Global markets hold steady as investor sentiment remains bullish despite tech volatility

Negotiators from the United States US and Iran IR resumed nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, as global markets reopened following a holiday in the US. The resumption of the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks (Geneva) represents a direct geopolitical catalyst that coincided with the start of the domestic trading week. As the discussions commenced, the oil market and gold market saw prices tick down slightly, reflecting a modest immediate response in a session characterized by thin trading volumes.

The timing of the diplomatic restart is notable as it occurs alongside a sparse economic calendar. Investors are currently looking ahead to the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve (including New York Fed and FOMC) and fourth-quarter GDP data later this week. This environment, which was also a point of interest in the recent Bank of America (monthly global fund manager survey), suggests that renewed diplomatic engagement could serve as a structural influence on risk pricing across commodity and financial markets. The ongoing nature of the event means its full impact remains to be seen as negotiations continue.