Khadija Saeed

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

Hubble spots odd triple jets on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as radio search finds no alien signal

Hubble spots odd triple jets on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as radio search finds no alien signal

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 13:44 ET Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb said newly analyzed Hubble Space Telescope images show three evenly spaced jets on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, adding fresh intrigue to a rare visitor now leaving the solar system. The timing matters because 3I/ATLAS is only the third known object from beyond the solar system — after 1I/ʻOumuamua and 2I/Borisov — and it is already receding after its closest approach to Earth on Dec. 19. The comet’s unusual appearance has also become a flashpoint for claims that it might be artificial, a debate that has pushed some researchers to look
Pentagon awards Lockheed $328.5 million Taiwan IRST pod contract as China drills keep island on alert

Pentagon awards Lockheed $328.5 million Taiwan IRST pod contract as China drills keep island on alert

WASHINGTON, January 2, 2026, 13:48 ET The Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin a ceiling $328.5 million undefinitized letter contract — a preliminary deal that lets work begin before final terms are set — for fixed-wing sensor hardware for Taiwan, a U.S. government contracts notice said. The award covers 55 Infrared Search and Track (IRST) Legion Enhanced Sensor pods, which can detect aircraft by heat, plus related equipment under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, the U.S. government’s channel for selling weapons to partners. The notice said $157.3 million in FMS funds were obligated at award, work will be performed in Orlando,
Natural gas price today: Futures slip as Cheniere stock climbs on record U.S. LNG exports

Natural gas price today: Futures slip as Cheniere stock climbs on record U.S. LNG exports

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 13:44 ET — Regular session U.S. natural gas futures edged lower on Friday, while shares of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters and pipeline operators traded higher in a mixed energy tape. Barchart The moves matter now because winter heating demand can swing quickly with temperature forecasts, and U.S. LNG exports have become a bigger, steadier source of demand for domestic gas. Barchart They also matter for stocks because gas-focused producers are closely tied to price moves, while LNG exporters and pipeline operators tend to benefit from volumes moving through their plants and pipes. The February
Gold price today: Spot holds above $4,300 as Fed cut talk supports bullion; GLD inches up

Gold price today: Spot holds above $4,300 as Fed cut talk supports bullion; GLD inches up

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 13:40 ET — Regular session Gold prices rose in early 2026 on Friday, with spot gold up 0.3% at $4,328.49 an ounce by 12:24 p.m. ET after earlier touching $4,402.06. Reuters The move matters because bullion is starting the year near record territory after a blistering 2025 run, and investors are resetting positions around the outlook for U.S. interest rates. Gold hit an all-time high of $4,549.71 on December 26 and gained 64% in 2025, Reuters reported. Reuters Traders are focused on rate-cut expectations because gold does not pay interest; lower yields reduce the opportunity
Dow Jones today: Caterpillar, Boeing lift blue chips as investors eye jobs report and Fed path

Dow Jones today: Caterpillar, Boeing lift blue chips as investors eye jobs report and Fed path

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 13:36 ET — Regular session The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 78.93 points, or 0.16%, at 48,142.22 in early afternoon trading on Friday, after swinging between 47,853.04 and 48,275.63. Investing The muted rise matters because it is the first full trading session of 2026, and Wall Street is trying to steady after a late-December slide. Investors are also recalibrating expectations for interest rates after the market’s year-end “Santa Claus rally” — a seasonal tendency for stocks to rise into early January — failed to gain traction. Traders are now looking to next week’s U.S.
Stock market today: Dow steadies as chip stocks jump, Tesla drops in Wall Street’s 2026 opener

Stock market today: Dow steadies as chip stocks jump, Tesla drops in Wall Street’s 2026 opener

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 13:33 ET — Regular session Wall Street’s main indexes were mixed in early afternoon on Friday as the first trading day of 2026 opened without a clear risk-on push, despite a sharp rebound in chip shares. Reuters The muted start matters because stocks enter the new year near record highs after a strong 2025, leaving little room for disappointment on growth, earnings and interest rates. Investors are looking for an early read on whether last year’s leadership can extend into January. Reuters A crowded January calendar could set the tone quickly, with fresh labor-market and
Disney stock slides today as DIS tracks sector weakness despite ‘Zootopia 2’ box-office record

Disney stock slides today as DIS tracks sector weakness despite ‘Zootopia 2’ box-office record

