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Producer Price Index Surges in January, Crushing Rate-Cut Hopes and Sending Markets Lower

January's Producer Price Index rose 0.5% against a 0.3% consensus estimate, while core PPI surged 0.8% — more than double expectations. The hotter-than-forecast wholesale inflation data reinforced bets that the Federal Reserve will hold rates higher for longer, sending the Dow down more than 700 points and extending what is shaping up to be the S&P 500's worst monthly performance since March 2025.

Paramount Wins $110.9 Billion Battle for Warner Bros. Discovery as Netflix Exits Bidding War

Warner Bros. Discovery's board formally determined that Paramount Skydance's sweetened $31-per-share all-cash offer — valuing the entire company at roughly $110.9 billion — represents a superior proposal over Netflix's prior bid. Netflix, rather than match the offer, chose to walk away, surrendering its shot at the HBO Max library and leaving Paramount poised to build the largest legacy media empire in U.S. history.

Nvidia Posts Record Quarter but Shares Slide on AI Spending Concerns and Macro Headwinds

Nvidia reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $68.13 billion and EPS of $1.62, both surpassing consensus estimates by wide margins — with data center revenue alone climbing 75% year-over-year to $62.3 billion. Despite what Morgan Stanley called the largest and cleanest beat in semiconductor history, shares fell more than 5% over two sessions as investors grew increasingly uneasy about whether hyperscaler AI capital expenditure is sustainable at current levels.

Block to Cut 40% of Workforce in AI-Driven Restructuring, Rattling Fintech Sector

Block, the payments and financial services company led by Jack Dorsey, announced it will eliminate approximately 40% of its workforce as part of a sweeping strategic restructuring tied to the adoption of artificial intelligence. The announcement sent S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures each down 0.4% before Friday's open and raised fresh concerns about AI-driven displacement across the broader fintech and financial services industry.

U.S.-Iran Nuclear Talks Resume With No Deal, Lifting Oil While Markets Brace for Geopolitical Risk

Diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program concluded in Geneva without a resolution, with technical-level discussions now scheduled to resume in Vienna next week. While the continuation of negotiations eased the most acute fears of an imminent military confrontation, analysts at Raymond James warned that a U.S. military operation against Iran remains likely at this stage, keeping crude oil elevated and energy stocks in focus.

HSBC Strategists Slash U.S. Equity Overweight, Favor Global Markets

HSBC’s global strategists sharply reduced their overweight position in U.S. equities, reallocating toward emerging markets and European stocks as economic momentum abroad appears stronger. The shift reflects concerns about U.S. equity valuations and changing growth prospects, signaling cross-border flow impacts for market participants adjusting risk exposures.

Nvidia Posts Record $68 Billion Quarter but Shares Fall as Wall Street Demands More

Nvidia delivered its largest quarterly revenue beat in semiconductor history, reporting $68.13 billion in fiscal Q4 2026 revenue — up 73% year over year — and adjusted EPS of $1.62, topping the $1.53 consensus. Yet shares slid nearly 5% on Thursday as investors, skeptical of AI capital expenditure sustainability, demanded proof of monetization rather than infrastructure growth alone.

Salesforce Crushes Q4 Estimates by 25%, Authorizes $50 Billion Buyback as Agentforce Scales

Salesforce reported fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 non-GAAP EPS of $3.81, surpassing the $3.05 consensus estimate by nearly 25%, as its Agentforce AI platform reached approximately $800 million in ARR — up 169% year over year. The company authorized a $50 billion share repurchase program, though shares fell over 3% in premarket trading Thursday amid broader software sector anxiety.

Tariff Regime in Flux as Trump Replaces Struck-Down IEEPA Levies With 10–15% Section 122 Duties

Following a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated President Trump's broad emergency tariffs imposed under IEEPA, the administration swiftly replaced them with a 10% across-the-board import duty under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirming the rate will rise to 15% for certain trading partners. The legal and economic uncertainty is reverberating across equity, commodity, and currency markets.