the vintage watch market: some dealers and private owners have begun melting down watches for the value of the metal, according to Logos Press.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said his country is ready to make significant investments in Serbia, emphasizing the growing strategic partnership between the two countries, Logos Press reported.

In early 2026, cocoa futures fell below $4 thousand per ton for the first time since November 2023, breaking a two-year growth. Recall that the market reached its peak values at the end of 2024 – at that time quotes exceeded $12 thousand per ton. Despite a drop of about 70%, the cost of raw materials still remains high and continues to restrain demand, according to Logos Press.

Norwegian chess player Magnus Carlsen, the 16th world champion, continues to be the highest paid chess player in the world, according to the recently released Forbes rankings, Logos Press reported.

Demand for portable charging stations in Ukraine has increased dramatically over the past few months: according to retail chains, sales of such stations have grown 3.5-4 times, Logos Press reports.

Rising costs and changing priorities will change the flow of tourism to Europe in 2026, according to Logos Press.

The countries of the “Odessa Triangle” – Moldova, Romania and Ukraine at the Munich Security Conference agreed to create a Triple Cyber Alliance, Logos Press reports.

Alcohol consumption in the U.S. has declined sharply in recent years, hurting the stock valuations of breweries and liquor companies, according to Logos Press.

Gas reserves in the Baltic States have fallen sharply

Eurozone exports are still growing despite declining revenues in a number of key sectors, Logos Press reports.