Public Markets 8-Hour Briefing
×Market Moves
US stocks rebounded Tuesday as AI startup Anthropic expanded its Claude chatbot partnerships in software and services. The S&P 500 ended lower after a volatile session, marking its first two-week loss since June.
Tech & AI Disruption
Investors have been dumping software stocks for months amid fears of AI disruption, with upcoming earnings unlikely to ease concerns. Goldman Sachs says markets are rewarding "heavy asset, low obsolescence" firms as AI threatens software valuations. Meta committed billions to AMD gear, while AMD surged 14% on a multibillion-dollar GPU deal with Meta.
Corporate News & Deals
Spirit Airlines reached a deal with creditors to exit Chapter 11 by early summer. Novo Nordisk will slash US list prices for Ozempic and Wegovy by up to 50% starting January 2026. Stripe hit a $159 billion valuation in an employee tender offer as payment volume soared.
Energy & Utilities
French power prices dropped to their lowest since June as solar generation surged. US natural gas futures declined as weather forecasts shifted warmer. Exxon touted Guyana growth in the race for next decade's oil fields.
Banking & Finance
US banks showed broad gains in key metrics despite a modest profit decline in Q4. JPMorgan sees bonds as a "perfectly priced market" with favorable tailwinds. Goldman Sachs is set to move into Credit Suisse's former Milan headquarters.
International Markets
Singapore Airlines posted record quarterly revenue on strong travel demand, though net profit slumped. Hungary cut its key rate for the first time in 18 months while pledging caution on the forint. Colombia slapped 30% reciprocal tariffs on Ecuador in an escalating trade dispute.
Healthcare & Pharma
Novo Nordisk halved US prices for its weight-loss drugs amid competitive pressure from Eli Lilly. Medtronic spun off its diabetes business Mini Med, seeking up to $784 million in an IPO. Fresenius Medical Care shares dropped after an underwhelming outlook.
Consumer & Retail
Home Depot reported lower fourth-quarter profit as the home improvement downturn continued. Keurig Dr Pepper saw Q4 sales rise on higher prices, with the US refreshment segment up 12%. Planet Fitness forecasts 9-10% EPS growth in 2026, below analyst expectations.
Real Estate & Infrastructure
Brookfield Asset Management bought cloud-computing firm Ori Industries in a bet on AI-driven chip demand. Booking was lifted to Buy as analysts see it remaining a "key driver of travel." Roku ended a three-year profit slide through new ad deals and cost cuts.
Emerging Markets
EM currencies slipped as the dollar firmed while Asian stocks extended their rally. China is becoming more attractive as inflows rise, according to Deutsche Bank's CIO. Gabon's dollar bonds fell after Fitch warned of default risks amid IMF loan concerns."