Stocks Finish Mostly Higher Despite a Plunge in Intel

Group 1: Energy Sector - WTI crude oil prices increased by more than +2% to a 1-week high, positively impacting energy producers due to President Trump's renewed military threats against Iran [1] - The rise in crude prices was also influenced by reports of the US threatening to limit dollar supply for Iraqi oil sales, pressuring Iraq's politicians to form a government excluding Iran-backed groups [1] Group 2: Precious Metals and Mining Stocks - Gold, silver, and platinum prices reached new record highs, driven by a weaker dollar and geopolitical risks, leading to a boost in mining stocks [2] - Barrick Mining closed up more than +3%, while Newmont Mining and Freeport-McMoRan both closed up more than +2% [16] Group 3: Consumer Sentiment and Economic Indicators - The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index for January was revised upward by +2.4 to a 5-month high of 56.4, exceeding expectations [3][4] - The S&P manufacturing PMI for January rose by +0.1 to 51.9, slightly below expectations [3] Group 4: Stock Market Performance - The broader market saw recovery after early losses, supported by the performance of the Magnificent Seven technology stocks, with Microsoft and Amazon closing up more than +3% and +2% respectively [5][15] - The S&P 500 Index closed up +0.03%, while the Dow Jones closed down -0.58% and the Nasdaq 100 closed up +0.34% [6] Group 5: Earnings Reports and Forecasts - Q4 earnings season began positively, with 81% of the 40 S&P 500 companies that reported beating expectations, and S&P earnings growth projected to increase by +8.4% in Q4 [8] - Capital One Financial Corp reported Q4 adjusted EPS of $3.86, below the consensus of $4.15, leading to a decline of more than -7% in its stock [22]