Today: 7 February 2026
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Shan Ahmed Khan

As a journalist focused on finance and the stock market, he delivers fast, reliable, and easy-to-understand coverage of market news.

Two Vanguard ETFs are back in focus as 2026 starts — VOO vs VGT debate heats up

Two Vanguard ETFs are back in focus as 2026 starts — VOO vs VGT debate heats up

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:38 ET U.S. equity funds pulled in about $16.89 billion of net inflows in the week to Dec. 31 as investors ended 2025 on an optimistic note, according to LSEG Lipper data. (Reuters) That momentum matters at the start of 2026 because U.S. stocks have already delivered three consecutive years of double-digit gains, leaving investors weighing how much exposure to keep in broad indexes versus technology-heavy trades. Low-cost exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, have become a default tool because they bundle many stocks into a single product that trades like a share. The S&P 500 climbed
2 January 2026
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Lloyds Bank closures start this month as 17 UK branches set to shut in January 2026

Lloyds Bank closures start this month as 17 UK branches set to shut in January 2026

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:38 ET Lloyds Bank will close 17 branches across Britain in January, according to closure notices posted on the lender’s branch locator website. The first closures are scheduled for Jan. 8, including the bank’s branch in Gillingham, Dorset. The timetable matters now because it lands at the start of the year, when households and small businesses often still depend on counter services for cash deposits, withdrawals and in-person support. In many towns, losing a local branch means longer travel for basic banking, particularly for older customers and people who do not bank online. The branch
2 January 2026
Novo Nordisk stock slips premarket as China court backs key semaglutide patent

Novo Nordisk stock slips premarket as China court backs key semaglutide patent

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:42 ET — Premarket Novo Nordisk A/S shares edged lower in premarket trading on Friday after the Danish drugmaker said China’s Supreme People’s Court upheld a key patent covering semaglutide, the active ingredient in its blockbuster obesity and diabetes drugs. U.S.-listed American depositary receipts (ADRs) — certificates that represent foreign shares — were down about 0.7% at $50.88. The ruling matters because semaglutide underpins Wegovy for obesity and Ozempic and Rybelsus for type 2 diabetes, products that have driven Novo’s growth and investor attention. Patent protection on the molecule can help slow copycat competition in
2 January 2026
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ASML stock slips in premarket after Aletheia upgrade lifts target to $1,500

ASML stock slips in premarket after Aletheia upgrade lifts target to $1,500

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:46 ET — Premarket ASML Holding N.V. (ASML) shares slipped 0.25% in U.S. premarket trading on Friday to $1,069.86. Aletheia Capital analyst Warren Lau double upgraded the Dutch chipmaking-equipment maker to Buy from Sell and raised his price target, an analyst estimate of where a stock should trade, to $1,500 from $750, TheFly reported. Lau told investors in a research note that “stronger extreme ultraviolet lithography demand from DRAM suppliers” would lift forecasts; extreme ultraviolet lithography is used to print the smallest chip features, and DRAM is a common type of memory chip. tipranks.com The
2 January 2026
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HSBC stock today: London shares hit a fresh high as FTSE 100 tops 10,000; U.S. ADRs steady premarket

HSBC stock today: London shares hit a fresh high as FTSE 100 tops 10,000; U.S. ADRs steady premarket

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:28 ET — Premarket HSBC Holdings plc’s U.S.-listed shares were flat in premarket indications on Friday, while the bank’s London-listed stock climbed to a fresh 52-week high as UK equities opened 2026 with a rally. FT Markets+1 The divergence matters because HSBC sits at the intersection of two big themes investors are trading early in the year: a renewed bid for UK blue chips and a still-sensitive outlook for global interest rates that drives bank earnings. Reuters+1 It also lands ahead of a packed January for the lender, with a key corporate action at its
2 January 2026
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Samsung Electronics stock hits record in Seoul as HBM4 progress grabs investors’ attention

