Some of the biggest names in finance and politics made headlines this week. Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, criticized the Federal Reserve for several ethical lapses and policy missteps. Bessent pointed to ?mistimed asset purchases? as the primary reason for the $100 billion annual loss.
* About one fifth of S&P 500 set to post quarterly results. * Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Tesla among those due to report. * Fed expected to hold rates steady on Wednesday as independence questions hover. By Lewis Krauskopf.
Investors who have been consumed by geopolitical turmoil to start the year may switch focus in the coming week to prospects for artificial intelligence-related profits and the path for interest rates, with a huge crop of earnings reports and a Federal Reserve meeting on tap.
DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 24, 2026 ?At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 in?Davos, His Excellency Ahmed Al-Khateeb, Minister of Tourism of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, delivered a clear message to global leaders: tourism must be led as economic infrastructure if it is to drive growth, resilience, and human connection in an increasingly fragmented world.
U.S. Supreme Court justices appear reluctant to grant President Donald Trump's request to let him immediately remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
* Justices mull ruling after hearing Cook case arguments. * Court seems hesitant to let Trump fire Cook immediately. * Ruling could direct trial court to take a further look. By Jan Wolfe. U.S. Supreme Court justices appear reluctant to grant President Donald Trump's request to let him immediately remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook.
TOURISE advanced tourism?s role as a vital sector connecting industries, economies, and regions to address shared global challenges at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. This press release features multimedia.
AM Best has downgraded the Financial Strength Rating to B from B++ and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to ?bb+? from ?bbb? of Atlantic Coast Life Insurance Company and Sentinel Security Life Insurance Company.
The New York Federal Reserve conducted rate checks on the dollar/yen pair around midday on Friday, a source familiar with the matter ?told Reuters. Analysts say the move may have triggered a sharp ?drop in the greenback and could signal that U.S. ?and Japanese monetary authorities may be ?preparing to ?act after weeks of sustained dollar strength against the yen.
The New York Federal Reserve conducted rate checks on the dollar/yen pair around midday on Friday, a ?source familiar with the matter told Reuters. Analysts say the move may ?have triggered a sharp drop in the greenback and ?could signal that U.S. and Japanese ?monetary authorities may ?be preparing to act after weeks of sustained dollar strength against ?the yen.
US equity indexes fell this week as threats of a trade war with Europe exacerbated a move in Treasuries following seismic shifts in government bond yields from Japan, one of the world's biggest holders of US debt. * The S&P 500 closed at 6,915.61 on Friday versus 6,940.01 a week ago.
Major US equity indexes were mixed Friday amid a gain in consumer sentiment, while silver rose to a record topping $102 an ounce. * The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index rose to 56.4 in January from 52.9 in December. * The January flash reading of manufacturing conditions from S&P Global rose to 51.9 from 51.8 in December, compared with the 52.0 anticipated in a Bloomberg poll.
The New York Federal Reserve ?performed rate ?checks on ?the dollar/yen ?currency ?pair around midday, a ?source ?familiar with the matter ?told ?Reuters. Against ?that backdrop, the U.S. dollar began ?its decline from around 157.50 at midday ?to ?a four-week low of ?155.66 . The greenback was last down 1.6% at 155.85 ?yen.
* Bond investors consolidate positions ahead of Fed. * Friday's data supportive of Fed rate pause. * US yield curve flattens for 3rd day. By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss.
Munis were the best-performing U.S. fixed-income asset class through the first three weeks of January, but the strong performance has created some problems, Barclays (BCS) strategists said.
* Intel (INTC) slides as forecast misses estimates. * Fed decision, tech earnings due next week. By David French. The Dow Jones Industrial Average stumbled to a lower close on Friday, while the S&P 500 ended largely unchanged, as investors' risk appetite was dimmed at the end of a topsy-turvy week by Intel's (INTC) plunge on a downbeat outlook.
* Global stocks up slightly as Greenland tensions ease. * Oil settles up almost $2 on Trump threats on Iran. * Yen spikes against dollar, with traders on intervention watch. * Dollar falls broadly, U.S. Treasury yields dip. By Sin?ad Carew and Iain Withers.
Financial stocks were lower in late Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.9% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF dropping 1.4%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 1.7%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was up 0.4%. Bitcoin was increasing 0.4% to $89,878, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries shed 1 basis point to ...
RBC Capital Markets said USD/CAD has formed a short-term bearish trend reversal, while it continues to expect CAD/CLP and CAD/NOK to fall in the first half, with next week's Bank of Canada events unlikely to change those dynamics.
Financial stocks were lower in late Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.9% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF dropping 1.4%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 1.7%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was up 0.4%. Bitcoin was increasing 0.4% to $89,878, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries shed 1 basis point to ...
* Yen volatile as markets speculate about rate checks. * Bank of Japan keeps rates steady. * Dollar selling intact as Greenland saga rumbles on. * Trump touts 'total access' Greenland deal with NATO. By Hannah Lang. NEW YORK, Jan 23 - The yen was volatile on Friday, with two sudden spikes raising market speculation that authorities had conducted a rate check, often a precursor to intervention.
* * S&P Global survey shows exports hit nine-month low in January. * Consumer sentiment improves in January, University of Michigan survey shows. By Lucia Mutikani. U.S. business activity was steady in January as an improvement in new orders was offset by a lackluster labor market and lingering concerns among firms over higher costs because of import tariffs, a survey showed on Friday.
