Today: 7 February 2026
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Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

RTX stock alert: Trump’s buyback clampdown hangs over defense names as $130 mini-tender deadline nears

RTX stock alert: Trump’s buyback clampdown hangs over defense names as $130 mini-tender deadline nears

New York, January 9, 2026, 19:15 ET — After-hours RTX Corp shares rose about 0.7% to $188.50 in after-hours trade on Friday as investors kept sorting through a Trump administration order that could curb dividends and share buybacks at major defense contractors. (Reuters) The order matters because cash returns are a big part of the defense-stock pitch. Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, L3Harris and RTX paid roughly $8 billion in dividends over the last 12 months and bought back about $10 billion of stock, Morgan Stanley data compiled by Reuters showed. Buybacks are when a company repurchases its own
10 January 2026
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Thermo Fisher (TMO) stock jumps as Stifel lifts target to $700; earnings next

Thermo Fisher (TMO) stock jumps as Stifel lifts target to $700; earnings next

New York, Jan 9, 2026, 19:08 EST — After-hours Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (TMO.N) shares climbed roughly 2% on Friday following a price target boost from Stifel, which called for a “solid year” ahead as biopharma demand picked up. The stock ended the day up $12.45, closing at $618.86. (GuruFocus) The timing is crucial. Investors are gearing up for Thermo Fisher’s Q4 and full-year earnings, set for Jan. 29, when the company is likely to update its 2026 guidance. (Thermo Fisher Scientific) Coming up sooner, CEO Marc Casper will speak at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Jan. 13. This
10 January 2026
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Opendoor stock jumps 13% as Trump orders $200B mortgage bond buys — what investors watch next

Opendoor stock jumps 13% as Trump orders $200B mortgage bond buys — what investors watch next

New York, January 9, 2026, 19:01 EST — After-hours Opendoor Technologies Inc (OPEN.O) shares rose 13.2% to $7.29 on Friday after hitting an intraday high of $7.91. The stock traded about 167 million shares. The move followed President Donald Trump’s order for $200 billion of mortgage bond purchases; Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would execute the buys. TD Cowen wrote the buying could narrow the gap between the 30-year mortgage rate and the 10-year Treasury yield, while Jefferies pegged the rate needed to bring buyers back in the mid- to high-5% range
10 January 2026
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Chevron stock rises after-hours as Venezuela talks keep CVX in focus

Chevron stock rises after-hours as Venezuela talks keep CVX in focus

NEW YORK, Jan 9, 2026, 18:27 (ET) — After-hours Chevron (CVX) shares rose about 1.8% on Friday and last traded at $162.11 in after-hours dealings. The stock ranged from $159.48 to $162.69 during the session. The move comes as investors weigh a possible shift in U.S. policy toward Venezuela that could directly affect Chevron, which is the only U.S. oil major still operating there under a sanctions carve-out. Reuters reported on Wednesday that Chevron is in talks with the U.S. government to expand the license, potentially allowing it to increase crude exports to its own refineries and sell barrels to
10 January 2026
Lockheed Martin stock jumps on Truist upgrade as Trump payout order keeps defense names volatile

Lockheed Martin stock jumps on Truist upgrade as Trump payout order keeps defense names volatile

New York, January 9, 2026, 18:50 (EST) — After-hours Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT) shares rose 4.7% to $542.92 on Friday, extending a rebound in U.S. defense stocks after Truist upgraded the company to “Buy.” (Wall Street Journal) The move matters now because Washington has put shareholder payouts in the firing line. President Donald Trump has pledged to block dividends and share buybacks — where companies repurchase their own stock — at defense contractors until they speed up weapons production, a stance that can reshape how investors value the group. (Reuters) Defense names have swung sharply as traders try to net
10 January 2026
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Exxon Mobil stock pops after-hours as CEO opens door to Venezuela return, earnings loom

Exxon Mobil stock pops after-hours as CEO opens door to Venezuela return, earnings loom

NEW YORK, Jan 9, 2026, 18:42 EST — After-hours Exxon Mobil Corporation shares rose in after-hours trading on Friday after CEO Darren Woods said the company was ready to evaluate a return to Venezuela, where Exxon left after its assets were nationalized nearly two decades ago. Woods made the remarks at a White House meeting arranged days after U.S. forces captured and removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power. Exxon stock was up 1.4% at $124.61, after trading between $122.31 and $124.86. (Reuters) The shift matters because it puts Venezuela — and its oil contracts — back on the map
10 January 2026
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Spotify stock dips after broker target cuts — what to watch before SPOT earnings

