Group 1: Federal Reserve and Employment Data - The U.S. non-farm payrolls increased by 50,000 in December, below the expected 65,000, and the unemployment rate was 4.4%, lower than the anticipated 4.5% [2][3] - The December employment report diminished market expectations for a Federal Reserve rate cut in January, with the probability of a 25 basis point cut dropping to 5% [2][4] - The average monthly job growth in the private sector for 2025 was 61,000, marking the weakest growth since 2003 [3] Group 2: Market Reactions and Predictions - Following the employment data, traders largely removed bets on a rate cut in January, maintaining predictions for two rate cuts in 2026, with the first expected around mid-year [3][4] - Analysts suggest that the Federal Reserve's decision on future rate cuts will depend on the unemployment rate trends in the coming months [4] Group 3: Nuclear Power Sector Developments - U.S. stock indices rose, with significant gains in nuclear power stocks, including Vistra, which surged over 10% [5][6] - Meta announced agreements with Vistra, Oklo, and TerraPower for nuclear power supply, potentially providing over 6 gigawatts of capacity, enough to power approximately 5 million homes [6][7] - The agreements are expected to fund the expansion of Ohio's nuclear plants and extend their operational licenses, with some licenses valid until 2047 [7]

Group 1 - The State Council of China, led by Premier Li Qiang, is implementing a package of policies to promote domestic demand through fiscal and financial collaboration [3] - The U.S. stock market saw all three major indices rise, with the Dow Jones and S&P 500 reaching historical closing highs, while Intel experienced a significant increase of over 10% [3] - International oil prices rose, with WTI crude oil increasing by 1.77% to $58.78 per barrel, and Brent crude oil rising by 1.66% to $63.02 per barrel [4] Group 2 - The European stock indices closed higher, with Germany's DAX up by 0.58%, France's CAC40 up by 1.44%, and the UK's FTSE 100 up by 0.8% [5] - The Chinese food delivery industry is facing intensified competition, prompting the State Council's antitrust office to investigate the market conditions of delivery platforms [6][7] - The Chinese Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration announced the cancellation of VAT export tax rebates for photovoltaic products starting April 1, 2026 [8] Group 3 - The China Securities Regulatory Commission has increased the reward for whistleblowers reporting securities and futures violations, raising the maximum reward from 10,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan for significant cases [9] - The Ministry of Commerce has issued a plan to expand service industry openings in nine cities, including Dalian and Shenzhen, with 159 pilot tasks aimed at enhancing service sector development [10] - Beijing has launched a free HPV vaccination program for girls aged 13 and above, aiming to improve public health [11] Group 4 - Shanghai aims to add 100 manufacturing enterprises with an annual output value exceeding 1 billion yuan by 2028, contributing to the growth of the industrial chain [12] - The passing of a new regulation by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding tariffs imposed by the Trump administration has been delayed [13] - Meta Platforms has signed agreements to extend and expand operations at three nuclear power plants, positioning itself as a significant corporate buyer of nuclear energy in the U.S. [22]

When it comes to members of Congress’s trading activity, there is a strong focus on what's being bought and when stocks are sold. One senator recently disclosed the sale of three Magnificent Seven stocks sold in December, but a Mag7 stock that wasn't sold could be more telling. Senator Ditches Magnificent Seven Stocks Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) recently disclosed selling multiple stocks, including several Magnificent Seven stocks, according to the Benzinga Government Trades page. Here were the ...

