The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) and European stocks were higher on Wednesday as the selloff in software stocks hit Asia overnight, following losses on Wall Street. It comes amid growing concerns that their business models will be devoured by AI after startup Anthropic, which created the Claude chatbot, revealed a tool that could be used by firms to carry out legal work. The recent decline means the 9 worst-p...
The FTSE 100 (^FTSE) and European stocks were higher on Wednesday as the selloff in software stocks hit Asia overnight, following losses on Wall Street. It comes amid growing concerns that their business models will be devoured by AI after startup Anthropic, which created the Claude chatbot, revealed a tool that could be used by firms to carry out legal work. The recent decline means the 9 worst-performing companies in the S&P 500 (^GSPC) year-to-date are all in the software and related services sectors, having now seen falls of 25% or more. Chinese software company Kingdee International Software (0268.HK) slumped more than 12% on the day, while shares of Indian information technology firm bellwether Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.BO) fell 7%. Infosys also crashed 7.5%. Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said: "The relief that came with the easing selloff across the metals space lasted until news broke that Anthropic, an AI startup backed by Amazon and Google, had rolled out a new AI tool designed to handle legal and research work traditionally done using paid databases." "The announcement spooked markets, triggering a sharp selloff in software companies that sell data analytics and decision-making tools to lawyers, banks and corporates, on fears that AI and new players are coming for their lunch — and at an accelerated pace." Elsewhere, precious metals are continuing their recovery following a two-day collapse on Friday and Monday. The US president's tapping of Kevin Warsh, a former Fed governor, sent the dollar surging. London’s benchmark index (^FTSE) was 0.6% higher in early trade, benefiting from the rotation out of software stocks and into other sectors. Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) rose 0.3% and the CAC (^FCHI) in Paris headed 0.7% into the green. The pan-European STOXX 600 (^STOXX) was up 0.1%. Wall Street is set for a positive start as S&P 500 futures (ES=F), Dow futures (YM=F) and Nasdaq futures (NQ=F) were all in the green. The pound was 0.2% up a...
Social Security survivors benefits can be an important source of financial stability after your partner passes away. Social Security provides guaranteed income for life to retired workers and their spouses. Consequently, benefits tend to become increasingly important over time as other sources of savings like 401(k) plans and IRAs are gradually depleted. Survivors benefits can play an important ro...
Social Security survivors benefits can be an important source of financial stability after your partner passes away. Social Security provides guaranteed income for life to retired workers and their spouses. Consequently, benefits tend to become increasingly important over time as other sources of savings like 401(k) plans and IRAs are gradually depleted. Survivors benefits can play an important role in helping seniors make ends meet after their spouse passes away. Here are the important details. The difference between Social Security retired-worker benefits, spousal benefits, and survivors benefits Social Security benefits can be grouped into three categories: (1) retirement, (2) survivors, and (3) disability. The first category includes two subgroupings: retired-worker benefits and spousal benefits. Here's a look at the differences. Retired worker benefits Retired-worker benefits depend on lifetime earnings and claim age. Inflation-adjusted earnings are run through a formula to find the primary insurance amount (PIA). The PIA is the benefit workers receive if they claim Social Security at full retirement age (FRA), which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Workers who claim Social Security before FRA get a smaller benefit (less than 100% of their PIA) and workers who claim after FRA receive a larger benefit (more than 100% of their PIA). The precise reduction or increase depends on how many months early or late benefits start. However, there are two important conditions: First, eligibility begins at age 62, so no one can claim earlier. Second, benefits are maximized at age 70, so it never makes sense to claim later. Spousal benefits Spousal benefits allow spouses to claim Social Security on the earnings record of a retired partner, so long as certain conditions are met: The spouse must be at least 62 years old, and the partner on whose record the spouse claims must be receiving benefits. Spouses who claim Social Security at FRA will receive a benefit equal to 5...
Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. cut its stake in shares of QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM - Free Report) by 19.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 48,709 shares of the wireless technology company's stock after selling 11,785 shares during the quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc.'s holdings i...
Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc. cut its stake in shares of QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM - Free Report) by 19.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 48,709 shares of the wireless technology company's stock after selling 11,785 shares during the quarter. Adell Harriman & Carpenter Inc.'s holdings in QUALCOMM were worth $8,103,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Guinness Asset Management LTD increased its holdings in shares of QUALCOMM by 11.6% in the 2nd quarter. Guinness Asset Management LTD now owns 55,410 shares of the wireless technology company's stock worth $8,824,000 after buying an additional 5,779 shares during the last quarter. CORDA Investment Management LLC. lifted its holdings in shares of QUALCOMM by 18.6% in the 2nd quarter. CORDA Investment Management LLC. now owns 22,474 shares of the wireless technology company's stock valued at $3,579,000 after acquiring an additional 3,524 shares during the last quarter. Westerkirk Capital Inc. purchased a new position in QUALCOMM in the second quarter worth about $4,539,000. MASTERINVEST Kapitalanlage GmbH bought a new stake in QUALCOMM during the second quarter worth approximately $3,896,000. Finally, Inscription Capital LLC raised its position in QUALCOMM by 58.1% during the third quarter. Inscription Capital LLC now owns 13,055 shares of the wireless technology company's stock valued at $2,172,000 after purchasing an additional 4,799 shares during the period. 74.35% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get QUALCOMM alerts: Sign Up Insider Buying and Selling In other news, EVP Ann C. Chaplin sold 7,180 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $178.03,...
Hantz Financial Services Inc. decreased its holdings in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL - Free Report) by 15.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 210,411 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock after selling 37,618 shares during the period. Oracle makes up about 0.9% of Hantz Financial Services Inc.'s investment portfolio, making ...
Hantz Financial Services Inc. decreased its holdings in Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL - Free Report) by 15.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 210,411 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock after selling 37,618 shares during the period. Oracle makes up about 0.9% of Hantz Financial Services Inc.'s investment portfolio, making the stock its 21st largest position. Hantz Financial Services Inc.'s holdings in Oracle were worth $59,176,000 as of its most recent SEC filing. Several other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of ORCL. Swiss National Bank raised its stake in shares of Oracle by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 5,093,200 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock valued at $1,113,526,000 after purchasing an additional 360,000 shares in the last quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. increased its holdings in Oracle by 626.1% in the third quarter. Patton Fund Management Inc. now owns 11,537 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock valued at $3,245,000 after buying an additional 9,948 shares during the last quarter. Private Wealth Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in Oracle by 9.2% during the 2nd quarter. Private Wealth Asset Management LLC now owns 3,817 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock worth $835,000 after buying an additional 321 shares during the last quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC lifted its stake in Oracle by 4.8% during the second quarter. Soltis Investment Advisors LLC now owns 32,937 shares of the enterprise software provider's stock worth $7,201,000 after purchasing an additional 1,515 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Cascade Investment Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Oracle in the 2nd quarter valued at about $239,000. 42.44% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Get Oracle alerts: Sign Up Key Stories Impacting Oracle He...
Gibson Capital LLC increased its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 48.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,529 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after acquiring an additional 5,372 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises 0.8% of Gibson Capital LLC's holdings, mak...
Gibson Capital LLC increased its stake in Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL - Free Report) by 48.1% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 16,529 shares of the iPhone maker's stock after acquiring an additional 5,372 shares during the quarter. Apple comprises 0.8% of Gibson Capital LLC's holdings, making the stock its 11th largest holding. Gibson Capital LLC's holdings in Apple were worth $4,209,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in AAPL. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Apple by 1,800.0% during the 1st quarter. ROSS JOHNSON & Associates LLC now owns 190 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 180 shares in the last quarter. Nexus Investment Management ULC lifted its position in shares of Apple by 333.3% during the 2nd quarter. Nexus Investment Management ULC now owns 260 shares of the iPhone maker's stock valued at $53,000 after acquiring an additional 200 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management bought a new position in Apple during the fourth quarter worth $65,000. Morgan Dempsey Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Apple by 41.0% in the second quarter. Morgan Dempsey Capital Management LLC now owns 430 shares of the iPhone maker's stock worth $88,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the period. Finally, HFM Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Apple in the first quarter valued at $99,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 67.73% of the company's stock. Get Apple alerts: Sign Up Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of research firms have recently issued reports on AAPL. Raymond James Financial reissued a "market perform" rating on shares of Apple in a research report on Friday, January 2nd. Phillip Securit...
Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC ADV boosted its stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT - Free Report) by 13.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,803 shares of the software giant's stock after buying an additional 1,520 shares during the quarter. Microsoft makes up about 2.5% of Smit...
Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC ADV boosted its stake in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT - Free Report) by 13.5% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 12,803 shares of the software giant's stock after buying an additional 1,520 shares during the quarter. Microsoft makes up about 2.5% of Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC ADV's holdings, making the stock its 10th biggest position. Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC ADV's holdings in Microsoft were worth $6,631,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. Several other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC boosted its stake in shares of Microsoft by 51.3% during the 2nd quarter. Longfellow Investment Management Co. LLC now owns 59 shares of the software giant's stock worth $29,000 after acquiring an additional 20 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new position in shares of Microsoft in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $38,000. University of Illinois Foundation acquired a new stake in Microsoft in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $50,000. LSV Asset Management acquired a new position in Microsoft during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $44,000. Finally, Westend Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Microsoft by 71.2% in the 3rd quarter. Westend Capital Management LLC now owns 125 shares of the software giant's stock valued at $65,000 after buying an additional 52 shares during the last quarter. 71.13% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Get Microsoft alerts: Sign Up Microsoft News Roundup Here are the key news stories impacting Microsoft this week: Microsoft Trading Down 2.9% NASDAQ MSFT opened at $411.21 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.39, a quick ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. The company has ...
arsenisspyros/iStock via Getty Images The headline HCOB Germany Services PMI Business Activity Index recorded at 52.4 in January; the index pointed to a fifth successive month of growth. However, this latest reading was down from 52.7 in December and the lowest since September last year and missed market estimates of 53.3. The HCOB Germany Composite PMI Output Index ticked up from December's 51.3 ...
arsenisspyros/iStock via Getty Images The headline HCOB Germany Services PMI Business Activity Index recorded at 52.4 in January; the index pointed to a fifth successive month of growth. However, this latest reading was down from 52.7 in December and the lowest since September last year and missed market estimates of 53.3. The HCOB Germany Composite PMI Output Index ticked up from December's 51.3 to 52.1 in January, as a renewed upturn in manufacturing production offset slower growth in services business activity, less than estimates of 52.5. "Without the service sector, Germany's economy would look in an even worse state than it is currently portrayed in the ongoing debate. In January, service providers ensured that the economy as a whole grew, with the service sector continuing to do most of the heavy lifting. Continued growth in the service sector can be expected in the coming months, as new business has increased for the fourth month in a row. For the first time since mid-2023, orders from abroad are playing an important role in supporting growth. In general, the mood in the service sector appears to be relatively good, which is underlined by the fact that companies are much more confident about the future than they were a month ago. The corresponding index has risen to its highest level since May 2024," said Cyrus de la Rubia, Chief Economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank. More on Germany Trump's Tariffs Are Sinking The Eurozone EWG: Germany Stocks Lag As Europe Leads European indexes gain as market sentiment improves Trump’s Tariffs: Key announcements from January Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on iShares MSCI Germany ETF
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), one of the leading producers of processors and graphics cards, today reported its fourth-quarter 2025 results, which can be described in one word: impressive, although the market reacted mixedly. The company not only exceeded analysts’ expectations but also demonstrated that its chips rank among the top in performance and innovation. AMD closed the year with record re...
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), one of the leading producers of processors and graphics cards, today reported its fourth-quarter 2025 results, which can be described in one word: impressive, although the market reacted mixedly. The company not only exceeded analysts’ expectations but also demonstrated that its chips rank among the top in performance and innovation. AMD closed the year with record revenues exceeding USD 10.27 billion in the quarter alone, a 34% year-over-year increase, significantly above analysts’ average expectations of USD 9.65 billion. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS) reached USD 1.53 versus forecasts of USD 1.32, showing that the company is not only growing rapidly but also maintaining strong profitability while expanding its business. This confirms that AMD’s EPYC and Ryzen processors, as well as AI accelerators, are world-class. The company’s products are attracting growing demand both in the personal computing sector and in AI-driven data centers. This clearly demonstrates that AMD effectively combines innovation with operational efficiency, establishing itself as a key player in the global chip market. AMD’s quarterly results indicate that the company is ending the year with strong momentum. Management emphasizes that revenue and margin growth are being driven by the expansion of the AI segment, increased sales in high-performance computing and gaming, and the growing scale of operations in data centers. Although the market had anticipated an even higher forecast, AMD shows that it still sees significant potential for further growth, sending a clear signal to investors that the company remains one of the main beneficiaries of the global AI boom. The quarterly performance chart confirms a clear upward trend in revenues and a gradual improvement in operating and net margins. While margins are rising, reflecting improving operational efficiency, they remain relatively moderate. A key challenge for the company will be to significantly increase th...
nunkung88/iStock via Getty Images HEICO ( HEI , HEI.A ) is a leading supplier in the aerospace and defense industry, renowned for its value creation through successful integrations and optimizations of acquired companies. Driven by the valuation, I marked shares as a hold in my report published in November 2025, but we note that the stock’s 10% gain since then outperformed the S&P 500’s 6.4% retur...
