Stock Market News·2026-01-26 09:08Geopolitical Tensions and Economic Responses - France is organizing a G-7 Finance call to coordinate international aid for Ukraine's energy infrastructure, following severe damage to Ukraine's power grid from Russian attacks, leaving millions without electricity and heating [3] - The European Union is deploying 447 emergency generators to Ukraine, valued at 3.7 million euros, to support critical services [3] - UNESCO has expressed concern over damage to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and threats to the Saint Sophia Cathedral, both World Heritage sites, due to ongoing conflicts [4] Currency and Commodity Markets - The South African Rand (ZAR) has appreciated past 16/$ for the first time since June 2022, trading at 16.0475 against the dollar, up approximately 0.4% from the previous close, driven by record-high gold prices above $5,000 an ounce and an improved economic outlook [6] - OPEC+ is likely to maintain its supply pause in March amid signs of a surplus in global oil markets, with oil futures declining 15% this year to around $63 a barrel [7] International Trade and Digital Regulation - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stated Canada has no intention of pursuing a free trade deal with China, responding to U.S. tariff threats of 100% on Canadian goods [8] - The EU Commission is initiating proceedings against xAI's Grok chatbot under the Digital Services Act due to concerns over inappropriate content generation [10]