Core Insights - Tesla has lost its position as the global leader in electric vehicle sales for 2025, facing significant challenges in key overseas markets, particularly in Europe [1][10] - Nvidia is appointing Alison Wagonfeld from Google Cloud as its Chief Marketing Officer, indicating a strategy to enhance brand influence [2][10] - Micron Technology is experiencing supply constraints, only meeting 50% to 66% of key customer mid-term demand, despite plans for a new wafer fab to begin production in mid-2027 [3][11] Tesla - Tesla's projected sales in Europe for 2025 are expected to drop from approximately 326,000 units in 2024 to over 235,000 units, representing a year-on-year decline of 27.8% [1][10] - In Germany, Tesla's sales are projected to fall nearly 50% to about 19,000 units, while in the UK, sales are expected to decrease by 10% to 50,300 units [1][10] Nvidia - Nvidia's stock decreased by 0.10%, with a trading volume of $24.197 billion [1][10] - The appointment of Alison Wagonfeld is seen as a move to initiate a new growth phase for Nvidia [2][10] Micron Technology - Micron's stock increased by 5.53%, with a trading volume of $11.276 billion [1][10] - The company has indicated that even with the new Idaho 1 wafer fab coming online in mid-2027, the supply-demand imbalance for DRAM and HBM will remain unresolved [3][11] - Mizuho Securities raised Micron's target stock price from $290 to $390 [3][12] Apple - Apple's stock rose by 0.13%, with a trading volume of $10.315 billion, after experiencing a decline over the previous seven trading days [1][10] Intel - Intel's stock increased by 10.80%, with a trading volume of $8.274 billion, marking a cumulative increase of 15.67% for the week [1][10] - Discussions between President Trump and Intel's CEO focused on the company's new processor developments, with the U.S. government having acquired approximately 5.5% of Intel's shares [1][10] SanDisk - SanDisk's stock surged by 12.81%, with a trading volume of $7.043 billion, and has seen a cumulative increase of over 37% for the week [1][10] - Analysts predict that SanDisk may double the prices of its enterprise-level SSD NAND flash in the upcoming quarter due to strong demand [1][14] Oracle - Oracle's stock rose by 4.95%, with a trading volume of $5.124 billion [1][10] - HSBC Global Research maintained a "buy" rating for Oracle, highlighting potential challenges and opportunities in the AI industry chain for 2026 [1][14]

Core Insights - Big tech companies are projected to invest over $500 billion in infrastructure, primarily related to artificial intelligence, in 2026, which could lead to a significant increase in tech capital expenditures as a percentage of GDP, reaching levels seen during previous tech investment cycles [2][3] - The current investment cycle in AI may resemble the Zoom boom rather than the Dotcom Bubble, as the Federal Reserve's accommodative monetary policy could sustain stock market growth even if AI capital expenditures decline [3][6][10] - Concerns about the sustainability of the AI-driven stock market rally have emerged, particularly as tech stocks experienced volatility in late 2025, raising questions about their future performance [4][8] Investment Trends - Historical patterns indicate that tech stocks typically lag the market about a year before the peak of capital expenditure cycles, suggesting potential risks for AI-related stocks [3] - The Federal Reserve's current stance indicates a likelihood of rate cuts, which could support stock valuations by lowering real yields, thereby benefiting tech stocks [6][10] - The tech sector's performance in 2021 was influenced by declining real bond yields, which are crucial for stock valuations, and the sector did not experience a downturn until the Fed's rate hikes began in 2022 [5] Market Dynamics - The tech sector's significant share of the S&P 500 makes the index more susceptible to declines in tech stocks, raising concerns among Wall Street analysts about the sustainability of the AI rally [8] - Lower interest rates and tax cuts from recent legislation could enhance stock market liquidity and economic growth, potentially mitigating the impact of sluggish tech stock performance [9]

Oklo (OKLO) shares soared as much as 20% on Jan. 9 after hyperscaler Meta Platforms (META) agreed to support development of a 1.2-gigawatt nuclear power campus in Pike County, Ohio. This advanced nuclear campus will power META’s data centers, including its artificial intelligence (AI) supercluster broadly known as the “Prometheus” in New Albany, Ohio. More News from Barchart Despite today’s rally, however, OKLO stock remains down nearly 40% versus its 52-week high. www.barchart.com Significance of Me ...

