Core Insights - The article discusses the current state of money market accounts (MMAs) and highlights the importance of earning competitive rates on savings as interest rates decline following recent Federal Reserve rate cuts [1][5]. Group 1: Current MMA Rates - The national average interest rate for money market accounts is 0.56%, but top rates can exceed 4% APY, comparable to high-yield savings accounts [3][9]. - Some banks are offering MMA rates above 4%, although rates above 4.5% are rare [9][10]. Group 2: Federal Reserve Rate Cuts - The Federal Reserve maintained a target range for the federal funds rate of 5.25%–5.50% from July 2023 to September 2024, but has since implemented three rate cuts, bringing the current rate to 3.50%–3.75% [4][5]. - The decline in deposit account rates suggests that savers may have limited time to take advantage of higher MMA rates [5]. Group 3: Considerations for MMA - Money market accounts provide liquidity and easy access to funds, making them suitable for those with short-term savings goals or emergency funds [8]. - They are appealing to conservative savers due to FDIC insurance, which protects principal, but may not be ideal for long-term savings goals that require higher returns [8].

Core Insights - Bitcoin's correlation with stocks is diverging, with Bitcoin declining while US equities are rallying after a strong jobs report, indicating that investor confidence in digital assets remains low [1] - Bitcoin fell as much as 3.3% to $66,354, while Ether dropped 3.8% to an intraday low of $1,931 [1] - Bitcoin recorded its third consecutive daily bearish candle, with only slightly more than half of the 20% rebound from Friday's lows remaining [2] Market Analysis - The recent low of $60,000 for Bitcoin, created on high volumes, is suspected to be a capitulation type low, but a clear catalyst for a sustained rebound is still lacking [3] - The January jobs data suggests that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates on hold, with traders pushing the timeline for the next rate cut to July, which historically has been seen as a positive catalyst for Bitcoin [4] - The decline in Bitcoin's price to $60,000 without corresponding volume spikes indicates thin order books and a lack of buyer conviction, creating vulnerability to further downside on modest selling pressure [5]

Key Takeaways Forecasters expect inflation to have decelerated in January, with core prices rising 2.5% over the year, the lowest since 2021. Tariffs are still pushing up prices, but some costs, including for housing, aren't rising as quickly as they did a few years ago. Tame inflation could take pressure off the Federal Reserve to keep its key interest rate higher for longer to subdue price increases. Price increases were likely relatively tame in January, with one key inflation measure expected ...

Core Insights - The U.S. job market showed unexpected strength in January 2026, with employers adding 130,000 jobs, significantly surpassing forecasts of 55,000 jobs [1][1][1] - The unemployment rate decreased to 4.3%, the lowest level since August 2025, down from 4.4% [1][1][1] Economic Implications - The job creation in January may alleviate concerns regarding a hiring downturn and could influence the Federal Reserve's focus on inflation, potentially reducing pressure to cut interest rates [1][1][1] - Revisions to previous job creation data revealed that 2025 was worse than initially reported, with only 181,000 jobs added instead of 584,000, marking it as the worst year for job creation outside a recession since 2003 [1][1][1] Sector Performance - The health care sector was the primary driver of job growth, adding 137,000 jobs, which offset losses in government, finance, and transportation sectors [1][1][1] - Manufacturing saw a modest increase, adding 5,000 jobs, marking the first rise in manufacturing employment since November 2024 [1][1][1] Market Sentiment - Despite the positive job growth, public sentiment remains pessimistic due to strained household budgets and a stagnant job market, indicating a disconnect between economic indicators and public perception [1][1][1] - The job market is described as stabilizing but still largely frozen, with ongoing uncertainty leading workers to hold onto their current jobs and limited choices for unemployed individuals [1][1][1]

Group 1 - The article highlights Trump's desire for lower interest rates [1]

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]

