24 February 2026 — Today's Market News — Tariff Shockwaves Rattle Wall Street, PayPal Explodes 5.8% on Takeover Buzz

Global Markets

(A) Precious Metals

Gold: $5,189.99/oz (−0.8%)

Gold fell as investors took profits after its recent rise, while a stronger U.S. dollar made it more expensive for other buyers.

Silver: $87.38/oz (−1.0%)

Silver fell by 1% alongside gold as the dollar strengthened and safe-haven demand eased.

(B) FX

Dollar Index (DXY): 97.89 (slightly stronger)

The dollar edged slightly higher as investors reacted to renewed U.S. tariff uncertainty, which raised concerns about global trade. Cautious sentiment and steady U.S. bond yields provided mild support for the currency.

Stock Market — What Happened Today

United States

U.S. Equities

• Dow Jones: 48,804.06 (−821.91 pts, −1.66% – last close)

U.S. stocks fell after the government said it would raise import taxes (tariffs) from 10% to 15% on many foreign goods. Investors worry this could make products more expensive for companies and consumers, which may hurt business profits.

Major Movers

Eli Lilly | NYSE: LLY | +4.9% ▲

Rose as rival Novo Nordisk's obesity drug CagriSema underperformed Eli Lilly's tirzepatide (Zepbound), lifting the healthcare giant.

PayPal | NASDAQ: PYPL | +5.8% ▲

PayPal shares went up 5.8% in one day because there were news reports that another company may be interested in buying PayPal. When a company is likely to be bought, the buyer usually offers a higher price than the current market price to convince shareholders to sell their shares.

Domino's Pizza | NYSE: DPZ | +4.1% ▲

Shares rose after the company reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results. U.S. same-store sales grew 3.7%, beating analyst estimates of around 3.5%. Revenue came in at $1.54 billion, slightly above expectations of about $1.52 billion.

Japan

Nikkei 225: 57,383.00 (+0.96%)

The Nikkei went up mainly because investors bought technology and export-related stocks. A slightly weaker yen also helped. One of the biggest gainers was Advantest (+4.6%), a company that makes equipment used to test computer chips.

Hong Kong

Hang Seng Index: 26,485.50 (-2.20%)

The Hang Seng fell because investors became worried after U.S. markets dropped sharply. Concerns about higher U.S. tariffs increased fears of slower global trade and weaker economic growth. Meituan (-4.59%), Alibaba (-1.29%), and Tencent (-3.81%) fell as investors sold major technology stocks amid global market weakness.

Volatility

The VIX closed at 21.01, showing investors are slightly worried due to tariff uncertainty.

What Traders Are Watching

1. Trade-policy clarity — whether the 15% tariff threat escalates further or is moderated through negotiations.
2. Geopolitical risk premium in oil — headlines around U.S.–Iran talks and any signals of escalation/de-escalation.
3. Volatility trend — whether the VIX holds around 21 (cautious) or pushes higher, which would tighten positioning and liquidity.