Global Markets
Canadian Markets
Canada’s TSX advanced as strength in precious metals and energy supported the resource-heavy sectors. Gold surged to a fresh record near $5,600 per ounce, while silver climbed above $120, reflecting heightened demand for safe-haven assets amid escalating geopolitical tensions and growing evidence of slowing U.S. economic momentum. Higher oil prices further buoyed the index, supporting energy producers. However, Celestica weighed on sentiment after its shares plunged roughly 17%, delivering earnings and forward guidance that exceeded expectations, however investors reacted negatively to management’s plan to allocate approximately $1 billion in capital expenditures, viewing the scale of spending as elevated and potentially risky in an uncertain demand environment. Canada’s 2026 GDP growth forecast sits near 1.1%, underscoring a subdued medium-term economic outlook.
American Markets
American markets traded mostly lower with the Dow Jones Industrial Average managing modest gains, supported by defensive and value-oriented names, while broader markets declined. The Nasdaq underperformed, led lower by Microsoft following its earnings report, as investor concerns intensified around the scale and returns of its cloud computing and AI infrastructure investments. Despite strong headline results, the market remains sensitive to capital intensity and margin implications tied to the AI buildout.
European Markets
European equities were mostly lower, driven by weakness in technology stocks. Germany’s DAX fell roughly 2%, reflecting broader risk-off sentiment across the region. Adding to the pressure, data showed Eurozone corporate lending growth slowed in December, signaling tighter financial conditions and softer investment activity.
UK markets rose, with the FTSE 100 rebounding as gains in financials and energy stocks offset broader global weakness. UK business confidence dropped in January, reflecting a deterioration in perceptions of the global economic outlook. Lloyds’ monthly Business Barometer slipped to a net balance of +44%, down from +47% in December, indicating that while sentiment remains positive, momentum is softening as companies grow more cautious about external economic risks.
Corporate Stock News
Alphabet Inc (GOOGL): Google removed domains linked to one of the largest residential proxy networks, IPIDEA, to protect millions of consumer devices from exploitation, identifying over 600 Android applications and 3,075 Windows files connected to the network.
Amazon.com Inc (AMZN): Amazon is in discussions to invest significantly more than $10 billion in OpenAI, potentially exceeding $20 billion, alongside Microsoft and Nvidia, which are also negotiating multi-billion-dollar investments.
Apple Inc (AAPL): Apple is expected to post higher first-quarter revenue supported by strong iPhone 17 demand, with market watchers focusing on its AI plans including the use of Google’s Gemini technology.
Barrick Mining Corp (ABX:CA): JPMorgan initiated coverage with an overweight rating and a C$92 target, citing the company’s world-class reserve base and attractive near-term organic growth prospects.
Blackstone Inc (BX): The private equity firm is close to securing a deal to become the largest shareholder in Hong Kong’s New World Development, though stake size and purchase terms are not yet clear.
Bumble Inc (BMBL) & Match Group Inc (MTCH): The companies, along with CrunchBase, were hit by cyberattacks affecting limited user data; Bumble confirmed no access to member accounts or messages, while Match reported limited exposure.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd (CP:CA): RBC cut the target price to C$124 from C$127, citing expectations of an organic decline in the first quarter amid a volatile operating environment.
Carlyle Group Inc (CG): Carlyle agreed to acquire most of Lukoil’s $22 billion in foreign assets, which Lukoil is selling due to U.S. sanctions, pending approval from U.S. authorities.
Caterpillar Inc (CAT): The company reported fourth-quarter adjusted profit of $5.16 per share, up from $5.14, driven by sustained demand for power-generation equipment amid data center build-outs.
C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc (CHRW): Fourth-quarter adjusted profit rose to $1.23 per share, beating estimates of $1.12, as cost controls offset weaker revenue and declining employee headcount.
Chevron Corp (CVX) & Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM): Executives may face investor questions on Venezuela investments during fourth-quarter earnings calls, with Chevron being the only U.S. major currently operating in the country.
Coinbase Global Inc (COIN): The White House will meet with banking and cryptocurrency executives to discuss stalled crypto legislation focused on interest and rewards for stablecoin holdings.
Dow Inc (DOW): The company announced a cut of 4,500 jobs as part of a restructuring aimed at $2 billion in profitability gains and reported a fourth-quarter adjusted loss of 34 cents per share versus an expected 46 cents.
Eli Lilly and Co (LLY): Lilly partnered with Repertoire Immune Medicines in a deal worth up to $1.93 billion to develop therapies for autoimmune diseases, including upfront and milestone payments plus royalties.
Fair Isaac Corp (FICO): FICO reported first-quarter adjusted profit of $7.33 per share, up from $5.79, and total revenue of $511.9 million, reflecting strong growth in its scoring solutions segment.
Home Depot Inc (HD): The company is cutting 800 jobs at its Atlanta store support center and requesting corporate employees return to the office five days a week, offering separation packages and job placement support.
Honeywell International Inc (HON): Fourth-quarter revenue rose 6.4% to $9.76 billion, with adjusted profit of $2.59 per share, driven by aerospace and aftermarket services, while 2026 profit per share is expected between $10.35–$10.65.
