The tech giant may have some positive updates. Apple (AAPL +1.97%) shareholders should have Jan. 29 circled on their calendars, since the company will be providing fiscal 2026 first-quarter results. With Apple stock sluggish over the past few weeks, the update could have a strong impact on its price movement. Let's see what management could tell investors and whether or not it makes sense to buy Apple stock before the report. Is it all about Apple Intelligence? The market has been unenthused about Apple's AI updates over the past few months. Its signature platform, Apple Intelligence, has failed to impress the market, which likely has high expectations from the global leader in tech innovation. It's also up against several major players that are making strong progress. Management has delayed several important AI functions for a while, and it recently announced a partnership with Alphabet to use its Gemini large language model (LLM) to power more functionality, including an upgraded, conversational Siri tool that could be the feature investors have been waiting for. Management has said the new Siri, which could be a chatbot-like tool and is being totally revamped, should be ready in spring 2026. Bloomberg reported last week that the new tool goes beyond what was originally promised in the revamp, and it will be embedded into the Apple operating system like Siri. The market gave a lukewarm response to the news, likely because it's waiting to hear more about it from management this week. Since this is a major reason Apple stock has been depressed, positive news on this front could be a game changer for the stock. Expand NASDAQ : AAPL Apple Today's Change ( 1.97 %) $ 5.03 Current Price $ 260.44 Key Data Points Market Cap $3.8T Day's Range $ 258.66 - $ 261.95 52wk Range $ 169.21 - $ 288.62 Volume 1M Avg Vol 47M Gross Margin 46.91 % Dividend Yield 0.40 % iPhones, subscriptions, and more Management has already given some updates about other products. At the end of October,...

N Rotteveel/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) was struggling to find direction Tuesday as gold ( XAUUSD:CUR ) continues to outshine crypto as macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties drive demand for traditional safe havens. The largest crypto by market cap ( BTC-USD ) was little changed at $88.1K as of 10:14 a.m. ET, down 0.6% year-to-date and -14% Y/Y. A number of other major tokens lingered in neutral, including ether ( ETH-USD ), stalling at around $2.93K. While crypto trades sideways, the impressive rallies in precious metals—gold ( XAUUSD:CUR ) +17% YTD and +86% Y/Y to ~$5.07K per ounce, and silver ( XAGUSD:CUR ) +53% YTD and +265% Y/Y to ~$109 per ounce—come against a backdrop of heightened macro uncertainty, from new Trump tariff threats to a possible U.S. government shutdown to potential Japanese intervention after the yen's recent slide. Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) is regularly compared with gold, with advocates like Strategy's ( MSTR ) Michael Saylor touting it as a digital alternative to the metal and a hedge against inflation. Crypto investment funds recorded $1.73B of outflows for the week ended Jan. 26, as "d windling expectations for interest rate cuts, negative price momentum and disappointment that digital assets have not participated in the debasement trade yet have likely fuelled these outflows,” James Butterfill, CoinShares’ head of Research, had said in a statement. Still, "for both Bitcoin ( BTC-USD ) and Ethereum ( ETH-USD ), there is still a very strong institutional investment pouring in," noted Shawn Young, chief analyst at MEXC Research. "With corporate buyers and treasury holders stacking , scarcity is gradually at play in the market, and soon, this may translate into price growth." BTC and ETH have a historical average growth rate of 14% and 27%, respectively, for February, he said. Y/Y price returns (Seeking Alpha) More on Bitcoin USD, Gold Spot Price, etc. Whale's Tracking - Double Joker Elevated Silver Delivery Volume...

Diezani Alison-Madueke accepted cash bribes and “vast quantities” of luxury perks in exchange for handing over lucrative government contracts when she served as Nigerian oil minister, prosecutors said on the first day of a London trial. The 65-year-old former OPEC president is charged with five counts of accepting bribes from people linked to energy groups and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery between 2011 and 2015, according to an indictment. Alison-Madueke served as Minister for Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015, while in 2014 she became the first female president of OPEC. “We live in a global society. Bribery and corruption undermines the proper functioning of the global market,” Alexandra Healy, the lead prosecutor said in court on Tuesday. “There is an important public interest in ensuring that conduct in our country does not further corruption in another country.” Over the years, she is alleged to have taken £100,000 ($137,680) in cash as well as accepting flights on private jets, chauffeur driven cars and luxury goods from Louis Vuitton and Harrods, prosecutors said. She is alleged to have accepted £4.6 million on renovation work at London property she lived in, as well as the payment of private school fees. Alison-Madueke was charged by the NCA in 2023 and denies all the charges against her. Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde are also facing charges linked to the bribery conspiracy.

Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ: RGTI) sits at a critical crossroads as quantum ambition meets execution reality. I break down the catalysts, risks, and valuation math that will determine whether this stock delivers meaningful upside or remains a speculative bet. Stock prices used were the market prices of Jan. 19, 2026. The video was published on Jan. 24, 2026. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Should you buy stock in Rigetti Computing right now? Before you buy stock in Rigetti Computing, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Rigetti Computing wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $462,174!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,143,099!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 946% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of January 27, 2026. Rick Orford has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick Orford is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link, they will earn some extra money that supports their channel. Their opinions remain their own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of t...

As Tesla Transforms Into an AI Company, How Should You Play TSLA Stock Now? Barchart.com

The Conference Board’s gauge decreased to 84.5, from an upwardly revised 94.2 last month. The figure was the lowest since May 2014 and fell short of all estimates in a Bloomberg survey of economists. Mike McKee reports on "Bloomberg Open Interest." (Source: Bloomberg)

In Brief Samsung announced on Tuesday that its Galaxy Z TriFold smartphone will go on sale January 30 with a steep price tag of $2,899. The phone’s display unfolds twice to reveal a 10-inch display, which is the largest screen ever on a Galaxy phone. It measures 3.9 millimeters at its thinnest point and is engineered to withstand up to 200,000 folds over its lifetime. The phone will come in black with 512GB of storage in the U.S. The phone carries a higher price tag than any other smartphone on the U.S. market, surpassing even a fully loaded iPhone 17 Pro Max with 2TB of storage and Samsung’s own $2,000 Galaxy Z Fold. Image Credits:Samsung The Galaxy Z TriFold will be available throughout the U.S. at Samsung Experience Stores and Samsung.com. Notably, it won’t be available through mobile carriers. The phone is the first foldable of its kind to be available in the U.S., as Huawei’s trifold Mate XT isn’t sold in the U.S. It’s worth noting that Apple is rumored to be releasing its first folding phone later this year.

NEW YORK, Jan 27, 2026, 09:32 (EST) — Regular session Apple shares climbed roughly 1.7% early Tuesday, building on Monday’s nearly 3% surge JPMorgan raises its Apple target to $315, while Jefferies lowers it to $276.47 ahead of the January 29 earnings report Traders are gearing up for the Fed’s decision on Wednesday, alongside a heavy roster of mega-cap earnings reports Apple Inc shares climbed 1.7% to $259.73 in early Tuesday trading, building on a 3% gain from Monday. The stock closed Monday at $255.41, after fluctuating between $249.80 and $256.56 on volume near 56 million shares. On Tuesday, it was last seen trading in a range between $258.66 and $260.13. (Investing) Investors are gearing up for a packed week featuring mega-cap earnings and a Federal Reserve decision that could shift the outlook for rate-sensitive tech stocks. Microsoft, Meta Platforms, and Tesla all report on Wednesday. The Fed is widely expected to keep rates steady but its commentary might still influence market direction. (Reuters) Spending on artificial intelligence remains a key drag. Big Tech plans to boost AI budgets by 30%, pushing totals beyond $500 billion this year. Reuters highlighted a recent Alphabet deal aimed at powering Apple’s updated Siri. “Proprietary ecosystems, such as Apple and Search in Google, are tough to penetrate,” noted David Wagner, head of equities at Aptus Capital Advisors. (Reuters) JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee bumped his Apple price target to $315 from $305, according to MarketScreener. Keep in mind, a price target reflects where an analyst expects a stock to land within a year—it’s not a guarantee. (MarketScreener) Jefferies analyst Edison Lee remained cautious, maintaining a Neutral rating while cutting his price target to $276.47 from $283.36, according to MarketScreener. These mixed calls highlight just how close the debate is ahead of earnings. (MarketScreener) JPMorgan raised its target for Apple, citing “higher earnings power” and a “key product cyc...

