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Market Analysis

The Market Shift You've Been Feeling

And why it matters for your trades.

The Pipster Desk
January 26, 2026
·7 min read
The Market Shift You've Been Feeling

If you've been trading over the last few weeks and months, you've probably felt it (even if you couldn't quite explain it!). The market doesn't feel the same anymore.

The big tech giants aren't dominating like they used to. Smaller stocks are moving. Value is outperforming growth. Different sectors are taking turns leading instead of everything pumping together.

It feels less like one big trend and more like money is rotating. That's not random. And it's not just short-term noise.

What you're seeing is a macro shift—a change in how money flows through the global system. And once you understand that, the market suddenly starts making a lot more sense.

It All Starts With Liquidity

If there's one concept that explains most of what's happening right now, it's liquidity.

  • Global money supply is now over $116 trillion and still climbing.
  • Central banks are cutting rates again.
  • China has injected record levels of stimulus.
  • More money is entering the system, not leaving it.

In simple terms: More liquidity = more capital looking for somewhere to go.

That money doesn't just sit in bank accounts—it moves through markets, assets, currencies, commodities, and crypto. And one of the biggest signals right now is happening in the currency markets.

The Quiet Breakdown of the Dollar

The US dollar isn't doing what it normally does in uncertain markets.

  • It's failing to break key resistance levels.
  • Large global investors are rotating out of dollar-based assets.
  • Big institutions are reducing exposure to US Treasuries.

This matters more than most retail traders realize. The dollar is the foundation of the global financial system. Almost everything is priced in dollars. So, when the dollar weakens, it changes the value of everything else.

When the dollar falls:

  • Commodities rise
  • Emerging market currencies strengthen
  • Risk assets attract capital
  • Crypto benefits

This is why dollar weakness isn't just an FX trade—it's a macro signal.

Why This Changes Market Behavior

A weaker dollar creates a completely different trading environment.

  • Capital starts moving out of safe assets and into opportunity assets.
  • Money flows into higher-yielding currencies.
  • Commodities become cheaper for international buyers.
  • Crypto becomes more attractive as a store of value.

It shifts psychology. Markets move from fear-based positioning to opportunity-based positioning. That's the transition phase we're in now.

The Oil Myth (And Where the Money Is Really Going)

A lot of traders assume oil is always the safe commodity play. But structurally, oil is losing its dominance.

  • Supply is expanding.
  • Political pressure favors lower prices.
  • Long-term demand is slowly being eroded by renewables, electrification, AI infrastructure, and energy transition.

Oil is becoming an old-economy asset. Meanwhile, capital is flowing into new-economy commodities:

  • Copper
  • Rare earth minerals
  • Lithium
  • Semiconductor materials

These are tied to: AI, data centres, EVs, defense tech, and infrastructure. This is where structural demand lives now.

Open pit copper mine
Open pit copper mine—new-economy commodities are where structural demand lives

The Strange Combo: Deflation + Rallies

Here's where things get interesting. Globally, deflationary pressure is increasing—especially from China. Growth is slowing. Prices are cooling.

But at the same time, certain assets are rallying hard.

That's because this isn't broad inflation—it's selective demand. General consumption is weak. But strategic materials are scarce. So liquidity flows into assets with real structural demand, not everything equally.

This creates targeted rallies instead of broad market pumps.

Bitcoin's Redemption Setup

Crypto in 2025 was a mess. Fear. Capitulation. Tax-loss selling. Retail exit.

But that's exactly how long-term bottoms form.

  • Less than 5% of Bitcoin remains to be mined.
  • Supply is fixed.
  • Scarcity is real.

Now combine that with: rate cuts, liquidity injections, weak dollar, monetary expansion.

Bitcoin's macro narrative comes back into play. Not hype. Not memes. Structure. Loose money systems always benefit scarce assets.

Bitcoin and dollar dynamics
Bitcoin benefits from dollar weakness and liquidity expansion

Central Banks Are Trapped

Inflation is cooling. Growth is slowing. Deflation pressure is rising.

That leaves central banks with limited options. They can't tighten aggressively. They can't restrict liquidity. They're forced into:

  • Rate cuts
  • Stimulus
  • Accommodation

And that creates supportive conditions for risk assets.

Geopolitics = Market Volatility

  • Defense spending is rising globally.
  • Technology is now a strategic infrastructure.
  • Supply chains are geopolitical assets.

Markets are no longer just economic—they're political. This adds volatility, risk premiums, and capital rotation.

What This Means for Retail Traders

The last few weeks weren't random. They were signals.

Signals that the market regime is changing. Money is rotating. Liquidity is rising. The dollar is weakening. Capital is repositioning.

Once you see that, trading stops feeling chaotic. It becomes structural. You're no longer chasing moves—you're trading the cycle.

And that's where real consistency comes from.

Retail traders don't win by being faster. They win by seeing the shift before it becomes obvious.

The market has already started changing. Most people just haven't realized it yet.

Disclaimer

This content is provided by the Pipster Market Analysis Team for educational and informational purposes only. It is not investment advice and does not constitute a recommendation, offer, or solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument. All trading and investing involves risk, including potential loss of capital. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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