Global Markets
Canadian Markets
Canada’s TSX advanced sharply on Monday, supported by broad-based strength in the basic materials and technology sectors, as improving commodity prices and renewed risk appetite lifted investor sentiment. The S&P/TSX Composite Index climbed nearly 2%, with precious metals stocks leading the move higher as gold prices extended recent gains, benefiting from heightened geopolitical uncertainty and expectations that global interest rates may trend lower later this year.
Energy shares also contributed to the advance as oil prices moved higher, driven by ongoing developments in the Middle East. Investors remained focused on geopolitical risk after the United States and Iran signaled their intention to continue indirect negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program. While markets have not priced in a major supply disruption, the persistence of regional tensions has provided a modest risk premium to crude prices.
Canadian insolvency filings rose 1.4% nationally in 2025, highlighting ongoing financial stress among households and businesses. More notably, analysts pointed out that while the number of filings has increased modestly, the total amount of associated debt has surged, suggesting that larger and more leveraged demographics are encountering financial difficulty. Market strategists noted that investor sentiment continues to oscillate between political uncertainty and hope for central bank easing, contributing to short-term volatility across various asset classes.
American Markets
American markets pushed to fresh record highs, rebounding after a week in which technology stocks were pressured by concerns surrounding artificial intelligence investment returns and competitive dynamics. The recovery was led by the Nasdaq Composite, as renewed confidence in long-term technology spending helped stabilize the sector. Oracle Corp. played a key role in driving gains, with investors encouraged by sustained capital expenditure commitments from major U.S. technology companies, easing fears that rapid AI innovation could erode established business models.
Attention now shifts to a critical slate of U.S. economic data that could shape expectations for monetary policy. Investors are closely watching the January nonfarm payrolls report, scheduled for release on Wednesday after being delayed by the partial government shutdown, as well as the January consumer price index on Friday.
Bitcoin hovered near the $70,000 level, as volatility persisted following recent sharp price movements. Some analysts characterized the pullback as a “crisis of confidence,” citing investor uncertainty over regulatory developments and the sustainability of recent inflows, though longer-term sentiment remains mixed.
European Markets
European equities also moved higher, supported by optimism surrounding corporate buyout activity and easing inflation concerns. The European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde stated that euro zone inflation is on track to stabilize near the ECB’s target, reinforcing expectations that the tightening cycle is nearing its end.
In the UK, stocks posted moderate gains, led by strength in mining shares as metal prices surged. Economic data showed that the pace of the rise in UK unemployment has begun to slow, offering some relief to investors. However, sentiment remained fragile amid ongoing political turbulence, as calls for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign intensified, adding another layer of uncertainty to the UK market outlook.
Corporate Stock News
Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) entered into two long-term renewable energy agreements with TotalEnergies (TTE), securing 1 gigawatt of solar capacity from Texas to power Google’s data centers, underscoring rising electricity demand tied to artificial intelligence workloads and marking TotalEnergies’ largest U.S. renewable power purchase agreements to date.
American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) signaled engagement with labour concerns after CEO Robert Isom agreed to meet with the pilots’ union amid growing unease over storm disruptions and the carrier’s financial outlook.
Apollo Global Management Inc. (APO) reported a 13% increase in fourth-quarter profit, driven by strong client inflows, robust debt origination, and a 25% rise in fee-related earnings, while also announcing a strategic partnership with Schroders to expand wealth and retirement offerings in private markets.
Best Buy Co. Inc. (BBY) saw Jefferies cut its price target to $89, citing softer holiday demand that is expected to pressure near-term results.
Block Inc. (SQ) is reportedly considering workforce reductions of up to 10% during annual performance reviews, reflecting slowing growth in its Square payments segment ahead of its upcoming earnings release.
CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR) had its price target reduced to $425 by JPMorgan, which cited limited near-term catalysts ahead of the company’s pending acquisition.
FedEx Corp. (FDX) joined an investor consortium to acquire parcel locker firm InPost (INPST.AS) for $9.2 billion, aiming to expand European logistics reach while maintaining operational independence between the two companies.
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) forecast a sharp rebound in U.S. IPO activity, projecting proceeds could quadruple to $160 billion in 2026 as high-profile technology firms edge closer to public listings, with recent IPOs including Eikon Therapeutics and Forgent Power Solutions.
Hims & Hers Health Inc. (HIMS) reversed its decision to offer a compounded version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned it would restrict compounded GLP-1 drugs over safety and regulatory concerns.
Kroger Co. (KR) is reportedly planning to appoint former Walmart U.S. chief Greg Foran as chief executive officer, following the departure of its previous CEO amid a board investigation.
Live Nation Entertainment Inc. (LYV) is reportedly in talks with senior U.S. Department of Justice officials in an effort to avoid trial over allegations that it operates an illegal monopoly in live entertainment.
Meta Platforms Inc. (META) faces escalating regulatory pressure in Europe, as EU competition authorities move toward interim measures to prevent the company from restricting artificial intelligence rivals on WhatsApp during an ongoing antitrust investigation.
Tesla Inc. (TSLA) has begun hiring to support Elon Musk’s plan to establish up to 100 gigawatts of U.S. solar manufacturing capacity by 2028, signaling an accelerated push into domestic renewable energy production.
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.
Great analysis on the markets! It’s interesting how tech sectors are driving growth. Speaking of tech, I recently tried Seedance 2.0 for creating videos, and its AI features make complex tasks so much easier. Anyone else exploring new tools?
Interesting analysis of the markets! It’s cool to see how tech sectors like those in Canada are advancing. Speaking of tech, tools like seedance 2 could help visualize these trends with AI-generated videos, making complex data easier to understand.
Interesting analysis of the markets! It’s cool to see how tech sectors like those in Canada are advancing. Speaking of tech, tools like seedance 2 could help visualize these trends with AI-generated videos, making complex data easier to understand.