Lithium price jumps again as China spot hits 164,500 yuan; Albemarle in focus before U.S. open

Lithium price jumps again as China spot hits 164,500 yuan; Albemarle in focus before U.S. open

China’s battery-grade lithium carbonate price rose 3.8% to 164,500 yuan per ton on Thursday, extending its rebound. The Guangzhou Futures Exchange widened daily trading limits after repeated volatility. Albemarle shares gained 4.3% in U.S. trading Wednesday, while lithium ETF prices also climbed. Beijing will cut battery export VAT rebates from April, prompting expectations of increased near-term demand.
GE Aerospace earnings beat: 2026 profit forecast tops estimates as airlines keep engines in the shop

GE Aerospace earnings beat: 2026 profit forecast tops estimates as airlines keep engines in the shop

GE Aerospace forecast 2026 adjusted EPS of $7.10 to $7.40, above Wall Street estimates, citing strong demand for parts and maintenance as airlines keep older planes flying. Fourth-quarter adjusted EPS rose to $1.57, with revenue up 20% to $11.9 billion. Shares jumped nearly 4% premarket. GE reported a $190 billion backlog and record LEAP engine deliveries.
Brent oil price slips to $64 as risk premium ebbs; U.S. inventories loom

Brent oil price slips to $64 as risk premium ebbs; U.S. inventories loom

Brent crude fell 1.6% to $64.17 a barrel as easing geopolitical tensions shifted focus to rising inventories. The IEA forecasts a Q1 surplus of 4.25 million bpd, but major producers downplay glut concerns. U.S. crude stocks rose by 3.04 million barrels last week. Traders await U.S. inventory data Thursday and an OPEC+ meeting on Feb. 1.
22 January 2026
Oil prices today: Brent and WTI slide as Trump cools Greenland, Iran talk; inventories back in focus

Oil prices today: Brent and WTI slide as Trump cools Greenland, Iran talk; inventories back in focus

Brent crude fell 0.9% to $64.63 a barrel Thursday, with U.S. WTI down the same to $60.08, as traders eased geopolitical risk bets after Trump softened his stance on Greenland and Iran. The International Energy Agency projects a global oil surplus in early 2026, while U.S. crude inventories rose by 3.04 million barrels last week. Kazakhstan’s Tengiz oilfield remains shut after a Jan. 18 fire.
National Grid’s North Wales grid upgrade clears a planning hurdle — what the Pentir–Trawsfynydd plans include

National Grid’s North Wales grid upgrade clears a planning hurdle — what the Pentir–Trawsfynydd plans include

National Grid said four planning applications for its Pentir-to-Trawsfynydd electricity upgrade in north Wales have been validated by local authorities. The project includes a 5.8-km cable replacement under the Glaslyn Estuary and a new substation south of Bryncir. Construction could begin in summer 2026 if approved, with full operation targeted for 2030.
22 January 2026
HMRC’s Tax Fine Shake-Up: Penalty Points Loom as Making Tax Digital Hits Landlords

HMRC’s Tax Fine Shake-Up: Penalty Points Loom as Making Tax Digital Hits Landlords

HMRC will replace instant late-filing fines with a penalty-points system for Making Tax Digital taxpayers from April 6. Landlords and sole traders earning over £50,000 must comply first, but a survey shows most landlords feel unprepared. A £200 penalty will apply only after repeated missed deadlines. Industry groups are urging the government to soften penalties during the transition.
22 January 2026
Mortgage rates today: 30-year fixed holds near 6.1% as refi demand jumps, markets await inflation data

Mortgage rates today: 30-year fixed holds near 6.1% as refi demand jumps, markets await inflation data

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate stood at 6.13% early Thursday, with refinance rates at 6.50%, Bankrate reported. Mortgage applications jumped 14.1% last week as rates dipped, while contracts to buy existing homes fell 9.3% in December, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association and National Association of Realtors. The 10-year Treasury yield ended Wednesday at 4.26%.
Bitcoin price today: BTC steadies near $90,000 after Trump drops Greenland tariff threat

Bitcoin price today: BTC steadies near $90,000 after Trump drops Greenland tariff threat

Bitcoin rose 0.8% to $89,874 in premarket trading Thursday, holding just below $90,000 after swinging between $87,304 and $90,379. U.S. President Trump’s retreat from Greenland-related tariffs spurred a brief rally in risk assets. Japan’s bond selloff continued, with 30-year yields hitting a record 3.88% this week. Options data shows traders remain cautious, with a 30% chance of bitcoin dropping below $80,000 by late June.
22 January 2026
AI stocks today: Intel earnings, Nvidia export vote and rising memory prices in focus