Samsung Electronics stock hits record in Seoul as HBM4 progress grabs investors’ attention

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:19 ET — Premarket Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (005930.KS) shares surged 7.2% to a record close in Seoul on Friday after executives highlighted progress on its next-generation high-bandwidth memory chips used in artificial-intelligence servers. The KOSPI, South Korea’s benchmark stock index, rose 2.3% as chip names led the market higher. Reuters The stock ended at 128,500 won, up 8,600 won on the day, as investors moved quickly to price in a stronger start to 2026 for Korea’s biggest chipmaker. Traders are also looking ahead to Samsung’s next earnings report slated for Jan. 29, according to
2 January 2026
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India opens NPS pension funds to banks as new fee slabs start April 2026

India opens NPS pension funds to banks as new fee slabs start April 2026

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:26 ET India’s pension regulator has cleared scheduled commercial banks to sponsor and independently set up pension funds under the National Pension System, in a move aimed at boosting competition in the retirement savings market. The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) said the approval is “in principle” and subject to eligibility norms. https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2210396&lang=1&reg=3 The decision matters now because it opens a new line of business for banks beyond distributing pension accounts to directly managing retirement money, raising the prospect of sharper competition for fund mandates. It also puts banks in the same arena
2 January 2026
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Nigeria bank transfer tax fears: Oyedele says no automatic debits under new laws

Nigeria bank transfer tax fears: Oyedele says no automatic debits under new laws

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:31 ET Nigeria’s presidential tax reform committee chair Taiwo Oyedele said tax authorities will not automatically debit bank accounts under the country’s new tax laws, pushing back against claims linked to bank transfers. “Nobody will debit your bank account,” Oyedele said in a Channels Television interview. TheCable The comments land as the government begins rolling out a tax overhaul in 2026 and as Nigerians swap warnings online about transfer “narrations” — the short text attached to a bank transfer. Oyedele said false claims about automatic debits have distorted the debate, urging people to focus on
2 January 2026
Amazon stock slips today in premarket as Brookfield cloud push keeps AI spending under scrutiny

Amazon stock slips today in premarket as Brookfield cloud push keeps AI spending under scrutiny

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:23 ET — Premarket Amazon.com shares slipped 0.7% in premarket trading on Friday, the first U.S. trading day of 2026 after markets were shut for the New Year holiday. The stock was at $230.82, versus its last close of $232.51. The early dip matters because Amazon sits at the center of two themes investors have leaned on — cloud computing and artificial intelligence — while they also scrutinize how much cash the industry is pouring into data centers. That focus sharpened after The Information reported Brookfield is launching a cloud business, Radiant, to lease chips
2 January 2026
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Ratcliffe power station revocation vote puts East Midlands Airport’s 2026 direct routes back in focus

Ratcliffe power station revocation vote puts East Midlands Airport’s 2026 direct routes back in focus

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:48 ET Rushcliffe Borough Council is set to ask councillors next week to revoke a hazardous substances consent tied to the closed Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station, a step intended to clear the way for redevelopment near East Midlands Airport. West Bridgford Wire The move matters because a hazardous substances consent — a separate UK planning permission required for storing certain chemicals above set thresholds — can complicate land deals even after the material is gone, planning officers said in a council report. Councillors will be asked at a Jan. 8 meeting to approve an order revoking
2 January 2026
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SELLAS (SLS) stock jumps about 10% in premarket as REGAL AML trial milestone stays in focus

SELLAS (SLS) stock jumps about 10% in premarket as REGAL AML trial milestone stays in focus

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:03 ET — Premarket SELLAS Life Sciences Group (SLS) shares rose about 10% in U.S. premarket trading on Friday to $4.14, after gaining 13.9% in the prior regular session. Early trading ranged between $4.13 and $4.32. Public+1 The move matters because SELLAS’ valuation hinges on a single late-stage cancer study, and timing signals can drive sharp swings in small-cap biotech stocks. Investors have been trading around when the company will reach its next, predefined trial milestone — a threshold that determines when researchers can run the final analysis. On Dec. 29, SELLAS said its contract
2 January 2026
SoFi stock price today: SOFI slips in premarket as rate-cut bets set the tone for fintechs

