New York, January 24, 2026, 18:01 EST — Markets have closed.
- Shopify closed out the week flat on the U.S. exchange, with investors cautious amid ongoing tech sector volatility.
- It introduced fresh retail and point-of-sale updates, a crucial growth area the company has been focusing on.
- The week ahead features the Federal Reserve alongside a packed schedule of mega-cap earnings set to move risk appetite.
Shopify Inc shares ended Friday at $137.89 on the Nasdaq, ticking up 0.18%. On the Toronto exchange, the stock dipped 0.34%, closing at C$189.04, per the company’s data. (Shopify Investors)
This matters now because Shopify has been acting more like a high-growth tech proxy than a reliable retail stock. Its shares tend to swing with shifts in rates and risk appetite, even when there’s no clear company-specific news.
Shopify is also pushing further into in-person retail, where hardware and payments could shift its revenue mix. That move makes it tougher for the market to gauge amid a week packed with earnings reports.
Wall Street saw a jittery session heading into Friday’s close. The Dow dropped 0.58%, the S&P 500 hovered near unchanged, and the Nasdaq ticked up 0.28%. Intel tumbled 17% after issuing a weak forecast, a sharp reminder that tech sector dominance can falter quickly. “We feel pretty good about where we are today,” said Jason Blackwell, chief investment strategist at Focus Partners Wealth. (Reuters)
Shopify rolled out a January retail update highlighting pre-orders for a new POS Hub—a hardware attachment designed to link scanners, printers, and card readers to tablets through a wired USB connection. The company also announced a partnership with Verifone to integrate Victa terminals into Shopify POS, broadening the range of checkout hardware available. (Shopify)
Investors remain focused on key metrics: merchant activity, payment trends, and the pace at which new retail features gain traction. Shopify reports it’s developing tools to help businesses launch, operate, and expand, aiming to integrate its offerings across both online and physical stores. (Shopify Investors)
Competitive pressure remains intense. In retail, Shopify faces stiff resistance from well-established point-of-sale and payments providers. Any misstep on execution quickly sparks debates over the “take-rate” — the share platforms claim from merchant sales.
Next week’s schedule could outweigh any Shopify feature update. Earnings reports are lined up from Tesla, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple. Investors.com also pointed to a looming federal shutdown deadline as a key market risk. (Investors)
The downside risk is straightforward: ongoing political and policy noise continues to shake the markets. On Saturday, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap a 100% tariff on Canada over a potential trade deal with China, underscoring how quickly trade news can shift sentiment and reprice risk. “We hope the two governments can come to a better understanding quickly,” said Matthew Holmes of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. (Reuters)
The next major event is Wednesday. The Federal Reserve’s January schedule lists a two-day meeting on Jan. 27-28, with a policy announcement set for 2:00 p.m. ET and a press conference following at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 28. (Federalreserve)
