Amazon Debuts “Amazon Now” for 30-Minute Ultrafast Grocery Delivery 
U.S. Banks Report Strong Q4 Profits Amid Investment Banking Surge 
Bitcoin Hits $100K Milestone Amid Optimism Over Trump Policies 
Elliott Investment Management Takes Significant Stake in BP to Push for Value Growth 
Apple Downgraded by Jefferies Amid Weak iPhone Sales and AI Concerns 
California Launches Portal for Reporting Alleged Misconduct by Federal Immigration Agents 
How the UK’s rollback of banking regulations could risk another financial crisis 
Infosys Shares Drop Amid Earnings Quality Concerns 
Netflix’s Bid for Warner Bros Discovery Aims to Cut Streaming Costs and Reshape the Industry 
YouTube Agrees to Follow Australia’s New Under-16 Social Media Ban 
Do investment tax breaks work? A new study finds the evidence is ‘mixed at best’ 
U.S.-Russia Talks Leave Ukraine Peace Efforts Uncertain 
Reliance Industries Surges on Strong Quarterly Profit, Retail Recovery 
Bristol Myers Faces $6.7 Billion Lawsuit After Judge Allows Key Shareholder Claims to Proceed 
Ferrari Group to Launch IPO in Amsterdam, Targets Over $1 Billion Valuation 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
U.S. Defense Chief Pete Hegseth Defends Controversial Second Strike on Suspected Drug-Smuggling Vessel 
The S&P 500 closed a strong week with gains on Friday, fueled by investor optimism ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. At 4:00 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 334 points (0.8%), the S&P 500 gained 1%, and the NASDAQ Composite climbed 1.5%. For the week, the S&P 500 recorded a 2% increase.
Investor confidence remains high, though Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20 raises questions about potential trade tariffs, particularly targeting China. Analysts at ING noted concerns about “day one” measures, which could trigger market volatility. However, Trump’s Friday call with Chinese President Xi Jinping offered a positive signal. Trump described the discussion as "very good" and emphasized mutual cooperation on trade, Fentanyl, TikTok, and global peace initiatives.
Earnings season added to market momentum, with bank earnings delivering positive results. Morgan Stanley posted strong fourth-quarter earnings, and Bank of America exceeded expectations. Earlier in the week, JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs also reported solid performances. However, JB Hunt Transport Services fell short of earnings forecasts, while Schlumberger surged on robust demand for its drilling technology.
Crypto-related stocks also rallied as Bitcoin rose sharply, driven by reports suggesting Trump plans to prioritize crypto through executive orders. Companies like MicroStrategy, Marathon Digital Holdings, and Coinbase saw significant gains.
Markets are poised for further action with major tech, industrial, and consumer stocks set to report earnings next week. Investor focus remains on navigating a mix of policy changes, corporate earnings, and market volatility.