InMode Ltd (INMD): Steel Partners offered $18 per share to acquire a 51% stake in InMode, representing a 29% premium, citing the company’s underperformance relative to potential.
International Business Machines Corp (IBM): IBM beat fourth-quarter revenue estimates with $19.69 billion, adjusted earnings of $4.52 per share, and its AI business grew $3 billion quarter-over-quarter to $12.5 billion.
Lam Research Corp (LRCX): The company forecast third-quarter revenue of $5.7 billion and adjusted earnings of $1.35 per share, beating estimates, while JPMorgan raised its target price to $300 from $165 citing a strong outlook through CY27.
Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS): Fourth-quarter profit rose to 58 cents per share on strong Macau demand, with total quarterly revenue up 26% to $3.6 billion, exceeding analyst expectations.
Levi Strauss & Co (LEVI): Fourth-quarter net revenue rose 1% to $1.77 billion with adjusted EPS of 41 cents, beating estimates, supported by strong demand for wide-leg denim and full-price sales.
Meta Platforms Inc (META): The company posted a 24% surge in advertising revenue for the quarter ended December 31, boosted capital spending by 73% for AI, and Baird raised its target price to $830 from $815.
Microsoft Corp (MSFT): Microsoft spent a record on AI and reported slower cloud growth; total revenue for the second quarter rose 17% to $81.3 billion, while JPMorgan cut its target to $550 from $575.
News Corp (NWSA): The California Post debuted as part of News Corp’s expansion into the West Coast, aiming to bring the tabloid style and snarky coverage to California readers.
Nvidia Corp (NVDA): Nvidia assisted China’s DeepSeek with AI model development, which was later used by the Chinese military, according to a U.S. House committee letter.
ServiceNow Inc (NOW): The company forecast 2026 subscription revenue between $15.53–$15.57 billion and first-quarter revenue of $3.65–$3.66 billion, beating analyst estimates, supported by AI integration deals with Anthropic and OpenAI.
Southwest Airlines Co (LUV): The airline expects at least $4.00 per share in 2026 adjusted profit and first-quarter EPS of 45 cents, citing a successful business model overhaul despite winter storm disruptions.
Starbucks Corp (SBUX): Jefferies raised its target price to $86 from $76, citing early signs of a U.S. sales rebound under CEO Brian Niccol despite ongoing margin pressures.
Tesla Inc (TSLA): Tesla plans to double capital spending to over $20 billion, focusing on humanoid robots rather than traditional EVs, with fourth-quarter EPS of 50 cents, while revenue fell 3% to $94.83 billion in 2025.
Waste Management Inc (WM): Fourth-quarter revenue rose 7.1% to $6.31 billion, below estimates, with EPS of $1.83, and the company plans to return $3.5 billion to shareholders in 2026.
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.
The writers have a fantastic ear for jargon and bureaucratese, skewering it with impeccable timing. The deconstruction of management-speak alone is worth a regular visit. A delightful takedown of linguistic crimes.
The Prat doesn’t just describe problems; it revels in them, finding the rich comedic potential in every disaster. It’s a form of alchemy, turning leaden reality into comic gold. A magical process to behold.
Great! We are all agreed London could use a laugh. The London Prat operates on the principle that the most potent satire is indistinguishable from the thing it satirizes in every aspect except its secret, internal wiring. While a site like The Poke might hang a lampshade on absurdity with a funny caption or Photoshop, PRAT.UK rebuilds the absurdity from the ground up, component by component, using only the approved materials and jargon of the original. The resulting construct looks, sounds, and functions exactly like a government white paper, a corporate sustainability report, or a celebrity’s heartfelt Instagram post—until you realize the entire edifice is founded on a premise of sublime, logical insanity. This isn’t parody; it’s forgery so perfect it exposes the original as inherently fraudulent. The laugh comes not from a punchline, but from the dizzying moment of recognition when you can no longer tell the real from the satire, and realize the satire makes more sense.
This authenticity fuels its function as a pre-emptive historian. The site doesn’t just satirize the present; it writes the first draft of the future’s sardonic historical analysis. It positions itself as a chronicler from a slightly more enlightened tomorrow, looking back on today’s follies with the benefit of hindsight that hasn’t actually happened yet. This temporal slight-of-hand is profoundly effective. It reframes current anxiety as future irony, granting the reader a psychological distance that is both relieving and empowering. It suggests that today’s chaos is not an endless present, but a discrete, analyzable period of farce, with a beginning, middle, and end that the site is already narrating. This perspective transforms panic into perspective, and outrage into the material for a wry, scholarly smile.
prat.UK is my new favourite bookmark. The way they skewer London life is painfully accurate.
Invasive candidiasis treatment duration is guided by resolution of symptoms and bloodstream clearance.
Diflucan is a key agent whose utility is being challenged by shifting resistance patterns.
Diflucan is ineffective against Candida auris, a major multidrug-resistant pathogen.
The “trailing effect” in vitro can make susceptibility interpretation for Candida challenging.
Diflucan can be used for prolonged periods in certain endemic mycoses.
Diflucan can cause taste distortion (dysgeusia) as a side effect.
Diflucan has reliable activity against Coccidioides immitis for certain non-meningeal cases.
Diflucan’s mechanism is inhibition of fungal cytochrome P450, disrupting ergosterol synthesis.
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