Economic Indicators - The number of Americans filing for initial jobless claims fell by 5,000 to 227,000, compared to the expected 222,000 [2] - U.S. existing home sales decreased by 8.4% month-over-month to a 16-month low of 3.91 million, weaker than the expected 4.16 million [2] - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.4% annually, a notable drop from the previous month, with a monthly increase of 0.2% [5] Stock Market Performance - Wall Street's major indices ended in the red, with significant declines in the Magnificent Seven stocks, including Apple (AAPL) down 5% and Tesla (TSLA) down over 2% [4] - Cisco Systems (CSCO) plunged over 12% after reporting weaker-than-expected FQ2 adjusted gross margin and issuing tepid FQ3 guidance [4] - Equinix (EQIX) surged over 10% after issuing strong FY26 guidance, marking it as the top percentage gainer on the S&P 500 [4] Corporate Earnings - Notable companies such as Moderna (MRNA) and Advance Auto Parts (AAP) are set to release their quarterly results [6] - Pinterest (PINS) plunged over 19% in pre-market trading after reporting weaker-than-expected Q4 revenue and issuing below-consensus Q1 revenue guidance [13] - Applied Materials (AMAT) surged over 11% in pre-market trading after posting stronger-than-expected FQ1 results and issuing strong FQ2 guidance [13] International Market Developments - The Euro Stoxx 50 Index is down 0.09% as investors digest fresh corporate earnings reports and await key U.S. inflation data [7] - Eurozone's GDP growth for the fourth quarter stood at 0.3%, in line with preliminary estimates [8] - Spain's annual inflation rate eased more than expected in January, with CPI falling 0.4% month-over-month and rising 2.3% year-over-year [8] Pre-Market Movements - U.S. steel stocks slid in pre-market trading after reports of President Trump's plans to roll back some tariffs on steel and aluminum products, with Steel Dynamics (STLD) down over 4% [12] - Most chip stocks are moving lower in pre-market trading, with Micron Technology (MU) and Intel (INTC) falling more than 1% [12]

Core Insights - SoftBank Group is a leading Japanese technology investment company known for its Vision Fund, which invests in global technology firms [1] - The company reported earnings per share of $0.27, exceeding estimates of $0.20, primarily due to strategic investments in OpenAI [2][6] - SoftBank's Vision Fund achieved a quarterly gain of $2.4 billion, significantly influenced by its investment in OpenAI, which helped mitigate losses from other investments [2][6] Financial Performance - SoftBank generated revenue of approximately $12.62 billion, slightly below the estimated $12.65 billion, but returned to profitability with a net profit of 248.59 billion yen (approximately $1.62 billion) for the quarter [3] - The company's financial metrics show a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of about 2.28, indicating a low valuation relative to earnings, while the enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio is negative at -108.13, suggesting operational cash flow challenges [4] - The debt-to-equity ratio stands at approximately 1.41, indicating a higher level of debt compared to equity, and the current ratio is around 0.93, which may signal difficulties in meeting short-term liabilities [5] Investment Strategy - Despite the challenges indicated by financial metrics, SoftBank's earnings yield is approximately 43.92%, suggesting a high return on investment [5]

Market Overview - Asian stocks ended mixed, with a stronger-than-expected U.S. jobs report boosting optimism but dampening hopes for Federal Reserve rate cuts in the near term [1] - Precious metals, including gold, saw a decline, with gold falling by 0.5% to trade below $5,060 an ounce due to a strengthening U.S. dollar [1] - Oil prices experienced slight increases amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran [1] Regional Indices - China's Shanghai Composite index rose marginally to 4,134.02, influenced by reports of a potential extension of the U.S.-China trade truce [2] - Hong Kong's Hang Seng index fell by 0.86% to 27,032.54, negatively impacted by stock performance [2] - Japan's Nikkei average finished slightly lower at 57,639.84 after a volatile session, while the broader Topix index increased by 0.70% to 3,882.16 [3] - Seoul's Kospi index closed 3.13% higher at 5,522.27, driven by significant gains in technology shares, particularly Samsung Electronics, which surged by 6.4% [5] - Australia's S&P/ASX 200 rose by 0.32% to 9,043.50, supported by strong earnings from ANZ Group, which saw an 8.5% increase in its shares [5] - New Zealand's S&P/NZX-50 index edged up by 0.18% to 13,531.48, with Skellerup Holdings gaining 1.8% after reporting record half-year earnings [6] Company Performance - Shiseido's shares soared nearly 16% following fourth-quarter earnings and a full-year forecast that exceeded analyst expectations [4] - Honda Motor's stock fell by 3.5% after reporting a significant decline in third-quarter operating profit [4] - SoftBank Group's shares increased by 2.4% prior to announcing its financial results [4]

