NextFin News - All data reflect pre‑market conditions on January 16, 2026 (ET).
Pre‑Market Performance
- U.S. index futures
- Nasdaq‑100 (NQ): 25,829.5, +123.8 points (+0.48%).
- S&P 500 (ES): 6,991.5, +9.8 points (+0.14%).
- Dow Jones (YM): 49,625, −14 points (−0.03%).
- Europe
- FTSE 100: 10,231.16 (−0.08%).
- CAC 40: 8,254.14 (−0.71%).
- DAX: 25,285.92 (−0.26%).
- Commodities & FX
- WTI crude: $59.61/bbl; Brent: $64.36/bbl, both firmer after Thursday’s drop as traders reassess Middle East risk. apnews.com
- Gold: ~$4,591/oz (−0.55%) on a second session of profit‑taking from record highs. economies.com
- U.S. dollar index: up ~0.1%, near a 1½‑month high. economies.com
Macroeconomic Policy and Data
- Inflation (December CPI): Headline +0.3% m/m and +2.7% y/y (consensus +2.7% y/y; prior +2.7%). Core +0.2% m/m and +2.6% y/y (consensus +2.7% y/y; prior +2.6%). The steady headline and cooler‑than‑expected core keep disinflation on track. finance.yahoo.com
- Wholesale prices (PPI): November final demand +0.2% m/m; y/y at 3.0% (vs. 2.7% expected; prior 2.8%). The delayed release nudged inflation expectations modestly higher into year‑end. apnews.com
- Labor market: Initial jobless claims fell to 198,000 for the week ended January 10 (consensus ~215,000; prior 207,000), underscoring still‑low layoffs despite slower hiring. apnews.com
- Sentiment: University of Michigan preliminary January sentiment rose to 54.0 (consensus 53.4; prior 52.9). One‑year inflation expectations held at 4.2%; 5‑year ticked up to 3.4%. marketwatch.com
- Policy dynamics: The U.S. Department of Justice probe into Fed Chair Jerome Powell has stoked questions about central‑bank independence; the dollar wavered and gold spiked to records earlier this week as investors weighed the risk. investing.com
Market take: A cooler core CPI helps the soft‑landing narrative, but firmer PPI and very low claims complicate the timing and extent of 2026 Fed cuts. Elevated policy uncertainty around the Fed has amplified FX and gold volatility, while risk assets remain sensitive to incremental data surprises. finance.yahoo.com
Hot News
- U.S.–Taiwan trade pact and tech investment: A new trade deal features tariff reductions and an expected wave of Taiwanese investment in U.S. tech and advanced manufacturing, with headlines pointing to commitments on the order of $250 billion. European and Asian equity moves reflect the AI‑supply‑chain implications. apnews.com
- Semis: AI demand pulse strong: TSMC posted record results and lifted 2026 capex guidance, reinforcing robust AI hardware demand across the supply chain. investing.com
U.S. Stock Focus
- Bank of America — Q4 beat on higher net interest income
Bank of America reported Q4 2025 net income of $7.6 billion (EPS $0.98), edging past estimates, with revenue up 7% y/y to $28.4 billion and net interest income up 10% y/y. Management struck a constructive tone on 2026 as deposit costs ease alongside prior Fed cuts. Company filing; Reuters.
- Wells Fargo — Earnings rise with NII tailwind
Wells Fargo’s Q4 net income rose to $5.36 billion (EPS $1.62), aided by a 4% y/y increase in net interest income. The lender highlighted ongoing balance‑sheet repricing benefits into early 2026. Reuters.
- Citigroup — Adjusted EPS tops views; Russia exit weighs GAAP
Citi’s Q4 profit fell 13% y/y to $2.5 billion on a loss tied to its Russia business sale, but adjusted EPS of $1.81 beat as investment‑banking revenue surged and services remained resilient. Restructuring and cost actions remain center stage for 2026. FT; Zacks.
- JPMorgan — Solid quarter; Apple Card reserve distorts comps
JPMorgan posted adjusted EPS of $5.23 with 2026 net‑interest‑income guidance around $103 billion; results included a reserve tied to the Apple Card portfolio acquisition. Shares wobbled as investors weighed expense and spending guidance. Investing.com; AP.
- Nvidia — AI tailwinds reinforced by TSMC; fresh buy call
RBC initiated Nvidia at Outperform, arguing share‑gains and a full‑stack lead should persist despite rising competition; TSMC’s earnings and 2026 capex boost underscored continuing accelerator demand. Barron’s; Reuters.
- Tesla — FSD to become subscription‑only on Feb. 14
Tesla will end one‑time purchases of Full Self‑Driving and shift to subscriptions starting February 14, ahead of its January 28 earnings. The move could broaden adoption while smoothing revenue, though FSD remains Level‑2 and requires supervision. Car and Driver; Barron’s.
- Meta Platforms — Enterprise metaverse pullback
Meta will discontinue the Horizon Workrooms app on February 16 and wind down several enterprise VR initiatives, shifting focus toward mobile and smart‑glasses form factors. The Verge.
- Alphabet — Market‑cap milestone; AI collaboration headlines
Alphabet closed above a $4 trillion valuation this week, overtaking Apple amid reports of a deeper AI partnership that could enhance next‑gen Siri. The milestone highlights investor conviction in Alphabet’s Gemini‑led roadmap. Barron’s; Yahoo Finance.
- Amazon — OpenAI deal underpins AWS AI pipeline
Analysts flagged Amazon as a key beneficiary of OpenAI’s multiyear, $38 billion cloud deal, with AI infrastructure spend poised to lift AWS growth through 2026–27. Barron’s; Reuters.
- Microsoft — Copilot security hole patched
Security researchers detailed a “Reprompt” exploit that could exfiltrate user data via malicious Copilot links; Microsoft issued a fix on January 13. Enterprises are reviewing AI‑assistant controls as adoption widens. Windows Central.
Outlook
Today’s tone is cautiously risk‑on: Nasdaq‑100 futures lead as AI demand signals stay firm, while oil steadies and gold eases from highs. With CPI cooling but PPI/claims firm, the path of Fed policy—and the backdrop of Fed‑independence headlines—remains the key driver for equities, bonds, and the dollar into the late‑January meeting. finance.yahoo.com
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