Navigating Tuesday’s Market Open: Inflation Data, Bank Earnings, and Tech Partnerships Shape Early Trading

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market opened on January 13th, 2026, with major indexes showing mixed to slightly lower performance as investors reacted to inflation data and the start of the fourth-quarter earnings season [1] - The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) was down approximately 0.5% at the open, while the S&P 500 (SPX) saw a modest decline of around 0.1% [2] - The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) was trading near flat, indicating stability in tech stocks despite broader market hesitancy [2] Economic Data - The December Consumer Price Index (CPI) report showed a year-over-year increase of 2.7%, consistent with November's figure, while "core" prices rose 2.6%, below the consensus projection of 2.8% [4] - Investors are also monitoring new home sales figures, the NFIB small business optimism index, and updates on the U.S. budget deficit [5] Earnings Season - The fourth-quarter earnings season began with major U.S. banks reporting mixed results; JPMorgan Chase (JPM) reported adjusted profits that beat expectations but had slightly lower revenue [6] - Bank of New York Mellon (BK) reported a rise in profit and record revenue for 2025, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) disappointed with its fiscal 2025 fourth-quarter profit and guidance, leading to a nearly 6% drop in shares [6] Corporate Developments - Apple (AAPL) is reportedly integrating Google's (GOOGL) Gemini AI into its Siri voice assistant, which could impact both companies and the AI landscape [11] - SK Hynix announced plans to build a $13 billion chip packaging plant in South Korea, indicating rising demand for AI chips [11] - U.S. Bancorp (USB) is acquiring BTIG for up to $1 billion in cash and stock [11] - Walmart (WMT) shares increased by 3.0% following its inclusion in the Nasdaq 100 index and the introduction of new AI features [11]