New York, Jan 24, 2026, 15:40 ET — Market closed.
- American Express shares slipped Friday, reflecting ongoing jitters among card lenders over Washington’s rate-cap showdown.
- Next week’s quarterly update is AXP’s key upcoming catalyst, with investors focused on spending and credit trends.
- Traders are watching closely as details emerge about a proposed 10% cap on credit-card interest rates.
American Express Co. shares closed Friday down 1.7% at $361.69, after fluctuating between $358.29 and $366.79. The market is closed for the weekend, but the stock heads into Monday with policy risk resurfacing and an earnings report looming.
The recent shock stems from efforts to cap credit-card interest rates at 10% for a year — that is, the APR borrowers would face. Bank of America is reportedly considering rolling out new cards with a 10% rate, a source told Reuters, as banks brace for possible government mandates. 1
The debate is hitting amid a week packed with market-moving events, including the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy decision and a flood of corporate earnings. “It’s been a little bit of a short but steep roller-coaster ride,” said Yung-Yu Ma, chief investment strategist at PNC Financial Services Group. Chris Galipeau, senior market strategist at Franklin Templeton, warned that “the earnings bar had better be met.” 2
American Express weighed heavily on the Dow Jones Industrial Average Friday, dragging down the index along with several major financial stocks, MarketWatch reported in its point contributors analysis. 3
Credit-card and consumer-finance shares are tracking rate-cap headlines closely, even as company updates diverge. Capital One dropped following a quarterly earnings miss and an acquisition reveal, dragging down other card names like American Express and Visa, according to Investopedia. 4
American Express will hold its earnings call for the fourth quarter and full year 2025 on Jan. 30 at 8:30 a.m. ET, the company announced via its investor relations site. 5
Wall Street is forecasting American Express to report earnings around $3.53 per share, according to Kiplinger’s earnings-week preview. Investors will be paying close attention to management’s take on cardmember spending and whether there’s any shift in commentary on credit costs. 6
American Express makes money through fees charged to both merchants and cardholders, plus interest on certain revolving balances. This revenue mix offers some protection against downturns, but the stock remains sensitive to shifts in consumer confidence and credit demand.
The risk now is that the 10% cap shifts from a headline into a fixed deadline. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser, addressing Davos, acknowledged, “The President is right in focusing on affordability,” but warned, “capping rates would not be good for the U.S. economy.” JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon called it an “economic disaster,” Reuters reported. 7
If Washington signals a narrower approach — or if the cap stalls — pressure on card lenders could ease quickly. But if details solidify, investors might begin pricing in reduced interest income, shifts in rewards economics, or stricter underwriting throughout the sector.
AXP’s next major event is its quarterly results and conference call on Jan. 30. Until then, the ongoing policy chatter will probably continue to fuel daily price swings when trading picks back up Monday.
