Good morning investors! Stocks are on a great run with 2026 starting on a high note.
Today we cover:
Trump wants Greenland
Stocks go higher
Workers over 50 can roll over 401(k) funds into annuities
📊 Economy and News
Trump's Renewed Push for Greenland Sparks International Crisis
President Donald Trump reiterated his "very serious" intent to acquire Greenland, citing national security needs amid Russian and Chinese Arctic activity. The White House confirmed it is considering "a range of options," including potential U.S. military use.
Trump's comments followed U.S. military action in Venezuela capturing President Nicolas Maduro, raising fears of similar intervention in the Danish territory.
Greenland's Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen dismissed takeover concerns, stressing Greenland's democracy and rejecting comparisons to Venezuela. He called for respectful U.S. dialogue.
European leaders (including Denmark's Mette Frederiksen, France's Macron, Germany's Merz, UK's Starmer, and others) issued a joint statement: "Greenland belongs to its people." They warned that any U.S. attack on a NATO ally like Denmark would end the alliance and violate international principles.
Denmark's Frederiksen stated a U.S. move on Greenland would mean "the end of NATO."
The country has been struggling economically for a while. The island's fishing-dependent economy grew only 0.8% in 2025, with similar modest growth expected in 2026. Issues include declining shrimp stocks, finishing infrastructure projects, aging/shrinking population (56,699 in late 2025, projected 20% drop by 2050), and strained public finances.
Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose U.S. control but largely support independence from Denmark. The situation remains tense, with U.S. congressional pushback (e.g., resolution against invasion) emerging.
Lastly, Sen. Ruben Gallego, an Arizona Democrat, said he will introduce a resolution to block President Donald Trump from invading Greenland.
Global hits:
Brazil’s trade surplus falls to $68.3 billion in 2025.
Irish 2025 budget surplus tops forecast at 3.7% of national income.
Kenya’s GDP growth at 4.9% year-on-year in third quarter of 2025.
German inflation slows more than expected in December, falling to 2.2%.
Reminder: Average management fee rates charged by private equity firms fell to 1.61%, below the industry’s legacy 2% management fee, in 2025 with managers offering discounts, and capita increasingly going to bigger funds, dragging down the mean.
Do you see Greenland becoming a part of the US?
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📈 Stocks
S&P 500 6,944.82 (+0.62%)
DJIA 49,462.08 (+0.99%)
NASDAQ 23,547.17 (+0.65%)
BRENT CRUDE 60.54 (-1.93%)
* Prices as of Jan 6th, 12:20 AM UTC
S&P 500 and Dow Hit Record Highs as Investors Shrug Off Venezuela Strike
The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed to new records on Tuesday, extending gains as markets looked past the recent U.S. military action in Venezuela.
Amazon, a "Magnificent Seven" stock, surged over 3%, boosting the major indexes. AI-related shares provided further support, with Micron Technology jumping about 10% and Palantir Technologies rising more than 3%.
Microchip got an upgrade and more interest as the company now expects fiscal third-quarter revenue to significantly exceed previous forecasts thanks to a jump in bookings.
Just the third trading day of 2026, semiconductor stocks continued their strong start, led by Micron—now up over 20% year-to-date after a 240%+ rally in 2025.
Some of the biggest winners yesterday were names like SanDisk and Western Digital as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang called memory storage an "unserved market" for AI.
Interesting: Morgan Stanley files for spot bitcoin and solana ETFs.
Parcel locker firm InPost jumps 26% after company receives indicative acquisition proposal.
Elon Musk’s xAI raises $20 billion from investors including Nvidia, Cisco, Fidelity.
Surprising: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang stated that the company is experiencing "very high" demand in China for its H200 AI chips, following recent U.S. government signals of approval for exports. Nvidia has resumed H200 production and is finalizing export license details with U.S. authorities. Huang has previously estimated the Chinese market at up to $50 billion annually, with none of these potential sales currently factored into Nvidia's forecasts.
On the other hand, Intel has officially debuted its "Core Ultra Series 3" processors that use the advanced 18A process.
Lastly, SoFi fell about 8% after topped a retail poll for S&P 500 inclusion.
💵 Personal Finance
Bipartisan Bill Would Let Workers 50+ Roll Over 401(k) Funds into Annuities While Employed
A bipartisan congressional bill, the Retirement Simplification and Clarity Act (H.R. 6324), aims to expand retirement income options by allowing employees aged 50 and older to roll over part or all of their 401(k) savings into a qualified annuity without leaving their job.
Currently, workers can typically only do this after separating from their employer (or in limited cases after age 59½). The bill would enable "in-service" rollovers to purchase annuities, providing guaranteed lifetime income earlier.
Supporters, including the American Council of Life Insurers, argue it helps address retirees' top fear: outliving savings. Surveys show 66% of savers worry about running low on money, with 93% desiring guaranteed income.
Some 401(k) plans already offer in-plan annuities (e.g., through target-date funds from providers like BlackRock and Vanguard), but adoption remains low.
Financial advisors caution that withdrawing funds early from a growing 401(k) may not suit everyone, especially those with years left to work and higher risk tolerance.
The bill also requires the IRS to simplify the 402(f) notice—explaining distribution options and taxes—in clearer language.
Introduced in the 119th Congress by Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), it awaits committee action.
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