Market Overview - Asian shares showed moderate gains, with the Hang Seng in Hong Kong up 0.3% and the Shanghai Composite index also rising 0.3% [1][2] - South Korea's Kospi increased to 5,346.34, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 climbed 1.5% to 8,999.20 and Taiwan's Taiex jumped 1.7% [2] US Retail and Economic Indicators - A report indicated that US retailers earned less than expected during the holiday season, leading to concerns about consumer spending momentum [3][4] - Mizuho Bank noted a weakening demand in eight out of thirteen retail categories, including clothing and furniture [3] - The S&P 500 fell 0.3% to 6,941.81, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.1% to 50,188.14, and the Nasdaq composite decreased by 0.6% to 23,102.47 [3] Federal Reserve and Interest Rates - The Federal Reserve is expected to consider the latest economic data when deciding on interest rates, with potential cuts on hold due to inflation concerns [5] - A weakening job market could prompt the Fed to resume interest rate cuts more quickly [5] Company Earnings Reports - Coca-Cola's stock fell 1.5% after its revenue for the latest quarter did not meet analysts' expectations, and its growth forecast was lower than anticipated [6] - S&P Global's stock dropped 9.7% following a disappointing profit forecast, amid concerns about competition from AI-powered companies [7] - Warner Bros. Discovery's stock rose 2.2% after Paramount increased its offer to acquire the company [8] Acquisition Details - Paramount is raising its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery by $0.25 per share for each quarter the buyout remains pending, demonstrating confidence in regulatory approval [9] - Paramount also plans to pay $2.8 billion to assist Warner Bros. Discovery in exiting its deal with Netflix [9] Commodity Prices - US benchmark crude oil increased by $0.53 to $64.49 per barrel, while Brent crude rose by $0.52 to $69.32 per barrel [10] - The price of gold rose by 0.8%, and silver increased by 2% [10]

Core Viewpoint - President Trump has nominated Kevin Warsh as the new Fed chair, expressing a desire for an ambitious economic growth rate of 15%, which is rarely achieved outside of wartime [1][8]. Economic Growth Metrics - The president did not clarify the specific metric or timeframe for the 15% growth target, but typically, economic growth is measured as the inflation-adjusted annual rate of GDP growth [2]. - Historically, real GDP growth averages between 2%-3% annually, with double-digit growth occurring only in extreme situations, such as post-catastrophe recoveries [3]. Historical Context - The last instance of GDP growth reaching Trump's predicted level was during the reopening of businesses after COVID-19 restrictions, while the last year with growth exceeding 15% was 1943, during World War II [4]. Fed's Role and Challenges - As Fed chair, Warsh will have the ability to influence the economy through the fed funds rate, which impacts borrowing costs; however, his influence is limited as he is one of 12 voting members [7]. - The Fed can stimulate economic growth by lowering interest rates, but it must also manage its mandate to control inflation, which remains above the Fed's 2% target [6][8].

Earnings Reports - More than half of the S&P 500 companies have reported Q4 earnings, with 79% beating expectations, indicating strong performance [2] - S&P earnings growth is projected to increase by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth [2] - Excluding the Magnificent Seven technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to rise by +4.6% [2] Economic Indicators - January nonfarm payrolls are expected to increase by +68,000, with the unemployment rate remaining at 4.4% [3] - January average hourly earnings are anticipated to rise by +0.3% month-over-month and +3.7% year-over-year [3] - December retail sales were unchanged month-over-month, falling short of expectations of +0.4% [4] - The Q4 employment cost index rose by +0.7% quarter-over-quarter, the smallest increase in 4.5 years [4] Stock Market Movements - Cybersecurity stocks are performing well, with Atlassian up more than +4% and Zscaler up more than +3% [10] - AI-infrastructure stocks are under pressure, with Western Digital down more than -8% [11] - Ichor Holdings is up more than +34% after forecasting Q1 adjusted EPS significantly above consensus [12] - Spotify is up more than +17% after reporting a record 38 million monthly active users, exceeding expectations [12] Company Forecasts - Credo Technology Group is up more than +10% after forecasting preliminary Q3 revenue well above consensus [13] - Masco is up more than +9% after forecasting full-year adjusted EPS above consensus [13] - Coca-Cola is down more than -1% after reporting Q4 net revenue below consensus [16]

Core Insights - The dollar index has decreased to a one-week low, down by 0.05%, primarily due to falling T-note yields following weaker-than-expected US economic reports, which has raised expectations for a potential easing of monetary policy by the Federal Reserve [1][3] - The US Q4 employment cost index increased by 0.7% quarter-over-quarter, which is below the expected 0.8% and marks the smallest rise in 4.5 years [2] - US December retail sales remained unchanged month-over-month, falling short of the anticipated 0.4% increase, indicating a slowdown in consumer spending [3] Economic Indicators - The swaps market is pricing in a 22% probability of a 25 basis point rate cut at the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting on March 17-18, with expectations of a total interest rate cut of about 50 basis points by 2026 [4] - The euro has slightly decreased by 0.09% following a dovish statement from the European Central Bank, which suggested that lower interest rates could alleviate inflation and growth pressures caused by higher US tariffs [5] - The yen has appreciated by 0.97% against the dollar, reaching a one-week high, driven by positive signals from the Japanese economy, particularly a significant rise in machine tool orders [6]