General Market News

Japan's inflation cooled to 2.1% in December 2024, the lowest since March 2022, down from 2.9% in November. The data comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi prepares for a snap election on Feb. 8, with cost of living as a key campaign issue. The Bank of Japan is expected to hold rates at 0.75% in its policy decision later today.

• Core inflation fell to 2.4% and 'core-core' inflation eased to 2.9%, both showing significant cooling from previous months
• Rice prices remain elevated near record levels at 4,267 yen per 5kg bag despite rice inflation declining to 34.4% in December after peaking in May 2025
• Prime Minister Takaichi has proposed suspending the 8% food tax for two years and implemented a $135 billion stimulus package including subsidies for electricity and gas bills

Energy stocks outperformed other S&P 500 sectors on January 20, 2026, rising over 6% year-to-date amid broader market turmoil driven by tariff concerns, bond market stress in Japan, and geopolitical tensions. Baker Hughes will report Q4 earnings unusually on Sunday night, January 25, followed by major oil companies Exxon Mobil and Chevron on January 30, with investor focus on Venezuela commentary following the Maduro capture.

• Japan's bond market saw historic volatility with 40-year yields hitting record 4.20% and 30-year rates jumping 27 basis points to 3.88%, ahead of upcoming Bank of Japan policy decision
• Natural gas prices surged nearly 30% on forecasts of extreme cold weather threatening power grids from Texas to Mid-Atlantic, contrasting with oil prices near five-year lows at $2.82 per gallon
• XOM and CVX stocks gained almost 9% in 2026, outpacing S&P 500 by eight percentage points, offering dividend yields of 3.2% and 4.1% respectively; Venezuela operations remain long-term opportunity requiring years to develop

Defiance ETFs and Futurum Equities launched a new actively managed ETF targeting 30-50 stocks that appeal to retail investors seeking high-growth, high-momentum opportunities. The fund focuses on companies expected to remain relevant for decades, avoiding volatile meme stocks, with initial holdings including Micron, Palantir, Robinhood, and Oklo. This launch comes as retail investors demonstrate growing market influence, recently pouring $12.9 billion into U.S. stocks in one week, nearly double the 12-month average.

• The Defiance Retail Kings ETF will hold companies like Micron, Palantir, Robinhood, and Oklo (which has surged 170% over 12 months) rather than volatile meme stocks
• Retail investors steered $12.9 billion into U.S. stocks in the week ended Wednesday, nearly double the 12-month average of $6.7 billion per week
• On the biggest day of net purchases since October, retail investors bought $1.8 billion in stocks on Tuesday even as markets fell, according to Vanda Research

Research shows that companies reaching market capitalization dominance typically underperform by 300-400 basis points annually over the following decade. The Magnificent Seven tech stocks, while not all literal 'Top Dogs,' now face this pattern as their combined net cash position has collapsed from $300 billion in 2017 to below zero today, driven by massive AI infrastructure spending. Investor Eric Fry recommends rotating out of Mag 7 stocks into copper and European equities for outperformance in 2026.

• The five leading 'hyper-scaler' data center operators have invested $1.5 trillion over the last five years, with spending accelerating and turning AI from a growth driver into a capital-intensive cost center
• Copper is projected to reach at least $8 per pound in 2026, with demand expected to surge 50% by 2040 while supply faces deficits of 150,000-400,000 tonnes and a potential 30% supply gap by 2035
• European stocks are forecasted to outperform U.S. markets in 2026 due to valuations at substantial discounts and Europe's shift toward intra-European trade and supply-chain self-reliance amid geopolitical uncertainty

U.S. stocks rallied after President Trump walked back threats to use force or tariffs to acquire Greenland, reviving the 'TACO Trade' strategy on Wall Street. The TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out) trade involves buying stocks during dips caused by Trump's aggressive policy threats, betting he will eventually reverse course. However, investors are becoming less reactive to Trump's threats after a year of observing this pattern.