nunkung88/iStock via Getty Images HEICO ( HEI , HEI.A ) is a leading supplier in the aerospace and defense industry, renowned for its value creation through successful integrations and optimizations of acquired companies. Driven by the valuation, I marked shares as a hold in my report published in November 2025, but we note that the stock’s 10% gain since then outperformed the S&P 500’s 6.4% return. In this report, I discuss the company’s Q4 2025 earnings, Wall Street expectations for Q1 2026, and the risks and opportunities for HEICO, and I update my price target as I upgrade the stock from hold to buy and explain why. HEICO Shows Strong Organic and Inorganic Growth HEICO (8-K Filing) HEICO revenues ( 8-K, Page 10 ) increased to $1.2 billion, marking 19.3% year-on-year growth. Sales for the Flight Support Group grew 21%, including 16% organic growth, to $834.4 million. Electronic Technologies Group sales rose 14.4% to $384.8 million. Cost of sales rose 16.7% to $723.6 million. Consequently, gross margins improved from 38.9% to 40.2%. SG&A increased 18%, driven by acquisitions, accrued contingent considerations for acquisitions, and higher share-based compensation. Operating income rose 27.6% to $279 million, with margins improving from 21.6% to 23.1%. For FSG, the margins improved from 22.3% to 24.1%, while they declined 1 point to 23.3% for ETG. FSG benefited from aftermarket sales growth, a broader portfolio with a speculative product mix shifting more toward defense hardware, and MRO revenues benefited from higher PMA, or Parts Manufacturer Approved Parts. PMA is the FAA’s certification that an organization can design and produce aircraft parts meeting the same rigorous standards as the original equipment manufacturer. PMA approvals give companies the ability to access a market for parts that is relatively high burden and thus higher margin. The FSG business also benefits from pricing escalators that can absorb labor inflation. Currently, we are seeing growth in...
Desmond Yuen/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Pony AI ( PONY ) is a developer of self-driving technology that is in the process of commercializing its robotaxis in China. The company is also testing its robotaxis internationally and expects to begin deploying robotrucks in 2026. Pony's share price is up over 70% since I first wrote about the company . At the time I felt that while Pony's valuatio...
Desmond Yuen/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Pony AI ( PONY ) is a developer of self-driving technology that is in the process of commercializing its robotaxis in China. The company is also testing its robotaxis internationally and expects to begin deploying robotrucks in 2026. Pony's share price is up over 70% since I first wrote about the company . At the time I felt that while Pony's valuation was low, there was too much uncertainty in regard to technology, competition, and geopolitics. Even after the strong performance of the stock in 2025, Pony remains reasonably priced, and given that its robotaxi fleet is expected to triple in 2026, the stock should continue to perform reasonably well. I find it difficult to get excited about the opportunity, though, due to the tendency for the share prices of Chinese companies to remain divorced from company fundamentals for extended periods of time. Market Conditions Pony is using its autonomous vehicle technology to target the mobility and logistics markets, providing an enormous opportunity, both in China and internationally. While investor focus is largely on robotaxis at the moment, WeRide has estimated that the logistics opportunity in China is worth almost 300 billion USD . The Chinese robotaxi market is likely to be one of the largest in the world, due to a combination of population size and low car ownership rates, with Tier-1 cities accounting for the vast majority of the market in China. For example, Macquarie has suggested that robotaxis could achieve a 45% market share in China by 2035 and expects Pony to remain a top-two player in the market. The size of the market has never been the issue, though. Doubts have centred around the ability of robotaxis to scale and how the industry value chain will evolve. While strong competition would be a positive for consumers and the likes of Uber ( UBER ), it could see robotaxi companies capture less value than expected. Pony believes that autonomous vehicles could reduce ...
Over close to two decades, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council has quietly built a $160 billion portfolio, largely unnoticed in a city awash in sovereign wealth. That restraint is now starting to fade. Since Saeed Al Mazrouei took over as chief executive officer in late 2023, ADIC has expanded into new asset classes, refreshed its senior ranks, and grown more vocal in defending its capital . Targetin...