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 13:19 ET — Regular session Walt Disney Co shares fell 1.5% to $112.11 in early afternoon trading on Friday, sliding with broader consumer-discretionary weakness. The stock traded between $111.65 and $113.98 in the session, while the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF was down about 1.1%. The move comes in the first trading session of 2026, as investors reassess last year’s rally and look for fresh catalysts heading into January’s run of economic data and corporate updates. Disney sits at the intersection of consumer spending, streaming subscriptions and moviegoing, leaving the shares sensitive to shifts
Adobe stock slides nearly 5% today as software names stumble into 2026

Adobe stock slides nearly 5% today as software names stumble into 2026

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 1:28 PM ET — Regular session Adobe Inc shares fell nearly 5% on Friday, giving back an early pop as U.S. markets opened 2026 in a choppy, rate-sensitive tape. Adobe (ADBE.O) was down $17.07, or 4.9%, at $332.92 at 1:28 p.m. ET, after opening at $349.86 and trading as low as $332.24. The slide matters now because investors are resetting positions for a packed January calendar that can reshape interest-rate expectations, a key driver for growth stocks like software. Next week brings an early test: the U.S. jobs report due Jan. 9 and the consumer
Chevron stock rises today as energy shares gain ahead of OPEC+ decision

Chevron stock rises today as energy shares gain ahead of OPEC+ decision

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 13:10 ET — Regular session Chevron shares rose on Friday as energy stocks gained to start 2026. By 1:10 p.m. ET, Chevron Corp (CVX) was up 1.7% at $155.04, with about 3.0 million shares traded, after moving between $151.25 and $155.13. Exxon Mobil was up 1.4% and BP’s U.S.-listed shares gained 2.4%, while the Vanguard Energy ETF rose 1.6% and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF was little changed. The move matters now because oil markets are heading into an OPEC+ meeting on Sunday, when the producer group is expected to keep its current output policy
AST SpaceMobile stock jumps about 7% today as ASTS leads space-telecom movers

AST SpaceMobile stock jumps about 7% today as ASTS leads space-telecom movers

New York, Jan 2, 2026, 13:08 ET — Regular session AST SpaceMobile shares rose about 7% on Friday, bucking a slightly softer tech tape in early afternoon trading. The stock was up $5.22 at $77.85, after ranging from $69.39 to $78.07. The move puts fresh attention on execution risks and milestones for space-based “direct-to-device” connectivity — the push to link standard smartphones to satellites when ground networks are unavailable. AST’s latest swing comes after the company’s BlueBird 6 satellite reached orbit late last month, a key step as it expands its low Earth orbit fleet — satellites operating relatively close
P&G stock drops today: Procter & Gamble slides as investors look to new CEO, next earnings

P&G stock drops today: Procter & Gamble slides as investors look to new CEO, next earnings

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 13:07 ET — Regular session Procter & Gamble shares fell 1.2% to $141.59 as of early afternoon trading on Friday. The stock was down $1.72 from its previous close after opening at $143.34, and it traded between $141.28 and $143.75 on volume of about 3.5 million shares. The move matters because P&G is a heavyweight in consumer staples — a defensive part of the market where demand for everyday essentials tends to be steadier when growth slows. Investors are repositioning into 2026 with the next U.S. jobs and inflation readings looming, data that can quickly
PayPal stock dips as 2026 trading begins; jobs report and earnings timing in focus

PayPal stock dips as 2026 trading begins; jobs report and earnings timing in focus

NEW YORK, Jan 2, 2026, 13:04 ET — Regular session PayPal Holdings (PYPL) shares fell about 0.6% to $58.01 in midday trading on Friday, after moving between $57.67 and $59.19. The stock’s market value stood near $64.1 billion, and it traded at about 13 times earnings, based on LSEG market data. The first trading day of 2026 is giving investors an early read on risk appetite after choppy year-end trading, and PayPal tends to move with sentiment around consumer spending and digital commerce. Attention is shifting quickly to next week’s U.S. economic calendar, with the monthly jobs report due Jan.

Stock Market Today

ST Engineering stock price drops 2% to S$9.71 as drone-autonomy tie-up grabs attention

ST Engineering stock price drops 2% to S$9.71 as drone-autonomy tie-up grabs attention

7 February 2026
ST Engineering shares fell 1.9% to S$9.71 Friday, outpacing the Singapore market’s 0.8% drop amid a tech-led selloff. The company signed a deal with Shield AI at the Singapore Airshow to integrate autonomy software into its unmanned platforms and unveiled a small drone capable of carrying explosives. About 6.9 million shares traded as investors await full-year results on Feb. 27.
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