Spotify stock dips after broker target cuts — what to watch before SPOT earnings

New York, January 9, 2026, 18:19 EST — After-hours Shares of Spotify Technology S.A. dropped 2.6% on Friday as several brokerages cut their price targets for the music streaming company. The stock closed at $539.37, having dipped to a session low of $536.11. Over the last 52 weeks, Spotify’s shares have ranged from $451.43 to $785.00. Target’s cuts come at a sensitive time for the story. Investors are looking for proof that Spotify can raise prices and grow ad revenue without triggering higher subscriber churn. The company has been ramping up its focus on podcasts and video, where engagement rates
10 January 2026
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Qualcomm stock slides after Mizuho downgrade cuts target to $175, puts handset worries back in play

Qualcomm stock slides after Mizuho downgrade cuts target to $175, puts handset worries back in play

New York, Jan 9, 2026, 18:53 EST — After-hours QUALCOMM Incorporated shares dropped 2.25% to $177.78 on Friday, following Mizuho’s downgrade and a price target cut to $175 from $200. The stock fluctuated between $174.89 and $182.20 during the day. (TipRanks) The call is gaining weight as the market shifts to viewing Qualcomm like a phone stock again. Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh downgraded QCOM to Neutral, citing handset headwinds and a loss of Apple share. He pointed out that handsets make up more than 70% of Qualcomm’s chip revenue. (A “price target” reflects where a broker predicts a stock might
10 January 2026
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Bank of America stock dips after-hours after $3 billion debt call, with earnings next week

Bank of America stock dips after-hours after $3 billion debt call, with earnings next week

New York, Jan 9, 2026, 18:53 EST — After-hours Bank of America shares were down 0.7% at $55.85 in after-hours trading on Friday, after the bank said it will redeem $3 billion of senior notes due January 2027. The stock traded between $55.79 and $56.60 during the day. (Bank of America) The redemption lands just days before Bank of America’s quarterly results, with investors focused on what higher-for-longer rates do to funding costs. The notes were set to shift from a fixed 5.08% coupon to a floating rate linked to SOFR — the Secured Overnight Financing Rate — plus 1.29
10 January 2026
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ServiceNow stock sinks 3% as KeyBanc stays bearish, with Jan. 28 earnings next

ServiceNow stock sinks 3% as KeyBanc stays bearish, with Jan. 28 earnings next

New York, Jan 9, 2026, 18:45 EST — After-hours ServiceNow Inc (NYSE: NOW) shares fell about 3% on Friday to $141.80 and last traded at that level in after-hours dealing. The stock touched $147.20 at the high and $141.48 at the low. The selling comes with the next earnings print close enough to shape positioning. ServiceNow said it will release fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results after the U.S. market close on Jan. 28, followed by a conference call and webcast. (ServiceNow Newsroom) KeyBanc kept pressure on the name going into the weekend. The firm reiterated an Underweight rating — broker
10 January 2026
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S&P 500 hits record, chip stocks jump — jobs report and Trump tariff case set up next market move

S&P 500 hits record, chip stocks jump — jobs report and Trump tariff case set up next market move

NEW YORK, Jan 9, 2026, 18:38 EST The S&P 500 closed at a record on Friday as Broadcom and other chip stocks kept Wall Street climbing after a softer-than-expected U.S. jobs report. The index rose 0.65% to 6,966.28, while the Nasdaq gained 0.82% to 23,671.35 and the Dow added 0.48% to 49,504.07; the PHLX semiconductor index, which tracks major chipmakers, jumped 2.7% to a record. “On the overall AI theme, investors are getting granular,” said Zachary Hill at Horizon Investments, as Lam Research surged after Mizuho lifted its price target and Vistra rallied on a power deal with Meta. (Reuters)
10 January 2026
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Rocket Companies stock jumps nearly 10% as Trump’s $200 billion mortgage-bond move sparks housing rally

Rocket Companies stock jumps nearly 10% as Trump’s $200 billion mortgage-bond move sparks housing rally

New York, Jan 9, 2026, 18:26 EST — After-hours Rocket Companies (RKT.N) shares closed up 9.65% at $23.29 on Friday, after a sharp housing-linked rally tied to President Donald Trump’s call for large mortgage-bond purchases. The stock touched $23.41 in the session and was little changed in after-hours trading. (Nasdaq) The move matters because Rocket’s business swings with mortgage rates and loan volume. When rates fall, refinancing can thaw quickly and purchase activity tends to follow, even if the pickup comes in fits and starts. Trump’s plan put rates back in focus. Housing has been squeezed by high borrowing costs
10 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

7 February 2026
The IRS has not announced new federal stimulus payments for February 2026, and Congress has not approved fresh checks. Trump told NBC he is considering $2,000 tariff rebate checks but has not committed, saying any payout would likely come later in 2026. The IRS warns taxpayers to ignore texts and emails about “stimulus payments” and verify notices through official channels.
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