AI stocks today: Intel earnings, Nvidia export vote and rising memory prices in focus

Intel jumped 11.7% to $54.25 Wednesday, leading gains among AI chipmakers ahead of its quarterly report; Nvidia rose 3%, AMD 7.6%, and Micron 6.6%. Compal warned memory costs could reach up to 40% of PC component prices due to surging demand. The U.S. House advanced a bill to tighten AI chip exports, targeting Nvidia’s Blackwell chips. The S&P 500 rose 1.16% after Trump’s Greenland deal and tariff pause.
Natural gas price jumps above $5 as deep-freeze forecast tightens supply — storage report looms

Natural gas price jumps above $5 as deep-freeze forecast tightens supply — storage report looms

U.S. Henry Hub natural gas futures jumped about 10% to $5.38 per mmBtu early Thursday as a late-January cold snap fueled demand and raised concerns over production freeze-offs. The February contract’s two-day rally totaled 57%, the largest on record. Traders await the U.S. storage report due at 10:30 a.m. EST. Production in the Lower 48 averaged 108.7 bcfd so far in January, down from December.
22 January 2026
XRP price today climbs after Ripple-linked headlines hit the tape

XRP price today climbs after Ripple-linked headlines hit the tape

XRP rose 2.8% to $1.95 premarket Thursday, hitting a 24-hour high near $1.98. Binance launched spot trading for RLUSD, Ripple’s stablecoin, adding several pairs and waiving some fees. DXC Technology announced it will integrate Ripple’s custody and payments tech into its Hogan banking platform. Bitcoin traded near $89,900, while ether approached $3,000.
22 January 2026
Dow Jones futures edge higher after tariff U-turn; GDP and PCE inflation data ahead

Dow Jones futures edge higher after tariff U-turn; GDP and PCE inflation data ahead

Dow Jones futures rose 61 points premarket after the index jumped 588.64 points Wednesday, following President Trump’s decision to halt planned tariffs tied to a Greenland deal. Investors await key GDP and jobless claims data at 8:30 a.m. ET, with Procter & Gamble earnings due before the bell. Markets remain sensitive to tariff headlines and political developments in Washington.
FTSE 100 climbs as Trump cools tariff row; Beazley bid and BoE bets steer UK stocks

FTSE 100 climbs as Trump cools tariff row; Beazley bid and BoE bets steer UK stocks

The FTSE 100 rose 0.7% to 10,212.91 by 1104 GMT, as risk appetite improved after President Trump eased tariff threats against European NATO allies. Senior shares jumped 8.3% on a profit outlook upgrade, while Beazley fell 1% after rejecting a Zurich Insurance bid. JD Sports reported a 1.8% drop in like-for-like sales and warned of muted growth ahead.
Eternal CEO Exit, Ozempic Generic Nod, Waaree Profit Surge: India’s Q3 Results Move Stocks

Eternal CEO Exit, Ozempic Generic Nod, Waaree Profit Surge: India’s Q3 Results Move Stocks

Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal will step down as CEO on Feb. 1, with Blinkit head Albinder Dhindsa taking over. Dr Reddy’s won approval to sell a generic Ozempic in India and plans to launch 12 million semaglutide pens in the first year. Waaree Energies more than doubled its profit, while HPCL and Bank of India also reported higher earnings for the quarter.
22 January 2026

Stock Market Today

Bitcoin price wobbles below $69,000 on weekend — what matters before Monday’s reopen

Bitcoin price wobbles below $69,000 on weekend — what matters before Monday’s reopen

7 February 2026
Bitcoin fell 1.1% to $68,917 Saturday after volatile trading, while Ether held near $2,036. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw $330.7 million in net inflows on Feb. 6, reversing outflows the previous day. Strategy shares rebounded after hitting a low of $111.27 Thursday. Traders are watching Monday’s U.S. market open and the upcoming inflation report for direction.
XRP price today slips near $1.42 as thin weekend liquidity keeps traders on edge

XRP price today slips near $1.42 as thin weekend liquidity keeps traders on edge

7 February 2026
XRP fell about 5% Saturday to $1.42, extending a 22% weekly drop as thin liquidity and macro jitters drove sharp swings. Bitcoin rebounded above $70,000 after a brief plunge, while ether surged 12%. Ripple outlined plans for an “Institutional DeFi” roadmap, including a new lending protocol and permissioned DEX. The Federal Reserve held rates steady last week, with officials signaling caution on inflation.
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