Market Overview - The market is starting slow but is expected to pick up pace throughout the day, particularly with large-cap tech earnings after the bell [1] - Mortgage applications data has come in soft, with a notable decline of 8.5% in overall applications, driven by rising mortgage rates [2][3] Mortgage Applications - The 10-year yield has fluctuated from 6.13% to 6.3% and back to 6.25% over the last 10 days, impacting 30-year mortgage rates which rose from 6.16% to 6.24% [2] - Refinances have seen a significant drop of 15.7%, indicating sensitivity to rising mortgage rates [2] Technology Sector - Positive news from Nvidia and China is expected to boost stocks like Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom [3] - Memory stocks are also showing upward movement, contributing to a generally positive sentiment in the tech sector [4] Currency Impact - The US dollar is at four-year lows, which may benefit multinational companies by making US goods and services cheaper for foreign buyers [4][5] - Historical context shows that the dollar has traded lower in previous years, suggesting that a weaker dollar can have positive implications for exports [6][7] Earnings Reports - Major earnings reports from companies such as Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Tesla, and IBM are anticipated, with Microsoft showing a rally leading into its report [9][10] - There are questions surrounding Meta Platforms' spending and Tesla's future beyond electric vehicles, including potential developments in full self-driving and other technologies [11][12]

Core Insights - Meta Platforms (META) has experienced an 11% gain over a 5-day winning streak, increasing its market capitalization by approximately $173 billion to $1.7 trillion [2] - The stock has a year-to-date return of 2.0%, closely aligning with the S&P 500's return of 1.9%, prompting a reassessment of its valuation [3] Group 1: Stock Performance - The recent rally was prompted by an upgrade from Rothschild & Co, along with an increase in the price target [4] - Despite the stock's strong operational performance and financial health, it is considered fairly priced due to its high valuation [5] - The market has already factored in the recent gains, indicating the need for predictive signals to identify future investment opportunities [6] Group 2: Market Context - There are currently 55 S&P constituents with 3 or more days of consecutive gains, while 62 constituents have experienced 3 or more days of consecutive losses [8] - The Trefis High Quality Portfolio, which includes 30 stocks, has a history of outperforming benchmarks, suggesting a smoother investment experience with reduced risk [8] Group 3: Analyst Ratings - The stock rating has been elevated to 'Buy' from 'Neutral', with the price target raised from $740 to $900, reflecting increased bullish sentiment and enhanced investor confidence [9]

Core Insights - Snap is establishing an independent subsidiary focused on augmented reality smart glasses to attract external investment and compete with larger rival Meta in the growing wearables market [1] Company Strategy - The creation of a subsidiary indicates Snap's commitment to expanding its presence in the augmented reality sector [1] - The move aims to enhance Snap's competitive edge against Meta, which is a significant player in the wearables market [1] Market Context - The wearables market is experiencing rapid growth, prompting companies like Snap to innovate and seek investment opportunities [1] - By focusing on augmented reality, Snap is positioning itself to capitalize on emerging trends within the technology landscape [1]

Group 1 - Corning reported a 26% increase in earnings to 72 cents per share for Q4, exceeding estimates [1] - The company struck a significant $6 billion deal with Meta, which contributed to the positive earnings report [1] - Following the announcement, Corning's stock experienced a rally, breaking out on Tuesday before paring some gains on Wednesday morning [1] Group 2 - Corning specializes in optical communications, including fiber optic cables, display technologies, and consumer electronics components [1] - The deal with Meta is expected to enhance Corning's position in the fiber-optic market, aligning with industry trends towards increased demand for high-speed internet and connectivity solutions [1]

The major U.S. index futures are currently pointing to a higher open on Wednesday, with stocks likely to extend the upward move seen over the two previous sessions.Semiconductor stocks may continue to lead the higher after turning in some of the best performances during Tuesday's session.U.S.-listed shares of ASML (ASML) are surging 5 percent in pre-market trading after the Dutch semiconductor equipment giant reported strong fourth quarter results and provided upbeat 2026 guidance.South Korea's SK Hynix al ...

Company News - ASML's ADRs rose 5% after reporting orders significantly exceeding investor expectations, driven by increased demand for AI computing workloads [3][5][17] - Seagate's stock increased by 8% following a strong second-quarter earnings report that surpassed expectations, along with a positive outlook [3] - Texas Instruments gained 7% after providing a favorable outlook, indicating improved demand in industrial and data center markets [3] - AT&T's shares rose 3% after reporting fourth-quarter profit and revenue that exceeded analysts' estimates, attributed to strong broadband subscriber growth [3] - C3.ai's stock surged 15% amid reports of merger talks with Automation Anywhere [3] - F5 Inc. jumped 8% after raising its revenue forecast for the fiscal year [3] - New Oriental Education's ADRs rose 6% after beating second-quarter estimates and increasing its annual net revenue forecast [3] - Corning's shares fell 3% after reporting fourth-quarter results and providing a disappointing outlook [3] - Elevance Health dropped 6% after giving an adjusted profit forecast for 2026 that fell short of Wall Street expectations [3] - Qorvo's stock fell 10% after issuing a weaker-than-expected outlook [3] Industry Trends - The tech sector is experiencing a rally, driven by strong earnings from semiconductor and memory companies, which is boosting the AI trade [1][4][6] - The Magnificent Seven stocks are mostly higher, with Nvidia, Alphabet, and Amazon showing gains, while Meta and Apple experienced slight declines [3] - The semiconductor, memory, and storage sectors are seeing significant gains due to positive earnings reports, particularly from ASML, Seagate, and Texas Instruments [3][4] - Asian equities are also benefiting from the tech rally, with notable gains in TSMC and SK Hynix [5][13] - The demand for AI memory is driving earnings growth for companies like SK Hynix, indicating a strong market for AI-related technologies [5][14]

The fourth quarter earnings season kicks into high gear this week, with Big Tech results from Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), Tesla (TSLA), and Apple (AAPL) headlining the earnings calendar. An optimistic consensus is forming: As of Jan. 23, 13% of S&P 500 (^GSPC) companies have reported fourth quarter results, according to FactSet data, and Wall Street analysts estimate an 8.2% increase in earnings per share for the fourth quarter. If that rate holds, it would represent the 10th consecutive quarter of ann ...

