Global Markets
Canadian Markets
Canada’s TSX advanced Friday as strength in commodities provided a boost to markets, with oil and gold prices pushing energy and mining stocks higher. Canada’s December jobs report showed the economy added 8,200 jobs, beating expectations for a decline of roughly 5,000 positions. However, the unemployment rate rose to 6.8% from 6.5% in the prior month, highlighting some softening in labour market conditions despite continued job creation. The data suggest the labour market is cooling gradually rather than weakening abruptly, which may reinforce expectations that the Bank of Canada can remain cautious but flexible on monetary policy.
American Markets
U.S. Stocks also moved higher, with both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 reaching fresh record highs. The December U.S. employment report showed job creation increased by 50,000, below consensus expectations of around 70,000, but the unemployment rate edged lower to 4.4% from 4.5%. Investors appeared to view the softer job growth alongside a declining unemployment rate as consistent with a moderating but resilient economy, reducing fears of policy tightening, while supporting earnings expectations and giving a possibility for a reduction of rates interests.
European Markets
European equity markets staged a broad-based advance, supported by a mix of improving macroeconomic data and renewed strength in commodity-linked stocks. In Spain, industrial output rose 4.5% year-on-year in November. Exports from Europe’s largest economy fell 2.5% in November compared with the prior month, as shipments to other European Union countries and the United States declined, highlighting ongoing weakness in external demand. However, industrial output unexpectedly increased despite expectations for a contraction, suggesting that domestic production conditions may be stabilizing even as trade headwinds persist
At the macro level, eurozone inflation fell to exactly 2.0% in December, aligning with the European Central Bank’s price stability target. This milestone reinforced investor confidence that the prolonged inflation shock of recent years is continuing to fade, potentially giving the ECB greater flexibility on the policy front and supporting equity valuations across the region.
UK markets also moved higher, led by the mining sector, with Glencore among the top performers on new merger talks with Rio Tinto. Consumer sentiment data pointed to ongoing concern, while labour market indicators raised further concern, with more British workers facing potential job losses than at any point in nearly three years. The post-budget deterioration in employment conditions is likely to heighten scrutiny from the Bank of England, as policymakers weigh the risks of economic softening against still-elevated wage pressures.
Corporate Stock News
AnaptysBio Inc. escalated its legal dispute with GSK’s oncology unit by filing a partial motion to dismiss royalty-related claims tied to the cancer drug Jemperli, with a trial scheduled for July 2026 and a court hearing on the motion expected by early March.
Brunello Cucinelli SpA faces renewed scrutiny over its reliance on high-end department stores as financial stress at Saks Global highlights broader risks to the traditional luxury wholesale model amid weakening global demand.
ConocoPhillips said its CEO will attend a White House meeting as the company monitors potential changes in Venezuela’s oil output, underscoring the geopolitical importance of energy supply discussions involving major U.S. producers.
General Motors Co. announced a $6 billion charge related to scaling back electric-vehicle investments, reflecting softer EV demand, policy uncertainty, and significant cash costs tied to supplier contract cancellations.
Johnson & Johnson reached an agreement with the U.S. administration to lower drug prices in exchange for tariff exemptions, while committing to build two new U.S. manufacturing plants as part of its long-term domestic investment strategy.
Marathon Petroleum Corp. expressed interest in bidding for Venezuelan crude as U.S. imports from the country resume following political changes, signaling renewed engagement by refiners with Venezuelan supply.
Meta Platforms Inc., alongside Oklo and Vistra, secured long-term nuclear power agreements and development partnerships to meet surging electricity demand from AI and data centers, highlighting Big Tech’s push into energy infrastructure.
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) received a price target increase from Mizuho Securities to $275 from $245, with the firm maintaining its Outperform rating, reflecting continued confidence in Nvidia’s leadership in AI hardware and software, strong data-center demand, and sustained long-term growth potential driven by high-performance computing markets.
Steel Dynamics Inc. was involved in a rejected $9 billion takeover bid for BlueScope Steel, with BlueScope’s largest investor supporting management’s view that the offer materially undervalued the company.
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. reported a better-than-expected 20.5% jump in fourth-quarter revenue, driven by strong AI-related demand, with investors awaiting updated guidance and capital spending plans later this month.
Universal Music Group NV won a court ruling blocking Salt-N-Pepa’s attempt to reclaim copyrights to their recordings, reinforcing UMG’s contractual ownership of the music catalog.
Walt Disney Co. held high-level talks in Beijing as China signaled openness to deeper investment, marking a potential thaw in cultural and commercial relations amid broader U.S.-China tensions.
XPeng Inc. outlined ambitions to reposition itself as a global “physical AI” company, accelerating plans for robotaxis and humanoid robots as it seeks differentiation beyond traditional electric vehicle manufacturing.
STA Research (StockTargetAdvisor.com) is a independent Investment Research company that specializes in stock forecasting and analysis with integrated AI, based on our platform stocktargetadvisor.com, EST 2007.
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