Market Overview - US stocks have reached new record highs, primarily driven by the tech sector, with upcoming earnings reports from major tech companies like Tesla, Meta, and Microsoft being closely monitored [1] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain current interest rates, shifting focus back to economic conditions, while also facing scrutiny regarding its leadership and ongoing investigations [2][37] Company-Specific Developments - Amazon has announced a reduction of 16,000 jobs, bringing total layoffs to 30,000 over three months, as part of efforts to streamline operations and reduce bureaucracy [3][4] - The CEO of Amazon indicated that AI advancements will further reduce workforce needs as the company automates more processes [4] - Starbucks reported a 4% increase in same-store sales in the US for the first time in two years, although overall earnings missed expectations [34] - GE Vernova's stock is under pressure despite solid fourth-quarter results and raised guidance, primarily due to a key metric, EBITDA, missing expectations [35] Sector Insights - The tech sector's positioning has been neutral, with expectations of growth slowing in the coming quarters, yet the current setup for mega-cap tech growth appears positive [10][11] - The labor market is showing signs of slowing, with hiring rates at pandemic lows, indicating a cautious approach from companies amid economic uncertainty [16][18] - The dollar's weakness is seen as a mixed factor for corporate earnings, providing a translation benefit but lacking in volume growth [26][28] Earnings Season and Economic Outlook - Earnings season is underway, with expectations for a broadening of growth across sectors, as evidenced by the increase in sectors reporting positive growth [25] - The market is currently in a "wait and see" mode regarding hiring, with expectations that hiring will gradually pick up as earnings improve [21][24]

Market Overview - Major U.S. index futures indicate a higher open, with stocks expected to continue the upward trend from the previous sessions [1] - Semiconductor stocks are leading the gains, with ASML shares surging 5% after strong Q4 results and positive 2026 guidance [1] Semiconductor Industry - SK Hynix shares spiked after reporting better-than-expected Q4 results and a record full-year profit for 2025 [2] - China has approved Alibaba, ByteDance, and Tencent to purchase over 400,000 Nvidia H200 AI chips, contributing to a 1.6% increase in Nvidia shares [3][2] Technology Sector - Major tech companies like Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Tesla are set to report quarterly results, with Microsoft shares rising 2.2% and Apple shares increasing by 1.1% [4][6] - The Nasdaq index reached a nearly three-month closing high, driven by strong performances in the tech sector [5][10] Economic Indicators - The Conference Board reported a significant drop in consumer confidence, with the index falling to 84.5 in January from 94.2 in December, marking the lowest level since May 2014 [9][8] Oil and Commodity Markets - Crude oil futures increased by $0.62 to $63.01 per barrel, following a previous surge [12] - Gold prices rose to $5,277.70 per ounce, up $195.10 from the previous session [12] European Market Reaction - European stocks mostly declined ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy decision, with the French CAC 40 Index down by 1.5% and the German DAX Index down by 0.6% [22][23] - ASML Holding saw a significant rise in shares due to exceeding analysts' expectations for Q4 orders [23]

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]

'n Shake adds $5M to Bitcoin reserves, now holds $15M in BTC]January 28, 2026Share viaFacebookX (Twitter)LinkedInMixEmailPrintCopy Link US futures rise as Fed decision looms; Tesla and Meta to announce results | Invezz false### Choose your country### Choose preferred languagePopular languagesEnglish (USA) [Deutsch] [Español] [Français] [Português]All available languagesEnglish (USA) [English (UK)] [English (Australia)] [English (Canada)] [English (New Zealand)] [English (South Africa)] [English (Ireland)] [ ...

TOM: TOM: GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING. HERE'S WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA.TRUMP GREEN LIGHTS A WEAKER DOLLAR. DOLLAR. GOLD HITS ANOTHER RECORD. GOLD HITS ANOTHER RECORD.ASML PRINCE A MASSIVE BEAT WITH ASML PRINCE A MASSIVE BEAT WITH MAG 7 EARNINGS INCOMING. MAG 7 EARNINGS INCOMING. GUY: GUY: YOU MENTIONED THE DOLLAR. YOU MENTIONED THE DOLLAR.WE'VE SEEN BIG MOVES OVERNIGHT. WE'VE SEEN BIG MOVES OVERNIGHT. EURO-DOLLAR. EURO-DOLLAR.WE’VE HAD A ONE TOUCH -- A TOUCH OF 120 OVERNIGHT. GOLD IS HEADED FOR A HUGE DAY AS WEL ...

