This Protect Your Assets Market Briefing provides an early 2026 market update, examining how markets responded during the first full week of the year. The discussion covers geopolitical developments, energy supply considerations, U.S. labor market data, inflation expectations, and interest rate policy signals. It also reviews recent performance across major equity indexes, bonds, and oil prices, while outlining how earnings growth, Federal Reserve policy, and global diversification considerations are being evaluated in the current environment.