Shan Ahmed Khan

Shan Ahmed Khan is a senior markets reporter at TS2.tech, specializing in stocks, technology and macroeconomic trends. A graduate of the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), he previously worked in investment research and market analysis. His coverage helps readers understand the key developments influencing global financial markets and emerging industries.

US economic calendar today: ISM factory PMI ahead as S&P 500 futures slip, oil tumbles

US economic calendar today: ISM factory PMI ahead as S&P 500 futures slip, oil tumbles

U.S. stock index futures slipped on Monday as traders absorbed a wave of early-week data and earnings. S&P 500 futures fell 0.5% to 6,931, while Nasdaq 100 futures declined 0.9% to 25,452. Dow futures were down 0.1% at 48,968, following a roughly 0.4% drop in the cash S&P 500 on Friday. Crude oil prices plunged 4.9%, settling at $62.05 a barrel. The 10-year Treasury yield eased to 4.23%, the dollar index crept up 0.1%, and the VIX held around 18.5.
2 February 2026
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Lithium price slips again in China as Albemarle, SQM slide before the bell

Lithium price slips again in China as Albemarle, SQM slide before the bell

Battery-grade lithium carbonate — the refined chemical essential for lithium-ion batteries — kept sliding in China Monday. The Shanghai Metals Market index dropped to 154,434 yuan per metric ton, according to SMM. Prices for battery-grade material ranged between 145,000 and 166,000 yuan a ton, while industrial-grade traded slightly lower at 142,000 to 162,000 yuan, SMM noted. China’s top lithium carbonate futures contract wavered sharply in a 132,400-152,800 yuan band as upstream sellers stayed cautious and downstream buyers probed for cheaper deals.
2 February 2026
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Oracle’s $50B cash-raise plan spooks investors as report flags up to 30,000 job cuts

Oracle’s $50B cash-raise plan spooks investors as report flags up to 30,000 job cuts

Oracle plans to raise between $45 billion and $50 billion in 2026 to expand its cloud infrastructure for growing AI demands, using a mix of debt and equity. Roughly half of that will come from equity-linked and common stock, including mandatory convertible preferred securities — a type of preferred stock that must convert into common shares — plus an at-the-market program allowing gradual share sales. The company faces increased scrutiny as its debt rises and its reliance on OpenAI grows, despite OpenAI being unprofitable and unclear on its own infrastructure funding. Bondholders sued Oracle in January, and credit default swap costs on its debt hit a five-year peak last December, a report noted.
2 February 2026
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Gold and silver prices tumble again after historic plunge as CME margin hike bites

Gold and silver prices tumble again after historic plunge as CME margin hike bites

Gold and silver extended their sell-off on Monday as higher margin demands on futures trading added to the rush to cut leveraged bets. Spot gold was down 3.2% at $4,708.19 an ounce by 1008 GMT, after dropping nearly 10% earlier, while spot silver was down 3.4% at $81.65 after a 15% intraday slump. U.S. gold futures for April delivery fell 0.3% to $4,730.40, while platinum slid 4.3% to $2,070.64 and palladium dropped 2.1% to $1,662.68.
2 February 2026
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AI stocks slide premarket as Oracle lines up $50 billion raise and Nvidia-OpenAI deal doubts linger

AI stocks slide premarket as Oracle lines up $50 billion raise and Nvidia-OpenAI deal doubts linger

Oracle shares dropped 2.6% in premarket Monday after the company revealed plans to raise $45 billion to $50 billion this year to boost cloud infrastructure for AI workloads. The software giant, led by billionaire Larry Ellison, intends to fund this with roughly equal parts debt and equity, including a new $20 billion at-the-market program that allows gradual share sales. This move aims to support demand from clients like AMD, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, TikTok, and xAI. The company has been under pressure following a bondholder lawsuit filed in January and a rise in its credit-default swap costs, a default insurance measure. Russ Mould of AJ Bell noted that Oracle’s fortunes now seem “tied to OpenAI,” while Jefferies analysts cautioned the plan “buys time” but may hurt margins and keep free cash flow in the red until fiscal 2029.
2 February 2026
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Crude oil prices tumble 5% after Trump flags Iran talks; Brent and WTI slide from January highs

Crude oil prices tumble 5% after Trump flags Iran talks; Brent and WTI slide from January highs

Oil prices dropped about 5% on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was “seriously talking” with Washington, easing fears of a supply disruption from the OPEC member. By 0920 GMT, Brent crude futures slid $3.63, or 5.2%, to $65.69 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate fell $3.60, or 5.5%, to $61.61. This decline came after January’s biggest monthly gains since 2022 — with Brent up 16% and WTI 13%. UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo attributed the move to quieter Middle East headlines and fewer outages in the U.S. and Kazakhstan. Priyanka Sachdeva of Phillip Nova noted a “renewed strength in the U.S. dollar,” and Capital Economics said geopolitical tensions had obscured a “fundamentally bearish” oil market.
2 February 2026
Oil prices tumble 5% as Trump flags Iran talks, risk premium drains fast

Oil prices tumble 5% as Trump flags Iran talks, risk premium drains fast

Oil prices dropped about 5% on Monday after Donald Trump said Iran was “seriously talking” with the U.S., easing fears of supply disruptions. Brent crude futures tumbled $3.63, or 5.2%, to $65.69 a barrel by 0920 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude dipped $3.60, or 5.5%, settling at $61.61. Giovanni Staunovo from UBS cited easing Middle East tensions and fewer disruptions in the U.S. and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, Priyanka Sachdeva at Phillip Nova noted that renewed dollar strength “reinforced” the selloff as gold and silver prices also slid.
2 February 2026
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#1 BUY IN STAGES

AerCap

NYSE: AER 95 / 100
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General Dynamics

NYSE: GD 91 / 100
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Visa

NYSE: V 88 / 100
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NYSE: IEX 85 / 100
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