The ADP National Employment report released on Wednesday showed that U.S. private nonfarm payrolls rose by +41K in December, weaker than expectations of +49K. Also, the U.S. JOLTs job openings fell to a 14-month low of 7.146 million in November, weaker than expectations of 7.610 million. In addition, U.S. October factory orders fell -1.3% m/m, weaker than expectations of -1.1% m/m. At the same time, the U.S. ISM services index unexpectedly rose to 54.4 in December, stronger than expectations of 52.2.In yest ...

U.S. stock futures are broadly lower this Thursday, January 8, 2026, as investors digest mixed economic signals and a flurry of corporate and geopolitical news. The slight premarket declines follow a mixed close on Wednesday, where the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated from recent highs, while the Nasdaq Composite managed to eke out gains. The market remains highly sensitive to upcoming economic reports and policy implications, particularly concerning the Federal Reserve's future interest r ...

Group 1 - U.S. defense stocks experienced a rise in pre-market trading following President Trump's call for an increase in government defense spending [1][2] - Northrop Grumman Corp. saw the largest increase with a 7.82% rise, while Lockheed Martin Corp. and L3Harris Technologies also reported significant gains of 6.52% and 6.29% respectively [1] - RTX Corp. shares climbed 4.45%, despite President Trump expressing dissatisfaction with the company's performance and threatening to block contracts if improvements are not made [1][5] Group 2 - President Trump proposed a defense budget of $1.5 trillion for 2027, emphasizing the need for a robust military [2] - Trump criticized defense companies for focusing on dividends and stock buybacks instead of investing in infrastructure, which has led to delays in military equipment deliveries [4] - Raytheon, a subsidiary of RTX Corp., has been awarded significant contracts, including a $1.7 billion deal for Patriot air and missile defense systems for Spain [8] and a $26 million rocket motor deal [9] Group 3 - RTX Corp. is ranked in the 91st percentile for quality and the 88th percentile for momentum according to Benzinga's Edge Rankings, indicating strong performance metrics [9] - Over the past year, RTX stock has increased by 60.22%, although it saw a slight decline of 2.45% to close at $660.62 on Wednesday [9]

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced modest overall movements, with the S&P 500 increasing by less than 0.1% and remaining near its all-time high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 270 points (0.6%) and the Nasdaq composite fell by 0.4% [1][6] Defense Industry - Defense-industry companies saw significant gains following President Trump's announcement to increase U.S. military spending to $1.5 trillion by 2027 from $901 billion, aimed at building a "Dream Military" [3] - L3Harris Technologies' stock jumped by 5.2%, Lockheed Martin's stock climbed by 4.3%, and Northrop Grumman's stock increased by 2.4% after recovering from previous losses [3] - RTX faced criticism from Trump for being the "slowest in increasing their volume," resulting in its stock lagging behind competitors, with a slight increase of 0.8% [4] Economic Indicators - The bond market saw higher yields as the majority of stocks climbed, despite mixed economic reports indicating a rise in unemployment benefit applications, which could signal increasing layoffs, although within expected limits [2] - U.S. worker productivity improved more than anticipated during the summer, and the trade deficit unexpectedly shrank in October [2] Other Notable Stocks - Constellation Brands' stock rose by 5.3% after reporting better-than-expected profits for the latest quarter, contributing positively to the market despite declines in several technology stocks [5] - Nvidia was a significant drag on the S&P 500, dropping by 2.2% and reversing some of its substantial gains from the previous year [5] Oil Market - Oil prices experienced a rise, with benchmark U.S. crude increasing by 3.2% to $57.76 per barrel and Brent crude rising by 3.4% to settle at $61.99 per barrel, continuing fluctuations since recent geopolitical events [6]

Core Viewpoint - President Trump signed an executive order to prohibit defense companies from paying dividends or buying back stock until they improve production and delivery performance [1][3]. Group 1: Executive Order Details - The order states that defense companies are not allowed to pay dividends or buy back stock until they can produce superior products on time and within budget [1]. - Within 30 days, the Pentagon chief will identify underperforming defense contractors that have engaged in stock buybacks and will require them to submit a remediation plan within 15 days [9]. - Future defense contracts must include provisions banning stock buybacks for underperforming firms and ensure that executive compensation is linked to on-time delivery rather than short-term financial metrics [12]. Group 2: Industry Criticism and Response - The Trump administration and the Pentagon have criticized the defense industry for high costs and slow production, emphasizing the need for changes to boost military equipment production [2][5]. - Trump highlighted that while the U.S. produces the best military equipment, the production rate is insufficient to meet military needs, necessitating higher standards for defense contractors [5]. Group 3: Market Reaction - Following Trump's announcement, defense stocks experienced declines, with Lockheed Martin falling 4.8%, Northrop Grumman down 5.5%, and General Dynamics decreasing by 3.6% [8]. - RTX shares initially dropped 2% but later recovered, climbing 2.5% in after-hours trading [8].