SoFi stock price today: SOFI slips in premarket as rate-cut bets set the tone for fintechs

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:03 ET — Premarket SoFi Technologies (SOFI) shares fell 1.4% to $26.18 in premarket trading on Friday, after closing at $26.56 in the prior session. The move comes as investors return for the first U.S. session of 2026 with risk appetite still holding up, after Reuters reported S&P 500 futures up 0.6% and Nasdaq futures up 1% in early moves. Reuters Rate expectations are the main near-term driver for the group. The Federal Reserve cut rates by a total 175 basis points in 2024 and 2025, and investors are watching whether cooling labor data keeps
2 January 2026
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TeraWulf stock climbs in premarket after KBW upgrade, $24 target; bitcoin near $89,000

TeraWulf stock climbs in premarket after KBW upgrade, $24 target; bitcoin near $89,000

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:02 ET — Premarket TeraWulf Inc (WULF) shares rose 2.9% to $11.49 in premarket trading, lifting off a previous close of $11.17. The move puts the spotlight back on bitcoin-linked stocks at the start of 2026, after analysts argued the market is still struggling to price miners that are trying to become data-center operators. That shift matters now because high-performance computing (HPC) — data centers that rent power, space and cooling for intensive workloads such as artificial intelligence — tends to offer longer-dated, contracted revenue than bitcoin mining. It also requires heavy upfront spending and
2 January 2026
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Tencent stock jumps in Hong Kong on AI-fueled tech rally; buyback filing in focus

Tencent stock jumps in Hong Kong on AI-fueled tech rally; buyback filing in focus

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 05:03 ET — Premarket Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) shares rose 4.0% in Hong Kong on Friday, riding a technology-led rally that kicked off 2026 on a strong note. FT Markets The move matters because Tencent is one of the sector’s main bellwethers, and investors have started the year leaning back into China’s artificial intelligence (AI) trade after a late-2025 rebound in Hong Kong tech shares. Tencent closed at HK$623.00, up HK$24.00 on the day, after trading between HK$600.50 and HK$624.50, according to FT data. The stock is about 9% below its 52-week high of HK$683,
2 January 2026
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Palantir stock slips in premarket as 2026 opens, even after Wedbush keeps $230 target

Palantir stock slips in premarket as 2026 opens, even after Wedbush keeps $230 target

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:55 ET — Premarket Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR.O) shares fell 1.7% to $177.75 in premarket trading on Friday. Premarket is trading before the 9:30 a.m. ET opening bell, when liquidity can be thinner. The move came as a new year opened with a firmer tone across broader markets, with S&P 500 futures up 0.6% and Nasdaq futures up 1% as investors weighed whether the AI-led rally of 2025 can hold up to policy and data shocks. Traders have priced in a 15% chance of a U.S. rate cut this month and expect two more cuts
2 January 2026
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Nebius (NBIS) stock dips in premarket as Wall Street kicks off 2026 — what to watch next

Nebius (NBIS) stock dips in premarket as Wall Street kicks off 2026 — what to watch next

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:52 ET — Premarket Nebius Group N.V. shares were down about 1.7% at $83.71 in premarket trading on Friday, compared with a prior close near $85.15. The early move comes as traders return from the New Year holiday with a fresh set of macro cross-currents, and with the market’s “AI trade” still a key driver of risk-taking. Reuters That matters for Nebius because the company is tied to the AI infrastructure buildout — capital-intensive work that tends to trade on confidence in demand, financing conditions and delivery execution. SEC+1 Broader sentiment looked supportive early Friday,
2 January 2026
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Diageo shares start 2026 near 52-week lows as investors hunt for a rebound

