economy February 9, 2026

Economic & Market Watch

Our weekly download features both a big-picture economic dashboard and an in-depth intelligence brief covering a single facet of the economy.

In this week's brief: Impacts of Public Debt—Japan vs. US.

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In the News

Economy

A wave of more than 800 U.S. retail and restaurant closures in 2026 signals continued pressure on brick-and-mortar sectors as major chains shift resources to online operations and restructure underperforming locations.
Markets brace for volatility this week as investors await key jobs (Feb. 11) and inflation (Feb. 13) data that will influence confidence in economic growth and policy direction.

Markets

West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures traded around $63/barrel, with lighter participation this Monday as markets continued to gauge their appropriate risk premium.
U.S. stock futures rose after a turbulent week on Wall Street, with indices like the Dow and S&P 500 gaining ahead of anticipated labor and inflation reports that may sway market sentiment.

Current Events

U.S. forces seized a Venezuela-linked oil tanker after a chase from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean as Washington expands the geographic scope of its ongoing crackdown on a global shadow fleet used to export sanctioned crude.
The head of the International Monetary Fund downplayed the dollar’s decline over the past year, saying the U.S. currency will probably retain its preeminent position given, “the depth and liquidity of capital markets in the United States, the size of the economy and the entrepreneurial spirit of the U.S.”

Meet the Team

CFC's economic research team—John Suter, Sam Kem and Antony Davies—share their expert, yet easily digestible, perspective on what you need to know.

Have feedback about the podcast? A topic you'd like the EMW team to cover? Get in touch at economicresearch@nrucfc.coop.