South Korea flag in front of market screen with rising chart, symbolizing a South Korean stock market rally. Key Points U.S. stocks have dominated global returns over the past 20 years, far outpacing developed and emerging markets overall. That trend flipped in 2025, when international benchmarks delivered much stronger gains than the S&P 500. South Korea led the global leaderboard, powered by AI-linked memory chip winners and reform-driven momentum heading into 2026. Interested in iShares MSCI South ...

Core Insights - Nvidia's strategic partnership with Siemens aims to develop industrial and physical AI solutions, enhancing AI-driven innovation in industrial workflows [1] - Strong earnings reports from ASML and SK Hynix have positively impacted chip stocks, with Nvidia's shares also experiencing a rise [2][4] - China has approved major domestic tech companies to purchase Nvidia's H200 chips, marking a significant development in Nvidia's market position in China [3] Group 1: Nvidia's Market Position - The approval for ByteDance, Alibaba, and Tencent to buy Nvidia's H200 system is crucial for Nvidia's operations in China, a key market [3] - Earlier this year, the U.S. authorized H200 sales, but China had been encouraging its companies to seek domestic alternatives [3] Group 2: Industry Performance - The VanEck Semiconductor ETF increased by over 3% in premarket trading, reflecting positive sentiment in the semiconductor sector [2] - ASML reported strong fourth-quarter earnings with orders exceeding analyst expectations, and its 2026 sales forecast was also above estimates [2] - SK Hynix shares rose more than 5% after announcing record full-year profits for 2025 [2]

Core Viewpoint - ASML Holding has reported Q4 2025 orders that exceeded analyst expectations, indicating a robust demand for advanced lithography systems essential for AI chip production, suggesting an acceleration in AI infrastructure development [1][2]. Group 1: Company Performance - ASML holds a near-monopoly on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, which are critical for manufacturing AI chips for companies like NVIDIA and AMD [2]. - The Q4 orders from ASML suggest that major chipmakers are investing heavily in AI demand, projecting sustained growth through 2027 [2]. - Morgan Stanley forecasts that ASML's earnings could nearly double by 2027 compared to 2025 levels, driven by increased capital expenditures from semiconductor manufacturers [3]. Group 2: Market Valuation - Bernstein has raised ASML's price target to $1,642, highlighting structural growth potential through 2029 [3]. - Despite a 114% surge in stock price over the past year, ASML's forward P/E ratio stands at 46x, indicating that investors are paying a premium for anticipated growth that has yet to fully materialize [3]. - ASML's record orders are expected to translate into future revenue rather than immediate earnings, with long equipment lead times meaning current orders will impact revenue in 2026-2027 [4]. Group 3: Future Outlook - The current valuation of ASML assumes ongoing demand for AI chips and continued capital expenditure increases from chipmakers through 2027 [4]. - The upcoming earnings report for 2026 will be crucial for market sentiment, as it will provide guidance that could either reinforce confidence or raise caution among investors [4].

Group 1 - SK Hynix announced the establishment of a new U.S.-based company focused on artificial intelligence solutions, committing at least $10 billion to capitalize on AI growth opportunities [1] - The new entity, tentatively named "AI Company or AI Co.," will act as a hub for SK Group's AI strategies and aim to accelerate technology in global markets [1] - SK Hynix has become a significant player in the AI sector due to its leadership in high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips, which are essential for AI chipsets like those from Nvidia [2] Group 2 - The U.S. expansion of SK Hynix is in response to increasing investments in AI by other tech giants, leading to heightened demand for memory chips [2] - The new "AI Company" will be created by restructuring Solidigm, a California-based subsidiary focused on enterprise solid-state drives (SSDs) established in 2021 [2] - Operations of Solidigm will be transferred to a new entity named Solidigm Inc., with planned investments in AI Co. to be deployed on a capital-call basis, including strategic investments in American AI firms to enhance synergies across SK Group affiliates [3]

Core Viewpoint - The earnings reports from ASML Holding and SK Hynix indicate a strong alignment in the microchip industry, with ASML showing robust orders growth while SK Hynix is optimistic about future production capabilities [1] Group 1: ASML Holding - ASML Holding reported unexpectedly strong growth in orders, suggesting a positive outlook for the microchip equipment sector [1] - The company's performance reflects increasing demand for microchip manufacturing equipment, which is critical for the production of advanced semiconductors [1] Group 2: SK Hynix - SK Hynix announced plans to enhance its production capabilities, indicating confidence in the recovery of the memory chip market [1] - The company's strategy may lead to increased output, aligning with the growing demand for memory chips in various applications [1]