• The S&P 500 gained over 37% between April 2025 lows and year-end by following the 'buy-the-dip' strategy during Trump's tariff threats and subsequent reversals
• Recent market events suggest diminishing panic responses—stocks hit highs despite unprecedented actions like DOJ investigation into Fed Chair Powell and the capture of Venezuelan President Maduro
• The TACO trade faces a paradox: it relies on market panic to create buying opportunities and trigger Trump's reversals, but growing investor certainty about those reversals reduces the panic needed to make the strategy work

BCA Research has identified several potential 'black swan' events that could shock global markets, including Iran regime collapse causing oil price spikes, Chinese tech breakthroughs challenging U.S. valuations, and Russia-NATO conflicts. The firm assigns varying probabilities to these scenarios and suggests portfolio adjustments including holding cash and emerging market stocks while considering diversification away from U.S. assets if China stimulates its economy.

• An Iranian regime collapse could eliminate OPEC and Russia's spare oil capacity, potentially driving oil prices up more than 3% short-term and 10% over three and 12 months, with BCA estimating a 38% probability of this shock occurring
• A China tech breakthrough similar to January's DeepSeek moment could pressure valuations of major U.S. tech stocks (Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla), with BCA assessing a 50% probability of a bubble bursting
• If Russia seized NATO territory and the U.S. refused to aid allies, 20% of U.S. economic output could be at risk if Taiwan electronics shipping halted, potentially impacting long-term treasuries held by institutions

The Nasdaq 100 experienced an unexpected correction, dropping to 24,954 on Tuesday after peaking at 25,873 on January 13, but technical analysis suggests the bullish trend remains intact. Elliott Wave analysis now indicates the index is forming an ending diagonal pattern rather than a simple impulse wave, with a target around 27,000 contingent on holding above 24,647. The revised count allows for a 3rd of a 3rd wave rally to approximately 26,900-27,400 if the index breaks above the January 13 high.

• The index dropped to 24,954, reaching the 76.4% retracement level of the December-January rally, invalidating the immediate 3rd wave scenario but maintaining critical support levels
• Technical pattern has shifted to a larger ending diagonal formation (3-3-3-3-3), with the 3rd wave typically targeting the 27,090-27,380 zone based on 123.6-138.2% extension ratios
• Key warning levels for bulls are set at 25,602, 25,400, 25,086, 24,647, and 23,854, with serious concern if price falls below this week's low of 24,954

Small-cap stocks are dramatically outperforming large-cap equities in early 2026, with the Russell 2000 up over 10% while the S&P 500 has gained only about 1% and the Magnificent Seven are down 2%. The Russell 2000 is on track for its longest outperformance streak since 1996, marking a sharp reversal from 2025 when large caps dominated. However, analysts caution this rotation may not be sustainable, citing seasonal patterns and the upcoming earnings season as critical tests.

• The Russell 2000 is outperforming the S&P 500 for a potential 14th consecutive day, which would be the longest streak since 1996, and has already set seven record closing highs in 2026 compared to only nine in all of 2025
• Top-performing small caps include Corvus Pharmaceuticals (up 230% YTD), Red Cat Holdings (up 121%), and USA Rare Earth (up 98%), though only 10 of 46 stocks breaking out this year have market caps under $5 billion
• Strategists warn the rally may fade after the traditional 'January Effect,' with genuinely sustainable trends typically not emerging until mid-February or early March, and megacap tech earnings on Jan. 28 serving as a key litmus test for the rotation's durability

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge rose to 2.8% annually in November, up from 2.7% in October, while consumer spending increased 0.5% monthly. The uptick in inflation suggests the Fed is less likely to cut interest rates at its upcoming meeting, as the economy shows continued strength despite a cooling labor market.