钛媒体App 1月28日消息，美股盘前要闻： 1. 美国股指期货涨跌不一，截至目前，道琼斯指数期货跌0.03%，标普500指数期货涨0.21%，纳斯达克 100指数期货涨0.85%。 2. 欧洲斯托克50指数跌0.43%，英国富时100指数跌0.51%，法国CAC40指数跌1.41%，德国DAX30指数 跌0.65%，富时意大利MIB指数跌0.95%。 3. 北京时间周四凌晨3点，美联储即将公布2026年的首份利率决议；市场普遍预期，美联储将在本周政 策会议上维持利率不变。 4. 本周四和周五，特斯拉、Meta、微软和苹果将公布财报，华尔街对"七巨头"业绩充满信心，预计整体 盈利增长率达20.3%。 5. 加密货币巨头Tether囤金140吨，是除已知的主权国家与大型银行外全球最大的黄金储备持有者。 9. 德州仪器美股盘前涨超8%，公司第四季度每股盈利1.27美元，营收44.2亿美元，略低于华尔街预期， 但对当前季度预期高于市场预期。 10. 美股存储股盘前普涨，希捷科技涨超10%，西部数据涨超8%，闪迪涨超5%，美光科技涨超4%。 11. 美国联合包裹运送服务公司（UPS）27日宣布，计划今年减少约3万个运 ...

Core Insights - The article highlights the surge in optical communication stocks driven by accelerated global AI infrastructure investments, with significant gains observed in both A-share and Hong Kong markets [1] - Corning has entered a long-term agreement with Meta to supply optical fiber cables worth up to $60 billion, marking a historic high for Corning's stock price [1][5] Group 1: Company Developments - Corning's CEO, Wendell Weeks, stated that the company is expanding its fiber optic manufacturing capacity to meet the growing demand from major tech companies like Meta, OpenAI, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft [3] - The agreement with Meta is one of Corning's largest commercial contracts and is seen as a significant move by tech giants to enhance AI infrastructure [5] - Corning's optical communications business revenue increased by 33% to $1.652 billion in Q3, driven by strong demand for generative AI products [8] Group 2: Market Trends - The demand for optical fibers is surging due to the shift from copper to fiber optics in data centers, driven by the increasing scale of GPU clusters and the need for higher data throughput [9] - The trend of "optical over copper" is becoming mainstream, as fiber optics are essential for the performance of AI computing clusters [9] - The global demand for optical fibers and cables is expected to grow significantly, with projections indicating that the market could reach several hundred million core kilometers by 2025 [10] Group 3: Industry Implications - The AI infrastructure investment trend is positively impacting the Chinese optical communication industry, benefiting companies like Yangtze Optical Fibre and Cable, Hengtong Optic-Electric, and Zhongji Xuchuang [10] - Despite previous market fluctuations, analysts believe that Corning's diversified business and technological advantages will help it navigate through potential cycles in the optical fiber market [10]

Core Viewpoint - Investors are concerned about the return on massive investments in artificial intelligence (AI) as Microsoft and Meta Platforms prepare to release their earnings reports, which may provide insights into the profitability of such expenditures [1][4]. Group 1: Company Earnings and Market Reactions - Microsoft and Meta are among the top four companies in the U.S. for AI spending, with a projected capital expenditure of approximately $505 billion in 2026, up from an estimated $366 billion in 2025 [1]. - Since the last earnings report on October 29, 2022, Microsoft's stock has dropped by 11%, while Meta's stock has decreased by about 10%, contrasting with a 1.3% increase in the S&P 500 index during the same period [1]. - Investors are closely monitoring the return on investment for these expenditures, with Jonathan Kofsky from Janus Henderson emphasizing that quarterly evaluations will be critical [1][4]. Group 2: AI Spending and Market Implications - Any indication that Microsoft and Meta plan to invest more than expected in AI could pressure their stock prices, while benefiting companies like Nvidia, Broadcom, and Micron that stand to gain from such spending [4]. - Seagate has reported strong demand for high-capacity hard drives, which is expected to continue at least until 2027, positively impacting the stock prices of related companies [4]. - Kofsky noted that investor expectations are that results will often meet or exceed the upper limits of projections, particularly for AI infrastructure companies like Nvidia and TSMC [4]. Group 3: Microsoft and Meta's Specific Challenges - For Microsoft, the focus will be on its Azure cloud computing business, which is experiencing strong demand for AI service development and operation [5]. - Azure's revenue is expected to grow by 38% year-over-year in the second quarter, following a 39% increase in the first quarter [5]. - Investors are also interested in the progress of Microsoft's Copilot product, which is a key AI software tool for office workers, although details on its contribution to overall sales growth remain limited [5]. Group 4: Meta's Growth Pressure - Unlike Microsoft, Meta lacks a cloud computing business and relies on AI to enhance advertising targeting and user engagement on its social media platforms [6]. - Meta faces significant pressure to demonstrate how its AI spending translates into growth, especially after a previous drop in stock price following its commitment to increased capital expenditures without clear return timelines [6]. - Market expectations for Meta's fourth-quarter revenue are optimistic, projecting a 21% increase to $58.4 billion, with earnings per share expected to rise by 2.1% to $8.19 [5].