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank reported a net profit of 248.6 billion yen ($1.62 billion) for the October-December quarter, marking its fourth consecutive profitable quarter, compared to a net loss of 369 billion yen in the same period last year, largely driven by the rising valuation of its investment in OpenAI [1][6]. Financial Performance - The quarterly net income was projected by five analysts to range between a gain of 1.1 trillion yen ($7.07 billion) and a loss of 480 billion yen [2]. - In the nine months leading to December, OpenAI contributed 2.8 trillion yen to SoftBank's investment gains [2][6]. Investment in OpenAI - SoftBank has invested over $30 billion in OpenAI, acquiring approximately 11% of the company, positioning itself as a significant player in the competitive landscape of large language models [2][6]. - OpenAI is reportedly seeking an additional capital injection of $100 billion, with SoftBank, Amazon, and Nvidia as potential investors at a valuation of $830 billion [3][6]. Funding Strategies - To finance its investments, SoftBank has engaged in asset sales, bond issuance, and loans backed by its holdings, including chip designer Arm [3][6]. - The company has sold its $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia and part of its T-Mobile stake for $12.73 billion between June and December of the previous year [4][6]. Financial Maneuvering - SoftBank has expanded its margin loan using shares in Arm from $13.5 billion to $20 billion and increased the borrowing limit against its shares in its domestic telecom unit, SoftBank Corp, from 800 billion yen to 1.2 trillion yen [4][7]. - The heavy exposure to OpenAI has led to SoftBank being viewed as a publicly traded proxy for the U.S. firm, raising concerns about its financial stability [3][6]. Market Reaction - SoftBank's shares rose by 2.4% in a flat market prior to the earnings announcement [5][7].

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank reported a net profit of 248.6 billion yen ($1.62 billion) for the October-December quarter, marking its fourth consecutive profitable quarter, compared to a net loss of 369 billion yen in the same period last year, driven by the rising valuation of its investment in OpenAI [1][9] Financial Performance - The quarterly net income was projected by five analysts to range between a gain of 1.1 trillion yen ($7.07 billion) and a loss of 480 billion yen [1][9] - In the nine months leading to December, OpenAI has contributed 2.8 trillion yen to SoftBank's investment gains [2][9] Investment in OpenAI - SoftBank has invested over $30 billion in OpenAI, acquiring approximately 11% of the company, positioning itself as a significant player in the competitive landscape of large language models [4][9] - OpenAI is reportedly seeking an additional capital injection of $100 billion, with SoftBank, Amazon, and Nvidia as potential investors at a valuation of $830 billion [5][9] Funding Strategies - To finance its investments, SoftBank has resorted to asset sales, bond issuance, and loans secured by its other holdings, including chip designer Arm [5][9] - The company has sold its $5.8 billion stake in Nvidia and part of its T-Mobile stake for $12.73 billion between June and December last year [6][9] - SoftBank has increased its margin loan using shares in Arm to $20 billion from $13.5 billion and raised the borrowing limit against its shares of SoftBank Corp to 1.2 trillion yen from 800 billion yen [6][9] Market Position and Competition - OpenAI, once the leading entity in large language models, is facing rising operational costs amid increasing competition from companies like Alphabet [7][10] - SoftBank's shares rose by 2.4% in a flat market prior to the earnings announcement [10]

Group 1 - The Japanese technology investment company reported a net profit of 248.59 billion yen, which is approximately $1.62 billion, for the three months ending in December [1]