• Both overall and core inflation increased to 2.8% year-over-year in November, though monthly gains were modest at 0.2%
• Consumer spending climbed 0.5% in November, indicating robust economic growth heading into year-end
• Economists suggest the Fed has 'little urgency' to cut rates next week given solid economic footing and inflation remaining above the 2% target

Major Northern European pension funds and institutional investors are reassessing their U.S. asset exposure due to mounting geopolitical tensions and concerns about U.S. fiscal health. Swedish and Danish pension funds have already sold or are divesting U.S. Treasuries, while investment advisers report roughly 50% of Nordic and Netherlands clients are considering reducing U.S. holdings. Though the U.S. remains investable, investors say the risk premium for American assets has increased significantly.

• Russell Investments, advising clients with $1.6 trillion in assets, reports about 50% of Northern European clients are considering tilting away from U.S. assets amid policy uncertainty and debt concerns
• Sweden's Alecta and Denmark's AkademikerPension have sold or are divesting U.S. Treasury holdings, citing increased risk associated with U.S. government finances and the dollar, which fell 10% against major currencies last year
• The public nature of this debate is unusual for long-term institutional investors, who typically avoid commenting on current affairs, though funds emphasized decisions are professional assessments not political 'weaponisation of capital'

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates steady during its January 28 meeting, with the CME Fedwatch tool showing a 95% probability of no change. The final week of January brings a heavy earnings calendar featuring major companies including Tesla, Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Chevron, ExxonMobil, IBM, and UPS. The week will also feature multiple economic data releases, including delayed durable goods orders, consumer confidence, and producer price index figures.

• Fed Chair Jerome Powell will deliver a speech following the FOMC interest rate decision on Wednesday, January 28
• Major economic data releases include previously delayed durable goods orders, trade deficit figures, factory orders, and PPI measurements throughout the week
• A significant number of Dow components and Big Tech companies will report quarterly earnings, creating potential market volatility

Elon Musk's SpaceX is preparing for a potentially record-breaking IPO, lining up four major Wall Street banks for senior underwriting roles. The company, valued at approximately $800 billion in recent private markets, aims to raise tens of billions of dollars in 2026. This would represent one of the largest public offerings in history, surpassing even Saudi Aramco's $29 billion IPO in 2019.

• Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley are being positioned for senior underwriting roles, with Morgan Stanley considered to have an inside track due to its relationship with Musk through Tesla
• SpaceX's valuation doubled from $400 billion in July 2025 to $800 billion by December 2025; a 3-5% equity offering could raise $25-40 billion in proceeds
• Starlink is the primary growth driver with 8.5 million customers generating over $10 billion in annual recurring revenue, having deployed 3,200 satellites in 2025 (a 60% year-over-year increase)

Elon Musk's SpaceX is lining up four major Wall Street investment banks for senior roles in a potential initial public offering, according to a Financial Times report. Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley are being positioned to lead the IPO process.

• Four top-tier investment banks (Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley) are being prepared for senior leadership roles in the potential IPO
• The move signals SpaceX may be moving closer to going public, despite Elon Musk's previous reluctance to take the company public
• The report is based on sources familiar with the matter, though no official timeline or valuation details have been disclosed

Gold, silver, and copper are rallying in early 2026 driven by structural pressures including rising sovereign debt, geopolitical tensions, and expectations for looser Federal Reserve monetary policy, according to David Erfle of Junior Miner Junky. The momentum reflects deeper macro risks rather than a short-term trend, with metals benefiting from their safe-haven appeal amid fiscal imbalances and policy uncertainty.

• Erfle predicts gold could reach $5,000 to $5,500 in Q1 2026 before a healthy 15-20% correction, provided prices hold above the low-$4,000 range on a weekly basis
• The most underappreciated risk for 2026 is the Fed potentially easing monetary policy more than economic conditions warrant, which could reignite inflation and reduce opportunity costs of holding non-yielding assets like gold and silver
• Mining companies are generating strong margins and free cash flow as metal prices rise faster than costs, though broad investor participation remains limited compared to prior cycles, creating potential upside for junior miners

Crypto custodian BitGo priced its IPO at $18 on January 22, 2025, marking the start of what's expected to be a 'supercycle' year for initial public offerings in 2026. The company joins other crypto firms that went public recently, and its debut signals the beginning of a wave of potential mega-IPOs from companies like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic.

