Market Overview - US stock market showed mixed results as investors digested the latest Federal Reserve interest rate decision, with the Dow Jones increasing by 12.19 points (0.02%) to 49,015.60, and the Nasdaq rising by 0.17% to 23,857.45, while the S&P 500 slightly declined by 0.01% to 6,978.03, marking an intraday historical high above 7,000 points [3] Technology Sector Performance - Star tech stocks exhibited divergence, with Nvidia rising by 1.59%, Google by 0.38%, and Microsoft by 0.22%. In contrast, Tesla fell by 0.10%, while Meta, Amazon, and Apple dropped over 0.6%, with Apple down by 0.7% and Oracle down by 1.20% [4][5] - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index increased by 0.32%, with Alibaba up by 1.70%, NetEase by 1.46%, and Baidu by 0.02%. However, JD.com fell by 0.92% and Pinduoduo dropped by 3.84% [4] Semiconductor Sector Insights - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose by 2.3%, with Intel increasing by 11.04% and Texas Instruments by 9.9%. However, ASML saw a decline of 2.1% despite reporting record net sales of €9.7 billion for Q4 2025, exceeding market expectations [6] - ASML's order volume reached €13.2 billion, double the analysts' average forecast, and the company raised its sales outlook for 2026 to between €34 billion and €39 billion, compared to the analysts' expectation of €35 billion [6] Federal Reserve and Economic Indicators - The Federal Reserve decided to maintain interest rates, citing robust economic expansion and signs of stabilization in the unemployment rate. Fed Chair Jerome Powell indicated that current monetary policy is not significantly tight [6][7] - The current inflation level is slightly above the Fed's target, while unemployment has risen, creating a contradiction that keeps the Fed's policy stance neutral until data changes necessitate a clear choice [7] Commodity Market Movements - Precious metals saw strong gains, with COMEX gold futures for January delivery rising by 4.36% to $5,301.60 per ounce, and silver futures increasing by 7.19% to $113.11 per ounce [8]

Group 1 - Amazon announced a second round of layoffs, cutting 16,000 employees, which represents about 9% of its total workforce, following a previous layoff of 14,000 employees three months earlier [1][2] - The layoffs are part of a strategy to restructure the organization to adapt to the competitive pace of the AI era, with CEO Andy Jassy aiming to transform Amazon into "the world's largest startup" [1] - The company is reducing management layers, increasing accountability, and eliminating bureaucracy to enhance decision-making speed, although it is emphasized that such large-scale layoffs will not become the "new normal" [1][2] Group 2 - The layoffs are closely linked to Amazon's aggressive investment in artificial intelligence, with Jassy indicating that many existing jobs will be replaced as generative AI and AI agents become more prevalent [2] - Affected employees will receive a 90-day internal transfer buffer period, and if they do not find new positions, they will receive severance pay and related benefits [2] - Alongside the layoffs, Amazon is also scaling back its physical retail operations by closing Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go grocery businesses, focusing instead on the Whole Foods brand to concentrate resources against competitors like Microsoft and Google in the AI computing and large model sectors [2]

Core Insights - Amazon is discontinuing its Fresh grocery and Amazon Go convenience store concepts to refocus its grocery strategy on online delivery and Whole Foods [1][2] Group 1: Store Closures - Amazon will close all 57 Amazon Fresh stores and 15 Amazon Go locations due to the failure to provide a "truly distinctive customer experience" [2] - Some of the closed Amazon Fresh locations will be converted into Whole Foods stores [3] Group 2: Strategic Shift - Amazon aims to narrow the gap with Walmart, which holds a 21% market share in groceries, by enhancing online sales and quick delivery, while expanding its Whole Foods Market business [4] - Whole Foods has seen over 40% sales growth since Amazon's acquisition for $13.7 billion in 2017, and Amazon plans to add over 100 more Whole Foods locations in the coming years [4] Group 3: Online Grocery Performance - Amazon served over 150 million grocery customers last year, generating $150 billion in gross grocery and everyday-essentials sales [4] - The company introduced same-day delivery in over 5,000 U.S. cities and plans to expand this service in 2026 [4] Group 4: Technology and Market Position - Amazon Go's "Just Walk Out" technology has been licensed to over 360 third-party locations, despite the Go stores not gaining enough traction for further expansion [5] - Amazon Fresh supermarkets struggled to differentiate themselves from mainstream grocery stores, unlike Whole Foods, which has a clear market identity [6]