Core Insights - Meta has signed agreements with three nuclear energy companies, making it one of the top buyers of nuclear energy in the U.S. [2] - The agreements aim to support the development of advanced nuclear technologies and enhance the energy infrastructure necessary for AI data centers [3][4] Group 1: Agreements and Partnerships - Meta's agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo, along with a previous agreement with Constellation Energy, position the company as a significant player in the nuclear energy market [2] - The partnership with TerraPower will fund the development of two Natrium reactors and energy storage systems, providing Meta with energy rights from up to six additional Natrium units [3] - The agreement with Oklo supports the establishment of a new nuclear technology campus in Ohio and the development of several Aurora Powerhouse reactors [4] Group 2: Energy Supply and Infrastructure - Meta's agreement with Vistra involves purchasing energy from two operating nuclear power plants in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania, ensuring long-term support and investment in these facilities [5] - This commitment from Meta provides Vistra with the certainty needed to invest in existing plants and communities, facilitating new nuclear generation for the grid [6] - The growing demand for electricity from data centers, driven by the AI boom, has led to increased interest from Wall Street investment firms in acquiring utilities [7]

Market Overview - Wall Street closed the week on a positive note, with solid but unspectacular jobs data alleviating fears of a sharp labor market slowdown while maintaining expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts [1] - The S&P 500 and Russell 2000 reached new record highs, with the S&P 500 rising 0.7% to above 6,970 points and the Russell 2000 increasing 1.2% to 2,635 [2] - Blue-chip stocks remained near record levels, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average around 49,555 and the Nasdaq 100 advancing 1% [3] Employment Data - December nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000, slightly below the expected 60,000, indicating a continued cooling in employment growth [4] - The unemployment rate unexpectedly declined to 4.4% from 4.5%, suggesting potential stabilization in the labor market [4] - Consumer sentiment improved, with the University of Michigan index rising to 54, the highest level since September [4] Federal Reserve Expectations - Investors are nearly fully pricing in the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates unchanged at its late-January meeting, with expectations for two rate cuts later in the year still alive [5] Notable Company Movements - Vistra Corp. shares surged over 13% after securing a 20-year agreement with Meta Platforms Inc. to supply more than 2,600 megawatts of zero-carbon energy from nuclear plants [5] - Intel Corp. shares jumped 10%, reaching their highest levels since March 2024, following positive remarks from President Donald Trump about a meeting with CEO Lip-Bu Tan [6] Commodity Performance - Commodities saw gains, with silver rising 4% to $80 per ounce, gold increasing 0.6% to $4,500 per ounce, and copper climbing nearly 2% [6] - Crude oil was on track for a weekly gain, with WTI crude advancing by 3% on both Thursday and Friday [7] Major Indices Performance - Major U.S. indices showed positive performance on Friday, with the Nasdaq 100 up 1%, S&P 500 up 0.7%, Dow Jones up 0.6%, and Russell 2000 up 1.1% [8] - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF advanced 0.7% to $638.49, while the Invesco QQQ Trust Series climbed 1.0% to $626.40 [9]

Core Insights - TerraPower, a next-generation nuclear company backed by Bill Gates, has announced a partnership with Meta to construct up to eight small modular reactors in the United States [1] Company Summary - TerraPower is focused on advancing nuclear technology and aims to enhance energy production through innovative reactor designs [1] - The collaboration with Meta signifies a strategic move to leverage technological advancements in energy solutions [1] Industry Summary - The small modular reactor market is gaining traction as a viable solution for sustainable energy, reflecting a growing interest in nuclear power as a clean energy source [1] - Partnerships between technology companies and energy firms are becoming increasingly common, indicating a trend towards integrated solutions in the energy sector [1]

Core Insights - Meta Platforms (META) has strengthened its commitment to carbon-free energy through two significant partnerships announced on January 9 [1] Group 1: Partnerships - The company has entered into agreements with Oklahoma-based energy providers to enhance its renewable energy sourcing [1] - These partnerships are aimed at supporting Meta's goal of achieving 100% renewable energy for its global operations [1] Group 2: Environmental Commitment - Meta's initiatives reflect a broader industry trend towards sustainability and carbon neutrality among major tech companies [1] - The company's focus on carbon-free energy is part of its long-term strategy to reduce its environmental impact [1]