Over close to two decades, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council has quietly built a $160 billion portfolio, largely unnoticed in a city awash in sovereign wealth. That restraint is now starting to fade. Since Saeed Al Mazrouei took over as chief executive officer in late 2023, ADIC has expanded into new asset classes, refreshed its senior ranks, and grown more vocal in defending its capital . Targeting returns of at least 10%, the independently-run unit of Mubadala Investment Co. has launched a secondaries business, increased its exposure to Bitcoin and accelerated a push into insurance. The goal is to lift returns without abandoning the endowment-style approach that’s defined the fund since inception and sets it apart from the emirate’s other investing giants, Al Mazrouei, 45, said in a rare interview with Bloomberg News. That model, popular among universities, philanthropies and pension funds since the 1980s, relies on locking up capital in private markets for higher long-term returns. But while high-profile US endowments have been pressured by weaker performance, liquidity needs and even political scrutiny, ADIC’s position is stronger. It’s far larger than most endowments, has no payout requirements and is backed by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign might rather than tuition fees or fundraising. “We don’t get affected by volatility in the market,” Al Mazrouei said. “We have that strong liquidity, that we don’t need to sell private assets or public assets when they are underwater. So that’s an edge for us as an investor.” ADIC was set up in 2007 as a spin-off from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority , one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, and later folded under Mubadala as part of a broader restructuring. It has now grown to about half the size of its parent. Over that period, it has built deep relationships with buyout firms, infrastructure funds and venture investors. Those ties are becoming more valuable as Abu Dhabi’s funds take a more direct role in private marke...
A trio of historically cheap, supercharged income stocks can pad the pocketbooks of patient investors. With thousands of publicly traded companies and exchange-traded funds to choose from, Wall Street gives investors no shortage of ways to grow their wealth. But among these countless ways investors can rearrange the puzzle pieces to generate profits, few have been more successful over the long run...
A trio of historically cheap, supercharged income stocks can pad the pocketbooks of patient investors. With thousands of publicly traded companies and exchange-traded funds to choose from, Wall Street gives investors no shortage of ways to grow their wealth. But among these countless ways investors can rearrange the puzzle pieces to generate profits, few have been more successful over the long run than buying and holding high-quality dividend stocks. Companies that pay a continuous dividend are almost always profitable on a recurring basis and have demonstrated their ability to navigate challenging economic climates. Best of all, these are companies that tend to outperform. In "The Power of Dividends: Past, Present, and Future," analysts at Hartford Funds, in collaboration with Ned Davis Research, compared the performance and relative volatility of dividend stocks to non-payers over 51 years (1973-2024). Their analysis found that income stocks more than doubled the annualized return of the non-payers (9.2% versus 4.31%) while being notably less volatile. But this doesn't mean you can throw a dart at a financial newspaper and land a winner. No two dividend stocks are alike, with ultra-high-yield stocks -- those with yields four or more times greater than the average yield of the S&P 500 -- carrying added risk. The good news is that ultra-high-yield gems can be unearthed, with proper vetting. Even amid a historically pricey market, the following three ultra-high-yield dividend stocks -- sporting an average yield of 7.97% -- stand out as screaming buys in February. Sirius XM Holdings: 5.31% yield The first supercharged dividend stock that's ripe for the picking by opportunistic income seekers is satellite-radio operator Sirius XM Holdings (SIRI 1.08%). Sirius XM's depressed share price has lifted its yield to approximately 5.3%, which is a stone's throw away from its all-time high of about 5.5% that was set last year. The primary lure of Sirius XM's operating model is ...
格隆汇2月4日｜数据显示，欧元区经济在1月连续第二个月放缓，需求几近停滞、招聘停止，2026年开局依然脆弱。欧元区1月综合PMI从12月的51.5降至51.3，触及四个月低点，也低于初值51.5。汉堡商业银行首席经济学家Cyrus de la Rubia表示：“增长轨迹可以说尚可，但形势仍不轻松。企业在1月几乎没有新增招聘。新业务几乎没有增长，也表明该领域的复苏依然脆弱。”整体增长放缓主要源于服务...
格隆汇2月4日｜数据显示，欧元区经济在1月连续第二个月放缓，需求几近停滞、招聘停止，2026年开局依然脆弱。欧元区1月综合PMI从12月的51.5降至51.3，触及四个月低点，也低于初值51.5。汉堡商业银行首席经济学家Cyrus de la Rubia表示：“增长轨迹可以说尚可，但形势仍不轻松。企业在1月几乎没有新增招聘。新业务几乎没有增长，也表明该领域的复苏依然脆弱。”整体增长放缓主要源于服务业，该行业活动扩张速度降至9月以来最低，抵消了制造业产出重新扩张的影响。服务业商业活动指数从12月的52.4回落至51.6。尽管增速放缓，企业信心却升至2024年5月以来的最高水平。de la Rubia补充称：“欧洲央行目前并未对通胀感到特别担忧，但PMI所显示的服务业成本通胀显著上升，以及销售价格通胀的明显抬头，仍会让官员感到一定压力。”