Group 1 - The market is currently experiencing a favorable period referred to as "AI goldilocks," which is contributing to an increase in GDP while keeping inflation low and not adversely affecting employment levels [1] Group 2 - James Foord, an economist with a decade of experience in global market analysis, leads The Pragmatic Investor, focusing on building diversified portfolios to preserve and grow wealth [2] - The Pragmatic Investor covers various sectors including global macro, international equities, commodities, technology, and cryptocurrencies, providing resources such as a portfolio, weekly market updates, actionable trades, technical analysis, and a chat room for investors [2]

Employment at US factories increased for the first time since late 2024, a nascent sign that American manufacturing may be starting to emerge from years of malaise https://t.co/9MM4kIicmZ ...

Here are five key takeaways from the January US employment report https://t.co/jlyVc8jzgu ...

US Jobs Report January 2026: Live News on Employment, Payrolls https://t.co/PgJhA0j7GB ...

Economic Data - U.S. retail sales were unchanged month-over-month in December, weaker than expectations of +0.4% [2] - Core retail sales, excluding motor vehicles and parts, were also unchanged month-over-month, below the expected +0.3% [2] - The U.S. Q4 employment cost index rose +0.7% quarter-over-quarter, weaker than the anticipated +0.8% [2] - The U.S. import price index increased by +0.1% month-over-month in December, in line with expectations [2] Labor Market - Nonfarm payrolls expanded by 130,000 in January, significantly exceeding the anticipated 55,000 [4] - The unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, lower than the expected 4.4% [4] Stock Market Performance - Wall Street's major indexes closed mixed, with S&P Global (SPGI) dropping over -9% after weaker-than-expected Q4 adjusted EPS [3] - AI-infrastructure stocks like Western Digital (WDC) and Seagate Technology Holdings (STX) also retreated, with declines of over -8% and -6% respectively [3] - Datadog (DDOG) surged more than +13% after reporting stronger-than-expected Q4 results [3] Earnings Reports - Companies in the S&P 500 are expected to post an average +8.4% increase in quarterly earnings for Q4 compared to the previous year [8] - Prominent companies such as Cisco Systems (CSCO), McDonald's (MCD), and T-Mobile US (TMUS) are set to release their quarterly results [8] International Market Trends - The Euro Stoxx 50 Index is down -0.34% due to concerns over AI disruption, particularly affecting technology stocks [9] - Italy's December Industrial Production fell -0.4% month-over-month, stronger than expectations of -0.6% [11] - China's consumer inflation eased in January, with food prices declining 0.7% year-over-year [12]

China has too many graduates and not enough jobs for them. But will young people choose a trade over a traditional degree? Listen to “Drum Tower” for more https://t.co/FD8JEVZdfA ...

Looking for a new job? Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to rank America’s Best Midsize Employers. Take a look: https://t.co/rwOXwqR49Q#AmericasBestEmployers https://t.co/6pM4WvdHTp ...

A bestselling memoir has illuminated gig work in China. Many young people are questioning the meaning of employment as they ponder their futures according to the author https://t.co/u1NWldQKRS ...

Economic Data Releases - The upcoming week will feature significant US economic data releases, including the January employment report and the January CPI report, which are typically not released in the same week [1] - December retail sales and the Q4 employment cost index will also be released, alongside global inflation updates from China and several European economies [1] Employment Report Expectations - DB economists project a rise in headline and private payrolls by 75k, with the unemployment rate expected to remain at 4.4% [2] - Average hourly earnings are anticipated to increase by 0.3%, with hours worked remaining unchanged at 34.2, leading to a year-over-year growth rate of payroll-based nominal compensation rising to 4.5% from 4.3% [2] Inflation Report Expectations - The headline CPI is expected to increase by 0.26%, influenced by a projected 2.4% drop in motor fuel prices, while core CPI is anticipated to rise by 0.35% [4] - This would result in a year-over-year headline CPI slowing to 2.46% from 2.68%, and core CPI to approximately 2.55% [4] Corporate Earnings - Corporate earnings reports are ongoing, with six of the Magnificent Seven having reported, which may reduce volatility until Nvidia's report on February 25th [1] - The week will also see earnings from major tech companies and consumer firms, including Cisco, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's [8] Fed Communications - Fed officials will be actively communicating throughout the week, discussing regulatory topics and the balance sheet outlook, particularly in light of the nomination of Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair [6] - Discussions will include perspectives on the labor market and inflation, with various Fed governors scheduled to speak [6][20] Global Economic Indicators - In Europe, key indicators include the UK's Q4 GDP and CPI reports from Denmark, Norway, and Switzerland [7] - In Asia, China's January inflation report is due, with forecasts indicating a slowdown in CPI inflation to 0.4% year-over-year [8]

Singapore is pulling in bigger investments, but getting fewer jobs in return, with employment pledges dropping to decades-low levels even as fixed-asset commitments rose last year https://t.co/eIXox8J5OH ...