Good MorningStocks were mixed as companies leaned on buybacks and active trading in large tech names. Several large-cap firms, including Automatic Data Processing (ADP), announced big increases to repurchase plans after steep share declines, signaling management's view of undervaluation. Tech was a focus, with NVIDIA and Intel among the most actively traded stocks, and NVIDIA was pushing higher intraday. Starbucks beat expectations as U.S. same-store sales rose 4% thanks to holiday demand and a viral product, while semiconductor supplier ASML reported record profit on AI-driven chip demand, underscoring strength in parts of the tech supply chain.
Labor-market signals stayed soft, reinforcing a cautious backdrop for equities. U.S. payroll growth slowed to roughly 50,000 last month, and layoffs are accumulating across industries, contributing to a "no-hire, no-fire" stance at many firms. The IRS warned that the upcoming tax season could face challenges after workforce cuts and new laws, a possible operational drag for households and businesses that could feed into consumer spending. Featured: A U.S. "birthright" claim worth trillions - activated quietly (Ad) 
|
Basic Materials | | | Gold and silver have dominated financial headlines for the last 18 months. Driven by central bank buying, geopolitical instability, and global economic uncertainty, precious metals have provided a necessary shield for investors seeking safety. However, as the calendar turns to February 2026, the m... Read the Full Story |
|
From Our Partners | | A growing number of investors are paying attention to developments around private space companies and potential future public listings.
In a recent briefing, one research publisher outlines how some investors are seeking early exposure to the space economy through publicly traded assets — without waiting for a formal IPO. The presentation walks through the structure, risks, and mechanics behind this approach for those who want to understand how it works. | | Read the full sponsor briefing here |
|
Energy | | | Winter Storm Fern has slammed into the United States, encasing 34 states in ice and forcing millions of Americans to crank up their thermostats. While meteorologists track the plunging temperatures and an incoming bomb cyclone that could bring blizzard conditions and even more snow to the United S... Read the Full Story |
|
Aerospace | | | RTX (NYSE: RTX) stock is flying high in early 2026, supported by outperformance and capital returns. The defense and aerospace heavyweight could fly even higher, as its 2026 guidance aligns with an upward trend. Strength in the defense sector has remained firm through 2025 and into early 2026, s... Read the Full Story |
|
From Our Partners | | Jerome Powell says gold is not money. The Fed says inflation is under control and the dollar is strong. But look at what they do. Central banks bought more gold last year than any time since 1967. China dumped $100 billion in U.S. debt, then bought gold. Poland, Hungary, Singapore, and Turkey are all loading up. In 2022, the U.S. froze Russia's money and showed the world that assets can be seized. Now major nations want out. There's only one asset no one can freeze: gold. | | Get the name and ticker of one stock positioned for this shift. |
|
Technology | | | Shares of tech giant CoreWeave Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWV) are trading just under $110 after a solid start to the year. The stock is up nearly 70% since before Christmas and has added another 17% this week alone, following this week’s announcement of NVIDIA Corp’s (NASDAQ: NVDA) $2 billion i... Read the Full Story |
|
Business Services | | | For advertising technology stock AppLovin (NASDAQ: APP), short reports have become a noteworthy theme. Critical reports from Fuzzy Panda Research and Culper Research were released early in 2025, leading AppLovin shares to fall over 12% on Feb. 26, 2025. On Mar. 27, a month later, research firm Mud... Read the Full Story |
|
From Our Partners | | A widely followed Wall Street analyst is highlighting AES Corp (AES) as a stock to watch right now, based on signals from his proprietary Power Gauge system. The model tracks factors like momentum, financial strength, and institutional activity across thousands of U.S. stocks.
He breaks down the full reasoning in a short briefing, including why AES is showing unusual strength at this stage of the market. | | See the full analysis here |
|
Technology | | | SoundHound AI Inc. (NASDAQ: SOUN) got off to a strong start in 2026. The company launched new features to its Amelia 7 agentic AI platform at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. This will allow the company to press its advantage in conversational AI to include artificial intelligence... Read the Full Story |
|
Aerospace | | | Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) stock action triggered a Buy signal in early 2026 by breaking out of a consolidation to new highs. It then confirmed the move with a stronger signal following its Q4 2025 earnings release and 2026 guidance update. The news triggered a sharp, early-market pullback and g... Read the Full Story |
|
Transportation | | | The long-awaited bottom in United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) stock is in, and the rebound is underway. Supported by results, improved operational quality, and an outlook for growth, the rebound will be substantial for long-term holders. The UPS market, long plagued by distributive activity and dow... Read the Full Story |
|
Technology | | | The technology sector has gotten off to a sluggish start to the year by its own standards. The tech-heavy Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEARCA: XLK) is up just 2.8% year-to-date (YTD), while the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ: QQQ) has also struggled to gain traction. That’s notable given ... Read the Full Story |
|
Finance | | | Financial giant Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC) did almost everything right in 2025. The stock logged a powerful rally, hit a record high, and finished the year in strong form. It even pushed on to fresh all-time highs in the first few trading days of January, and the bulls looked set to remain i... Read the Full Story |
|
Thursday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day Movado Group, Inc. designs, sources, markets, and distributes watches in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Watch and Accessory Brands, and Company Stores. The company offers its watches under the Movado, Concord, Ebel, Olivia Burton, and MVMT brands, as well as licensed brands comprising Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, HUGO BOSS, Lacoste, and Calvin Klein. It also designs, sources, markets, and distributes jewelry and other accessories; and provides after-sales ... | | View Today's Stock Pick |
|
