New York, Jan 18, 2026, 15:39 EST — Market closed
- Shares of American Express climbed roughly 2.1% on Friday, closing at $364.79.
- On Tuesday, traders will turn their attention back to the proposed 10% cap on credit-card interest rates, scheduled to take effect on Jan. 20.
- The next big event for AXP is its earnings report and conference call scheduled for Jan. 30.
Shares of American Express Company rose 2.08% on Friday to $364.79, beating a modestly softer Wall Street ahead of the long weekend. Trading volume topped recent averages, though the stock still sits roughly 6% below its Dec. 12 peak. (MarketWatch)
The bounce comes with a policy overhang still hanging over the sector. President Donald Trump has called for a one-year cap of 10% on credit-card interest rates starting Jan. 20, a proposal that hit lenders and sent American Express down 3.8% on Jan. 12, while Visa and Mastercard slipped 1.8% each. J.P. Morgan analyst Vivek Juneja wrote that a cap “could push consumers towards more expensive debt.” (Reuters)
Wall Street closed almost unchanged on Friday, with all three major indexes posting losses for the week as earnings season kicked off. Financials took a hit, suffering their steepest weekly drop since October. “To finish the week around flat … most investors will take that as a win,” said Ameriprise Financial chief market strategist Anthony Saglimbene. But Bruce Zaro of Granite Wealth Management cautioned that the middle of January “tends to be pretty choppy.” Markets will remain closed on Monday in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. (Reuters)
American Express faces a tricky calculation since it’s more than just a payments network. The company issues cards and extends credit to cardmembers, meaning any cap on APR — the annual percentage rate on unpaid balances — would hit its interest income directly, not just the swipe fees.
Traders, however, often view AmEx through a different lens than typical mass-market card issuers. Its clientele is generally wealthier, and the business model relies strongly on fees linked to spending and membership. This setup helps cushion the impact when credit expenses climb.
Tuesday’s reopening might hinge more on developments in Washington than on the quarterly earnings themselves. Investors are keen to see if there’s any concrete movement on the Jan. 20 deadline—whether that’s draft legislation, new agency guidance, or signs the proposal is losing steam as focus returns to earnings season.
But the downside risk is clear. Should a rate cap take hold, lenders might tighten credit and cut back on rewards, choking off growth even if charge-offs remain low. Another wave of policy-driven volatility could easily drown out stock-specific moves during a holiday-thinned week.
American Express plans to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Friday, Jan. 30. The company will hold a conference call at 8:30 a.m. ET, according to a statement. (American Express Investor Relations)
Investors are focused on getting a clear picture of spending trends, credit health, and any shifts in the company’s outlook for 2026 demand. How management talks about guidance could be just as crucial as the actual figures.
Tuesday marks the first real test. Whether there’s a fresh signal on the proposed rate cap or the market writes it off as noise, that reaction will likely shape sentiment heading into month-end. The next major date is Jan. 30, a clear catalyst on the horizon.
