NEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 09:37 (EST) — Market closed.
- Broadcom shares jumped roughly 2.6% on Friday, boosted by a late-week rally in chip stocks.
- Investors are parsing China-related news around Broadcom-owned VMware amid a packed earnings calendar.
- Upcoming triggers will be Intel’s earnings report and U.S. inflation figures due next week, following Monday’s market holiday.
Broadcom Inc shares (AVGO.O) closed Friday roughly 2.6% higher at $351.71, having fluctuated between $344.27 and $354.30 during the session. With U.S. markets now closed for the weekend, chip stocks have regained their momentum.
U.S. stocks closed almost unchanged after a volatile day, while semiconductors showed strength. The Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index rose 1.2%. Anthony Saglimbene, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, noted, “To finish the week around flat with the S&P 500 still within spitting distance of 7,000 – most investors will take that as a win.” (Reuters)
Broadcom’s VMware unit is caught up in tensions. Chinese officials have instructed local firms to halt use of cybersecurity software from over a dozen U.S. and Israeli providers, including Broadcom-owned VMware, Reuters sources reported. Following that news, Broadcom shares dropped more than 4% on Wednesday. Orca Security CEO Gil Geron criticized the move, calling a ban “a step in the wrong direction.” (Reuters)
Friday’s rally saw Big Tech take the lead for much of the session. Broadcom climbed 2.5%, while Micron Technology surged 7.8%, AP reported. Investors remain cautious, weighing whether the lofty valuations linked to AI spending will hold up through earnings season. “Despite the strong start to 2026, we would not be surprised if markets experience volatility in the coming weeks,” said Doug Beath, global equity strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. (AP News)
Chip investors are eyeing Jan. 22 for Intel’s fourth-quarter and full-year results, scheduled after the market closes, the company announced. Intel’s guidance tends to ripple through the broader sector, particularly impacting the data-center supply chain. (Intel Corporation)
Inflation risk also looms that day. The Bureau of Economic Analysis has scheduled its next Personal Consumption Expenditures price index release for Jan. 22. Since the Fed favors the PCE price index as its inflation measure, stronger-than-expected figures could pressure rate-sensitive tech stocks. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
The setup remains fragile. Should China’s software ambitions expand, or if companies begin detailing revenue exposure and replacement plans, VMware could move from a mere headline to a tangible numbers concern for Broadcom and its peers.
Rates remain a wild card. An unexpected inflation report can send Treasury yields spiking, often dragging the “AI trade” and other high-multiple stocks along, even if corporate news is scarce.
U.S. markets remain closed Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, according to the NYSE holiday calendar. Trading picks back up Tuesday, then heads into a busy stretch on Jan. 22 with Intel’s earnings and the PCE inflation data hitting the tape. (Nyse)