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JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Shares of Leidos Holdings, Inc. ( LDOS ) have been an active participant in the 2025 rally in defense stocks. After a solid, but not too inspiring, performance last year, the company started 2026 with an interesting and strategic acquisition, one that gets my approval. While the deal will add some near-term leverage and rather insignificant revenues and earnings, I like the direction of travel. After a strong share price performance, shares still trade at very reasonable valuation multiples, as Leidos has never commanded premium valuations. I am interested, but not running to chase the shares here, looking to provide further updates as the year progresses and I get more familiar with the business. Defense Leidos describes itself as a global science & technology business that provides services like IT, engineering, and science solutions used in defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. Having seen a rich corporate history, Leidos has grown to more than a $16 billion revenue base in 2024. These revenues are split across no less than four categories, the largest of which is a +$7 billion national security & digital business. This is complemented by a rapidly growing and very profitable $5 billion health & civil business. These two core segments are complemented by a +$2 billion commercial & international and +$2 billion defense systems business. The company has come a long way over the past decade, with revenues having tripled, in part due to a 2016 merger with Lockheed Martin's Information Systems business. The company has seen operating margins rise from mid-single digits to low-double digits, yet the share count on a net basis has risen some 70% as well, marking a significant increase. Nonetheless, investors have seen handsome returns as a $60 stock in 2015, advanced to the $100 mark around the time of the pandemic, only to see strong momentum in 2024. Currently, shares are trading at $190 per share, after recently...

Written by Emily J. Thompson , Senior Investment Analyst Source: seekingalpha AVGO $ 332.72 + Infinity % 1D 1D 5D 1M 3M 6M YTD 1Y 5Y 1D Line Candle Analyst Views on AVGO Wall Street analysts forecast AVGO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVGO is 462.58 USD with a low forecast of 390.00 USD and a high forecast of 525.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals. 28 Analyst Rating Wall Street analysts forecast AVGO stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for AVGO is 462.58 USD with a low forecast of 390.00 USD and a high forecast of 525.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals. 27 Buy 1 Hold 0 Sell Strong Buy Current: 324.850 Low 390.00 Averages 462.58 High 525.00 Current: 324.850 Low 390.00 Averages 462.58 High 525.00 Jefferies Blayne Curtis Buy maintain $250 -> $275 2026-01-16 Reason Jefferies Blayne Curtis Price Target $250 -> $275 AI Analysis 2026-01-16 maintain Buy Reason Jefferies analyst Blayne Curtis raised the firm's price target on Nvidia (NVDA) to $275 from $250 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares as the firm rolls out its Accelerator builds and corresponding models to include 2028 coming out of CES and heading into the new year. The analyst's Top Pick in the group remains Broadcom (AVGO), where it now models calendar year 2028 to greater than $19 in EPS with its bottom-up build suggesting $25 of EPS potential, the analyst tells investors. Nvidia "remains pretty cheap," trading at mid-teens multiple to its bottom-up implied calendar year 2027 estimate, the analyst added. M...

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文章提及标的 玉米 -- 官方数据显示，截至1月23日，欧盟2025/26年度玉米（885811）进口量为963万吨，上年同期为1168万吨。

