NEW YORK, Jan 23, 2026, 18:37 EST — Trading after hours.
- Mastercard shares dropped roughly 1.5% during Friday’s regular trading and saw minimal movement after hours.
- JPMorgan indicated that card spending data suggest just a mild slowdown heading into the fourth quarter.
- Attention now turns to the Fed meeting scheduled for next week and Mastercard’s upcoming quarterly earnings report.
Mastercard (NYSE: MA) saw its shares dip 1.52% on Friday, ending the session at $524.74. The stock hovered around that price in after-hours trading. 1
The action unfolded during a turbulent week for U.S. stocks, as investors digested a steep decline in Intel and braced for a busy earnings calendar. The Dow slipped 0.58%, while the S&P 500 barely moved. 2
JPMorgan flagged the consumer in a Friday note, highlighting its importance for payments stocks. Analyst Tien-tsin Huang pointed to spending data indicating just a “slight slowdown” in Q4, adding that the domestic consumer “remains healthy.” 3
Mastercard saw heavier trading activity, with volume reaching around 5.0 million shares—well above its 50-day average of about 3.1 million, according to MarketWatch data. 4
Mastercard announced plans this week to expand credit access in Egypt. The company will collaborate with the Egyptian Credit Bureau, iscore, on developing a new scoring model for digital lending. Executive vice president Selin Bahadirli described the effort as a “pivotal milestone” for financial inclusion. 5
Regulatory news has returned to the spotlight. The Credit Card Competition Act aims to stop banks and card networks from limiting the networks that can process credit card transactions. This would expand routing options for merchants, who say it could drive down “swipe” fees. 6
The immediate concern boils down to guidance. Payments stocks tend to react sharply when management’s comments on volumes, cross-border travel spending, and expenses miss the mark—especially as markets remain jittery ahead of a packed week of central bank moves and major earnings reports. 7
The Federal Reserve’s initial policy meeting for 2026 is scheduled for Jan. 27-28, with the announcement and press conference set for Jan. 28. 8
Within the payments sector, Visa barely moved, but American Express slipped roughly 1.7%, highlighting the rapid swings in mood among card-related stocks.
Mastercard plans to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings on Thursday, Jan. 29, with a conference call set for 9:00 a.m. ET. Investors will focus on transaction growth, cross-border spending—which measures card use outside the cardholder’s home country—and the revenue outlook for 2026. 9