Diageo shares start 2026 near 52-week lows as investors hunt for a rebound

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:50 ET Diageo shares were little changed at about 1,602 pence in early London trade on Friday, keeping the FTSE 100 spirits maker near the bottom of its 52-week range at the start of 2026. The stock, valued at about £35.6 billion, has traded between 1,579 and 2,567.5 pence over the past year and offers a dividend yield of about 5%. Google The subdued start to the year masks a sharper debate about whether the global spirits group has become a value play after months of disappointing performance. Investors are weighing a steady dividend against
2 January 2026
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Nifty tops 26,300 as India bank stocks hit record; Coal India jumps, ITC slides on excise hike

Nifty tops 26,300 as India bank stocks hit record; Coal India jumps, ITC slides on excise hike

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:45 ET Indian shares rose on Friday, with the benchmark Nifty 50 trading above 26,300 and the Sensex up about 0.6% in noon deals, data from Upstox showed. The move mattered because it came on the second trading day of 2026, as investors positioned for a run of corporate updates ahead of the quarterly earnings season, The Economic Times reported. The Economic Times also said persistent foreign portfolio outflows have continued to temper risk appetite even as domestic sectors such as banks and metals lead gains. At 12:30 p.m. IST, the S&P BSE Sensex was
2 January 2026
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Cipher Mining (CIFR) stock edges up in premarket as bitcoin climbs near $89,000

Cipher Mining (CIFR) stock edges up in premarket as bitcoin climbs near $89,000

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:45 ET — Premarket Cipher Mining Inc shares were up 1.1% at $14.76 in pre-market trading on Friday, tracking a firmer bitcoin price heading into the first U.S. session of 2026. Bitcoin was up about 1.5% at $89,038. The early move comes after a volatile finish to 2025 for crypto, when bitcoin was on track for its first annual loss since 2022, weighed by shifting risk sentiment and macro cross-currents, a Reuters report late Wednesday said. “bitcoin increasingly exhibits the characteristics of a risk asset,” said Linh Tran, a senior market analyst at XS.com. Reuters
2 January 2026
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Broadcom stock slips into 2026 premarket as AI margins stay in the spotlight

Broadcom stock slips into 2026 premarket as AI margins stay in the spotlight

NEW YORK, January 2, 2026, 04:30 ET — Premarket Broadcom Inc shares were last down 1.1% at $346.10, after closing out 2025 about 16.5% below their 52-week high. The stock, which gained about 49% in 2025, is one of the market’s biggest AI infrastructure bellwethers. The move matters because Broadcom sits at the intersection of two trades investors have leaned on: AI hardware and recurring software. The company sells networking chips and custom processors built to order for large customers, while its VMware business ties it to enterprise software budgets. With U.S. markets reopening after the New Year holiday, traders
2 January 2026
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Stock Market Today

Applied Digital stock jumps 25% as AI data-center names rebound — what’s next for APLD

Applied Digital stock jumps 25% as AI data-center names rebound — what’s next for APLD

7 February 2026
Applied Digital Corporation shares jumped 25.52% Friday to $34.95, then slipped to $34.60 after hours. The company reported fiscal Q2 revenue up 250% to $126.6 million and signed leases for 600 MW of data center capacity in North Dakota. Applied Digital broke ground on a new 430‑MW campus in the southern U.S. in January. Financing includes a $100 million promissory note with 8% interest, paid in kind.
Eli Lilly stock pops as FDA targets cheap weight-loss copycats — what to know before Monday

Eli Lilly stock pops as FDA targets cheap weight-loss copycats — what to know before Monday

7 February 2026
Eli Lilly shares rose 3.7% to $1,058.18 Friday after the FDA said it would act against telehealth firm Hims & Hers for marketing a $49 compounded weight-loss pill. The move followed a sharp selloff Thursday when Hims announced plans to sell a version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy. Investors remain uncertain how aggressively regulators will police copycat drugs and pricing in the obesity drug market.
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