Market Overview - The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced declines after reaching intraday record highs earlier in the session [1] - The S&P 500 declined 0.34% to end at 6,920.93 points, while the Nasdaq gained 0.16% to 23,584.28 points, and the Dow Jones fell 0.94% to 48,996.08 points [6][7] Company Performance - Shares of housing acquisition companies fell sharply after President Trump announced plans to ban Wall Street investors from purchasing single-family homes, aiming to reduce home prices. Blackstone and Apollo Global Management dropped over 5%, contributing to a 1.4% decline in the S&P 500 financials index. American Homes 4 Rent fell 4.3%, while Zillow rose over 2% [1] - JPMorgan Chase fell 2.3% after Wolfe Research downgraded the bank from "outperform" to "peer perform" [2] - Northrop Grumman slid 5.5% and Lockheed Martin lost 4.8% following Trump's statement that dividends and stock buybacks would not be permitted for defense companies until production issues were resolved [4] - Nvidia and Microsoft rose about 1% each, and Alphabet increased more than 2% as investors returned to AI-related stocks [5][9] - Memory and storage technology companies saw declines, with Western Digital dropping almost 9% and Seagate Technology falling 6.7%. First Solar tumbled 10% after Jefferies downgraded its rating to "hold" from "buy" [7][9] Market Dynamics - The S&P 500 is currently trading at approximately 22 times expected earnings, down from 23 in November but above the five-year average of 19 [6][9] - The volume on U.S. exchanges was relatively high, with 17.4 billion shares traded, compared to an average of 16.2 billion shares over the previous 20 sessions [8]

Major U.S. stock indexes finished Wednesday mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 0.9% to 48,996.08, while the S&P 500 edged down 0.3%. Nasdaq bucked the trend, rising 0.16% to 23,584.27.These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day.Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD) Applied Digital shares fell 2.33% to close at $29.56, with an intraday high of $31.45 and a low of $29.52. The stock’s 52-week range is $3.31 to $40.20. In the after-hours trading, ...

US stock futures moved lower on Thursday, retreating from all-time highs as investors braced for another labor data update and grappled with President Trump's salvos on defense and Venezuela. Nasdaq 100 futures (NQ=F) dropped 0.3%, setting the tech-heavy index up for its first loss this week. S&P 500 futures (ES=F) shed 0.2%, signaling a further pullback from record territory, while those on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) fell 0.4% on the heels of a rocky session. Defense stocks are rebounding ...

Market Overview - President Donald Trump has decided to enforce discipline among major defense contractors, leading to increased market volatility, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Russell 2000 all experiencing declines [3][4] - Blue-chip, banking, and industrial stocks were particularly affected by this market downturn [3] Defense Industry Insights - Trump has expressed concerns that defense contractors are not adequately maintaining weapons systems, which may impact their operational efficiency [4] - The president is considering an order to limit stock buybacks and dividends for defense firms, indicating a shift in corporate governance expectations within the industry [8] - Northrop Grumman is highlighted as a top defense stock, showing improved relative strength and nearing a key technical measure, suggesting potential for growth [6][8] Stock Performance - Defense stocks have seen a rise as Trump warns of potential intervention in Iran, indicating geopolitical factors influencing market dynamics [6] - Northrop Grumman is approaching new highs ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings report, reflecting positive investor sentiment [6]

Core Viewpoint - The defense sector, particularly Lockheed Martin, experienced a significant decline in stock price due to President Trump's proposal to cancel shareholder-friendly measures [1][7]. Group 1: Trump's Proposed Restrictions - President Trump aims to increase the defense budget and accelerate production in the defense industry while proposing to limit dividend payouts and share repurchase programs [2]. - Trump criticized defense contractors for allocating substantial capital to dividends and stock buybacks, insisting that this practice should no longer be tolerated [3]. Group 2: Industry Impact - Lockheed Martin, as a major player in the defense sector, is likely to be directly affected by Trump's proposed changes, alongside other companies in the industry [3]. - Despite Trump's strong rhetoric, he lacks the unilateral power to implement these measures, indicating potential resistance from company executives, shareholders, and politicians [4][5]. Group 3: Investment Considerations - Analysts suggest caution regarding investments in Lockheed Martin, as it was not included in a list of top stock recommendations, indicating potential better opportunities elsewhere [8].