That's one of the conclusions of a paper by researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco who studied what happens when officials at the Federal Reserve say something surprising in their official policy statements, or in the Fed chair's traditional post-meeting press conference. "Monetary policy news from press conferences—whether in isolation or in conjunction with the news in the associated statement—is a particularly important source of information, with strong effects on Treasury yields and p ...

Key Takeaways The Federal Reserve's policy committee meets tomorrow and Wednesday, and officials are expected to hold the central bank's key interest rate steady after a series of cuts in recent months. What To Expect From the January Meeting The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) will meet to consider whether to cut the federal funds rate from its current range of 3.5% to 3.75%. The Fed cut its interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point at each of the previous three meetings in an effort to prevent ...

Key Takeaways Shares of CoreWeave jumped on Monday after the cloud computing company extended its partnership with Nvidia, a tie-up that last year helped fuel Wall Street's AI bubble debate. The companies on Monday announced they had expanded their partnership to accelerate CoreWeave's development of AI data centers operating on Nvidia's technology stack. Nvidia, which invested $250 million in CoreWeave during its IPO last March, agreed to invest an additional $2 billion in the company as part of the deal. ...

Key Takeaways America's heavy-hitting "Magnificent 7†stocks have driven years of market gains. That may not continue to be the case. This year has started with a mixed showing from the grouping of some of America's biggest tech stocks, which accounted for over 40% of the S&P 500's roughly 18% total return in 2025. Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) is up some 5% since 2026 began, while Amazon (AMZN) is up about 4%. Tesla (TSLA), Meta (Meta), and Nvidia (NVDA) are little changed. Microsoft (MSFT) and Apple (AAPL ...

Key Takeaways USA Rare Earth received $1.6 billion in proposed federal funding to expand mine-to-magnet operations.The company raised $1.5 billion in private sector investment through a PIPE transaction. USA Rare Earth (USAR) is starting the week on a high note with a public-private funding deal that is lifting the company's shares. The Stillwater, Okla.-based company's stock was recently 14% higher, extending a hot 2026 run that nevertheless has the shares still off late-2025 highs. The company signed ...

Key Takeaways Over 20,000 flights have been canceled amid a winter storm that swept through the U.S. over the weekend.Major airlines said they are waiving some fees to change tickets in cities impacted by the storm. Far fewer planes in the U.S. heard "cleared for takeoff" this weekend. The winter storm that battered much of the U.S. with snow and ice this weekend has had a severe impact on air travel, with over 20,000 flights canceled Saturday through Monday morning, according to the flight tracking w ...

Investor appetite for gold, which is considered a safe haven during times of volatility, continues to be strong. The price of the gold has nearly doubled over the past year as many investors have turned to the precious metal as a store of value amid economic and geopolitical uncertainty. The seeming resolution, or at least a path toward one, of affairs involving the U.S., Greenland and mainland Europe appeared last week to have marked a cooling of geopolitical fears. Some analysts though, have said a broade ...

Core Insights - The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged in its upcoming meeting, marking a pause after three consecutive rate cuts totaling 0.75 percentage points [1][2]. Economic Context - Inflation remains a significant concern, with the latest Consumer Price Index indicating a rate of 2.7%, above the Fed's target of 2%, which contributes to the cautious approach of policymakers [3]. Market Expectations - Markets currently estimate a 60% chance of a quarter-point rate cut by the Fed's June meeting, although these predictions are subject to rapid changes based on economic data [4]. Savings Rates - Savings account rates typically do not fluctuate significantly during Fed pauses, as banks often wait for clearer signals before adjusting rates [6]. - Despite recent rate cuts, competitive pressures have kept the best savings account yields historically high, ranging from 4% to as high as 5% [7][8]. Certificates of Deposit (CDs) - CD rates tend to respond differently than savings account rates, often adjusting in anticipation of Fed moves. Current top CD rates are around 4.50% APY [9][11]. - Timing is crucial for savers considering CDs, as locking in a competitive rate sooner can provide certainty against potential future rate adjustments [12].

Core Insights - Bill Gates warns that the impact of AI on employment will be significant within four to five years, affecting both white-collar and blue-collar jobs, and that governments are unprepared for this disruption [1][2] - Gates expresses concerns about the high valuations of AI stocks, indicating that many may not justify their prices and that the market will be hyper-competitive [3][9] Investment Landscape - The AI boom has driven stock market rallies over the past three years, but recent months have seen a slowdown due to high valuations and concerns over tech giants' spending on AI [4] - Some AI stocks are trading at extremely high valuations, with Palantir (PLTR) having a price-to-earnings ratio over 400, while Broadcom (AVGO) and AMD have seen their ratios exceed 100 [5] - OpenAI, valued at $500 billion, is not expected to turn a profit until the end of the decade, highlighting the speculative nature of some private market valuations [6] Company Performance - Major companies like Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon have seen accelerated growth in their cloud computing businesses due to AI demand, maintaining price-to-earnings ratios around 30 [7] - Nvidia has become a $4.5 trillion company driven by demand for its chips, with shares trading at a relatively modest 45 times earnings [7] - Despite concerns about an AI bubble, tech stocks rebounded after a dip in November, indicating investor confidence in the sector [10] Future Developments - Gates announced a $50 million partnership between the Gates Foundation and OpenAI to implement AI healthcare tools in 1,000 clinics across Africa by 2028, showcasing the potential societal benefits of AI [10]

Group 1: Federal Reserve and Economic Data - The Federal Reserve is not expected to change interest rates at the upcoming meeting, but comments from Chair Jerome Powell will be closely analyzed due to pressure from the White House to lower rates [1][4] - The FOMC has lowered rates at three consecutive meetings, but officials are awaiting more economic data on inflation and the labor market before making further cuts [4] - Additional economic data this week includes a delayed report on December wholesale inflation and an update on the U.S. trade balance [5] Group 2: Earnings Reports from Major Companies - Major companies including Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Tesla, and Apple are scheduled to report earnings this week, providing insights into the artificial intelligence sector and the performance of leading firms [2][6] - Microsoft is reporting amid a decline in its share price, while Tesla is facing slowed deliveries, prompting a search for new growth opportunities [7] - Meta's report is expected to shed light on its AI plans as it shifts focus from its metaverse projects, and Apple will likely discuss AI in light of its recent partnership with Alphabet [7] Group 3: Other Notable Earnings and Industry Insights - Other tech firms such as Texas Instruments, ASML, and IBM are also in focus, alongside telecom companies AT&T and Verizon [8] - Earnings from companies like Caterpillar, Boeing, General Motors, and Lockheed Martin could provide insights into the strength of the U.S. manufacturing sector [8]