• BitGo's IPO implies a market capitalization of around $2 billion and follows 2024 public debuts from crypto companies Circle and Gemini
• The aggregate value of U.S. unicorns (companies valued at $1 billion+) reached $4.3 trillion by end of December, driven largely by AI company valuations
• NYSE President Lynn Martin expects IPO activity to accelerate in the second half of Q1 into Q2 2026, with major companies being selective about timing their market debuts

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure, the PCE index, showed consumer prices rose 2.8% year-over-year in November, slightly above the 2.7% forecast. Both headline and core PCE increased 0.2% monthly, meeting expectations but remaining above the Fed's 2% target ahead of next week's policy meeting.

• Headline PCE rose 2.8% annually in November, above the 2.7% estimate, while core PCE matched expectations at 2.8% year-over-year
• Monthly PCE and core PCE both increased 0.2%, in line with economist forecasts
• Inflation has remained stubbornly elevated, with headline PCE in the 2.7%-2.8% range from August through November, well above the Fed's 2% long-run target

European stocks with exposure to Ukraine rallied on Thursday after Ukrainian President Zelenskiy announced the first trilateral meeting between Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials to discuss ending the war. Companies expected to benefit from peace gained significantly, while defense stocks fell on reduced conflict prospects. The market movement reflects investor anticipation that a peace deal could unlock economic recovery opportunities in the region.

• Ukraine-exposed stocks surged: Raiffeisen Bank gained 6%, Wizz Air rose 9%, and Ferrexpo soared 19%, while European materials and construction stocks climbed as much as 2.9%
• Defense stocks dropped sharply with the index falling 2.3% (largest daily decline since early December), as Saab fell 4.3% and Rheinmetall declined 3.7%
• The meeting between Zelenskiy and Trump in Davos focused on security guarantees and post-war recovery plans, marking the first formal peace negotiations involving all three parties

The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures price index, rose to 2.8% in November, moving further from the Fed's 2% target. Both headline and core PCE measures came in at 2.8%, matching expectations but up from October's 2.7% rate. The data was released alongside delayed October figures due to a government shutdown.

• Monthly PCE inflation increased 0.2% in both October and November, with both headline and core measures at 2.8% year-over-year in November
• Personal income rose 0.1% in October and 0.3% in November (below the 0.4% forecast), while consumer spending increased 0.5% in both months
• The Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis released October and November data together after delays caused by the government shutdown

US weekly jobless claims rose by 1,000 to 200,000 for the week ended January 17, coming in below the forecast of 210,000. The data reinforces a stable but subdued labor market characterized by a 'low-hiring, low-firing' environment, as employers remain cautious amid policy uncertainty and AI-driven productivity shifts.

• Continuing claims fell by 26,000 to 1.849 million, though many laid-off workers reportedly struggle to find new jobs despite low headline figures
• Annual benchmark revisions due next month may reveal 911,000 fewer jobs were created through March 2025 than previously reported, suggesting overstated job growth
• Major companies including UPS, GM, Amazon, and Verizon have announced recent job cuts, while uncertainty over Trump's trade and immigration policies dampens hiring activity

NYSE Texas has reached over 100 dual-listed companies in less than a year since its March 2024 launch, marking a significant milestone in Wall Street's expansion into Texas. The growth reflects companies seeking to capitalize on Texas's pro-business legislation while maintaining NYSE protections. NYSE President Lynn Martin announced the achievement at the World Economic Forum, amid President Trump's criticism of the Dallas expansion.

• NYSE Texas went live March 31, 2024, and surpassed 100 dual listings in under a year, allowing companies to access Texas's pro-business regulatory environment while keeping NYSE floor protections
• President Trump criticized the Dallas expansion as 'unbelievably bad' for New York and called it a failure of city leadership, though NYSE maintains it's meant to supplement, not replace, New York operations
• NYSE President Lynn Martin predicts a 'super cycle' for capital markets in 2026, citing strong demand across all sectors and a significant backlog of companies waiting to list