On January 19, 2026, South Korea’s won was reported to have fallen about 2.5% against the US dollar, making it Asia’s worst-performing currency as USD/KRW hovered near 1,472.8. Over the same period, Bitcoin traded at a premium of 2.49% on Korean exchanges versus global platforms, signaling stronger local demand and aligning with key price levels around $25,200 and resistance near $28,754.40.

At 01:45 market open, Bitcoin dropped nearly $4,000 in one hour to $92,000 amid a $500 million liquidation of leveraged longs. Gold surged to a record $4,660 per ounce and silver reached $94 as traders sought havens. A 10% tariff on eight EU countries begins February 1 and rises to 25% in June.

The European Council will hold an emergency meeting to coordinate a response to President Donald Trump's 10% tariffs on eight EU countries. Leaders aim to finalize a unified stance before the levies take effect on February 1, considering a €93 billion retaliation plan and potential use of the EU's anti-coercion instrument.

On January 18, 2026, Kevin Hassett said on Fox News' The Sunday Briefing that he is comfortable remaining in the White House, effectively taking himself out of consideration to lead the Federal Reserve. Trump had publicly told him last week he preferred he stay in the West Wing, while the shortlist now centers on Christopher Waller, Kevin Warsh, and Rick Rieder.

Scott Bessent told NBC that Europe is too weak to secure itself, arguing this is why President Donald Trump, now in his second term, is pushing for U.S. control of Greenland and will not back down. He said Trump is using emergency powers to impose new tariffs on eight European countries starting February 1, which could rise in June if no Greenland-linked deal is reached, and added that the Supreme Court is unlikely to block this approach while he also called for more oversight of the Federal Reserve.

On January 18, 2026, Chinese technology shares were reported to be outpacing global benchmarks. A domestic Nasdaq‑like index gained nearly 13% for the month, while a Hong Kong gauge rose 6%, even as housing and consumption stayed weak. Jefferies said 33 Chinese AI stocks added $732 billion in market value over the past year.

Chinese EV manufacturers such as BYD and Geely are gaining limited access to Canada after Prime Minister Mark Carney removed the additional 100% tariff and introduced a yearly import ceiling of 49,000 vehicles. A 6.1% duty still applies in Canada, while Europe has moved from steep tariffs to pricing arrangements, even as China's exports hit 2.6 million EVs and BYD's European deliveries jumped sharply in 2025. Analysts say Canada's partial reopening, after imports were driven to nearly zero in 2024, could become an important first step for Chinese brands in the broader North American market.

Hong Kong will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Shanghai Gold Exchange at the Asian Financial Forum to develop a central gold clearing system. Paul Chan said a trial is planned within the year to cut costs, speed settlement and boost liquidity, alongside trade digitization projects connecting 2,300 firms and using AI and blockchain.

On Sunday, a South Korean presidential spokesperson said the government will seek direct discussions with the United States to secure favorable terms under Donald Trump's new 25% tariff on imported artificial intelligence chips. Officials aim to ensure Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix remain outside the initial scope of the measure, which currently targets advanced AI chips from Nvidia and AMD rather than South Korean memory chips.