Group 1: Amazon - Amazon is cutting 16,000 corporate jobs to streamline operations and eliminate middle management, aiming to increase ownership among employees [3][23][24] - This job cut is part of a larger trend, with a total of 30,000 jobs eliminated recently, marking one of the largest layoffs in Amazon's history [26][27] - The company's stock has shown volatility, recently down by 0.7% following the announcement of these layoffs [3][23] Group 2: ASML - ASML plans to cut 1,700 roles as part of a strategy to streamline its organization, despite reporting record bookings driven by AI demand [4][6] - The company reported earnings of $13 billion in a single quarter, indicating strong growth and demand from clients like Micron and SK Hynix [6][10] - Analysts predict that 2026 will be a significant year for ASML, with expectations of continued strong revenue growth [6][8] Group 3: SoftBank and OpenAI - SoftBank is in discussions to invest up to $30 billion more into OpenAI, reinforcing its position as a major backer in the AI sector [37][39] - OpenAI is reportedly targeting a valuation between $750 billion and $850 billion in its current funding round [41][42] - The investment landscape for OpenAI includes potential contributions from sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East [41] Group 4: Texas Instruments - Texas Instruments has provided a robust forecast for the first quarter, indicating that customers are returning to purchase analog chips after working through inventory [17][19] - The company is viewed as a bellwether for the economy, with its performance reflecting broader trends in industrial and automotive sectors [18][20] - Despite some concerns about consumer electronics, Texas Instruments is seeing improvements in orders and overall business conditions [21][19] Group 5: Market Trends and Economic Indicators - The S&P 500 briefly surpassed the 7,000 mark, reflecting momentum in AI and technology sectors, but there is nervousness surrounding upcoming Federal Reserve meetings [2][46] - Capital expenditures in the tech sector are expected to remain stable or increase, with significant investments anticipated in AI and related technologies [58][60] - Analysts are closely monitoring the impact of geopolitical tensions and trade relationships, particularly between the U.S. and South Korea, on the tech industry [30][31]

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the announcement that Amazon will slash an additional 16,000 jobs globally to "streamline operations" and pivot toward AI-driven infrastructure, Jersey Hired, New Jersey’s leading hyper-local job board and talent platform, is calling for an immediate and serious national conversation regarding the role of Artificial Intelligence in the modern workforce. The latest round of cuts, which brings Amazon’s total layoffs to 30,000 in just four months, ...

Group 1 - Amazon will lay off approximately 400 workers in Washington state as part of its decision to close all Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh stores across the country [1]

Core Insights - Ecommerce giant Amazon and luxury brands LVMH and Chanel have been appointed to Saks Global's newly formed creditors committee, enhancing their influence in the luxury retailer's bankruptcy proceedings [1] Group 1 - Amazon's involvement in the creditors committee signifies its growing role in the luxury retail sector [1] - LVMH and Chanel's participation reflects the interests of high-end brands in the outcome of Saks Global's financial restructuring [1] - The creditors committee will provide these companies with a stronger voice in negotiations related to Saks Global's bankruptcy [1]

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is one of the AI Stocks in Focus on Wall Street. On January 27, Stifel analyst Mark Kelley raised the price target on the stock to $300.00 from $295.00 on Tuesday, while maintaining a Buy rating. The firm cited positive ad checks, robust e-commerce trends, and solid AWS growth for the price target raise. Amazon is set to report its earnings on February 5, with analysts optimistic on the stock as it heads closer to the day. The firm cited supportive fundamentals across multi ...

The company is set to announce its earnings on Feb. 5 after markets close. According to estimates from 15 different analysts, an EPS of $1.97 is expected, which reflects a 5.91% YoY growth in earnings. This seems modest and explains the stock performance. However, things are expected to improve significantly, with an EPS growth of 11% expected by 2026, 21.71% expected by 2027, and 24.5% expected by the end of 2028.Amazon is currently trading at a trailing twelve-month P/E of 33.68x, significantly lower than ...

(Bloomberg Opinion) -- The day Amazon.com Inc. announced in June 2017 that it was acquiring Whole Foods for almost $14 billion, employees of the natural grocer packed into the company’s Austin headquarters to meet their new bosses.John Mackey, the Whole Foods Chief Executive Officer at the time, introduced Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s CEO of Worldwide Consumer, who tried his best to connect with his foodie audience. “As I was sitting this morning, eating breakfast, watching the sun rise over this beautiful city—by ...