格隆汇1月27日｜现货钯金向下触及1900美元/盎司，日内跌2.75%。

solarseven/iStock via Getty Images Investor sentiment has shifted recently as markets grow more cautious about the inflation outlook for the year ahead, according to Pantheon Macroeconomics. Inflation expectations embedded in one-year CPI swaps have edged higher, signaling that investors are increasingly pricing in firmer price pressures. The implied one-year inflation rate now stands at 2.47%, up from 2.38% following the release of December’s CPI data in mid-January, and notably above the 2.24% level seen at the close of last year the investment firm indicated. Pantheon argues that this move reflects heightened concern rather than a material change in underlying inflation dynamics. In its view, market pricing has become overly pessimistic, overstating the persistence of price pressures over the next 12 months. While investors appear to be bracing for inflation to remain stubbornly elevated, Pantheon expects disinflationary forces to continue gradually reasserting themselves. As a result, the investment institution forecasts both headline and core CPI inflation to finish the year at 2.2%. That outcome would place inflation about 0.3 percentage points below current swap-implied expectations, suggesting potential downside risk to market pricing. If Pantheon’s outlook proves correct, inflation expectations may eventually need to adjust lower, with implications for rates markets and broader asset pricing. Index Tracking ETFs: ( DIA ), ( DDM ), ( DOG ), ( DXD ), ( SDOW ), ( SPY ), ( VOO ), ( IVV ), ( RSP ), ( SSO ), ( UPRO ), ( SH ), ( SDS ), ( SPXU ), ( QQQ ), ( QQQM ), ( TQQQ ), ( QID ), and ( SQQQ ). Fixed Income ETFs: ( TLT ), ( TLH ), ( IEF ), ( IEI ), ( SHY ), ( SGOV ), ( SCHO ), ( BIL ), ( AGG ), ( BND ), ( VCIT ), ( MUB ), ( MBB ), ( JNK ), ( LQD ), ( HYG ), ( VTIP ), ( TIP ), ( SCHP ), ( STIP ), ( TIPX ), ( SPIP ), ( WIP ), ( GTIP ), ( LQDI ), and ( RINF ). More on markets Silver and gold rally further as government shutdown fears intensify Government shutdown f...

Key Stats for AMD Stock Past-Week Performance: 12% 12% 52-Week Range: $76 to $267 $76 to $267 Valuation Model Target Price: $401 $401 Implied Upside: 55% over 1.9 years Before reacting to Bernstein’s price-target raise, check whether AMD’s recent 12% move already reflects AI expectations using TIKR’s Valuation Model for free → What Happened? Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock rose about 12% over the past week, trading near the $250 level as shares extended gains following a strong rally earlier this month. Last week’s move followed Bernstein raising its price target to $225 from $220, reflecting increased confidence in AMD’s AI execution. Bernstein acknowledged progress in AMD’s AI roadmap while noting customer concentration risk, with OpenAI currently the only sizable Helios server customer. The brokerage also highlighted that the OpenAI ramp begins later this year, reducing pressure on near-term AI revenue expectations despite longer-term optimism. Bernstein’s note left AMD’s guidance, demand trends, and long-term outlook unchanged. The move reflects a recalibration of expectations rather than a deterioration in the underlying business, following reinforcement of the existing AI narrative. AMD Guided Valuation Model (TIKR) Before reading further, check whether AMD’s post-move valuation still hinges on customer expansion beyond OpenAI using TIKR for free → Is AMD Stock Fairly Valued Right Now? Under the valuation model shown, the stock is modeled using: Revenue Growth: 34.3% 34.3% Operating Margins: 27.4% 27.4% Exit P/E Multiple: 34.5x Under valuation model assumptions through 2027, AMD outcomes depend on execution across growth, margins, and valuation inputs. The model assumes 34.3% revenue CAGR, 27.4% operating margins, and a 34.5x exit P/E multiple by 2027. Based on these inputs, the model estimates a $401 target price, implying 54.6% total upside, or 25.2% annualized returns. Execution depends on sustained AI-driven demand, customer expansion beyond OpenAI, pri...

United Parcel Service ( UPS ) announced on its earnings conference call on Tuesday that the shipping giant plans to eliminate an additional 30,000 jobs this year as part of the winding down of its partnership with Amazon ( AMZN ). CFO Brian Dykes highlighted that UPS ( UPS ) plans to reduce total operational hours by approximately 25M associated with the Amazon ( AMZN ) business decline. "This will be accomplished through attrition, and we expect to offer a second voluntary separation program for full-time drivers," stated Dykes on the job eliminations. UPS ( UPS ) is intentionally shrinking its Amazon ( AMZN ) exposure by more than 50% by late 2026 under a new agreement, with a goal to trade volume for mix and margin improvement. Notably, UPS ( UPS ) and Amazon ( AMZN ) have an agreement in principle to cut Amazon packages flowing through UPS’ network by more than 50% by the second half of 2026. UPS ( UPS ) management calls the arrangement a “glide down” of the business, not a full breakup. Shares of UPS ( UPS ) were up 1.9% in Tuesday morning trading. More on UPS United Parcel Service, Inc. 2025 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation UPS Is Out Of The Hole, And My Portfolio (Downgrade) United Parcel Services: Valuation, Fundamentals, And Technicals Are Unitedly Buy UPS gains after topping earnings expectations; FedEx higher also UPS Non-GAAP EPS of $2.38 beats by $0.18, revenue of $24.5B beats by $490M

