Core Viewpoint - U.S. Senator Thom Tillis is blocking Kevin Warsh's nomination to lead the Federal Reserve until the Department of Justice concludes its investigation into current Fed Chair Jerome Powell [1][2] Group 1 - Senator Tillis expressed willingness to maintain the blockade throughout the remainder of Congress to ensure the truth is uncovered and to preserve the independence of the Federal Reserve [2] - Tillis indicated that he would support Warsh's nomination if the investigation is resolved satisfactorily [2]

Core Insights - The U.S. labor market showed minimal growth in January, with hiring falling short of expectations, indicating a continuation of a weak job market from 2025 [3][4] Employment Data - Private companies added only 22,000 jobs in January, significantly lower than the revised 37,000 increase in December and below the Dow Jones forecast of 45,000 [2] - The education and health services sector was the only significant contributor, adding 74,000 jobs, while other sectors experienced losses [2][4] Sector Performance - Financial activities added 14,000 jobs, construction increased by 9,000, and trade, transportation, utilities, and leisure and hospitality each contributed 4,000 jobs [4] - Notable job losses occurred in professional and business services (-57,000), other services (-13,000), and manufacturing (-8,000) [4] Company Size Impact - Job growth was primarily driven by companies with 50 to 499 employees, while small firms remained flat and large employers reduced their workforce by 18,000 [5] Wage Growth - Wage growth remained stable, with employees staying in their positions experiencing a 4.5% increase compared to December [5] Reporting Context - The ADP report serves as a precursor to the Bureau of Labor Statistics nonfarm payrolls report, which is delayed due to a partial government shutdown [6]

Group 1: Disney - Disney has appointed Josh D'Amaro as the new CEO, effective March 18, succeeding Bob Iger. D'Amaro has nearly three decades of experience at Disney and previously chaired the experiences division, which recently achieved $10 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time [2][5] - Disney's stock has declined over 40% in the past five years, contrasting with the S&P 500's increase of over 80% during the same period [5] Group 2: Chipotle - Chipotle's shares fell more than 5% after reporting a decline in traffic for the fourth consecutive quarter, with same-store sales down 1.7% in 2025, marking its first annual drop since 2016. The company anticipates flat same-store sales in 2026 [3][4] - Over the last 12 months, Chipotle's shares have decreased nearly 33%, prompting the company to introduce "protein cups" and slow down price increases to attract customers [4] Group 3: Novo Nordisk - Novo Nordisk expects a decline in sales and profit growth this year, leading to a drop of over 14% in U.S.-listed shares, marking the worst day in about six months. The forecast is impacted by a deal with the Trump administration to cut prices and loss of exclusivity for its drugs [10][11] - CEO Mike Doustdar indicated that the company's situation may worsen before it improves, contributing to the negative outlook [11] Group 4: Eli Lilly - Eli Lilly's shares rose more than 8% in premarket trading after exceeding analyst expectations in the fourth quarter. The company also provided a stronger-than-anticipated full-year revenue outlook, driven by high demand for its drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro [12]

Core Insights - Yum Brands reported mixed quarterly results for the period ended December 31, with a net income of $535 million, or $1.91 per share, an increase from $423 million, or $1.49 per share, a year earlier [1] - The company's net revenue rose by 6% to $2.51 billion, with global same-store sales increasing by 3% [2] Taco Bell Performance - Taco Bell's same-store sales surged by 7% in the quarter, exceeding Wall Street expectations of 5.6% growth, highlighting its strong demand and performance [2] - The chain is recognized as a key asset in Yum's portfolio, consistently outperforming the broader fast-food industry due to its value offerings and innovative menu items [3] KFC Performance - KFC's global same-store sales increased by 3%, with international locations showing the same growth, while U.S. locations reported a modest 1% increase [3] - Analysts had anticipated KFC to achieve a same-store sales growth of 2.1%, indicating a stronger performance than expected [4] Pizza Hut Challenges - Pizza Hut reported a decline in same-store sales of 1%, driven by a 3% drop in the U.S., slightly better than Wall Street's estimate of a 1.7% decline [4] - Yum Brands announced in November that it would explore strategic options for Pizza Hut, with a review process currently underway [5] Financial Metrics - Adjusted earnings per share were reported at $1.73, slightly below the expected $1.77, while revenue of $2.51 billion surpassed expectations of $2.45 billion [6]

Two years after Meta announced it was shuttering its Workplace enterprise business, a band of former engineers at the social media company is launching a new corporate communication platform.Slashwork, as the startup is called, on Wednesday announced that it has raised $3.5 million in funding from a variety of investors including Slack co-founder Cal Henderson and Sandberg Bernthal Venture Partners, the venture capital firm of former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg.The London startup was co-founded by Jackson Gabb ...

