Khadija Saeed

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

Microsoft stock ticks up after Thursday’s 10% drop — Azure growth and AI spending stay in the spotlight

Microsoft stock ticks up after Thursday’s 10% drop — Azure growth and AI spending stay in the spotlight

Microsoft shares rose about 0.5% to $435.62 early Friday, recovering slightly after a 10% plunge Thursday that erased over $350 billion in market value. Investors weighed a 66% surge in quarterly capital spending, mostly for AI chips, against Azure’s 39% growth and $625 billion in cloud backlog. Alphabet and Amazon report earnings next week, with the U.S. jobs report due Feb. 6.
Apple stock price rises after earnings beat and upbeat forecast — AAPL investors watch chip crunch

Apple stock price rises after earnings beat and upbeat forecast — AAPL investors watch chip crunch

Apple shares rose 0.6% to $258.28 in early Friday trading after the company forecast March-quarter revenue growth of 13% to 16%, topping analyst estimates. Apple reported $143.76 billion in quarterly revenue and $42.10 billion net income, with iPhone sales at $85.27 billion. CEO Tim Cook cited record device numbers but warned of chip and memory shortages. Apple confirmed acquiring Israeli AI startup Q.ai for about $1.6 billion.
Sandisk stock price jumps nearly 20% as SNDK outlook, Kioxia supply pact fuel rally

Sandisk stock price jumps nearly 20% as SNDK outlook, Kioxia supply pact fuel rally

Sandisk shares jumped 19.5% to $644.34 Friday after the company projected fiscal Q3 revenue and profit well above Wall Street estimates. The company reported Q2 revenue of $3.03 billion and extended its flash-memory supply deal with Kioxia in Japan through 2034. Data-center revenue rose 64% sequentially. Sandisk expects Q3 non-GAAP earnings of $12 to $14 per share.
Walmart stock ends higher after pharmacy pay move; WMT earnings date in focus

Walmart stock ends higher after pharmacy pay move; WMT earnings date in focus

Walmart shares rose 0.7% to $117.41 Thursday after the company raised pharmacy wages and promoted 3,000 staff to team leads. The retailer expanded technician pay to as high as $40.50 an hour as it shifts more prescription work to automated centers. Investors await Walmart’s Feb. 19 results for updates on costs and demand. U.S. stocks ended mixed, with the S&P 500 down 0.1%.
BitMine Immersion (BMNR) stock tumbles 10% as president exit filing hits and crypto slides

BitMine Immersion (BMNR) stock tumbles 10% as president exit filing hits and crypto slides

BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) fell 10% to $26.70 Thursday after an SEC filing showed President Erik Nelson was fired without cause and will receive $605,000 in severance. The drop followed sharp declines in ether and bitcoin prices. BMNR traded nearly 58 million shares, swinging between $29.15 and $26.03. Investors are watching dilution risk after shareholders approved raising authorized stock to 50 billion shares.
Wells Fargo stock price jumps as filing sets $40 million CEO pay and flags buybacks

Wells Fargo stock price jumps as filing sets $40 million CEO pay and flags buybacks

Wells Fargo shares rose 2.9% to $90.64 Thursday, leading major banks as trading volume topped 21 million. After the close, the bank disclosed a $40 million pay package for CEO Charles Scharf in 2025, up 28% from last year. The Federal Reserve held rates steady this week. Investors await President Trump’s pick to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell, a move expected Friday.
Bank of America stock jumps 2.5% as rate bets shift; Friday’s catalysts in focus

Bank of America stock jumps 2.5% as rate bets shift; Friday’s catalysts in focus

Bank of America shares rose 2.45% to $53.08 after the Federal Reserve held rates steady. Investors await President Trump’s pick to replace Fed Chair Jerome Powell, set for Friday morning, which could shift rate cut expectations. A U.S. judge ruled Bank of America must face part of a class action over ties to Jeffrey Epstein, with trial set for May 11. JPMorgan and Wells Fargo also posted gains.
30 January 2026
Snowflake stock slides nearly 8% in software rout; traders brace for next catalyst