Financial Performance - SoftBank Group reported a net profit of 248.6 billion yen ($1.62 billion) for the October-December quarter, a significant recovery from a net loss of 369 billion yen in the same period the previous year [1][1][1] - This marks SoftBank's fourth consecutive quarter of profitability, indicating a positive trend in its financial performance [1][1][1] Investment Strategy - The company's earnings have been bolstered by the rising valuation of its investment in OpenAI, where SoftBank has increased its stake to around 11% with over $30 billion invested [1][1][1] - To finance its investments, SoftBank has engaged in asset sales, bond issuance, and loans backed by its other holdings, including chip designer Arm [1][1][1] Market Position and Competition - OpenAI, once seen as the leading player in large language models, is facing rising operational costs and intensified competition from companies like Alphabet [1][1][1] - Investor concerns have been raised regarding SoftBank's ability to continue funding OpenAI, especially as OpenAI does not currently generate a profit [1][1][1]

Core Insights - Jamf has been acquired by Francisco Partners for $13.05 per share in cash, totaling an enterprise value of approximately $2.2 billion [1][2] - The acquisition is expected to enhance Jamf's innovation roadmap and expand its product offerings, positioning the company for accelerated growth [2] - Following the acquisition, Jamf will operate as a privately held company and its common stock will no longer be listed on NASDAQ [3] Company Overview - Jamf specializes in managing and securing Apple ecosystems for organizations, providing a complete management and security solution designed for enterprise security and consumer simplicity [5] - Francisco Partners is a global investment firm with over 25 years of experience, having invested in more than 500 technology companies and raised over $50 billion in capital [6] Transaction Details - The transaction was approved by Jamf's stockholders during a special meeting held on January 8, 2026 [2] - Citi acted as the exclusive financial advisor for Jamf, while RBC Capital Markets served as the lead financial advisor for Francisco Partners [4]

Core Insights - Jamf has been acquired by Francisco Partners for $13.05 per share, totaling an enterprise value of approximately $2.2 billion [1][2] - The acquisition is expected to enhance Jamf's innovation roadmap and expand its product offerings, positioning the company for accelerated growth [2] - Following the acquisition, Jamf will operate as a privately held company and its common stock will no longer be listed on NASDAQ [3] Company Overview - Jamf specializes in managing and securing Apple ecosystems for organizations, providing a complete management and security solution tailored for Apple-first environments [5] - The company aims to simplify work for organizations while ensuring user trust and privacy [5] Investment Firm Profile - Francisco Partners is a prominent global investment firm focused on technology and technology-enabled businesses, with over $50 billion in capital raised and investments in more than 500 technology companies [6] - The firm leverages its sectoral knowledge and operational expertise to help companies achieve their full potential [6] Advisory Roles - Citi acted as the exclusive financial advisor for Jamf, while Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as its legal counsel [4] - RBC Capital Markets was the lead financial advisor for Francisco Partners, with additional advisory support from Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. [4]

Core Viewpoint - U Power Limited has signed a Letter of Intent with FTT Holding Company to establish a strategic Joint Venture aimed at expanding its operations in Southern Europe, with FTT Holding committing up to $50 million to support this initiative [1][2]. Group 1: Joint Venture and Investment - FTT Holding plans to invest up to $50 million into the Joint Venture, which will support U Power's growth initiatives, including smart EV charging and next-generation energy infrastructures [2]. - U Power has also entered into a Share Subscription Agreement with FTT Holding for a private placement of up to $10 million in Class A ordinary shares, which will be issued at a premium to the current trading price and includes a 39-month lock-up period [3]. Group 2: Company Strategy and Vision - The investment from FTT Holding is seen as a strategic step to strengthen the partnership and enhance combined capabilities, with expectations that it will support key shared programs and facilitate expansion in Europe [4]. - U Power aims to evaluate additional opportunities to enhance shareholder value and build long-term returns for investors [4]. Group 3: Company Overview - U Power is a provider of AI-integrated energy solutions that connect electric vehicles with advanced energy infrastructure, optimizing mobility and grid performance [6]. - The company has evolved from a distributor of battery-swapping stations to a provider of comprehensive AI-driven solutions for energy grids and transportation systems [6][7].