Tuesday, February 3, 2026…4:10 PM ET
[4:00 PM ET closing prices for stocks; 3:45ish for commodities and bonds.]
Ugly day in the markets as software companies got slammed, a major fear being that AI will allow more companies and people to build their own custom software, reducing demand for off-the-shelf software products and services. Anthropic is key to the story, having introduced a product, Claude Cowork, that looks like a chatbot but can complete tasks on your behalf like building apps and making spreadsheets. Recent media accounts have described how Claude makes coding easy for people with no formal trading.
But at least the House passed a spending package to end the partial government shutdown and keep the Department of Homeland Security running while Democrats and President Trump negotiate over restrictions on the administration’s immigration crackdown.
The vote was 217 to 214 to send the measure to Trump’s desk for signing. Most Democrats, 193, voted against the spending deal, while 21 supported it.
Twenty-one Republicans opposed the Trump-backed measure.
Oil registered gains, after a steep decline Monday, amid seemingly easing geopolitical tensions. President Trump said talks with Iran on its nuclear program could start soon, with reports showing U.S. military forces moving farther away from Iran.
But then this afternoon, U.S. Central Command said a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea.
Central Command, in an emailed statement, said the drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and it “continued to fly toward the ship despite de-escalatory measures taken by U.S. forces operating in international waters.”
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces then harassed the U.S.-flagged and U.S. crewed merchant vessel Stena Imperative hours later.
Gold and Silver rallied after a brutal selloff.
Lastly, to end on a sports note, Lindsey Vonn is “confident” she can compete in the Olympics downhill at Cortina on Sunday, despite having a torn ACL from her crash four days ago in a World Cup downhill.
Vonn said today the damage to her left knee was a “completed ruptured” ACL, bone bruising “plus meniscal damage.”
After three days of physical therapy and doctors’ advice, Vonn skied on Tuesday. She did not appear to be limping as she entered and exited a news conference.
“My knee is not swollen, and with the help of a knee brace, I am confident that I can compete on Sunday,” Vonn Said.
“So this is not obviously what I had hoped for. I know what my chances were before the crash and I know my chances aren’t the same as it stands today but I know there’s still a chance. And as long as there’s a chance, I will try.
“I will do everything in my power to be in the starting gate.”
*I’m showing a broadcast time Sunday for 5:30 AM, ET (11:30 AM Cortina time). USA Network and Peacock. Of course, depending on conditions, this can change.
Dow Jones -166, -0.3% [49240]
S&P 500 -58, -0.8% [6917]
Nasdaq -336, -1.4% [23255]
Oil (WTI) $64.09
Gold $4970
Silver $84,70
Bitcoin $76,450 [4:00 PM ET…had been as low as $73,200, lowest since 2024]
U.S. 2-yr. 3.57%
U.S. 10-yr. 4.27%
Japanese 10-yr. 2.25%
Back tomorrow.
Brian Trumbore
