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Good morning investors! The market hit new highs yesterday.
Today we cover:
Rate decision today
Boeing and more report
Tesla’s falling image
📊 Economy and News
Fed’s Interest Rate Decision Comes Today
After three quarter-point cuts in late 2025 (bringing the target range to 3.5%–3.75%), the Fed is likely to adopt a patient, wait-and-see stance as those reductions filter through the economy. Analysts describe this as a "stand pat" meeting, with focus on incoming data like labor market stability and inflation trends.
Markets anticipate one or two cuts later in 2026, potentially starting in June or later, though some forecasts suggest fewer or none if growth and inflation remain firm.
Beyond the rate decision, attention centers on significant political intrigue surrounding the Fed:
President Trump indicated he may soon announce his nominee to succeed Chair Jerome Powell (whose term ends in May 2026), possibly timed around this meeting to shift focus.
The Justice Department has subpoenaed Powell over the Fed's headquarters renovation project; Powell called it a "pretext" to pressure the Fed for more aggressive rate cuts.
Efforts continue to unseat Fed Governor Lisa Cook via Supreme Court proceedings, and Trump appointee Stephen Miran's term has expired (though governors can serve until replaced).
Powell's post-meeting press conference will likely face questions on these issues and Fed independence, though he is expected to avoid direct commentary on probes or court cases while reaffirming data-driven policy.
Overall, while the rate hold may lean dovish (preserving an easing bias amid disinflation confidence), the meeting's drama stems more from external political pressures than monetary policy shifts.
Global hits:
US banks may lose $500 billion to stablecoins by 2028.
Crypto money-laundering hit $82 billion in 2025.
Latin American e-commerce market projected to hit $215 billion in 2026.
Reminder: Homebuyers canceled deals at the highest rate in nearly a decade in December 2025.
Over 40,000 signed purchase agreements fell through—16.3% of homes under contract—up from 14.9% a year earlier and the highest December level since tracking began in 2017.
High costs, rising inventory, and more sellers than buyers (47% more sellers) gave buyers leverage to be selective and walk away.
Atlanta led with the most cancellations at 22.5%, followed by Jacksonville and San Antonio (both 20.6%).
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📈 Stocks
S&P 500 6,978.60 (+0.42%)
DJIA 49,003.41 (+0.14%)(-0.83%)
NASDAQ 23,817.10 (+0.91%)
BRENT CRUDE 67.54(+1.79%)
* Prices as of Jan 28th, 12:20 AM UTC
Companies Report Earnings
UnitedHealth Group posted a modest fourth-quarter earnings beat, but issued soft revenue guidance for 2026. It comes as the parent company of the nation’s largest private insurer, UnitedHealthcare, works to turn itself around while grappling with higher-than-expected medical costs. UnitedHealth expects 2026 revenue to come in greater than $439 billion, which is a 2% year-over-year decline that reflects “right-sizing across the enterprise.” Despite a decent report, the stock fell nearly 20% after the Trump administration proposed nearly flat rates for Medicare Advantage insurers.
Texas Instruments reported mixed Q4 2025 results, slightly missing expectations amid ongoing cyclical weakness in industrial and automotive markets. Data center segment surged 70% year-over-year, showing strong AI-driven demand. Also, Q1 2026 revenue guidance of $4.32B–$4.68B (midpoint $4.5B) beat analyst expectations, suggesting the chip cycle may be bottoming. EPS outlook: $1.22–$1.48.
Seagate crushed fiscal Q2 2026 estimates, driven by surging generative AI infrastructure demand. CEO Dave Mosley highlighted durable data center demand and the ramp of HAMR-based Mozaic high-capacity drives. Q3 2026 outlook strong with non-GAAP EPS of $3.20–$3.60 (midpoint ~$3.40, well above ~$2.96 Street) and revenue around $2.90B (above expectations).
Boeing reported revenue ahead of Wall Street expectations for the fourth quarter but loss wider than expected. The company brought in $23.9 billion in the last three months of 2025, a 57% increase over the same period in 2024. The airplane manufacturer delivered 600 airplanes last year, up from 348 a year earlier. More production increases are on the horizon in the coming months.
LVMH, Europe’s largest luxury company, reported fourth-quarter revenue of 22.7 billion euros, beating LSEG estimates of 22.2 billion euros. For the full year, revenue came to 80.8 billion euros. Excluding Japan, Asia saw a noticeable improvement in trends compared to 2024, with a return to growth in the second half of the year, the company said.
Interesting: Mozilla is building an AI ‘rebel alliance’ to take on industry heavweights OpenAI, Anthropic.
Anthropic closed its latest funding round above the initial $10 billion target at a $350 billion valuation.
Following Snapchat, TikTok has agreed to settle with a plaintiff and will no longer be part of a high-profile California social media trial that continues this week against Meta and Alphabet’s YouTube.
Surprising: Space firm Redwire stock rockets 29% after joining $151 billion contract for Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’. In other news, Pinterest laying off 15% of workforce as part of AI push. Elsewhere, Anta will pay 1.5 billion euros ($1.79 billion), or 35 euros per share, to take a 29.06% stake in Puma.
Brands: The value of Tesla’s brand dropped 36% in 2025, marking its third straight year of declines. Tesla’s brand value now stands at around $27.61 billion down from $43 billion last year and $58.3 billion at the beginning of 2024. Experts believe that Elon Musk’s political “overreach,” and a lack of new model EVs weighed on the company’s overall brand strength.
On the other hand, General Motors said it expects to increase U.S. auto production and aims to become the top assembler of vehicles in the U.S. in the coming years, beating Ford.
The automaker expects between $3 billion and $4 billion in tariff costs this year, which would be in line with the automaker’s $3.1 billion in tariff costs last year, despite the levies not being in effect for all of 2025.
💵 Personal Finance
4 Ways to Inflation-Proof Your Retirement Savings
Inflation erodes purchasing power over time, so it's crucial to plan your retirement savings to outpace rising costs. Here are four effective strategies:
Avoid Being Too Conservative Don't overload your portfolio with low-risk bonds as retirement nears. While bonds feel safe, their real return (after inflation) is often low. For example, a 6% bond yield with 3% inflation gives only 3% real growth. Include some higher-return (and higher-risk) assets like stocks to better combat inflation.
Do Your Research on Stock Sectors Not all stocks perform equally during inflation. Retail stocks may struggle as consumers cut spending, while sectors like agriculture often thrive when prices rise. Choose investments in inflation-resilient industries to strengthen your hedge.
Invest in Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) TIPS are government bonds specifically designed to protect against inflation. The principal adjusts with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), so your investment grows with inflation. At maturity, you receive the higher of the original or inflation-adjusted principal, plus semi-annual interest (federally taxable, but exempt from state/local taxes). Buy directly from the U.S. Treasury or through funds.
Add Commercial Real Estate Exposure Commercial real estate often holds or increases value during inflationary periods, even when stocks falter. The simplest way to invest is through Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) or mutual funds that include commercial properties (e.g., offices, apartments), adding diversification and inflation protection to your portfolio.
These steps help ensure your savings maintain their real value throughout retirement.
💰 Be a Better Investor
"Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship."
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