She has based ballets on Frida Kahlo, Coco Chanel and Eva Perón. So Annabelle Lopez Ochao was well placed to take on the passionate, complicated figure of Anne Lister A couple dance across the studio, their movements formal, the mood resigned. The man pulls his partner towards him but she spins away, landing face to face with another woman. Now the two women dance and everything is different: bright and playful as their eyes meet. It ends in a clinch behind a bookcase. The great love is not between the woman, Mariana, and her husband, but between Mariana and Anne Lister, also known as Gentleman Jack. I’m watching this play out in a rehearsal room at Northern Ballet in Leeds, where choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa is in the midst of creating a ballet version of Gentleman Jack, as popularised in Sally Wainwright’s hit TV series (Wainwright is a consultant on the ballet). Lister was a 19th-century landowner running her family’s estate in Halifax, but is better known for the diaries that revealed her passionate lesbian love affairs and for boldly living an unconventional life for the times. Continue reading...

格隆汇1月27日｜官方数据显示，截至1月23日，欧盟2025/26年度玉米进口量为963万吨，上年同期为1168万吨。

jetcityimage/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Starbucks’ ( SBUX ) first-quarter earnings on January 28 are expected to show improving sales trends, while margins and earnings likely remain pressured due to investments. The company is expected to post earnings of $0.59 per share on revenue of $9.65B, which translates to a nearly 3% year-on-year rise. Analysts at UBS have projected first-quarter same-store sales growth of 3% in North America, including ticket growth of 1% and transactions of 2%. Same-store sales were likely uplifted following recent store closures, they added. The brokerage has projected FY26 North America same-store sales of 3.9%. UBS expects the company’s ‘Back to Starbucks’ plan to support growth. It will also be tracking the progress of Starbucks’ 'Green Apron Service' model, with the expectation for further improvement in service and better customer and staff experience. It expects to see a transaction improvement in FY26 driven by contributions from menu innovation, including Protein Latte and Cold Foam Drinks, marketing events like Red Cup Day, and a solid pipeline of new menu items and marketing like the Kardashian Khloud Popcorn partnership and Beast Games. Over the last 3 months, EPS estimates have seen 2 upward revisions and 17 downward moves, and revenue estimates have seen 6 upward revisions and 11 downward moves. Over the last 2 years, Starbucks has beaten EPS estimates 13% of the time and has beaten revenue estimates 38% of the time. On a YTD basis, the stock has appreciated by over 14% compared to a 1.53% rise in the broader markets. More on Starbucks 'The King Is Naked': Uncomfortable Truths About Starbucks' Dividend (Earnings Preview) Starbucks: China Sale And U.S. Comps Improvement Are Encouraging (Rating Upgrade) Starbucks: Closing Underperforming Stores Is A Step In The Right Direction Earnings week ahead: TSLA, META, MSFT, AAPL, T, BA, V, MA, GM, CVX, XOM, and more Starbucks Investor Day and FQ1 to spotlight turnaround progress

WSJ’s Take On the Week co-hosts Telis Demos and Miriam Gottfried dive into the companies they are watching this peak week in earnings season: Our hosts highlight some rising and not-so-rising stars in the artificial-intelligence story: Seagate Technology and Meta Platforms, which are due to post earnings on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Aree Sarak/iStock via Getty Images The following segment was excerpted from the Wasatch Core Growth Fund Q4 2025 Commentary. Shift4 Payments, Inc. ( FOUR ) was the largest detractor from Fund performance for the fourth quarter. A longtime holding in many of our small cap funds, Shift4 is a U.S. company that provides payment processing solutions for hospitality, retail and e‑commerce businesses. Fundamentals for the company remain solid, in our view. But the stock was down after a competitor reported disappointing results, raising concerns for the industry. While there are concerns that consumer spending could soften and affect some of Shift4’s end markets, we still like the firm’s long-term growth potential. Trex Co., Inc. ( TREX ) was also a large detractor. Trex manufactures high-performance, low-maintenance composite decking, railing, and related outdoor living products. The stock was down sharply in November after the company reported third quarter earnings that were short of market expectations. In addition, management offered disappointing guidance for the fourth quarter, pointing to a weaker housing market and softer consumer spending on home improvement as the reasons. While the company is facing some current challenges, we still view Trex as a high-quality business. We’re doing more due diligence on the company, but we still like its position as the largest company in a market that is largely a duopoly. Certara, Inc. ( CERT ) also detracted. The company develops highly technical biosimulation and modeling software that biopharmaceutical companies use for drug development. Certara's software covers the full drug development process—from discovery to regulatory and market access—but is primarily focused on the pre- through post-clinical trial phases. The stock was down after management reported earnings. An announcement that the company was appointing a new CEO also weighed on the stock. Certara may be facing some near-term challenges, but we continue to like...

