Ray Blanco:

Unable To Tame Hydrogen Leaks, NASA Delays Launch of Artemis II Until March

The launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first flight of astronauts to the Moon in more than 53 years, must wait another month after a fueling test Monday uncovered an issue in the connection between the rocket and its launch platform at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The practice countdown revealed NASA still has not fully resolved recurring hydrogen leaks that delayed the launch of the unpiloted Artemis I test flight by several months in 2022. Artemis I finally launched successfully after engineers revised their hydrogen loading procedures.

Now, the second Space Launch System rocket is on the cusp of launching a crew for the first time. The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts inside NASA’s Orion spacecraft on a loop around the far side of the Moon on the first crewed lunar flight since 1972, paving the way for future expeditions to land humans at the Moon’s south pole.

NASA officials had hoped a smooth test would clear the way to launch the Artemis II mission as soon as Sunday, February 8. Instead, the first launch opportunity for Artemis II next month is now March 6, with a two-hour launch window opening at 8:29 pm EST.

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Greg Guenthner:

Bitcoin Drops to Lowest Level Since Day After Trump’s Election Win

Bitcoin dropped to its lowest level since November 6, 2024, the day after the U.S. presidential election, when it had been in ascendance amid unbridled enthusiasm about the incoming “crypto president.”

While the asset had a quick rebound from the weekend bloodbath, it is now down 2.2% at the time of writing, which has brought the price below its lows seen in the sessions following the announcement of reciprocal tariffs on “Liberation Day” in April 2025.

It briefly broke below $74,000 and, according to Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani, could still “bottom out” in the $60,000 levels.

Several experts said bitcoin was in the throes of a bear market, including Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, who nevertheless said it was “close to an end.”

Bitfinex analysts said that the broader flow picture suggests a clear risk-off rotation, with investors reallocating toward cash and gold amid rising macroeconomic and political uncertainty.

“In this environment, the lack of ETF absorption has amplified downside volatility, reinforcing the importance of institutional spot demand as a stabilizing force during periods of market stress,” they said.

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Davis Wilson:

Software Stocks Extend Losses Amid Fears Over AI-Led Disruption

Wall Street’s fears around artificial intelligence-driven disruption affecting software companies continued to put pressure on tech stocks on Wednesday.

In premarket U.S. trade on Wednesday morning, ServiceNow and Salesforce each shed about 0.4%, while Intuit was down by 0.7%. Nvidia extended losses from the previous day, trading 0.3% lower ahead of the opening bell in New York.

During Tuesday’s session, shares of ServiceNow tumbled nearly 7%, pushing its year-to-date losses to 28%. Salesforce also dropped about 7%, bringing its 2026 decline to almost 26%. Intuit, the TurboTax parent, fell nearly 11% and is now down more than 34% year to date. Those moves contributed to the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite sliding 1.4% on Tuesday.

“AI has turned technology into an even more competitive sport,” said Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research. “Software stocks were especially hard hit because Anthropic rolled out new tools for its Cowork product."

Software firms once valued for their sticky subscriptions and dependable renewals are now under scrutiny as AI threatens to automate workflows, squeeze pricing, and lower the barriers for new rivals to enter the market.

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