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📉 TL;DR – Last Week in 60 Seconds
Stocks took a breather for a second straight week as rate jitters and tariff headlines kept buyers cautious. The S&P 500 slipped while the Nasdaq 100 managed a small gain, helped by a late-week rebound in mega-cap tech. Metals keep stealing the spotlight, with Gold and Silver pushing to fresh record highs above $5,000/oz and $109/oz, while the dollar softens.
Bitcoin didn’t join the party—it sank as traders de-risked; small caps took a hit too. Earnings were mixed, and traders kept one eye on Washington and the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, Winter Storm Fern slammed the U.S., knocking out power and grounding flights; energy and shipping costs may briefly pop.
Quick Levels → Last week’s change
S&P 500: 6,915.62 | ↓0.35% Nasdaq 100: 25,605.47 | ↑0.30% Dow: 49,098.72 | ↓0.53% Russell 2000: 2,669.16 | ↓0.32% | Gold/oz: $5,082 | ↑8.51% Silver/oz: $109.25 | ↑14.72% Bitcoin (BTC): $87,900 | ↓7.53% DXY (US Dollar Index): 97.46 | ↓1.93% |
🚀 Top Movers Last Week
IAMGOLD (IAG) ↑22.02% — Preliminary 2025 results and 2026 guidance impressed, as gold and silver ripped to records and kept miners hot.
Moderna (MRNA) ↑16.45% — Cancer-vaccine trial optimism with Merck lifted hopes for a post-COVID growth engine.
Albemarle (ALB) ↑16.24% — Wall Street upgrades piled in as lithium prices rebounded on grid-battery demand.
SanDisk (SNDK) ↑14.56% — Citi hiked price target as hyperscaler demand for NAND flash kept the momentum trade alive (stock ↑99% in January).
Meta Platforms (META) ↑6.21% — Threads ads global expansion and ad-demand optimism pushed the “Magnificent Seven” leader higher.
Intel (INTC) ↓4.02% — Soft Q1 outlook and supply constraints triggered profit-taking after Intel’s sharp early-January run.
🗺 Market Map
Source: Federal Reserve Bank
GDP* and consumer inflation data: Thursday’s print showed the economy grew 4.4% annualized in Q3 2025, powered mainly by consumers. Strong growth keeps “rate cuts soon” on a shorter leash. PCE* was released the same day, and the Fed’s preferred inflation view looked steady: core PCE rose 0.2% month-to-month.
Metals on a heater: Precious metals are acting like a stress barometer: gold vaulted above $5k, with silver and platinum also tagging records. Drivers include central-bank buying, geopolitical risk, and a softer dollar in early-week trading.
Fed week, again: The FOMC* meets Jan 27–28, with the decision Wednesday. Markets will parse the statement and press conference for hints on the next move. See more in the Signal Spotlight.
Inflation pulse (wholesale): Friday brings the PPI* report (Jan 30, 8:30 a.m. ET) for December pricing at the wholesale level. A hot core PPI* can push Treasury yields higher and tighten financial conditions fast.
Earnings spotlight: Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, and Apple report, giving the market its best read on AI spending and consumer demand. Guidance matters more than last quarter’s numbers—expect sharp post-close moves.
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🛒 Buy Zone
Long-term investors: Treat the metals surge as a reminder to diversify—small exposure to real assets can help in “policy uncertainty” periods. Focus on broad funds, not single names, and avoid chasing extended moves.
Short-term traders: This week is packed with “event risk” (FOMC + PPI). Watch for a post-news breakout or reversal in the S&P 500 around last week’s range; keep position size small, and skip trades that require guessing Friday’s number. Best play is patience: let volatility show its hand, then react.
💡 Signal Spotlight
The Fed, the Market, and the “Noise” Behind the Curtain
Markets mostly expect the Fed to hold rates steady Wednesday — the real catalyst is the wording. FedWatch* implies a 97% chance of no change to the fed funds rate* target range.
Politics is also creeping into the background conversation about central bank independence, which can affect longer-term confidence. With no dot plot* this meeting, investors will hang on the FOMC statement* and Powell’s press conference for clues about what comes next.
👀 What to Watch
Mon, Jan 26 — Durable goods orders: pulse check on big-ticket demand and business confidence.
Tue, Jan 27 — Consumer confidence: a quick read on jobs worries and spending stamina.
Tue–Wed, Jan 27–28 — Fed meeting: policy signal drives stocks, bonds, dollar.
Wed, Jan 28 — Chair Powell press conference (2:30 p.m. ET): tone and wording can move stocks, bonds, and the dollar fast.
Wed–Thu, Jan 28–29 — Microsoft, Meta, Tesla, & Apple earnings: Big Tech direction for Q1 risk appetite.
Thu, Jan 29 — Jobless claims + productivity: jobs cooling vs. inflation stickiness narrative check.
Fri, Jan 30 — PPI (Dec): key wholesale inflation read before the market settles on a Fed narrative.
📚 Decoder
Core PPI: Producer inflation excluding food and energy; less noisy trend signal.
Dot plot: Fed’s chart of officials’ projected policy rate path.
Fed funds rate: Overnight bank lending rate targeted by the Federal Reserve.
FedWatch: CME tool translating fed-funds futures into rate-move probabilities.
FOMC (Federal Open Market Committee): Fed committee that sets the policy rate and guidance.
FOMC statement: Official post-meeting release explaining the Fed’s decision and stance.
GDP (Gross Domestic Product): Total value of goods/services produced; key growth scorecard.
PCE (Personal Consumption Expenditures): Fed’s preferred inflation gauge for consumer prices.
PPI (Producer Price Index): measures inflation at the wholesale level.
🕔 That’s your 5-minute guide to start the week. There’s more info out there…dive in! News is free; risk isn’t.
We’ll be back to check-in on Thursday at 7 AM ET.
Educational only—not investment advice.
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