As of January 27, 2026, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) stands not merely as a software giant, but as the foundational utility for the burgeoning intelligence economy. On the eve of its fiscal second-quarter 2026 earnings report, the company finds itself at a pivotal juncture. Having successfully transitioned from the "Cloud First" era of the 2010s to the "AI First" era of the early 2020s, Microsoft is now pioneering the "Agentic Era." The focus of investors has shifted from simple generative chatbots to sophisticated autonomous agents—autonomous software entities capable of executing complex workflows without human intervention. Central to this strategy is the newly rebranded "Microsoft Foundry," a comprehensive AI infrastructure and development platform that has become the third pillar of the company’s business alongside Microsoft 365 and Azure. Coupled with a historic breakthrough in quantum computing via the Majorana-1 chip, Microsoft is attempting to lock in its technological dominance for the next several decades. Historical Background Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft’s history is a three-act play of dominance, stagnation, and rebirth. The first act, defined by the Windows operating system and the Office suite, saw Microsoft achieve a near-monopoly on the personal computing market, though it ended with bruising antitrust battles in the late 1990s. The second act, the Steve Ballmer era (2000–2014), was a period of financial growth but missed opportunities in mobile and search, often described as a "lost decade" for innovation. The third and current act began in 2014 with Satya Nadella. Under Nadella, Microsoft executed one of the most successful corporate turnarounds in history, pivoting to the Azure cloud platform and adopting an open, collaborative stance toward competitors and open-source software. In late 2022, the partnership with OpenAI marked the beginning of Microsoft’s aggressive push into Generative AI. By 2024, the company...

Conference Board Consumer Confidence Crashes To 12 Year Lows After Boomers and Gen X dragged The Conference Board Confidence measure down to eight month lows to end 2025 , expectations were for a rebound to start 2026. But, reality was far worse with the headline plunging from 94.2 (revised up from 89.1) to 84.5 (well below the 91.0 expected) - the lowest since May 2014. The Present Situation Index - based on consumers’ assessment of current business and labor market conditions - plummeted by 9.9 points to 113.7 in January (from an upwardly revised 123.6). The Expectations Index - based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions - tumbled to 65.1 (from 74.6). Source: Bloomberg The Expectations Index has now tracked under 80 for 12 consecutive months, the threshold below which the gauge signals recession ahead. “Confidence collapsed in January, as consumer concerns about both the present situation and expectations for the future deepened,” said Dana M Peterson, Chief Economist, The Conference Board . “All five components of the Index deteriorated, driving the overall Index to its lowest level since May 2014 (82.2)—surpassing its COVID-19 pandemic depths.” Among demographic groups, confidence on a six-month moving average basis dipped for all age groups in January, although consumers under 35 continued to be more confident than consumers age 35 and older. Confidence among all generations trended downward in the month, but Gen Z remained the most optimistic of all generations surveyed. By income , confidence on a six-month moving average basis ticked downward for all brackets, and consumers earning less than $15K remained the least optimistic among all income groups. Consumer confidence continued to fade in January among all political affiliations, with the sharpest decline among Independents. Peterson added: “ Consumers’ write-in responses on factors affecting the economy continued to skew towards pessimism. References to prices...

“Peak casual” is over — and loafers are back, Bloomberg Opinion columnist Andrea Felsted says. (Source: Bloomberg)