Snowflake stock slides nearly 8% in software rout; traders brace for next catalyst

Snowflake shares fell 7.7% to $199.37 Thursday, tracking a sharp selloff in software stocks amid fears that AI could disrupt subscription-based models. The S&P 500 Software and Services Index dropped 8.7% to a nine-month low. Snowflake’s recent launch of an energy-focused data package failed to offset sector-wide concerns. No new financial results were released by the company this week.
30 January 2026
Boston Scientific stock snaps a 4-day run — what to watch before Feb. 4 earnings

Boston Scientific stock snaps a 4-day run — what to watch before Feb. 4 earnings

Boston Scientific shares fell 1.6% to $92.33 Thursday, ending a four-day rally on heavy volume after the company completed its acquisition of Nalu Medical. The stock underperformed sector peers as investors awaited fourth-quarter results due Feb. 4 and looked for updates on recent deal activity, including the $14.5 billion Penumbra purchase.
Palo Alto Networks stock drops after Chronosphere deal closes, with earnings next in focus

Palo Alto Networks stock drops after Chronosphere deal closes, with earnings next in focus

Palo Alto Networks shares fell 4.8% to $174.85 Thursday after closing its $3.35 billion acquisition of observability firm Chronosphere. The stock edged up to $176.20 in after-hours trading. Investors are watching for Palo Alto’s Feb. 12 earnings report for updates on integration and the deal’s impact.
Eli Lilly stock barely budges after $1.93bn autoimmune pact; Trump touts six U.S. plants

Eli Lilly stock barely budges after $1.93bn autoimmune pact; Trump touts six U.S. plants

Eli Lilly shares closed up 0.03% at $1,024.14 after announcing new research deals in autoimmune disease and gene-editing for hearing loss. Repertoire Immune Medicines will receive $85 million upfront in a collaboration potentially worth $1.84 billion. Lilly also signed a gene-editing agreement with Seamless Therapeutics valued up to $1.12 billion. Investors await Feb. 4 earnings for updates on demand and supply.
Southwest Airlines stock jumps nearly 19% as LUV targets $4 profit — what traders watch next

Southwest Airlines stock jumps nearly 19% as LUV targets $4 profit — what traders watch next

Southwest Airlines shares jumped 18.7% Thursday to $48.50 after the company projected 2026 adjusted earnings of at least $4.00 per share, beating Wall Street estimates. The airline also forecast first-quarter unit revenue to rise at least 9.5% year over year. Southwest’s rally followed the rollout of assigned seating and new fee options. Investors await the company’s April quarterly report.
30 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Oil stocks jump on Iran risk lift for crude — what to watch before Monday

Oil stocks jump on Iran risk lift for crude — what to watch before Monday

7 February 2026
U.S. oil stocks surged Friday as crude prices rose on renewed Middle East tensions. Exxon Mobil gained 2.0%, ConocoPhillips 2.5%, and Occidental Petroleum 2.7%. Refiners rallied after a national union deal eased strike risk, though BP’s Whiting plant faces a local dispute. Brent settled at $68.05 a barrel, up 0.74%.
Silver price rebound masks fresh stress after CME lifts margins again

Silver price rebound masks fresh stress after CME lifts margins again

7 February 2026
Spot silver surged 8.6% to $77.33 an ounce Friday after dropping below $65, but still lost over 8.7% for the week. CME Group raised margin requirements for COMEX silver futures to 18% from 15%, effective after Feb. 6. China’s UBS SDIC Silver Futures Fund hit its 10% down limit for a fifth session. Traders await key U.S. jobs and inflation data next week.
Gold price near $5,000: China keeps buying as CME margin hikes raise the stakes

Gold price near $5,000: China keeps buying as CME margin hikes raise the stakes

7 February 2026
China’s central bank raised gold reserves for a 15th month in January, reaching 74.19 million ounces worth $369.58 billion. Gold prices swung sharply, hitting a record near $5,600 before dropping to $4,403.24. CME Group hiked COMEX gold futures margins to 9% after recent volatility. U.S. jobs and inflation data are due next week after a delay.
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