Core Insights - Uber reported better-than-expected revenue for the fourth quarter, but shares declined in premarket trading following the earnings release [1] Financial Performance - Revenue increased to $14.37 billion, surpassing the estimated $14.32 billion [5] - Mobility segment revenue reached $8.2 billion, a 19% increase year-over-year, while delivery revenue climbed 30% to $4.9 billion [1] - Net income for the quarter was $296 million, significantly down from $6.88 billion a year earlier, impacted by a $1.6 billion net pre-tax headwind from equity investment revaluations [2] Gross Bookings - Gross bookings for the quarter totaled $54.1 billion, exceeding the average analyst estimate of $53.1 billion [3] - For the first quarter, gross bookings are expected to increase by at least 17% year-over-year, projected between $52 billion and $53.5 billion [3] Business Segments - The delivery business showed the strongest revenue growth, expanding from restaurants to include groceries and retail [4] - Partnerships with various brands, including OpenTable and Shopify, contributed to the delivery segment's expansion [4]

Eli Lilly and Company’s logo is displayed during a press conference in Houston, Texas, U.S., Sept. 23, 2025.Eli Lilly on Wednesday posted fourth-quarter earnings and revenue and 2026 guidance that blew past estimates, as demand for its blockbuster weight loss drug Zepbound and diabetes treatment Mounjaro soars. The pharmaceutical giant anticipates its 2026 revenue will come in between $80 billion and $83 billion. Analysts expected revenue of $77.62 billion, according to LSEG. Lilly also expected adjusted ea ...

Core Viewpoint - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) experienced a 9% drop in premarket trading due to a first-quarter revenue forecast that did not meet some analyst expectations [1][2] Group 1: Financial Performance - AMD reported fourth-quarter revenue of $10.27 billion, exceeding LSEG consensus estimates of $9.67 billion [1] - The company anticipates first-quarter revenue of $9.8 billion, with a variance of plus or minus $300 million, compared to expectations of $9.38 billion [2] Group 2: Market Context - Analysts had expected AMD to provide stronger guidance for the first quarter, driven by a surge in spending on processors for AI applications [2] - AMD, alongside Nvidia, is a key manufacturer of AI chips and has seen its stock price increase by over 100% in the past year due to rising demand [2]

Core Insights - The cost of national ads for the Super Bowl continues to rise, with NBC selling out ad inventory at an average of $8 million per 30-second commercial, and some ads exceeding $10 million each [1] Advertising Trends - Streaming-only ad spots constitute about 10% of the total ad inventory during the Super Bowl and are priced at approximately half the cost of traditional TV commercials [2] - The streaming simulcast is gaining popularity, with NBC's Peacock service set to simulcast Super Bowl 60, while traditional broadcast remains the primary viewing method [3][4] New Advertisers - Streaming-only ads are attracting new advertisers, allowing smaller brands to participate in the Super Bowl, with all Peacock-only commercials this year being from new advertisers [5] - Brands like Tecovas and Life360 are leveraging streaming ads to engage with a highly targeted audience while managing costs effectively [6] Audience Engagement - Last year, nearly 128 million viewers watched the Super Bowl across TV and streaming platforms, highlighting the event's massive reach [6] - NBC's digital offerings have seen increased demand, driven by the growth of Peacock's subscriber base to 44 million, particularly due to live sports content [7] Brand Strategies - Smaller brands are using streaming-only commercials as a way to enter the Super Bowl advertising space, with companies like Ro and Manscaped exploring more affordable options [9][12] - Ro's experience with streaming ads last year led to a commitment to a traditional ad spot this year, indicating a strategic shift based on previous performance [11]

Core Viewpoint - Gold and silver prices have rebounded significantly after a recent selloff, with analysts indicating that future gains will depend on foreign exchange movements and interest rate expectations [2][3][8]. Price Movements - Spot gold increased by 2.4% to $5,054.6 per ounce, while gold futures rose by approximately 3.4% [2]. - Spot silver saw a rise of 5.8% to $90 per ounce, with silver futures up 8% at $90.16 [2]. Market Context - The rebound in precious metals follows a nearly 10% drop in gold and a 30% decline in silver prices, marking the worst one-day performance for silver since 1980 [2]. - Analysts suggest that the recent price movements are a result of dip buying after significant corrections in the market [3]. Mining Companies Performance - London-listed mining companies experienced gains, with Rio Tinto up 1% and Anglo American up 0.7%, while Antofagasta saw a slight decline of 0.2% [4]. - The FTSE 350 Precious Metals and Mining Total Return Index rose by 2% to approximately 34,963 [4]. Investor Sentiment - UBS CEO noted that clients are becoming more cautious, seeking protection and moving away from the tech sector [4]. - There is a trend of excess cash being redeployed into capital markets, including precious metals [5]. Future Outlook - Analysts predict that further gains in precious metals may be muted, with volatility expected to persist [7]. - The pace and sustainability of future price increases will be influenced by the U.S. dollar, interest rate expectations, and overall risk sentiment [8]. - Goldman Sachs has set a price target of $5,400 for gold by the end of 2026, while BofA Securities has a more bullish target of $6,000 [9]. Market Fundamentals - The physical market fundamentals are described as somewhat shaky but still supportive [10]. - Political uncertainty surrounding the upcoming mid-term elections and the direction of U.S. interest rates under the potential new Federal Reserve chair could impact forecasts [10][11].