New York, January 23, 2026, 19:03 EST — After-hours trading
- In after-hours trading, Robinhood shares climbed 0.7% to $106.99.
- The newly launched “Retail Kings” ETF counts Robinhood among its initial holdings.
- Attention shifts to the Fed’s Jan. 27-28 meeting and Robinhood’s earnings report on Feb. 10.
Shares of Robinhood Markets (HOOD.O) gained 0.7% to $106.99 in after-hours trading Friday, bouncing between $105.52 and $110.43 earlier in the session. Trading volume hit roughly 17.6 million shares.
The stock has acted as a crude gauge of retail risk appetite, and Wall Street is scrambling to package that play. Nasdaq recently launched a new exchange-traded fund, or ETF — a basket of stocks that trades like a single share — targeting companies with loyal retail investor bases. (NASDAQ Trader)
The Defiance Retail Kings ETF debuted including Robinhood in its initial holdings, joined by other high-momentum names, Reuters reported. According to a JPMorgan note mentioned in the story, individuals net bought $12.9 billion in U.S. stocks and funds during the week ending Wednesday—almost twice the 12-month weekly average. (Reuters)
Defiance ETFs says the fund targets companies where “surging bullish retail investor participation” fuels momentum, listing Robinhood under a “Financial Platforms” category at launch. “This is not a meme ETF,” emphasized Defiance chief investment officer Sylvia Jablonski. (GlobeNewswire)
The focus turns to a packed macroeconomic calendar. The Federal Reserve is set to hold its first policy meeting of 2026 on Jan. 27-28, per its official schedule. (Federal Reserve)
A Reuters “Take Five” preview noted investors are braced for the Fed to keep rates on hold, with major U.S. tech earnings dominating the agenda. Brokers could be sensitive to even minor shifts in rate forecasts, since they earn interest on client cash and often see trading volumes spike during market swings. (Reuters)
Peers finished mixed late Friday: Coinbase (COIN.O) dropped 2.8%, Charles Schwab (SCHW.N) lost 1.8%, while Interactive Brokers (IBKR.O) edged up 0.5%. The tape showed little clear direction for the brokerage sector going into next week.
Bitcoin hovered near $89,482, bouncing between about $88,598 and $91,002 earlier. Volatility in crypto continues to ripple fast through retail trading sentiment.
Robinhood will release its Q4 and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 10 after the market closes, the company announced. CEO Vlad Tenev and incoming CFO Shiv Verma are set to discuss the numbers during a 5 p.m. ET video call. (GlobeNewswire)
But the setup can backfire just as easily. If the Fed catches markets off guard or risk assets lose steam, retail flows might reverse sharply, quickly eroding the revenue boost investors have been betting on.
On Monday, traders will be focused on whether Robinhood can stay above the $105 level that marked its low for the day, along with monitoring early inflows into the new Retail Kings fund. The key upcoming dates to watch are Jan. 28, when the Fed announces its decision, and Feb. 10, when Robinhood reports earnings.