Financial stocks were lower in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.9% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF dropping 1.5%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 1.8%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was up 0.1%. Bitcoin was increasing 1.5% to $90,730, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at 4.25...
Financial stocks were lower in Friday afternoon trading, with the NYSE Financial Index decreasing 0.9% and the State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF dropping 1.5%. The Philadelphia Housing Index was falling 1.8%, and the State Street Real Estate Select Sector SPDR ETF was up 0.1%. Bitcoin was increasing 1.5% to $90,730, and the yield for 10-year US Treasuries was slightly higher at 4.25...
World leaders and business executives departed from Davos after an eventful World Economic Forum annual meeting which was dominated by U.S. President Donald Trump. Here's what we learned: GEOPOLITICS Europe learned the value of standing up to Trump.
Lower valuations, government support and loose fiscal policy set against a cyclical backdrop in China is encouraging investors to rotate into technology and diversify away from the U.S., UBS fund managers told Reuters this week in Davos, Switzerland. "We like ?China tech in particular because there's some success there.
Lower valuations, government support and loose fiscal policy set against a cyclical backdrop in China is encouraging investors to rotate into technology and diversify away from the U.S., UBS fund managers told Reuters this week in Davos, Switzerland. "We like ?China tech in particular because there's some success there.
* Global stocks flat as Greenland tensions ease. * Oil gains on Trump threats on Iran. * Potential for yen intervention in focus. * U.S. Treasury yields dip. By Sin?ad Carew and Iain Withers.
NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2026 The Conference Board Leading Economic Index? for the US declined by 0.3% in November 2025 to 97.9, after declining by 0.1% in October to 98.2, down from 98.3 in September. "The US LEI fell again in both October and November," said Justyna Zabinska-La Monica, Senior Manager, Business Cycle Indicators, at The Conference Board.
* Bond investors consolidate positions ahead of Fed. * Friday's data supportive of Fed rate pause. * US yield curve flattens for 3rd day. By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss.
US consumer sentiment improved to the highest reading since August as year-ahead inflation expectations reached a 12-month low, final University of Michigan survey results showed Friday. The main sentiment index rose to 56.4 in January from 52.9 in December.
New Jersey says the Lakewood Township School District failed to deliver an adequate education. The district says it is shortchanged by state funding formulas.
American households are starting 2026 on firmer footing, with sentiment ticking up to its highest level in five months and inflation worries slipping to levels not seen since early 2025, just as food prices tumble across grocery aisles.
Spot silver prices jumped to the key psychological level of $100 an ounce ?level for the first time on ?Friday as robust demand ?and buying momentum ?fueled prices. Silver's ?run toward the $100 an ounce ?mark comes as investors ?pile into safe-haven assets in the ?backdrop of geopolitical ?turmoil, ?and amid expectations of lower interest rates by the U.S. ?Federal Reserve.
Saudi Arabia will host the World Economic Forum Global Collaboration and Growth Meeting: Building Common Ground and Reviving Growth in Jeddah on 22-23 April 2026, it was announced on the closing day of the 56th Annual Meeting of the Forum in Davos, Switzerland. This press release features multimedia.
U.S. consumer sentiment improved across the board in January, though concerns about high prices and the labor market lingered, a survey showed on ?Friday. The University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers said its Consumer ?Sentiment Index increased to a final reading of ?56.4 this month, from an ?earlier estimate ?of 54.0. The index was at 52.9 in December.
The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index was revised up Friday to a reading of 56.4 for January from the 54.0 print in the preliminary estimate, compared with expectations for no revision in a survey compiled by Bloomberg. That was still above the final reading of 52.9 in December.
U.S. business activity was steady in January as an improvement in new orders was offset by a lackluster labor market and lingering concerns among firms over higher costs because of import tariffs, a survey showed on Friday. S&P Global said its flash U.S. Composite PMI Output Index, which tracks the manufacturing and services sectors, inched down to 52.8 this month from 52.7 in December.
Bain Capital Specialty Finance, Inc. (BCSF) announced that it has priced an offering of $350 million aggregate principal amount of 5.950% senior notes due 2031. The offering is expected to close on or about January 29, 2026, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Washington has threatened senior Iraqi politicians with sanctions targeting the Iraqi state - including potentially its critical supply of oil revenue sourced via the Federal Reserve Bank of New York - should Iran-backed armed groups be included ?in the next government, four sources told Reuters.
Canadian new home prices continued to slip in December, Bank of Montreal noted. Among highlights, BMO noted the house-only component of the index dropped 0.2% month over month from the previous month, pushing the year-ago contraction lower still and pointing to further relief in homeowners' replacement costs in January, noted the bank.
Mexico's economy unexpectedly contracted in November due to declines in manufacturing and mining, official data showed on Friday, prompting analysts to underline the need ?for caution ahead of the next central bank rate decision. National statistics agency INEGI ?reported that economic activity fell 0.1% compared with the same ?month in 2024, well below expectations for a ?1% increase.
DAVOS, Switzerland---- The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification Secretariat and the UNCCD COP16 Presidency, led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today announced the official launch of the Business4Land Champions? Council at a high-level event hosted at InTent during the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. This press release features multimedia.
In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.
Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.
Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.
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