U.S. attack on Venezuela: Trump says Maduro captured; what to watch for stocks next week

U.S. attack on Venezuela: Trump says Maduro captured; what to watch for stocks next week

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 05:59 ET — Market closed The U.S. struck Venezuela overnight and captured President Nicolas Maduro, President Donald Trump said early on Saturday, promising more details at an 11 a.m. ET press conference in Florida. Venezuela’s government said attacks hit Caracas and several states and declared a national emergency. Reuters said the action would be the most direct U.S. intervention in Latin America since the 1989 invasion of Panama.  Reuters The surprise escalation hits as U.S. markets are shut for the weekend, leaving traders to digest the geopolitical shock before Monday’s opening bell. Investors will be
Venezuela Strikes, Maduro Capture Claim: What Traders Will Watch for Oil, Stocks and the Dollar

Venezuela Strikes, Maduro Capture Claim: What Traders Will Watch for Oil, Stocks and the Dollar

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 06:02 ET — Market closed U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday the United States carried out a “large scale strike” against Venezuela and that President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country.  Reuters The move matters to markets because Venezuela is an oil producer with exports concentrated in heavy crude, a grade that is harder for refineries to replace quickly. Any disruption can feed into oil prices and, by extension, inflation expectations and interest-rate bets.  The National It also hits at a fragile moment for liquidity: U.S. stock
3 January 2026
Markets brace for Monday after U.S. strike on Venezuela: oil, stocks and safe-haven demand in focus

Markets brace for Monday after U.S. strike on Venezuela: oil, stocks and safe-haven demand in focus

NEW YORK, Jan 3, 2026, 06:03 ET — Market closed Investors head into the weekend with a fresh geopolitical jolt after U.S. President Donald Trump said U.S. forces struck Venezuela overnight and captured President Nicolás Maduro. Venezuela’s government declared a national emergency and denounced what it called U.S. “military aggression,” while Trump said he would give more details at an 11 a.m. press conference.  Reuters The stakes for markets are straightforward: any escalation that threatens crude exports can lift oil prices, while broader uncertainty tends to send money into safe-haven assets such as U.S. Treasuries and gold. The timing also
3 January 2026
Lockheed Martin stock jumps nearly 3% to start 2026 — contracts, rates and earnings in focus

Lockheed Martin stock jumps nearly 3% to start 2026 — contracts, rates and earnings in focus

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:58 ET — Market closed Lockheed Martin Corp stock rose 2.8% at its last close, ending at $497.07 as U.S. markets wrapped the first trading day of 2026. The move matters now because investors are re-positioning for January with defense spending and contract flow back in focus, even as the broader market takes its cues from interest rates. For Lockheed, the world’s largest defense contractor, the stock often tracks both the drumbeat of Pentagon awards and the bigger question of where bond yields are headed. On Friday, Lockheed outpaced the broader market and most large
Disney stock slips to start 2026 — here’s what traders are watching next

Disney stock slips to start 2026 — here’s what traders are watching next

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 06:01 ET — Market closed. Walt Disney Co shares closed down 1.7% on Friday at $111.85, starting 2026 on a softer note even as the broader market eked out a gain. The early-year dip matters because Disney sits at the crossroads of consumer spending and advertising, two areas investors tend to reprice quickly when interest-rate expectations move. It also puts the focus back on what comes next: whether Disney can keep improving streaming profits while protecting its high-margin parks business, as Wall Street looks for fresh signposts in January and early February. U.S. stocks began
3 January 2026
Salesforce stock slides 4% to start 2026 — CRM investors brace for jobs data and earnings

Salesforce stock slides 4% to start 2026 — CRM investors brace for jobs data and earnings

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:51 ET — Market closed Salesforce (CRM) shares closed down 4.26% at $253.62 on Friday, marking a weak start to 2026 for the cloud software bellwether. ServiceNow and DocuSign also fell, underscoring broader pressure across enterprise software. Stooq The drop came as the Dow and S&P 500 ended higher, helped by a rally in chipmakers, while some big technology names retreated, Reuters reported. “Investors might be a little bit more conscious about some of the valuations that they’re paying for some of the AI plays,” said Joe Mazzola, head of trading and derivatives strategist at
Exxon stock today: XOM ends higher as OPEC+ decision and LNG record sharpen the focus

Exxon stock today: XOM ends higher as OPEC+ decision and LNG record sharpen the focus

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:50 ET — Market closed. Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) shares last closed up about 1.9% at $122.65 on Friday, after trading between $119.66 and $122.78. About 14.2 million shares changed hands. The stock heads into the weekend with oil markets focused on Sunday’s OPEC+ meeting and a fresh debate over whether global supply stays heavy in early 2026. Brent settled at $60.75 a barrel and U.S. crude ended at $57.32, Reuters reported. “Oil prices are locked in this long-term trading range,” said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group. Reuters Natural gas is also
Occidental Petroleum (OXY) stock climbs on $9.7B OxyChem sale to Berkshire as markets shut for weekend

Occidental Petroleum (OXY) stock climbs on $9.7B OxyChem sale to Berkshire as markets shut for weekend

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:50 ET — Market closed Occidental Petroleum shares ended Friday up 3.06% at $42.38 after the company completed a $9.7 billion all-cash sale of its OxyChem chemicals business to Berkshire Hathaway. A regulatory filing showed Occidental published unaudited pro forma financial statements, which adjust past results as if the sale and certain debt redemptions had already happened. The stock’s 52-week range is $34.78 to $53.20, according to the company’s investor site. Oxy The divestiture — the sale of a business — delivers a large cash inflow and reshapes Occidental into a tighter oil-and-gas story. That
GE Aerospace stock hits a fresh high as Wall Street turns to earnings and jobs data

GE Aerospace stock hits a fresh high as Wall Street turns to earnings and jobs data

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:51 ET — Market closed. GE Aerospace shares closed up 4.13% on Friday at $320.75, outperforming aerospace peers and marking a new 52-week high in the first session of 2026. Trading volume was about 4.2 million shares, slightly below its 50-day average, market data showed. MarketWatch The move matters because GE is heading into its next earnings update with the stock at record levels, leaving less room for disappointment in guidance. The company is scheduled to hold its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings webcast on Jan. 22. GE Aerospace Friday’s jump came as U.S. equities opened the
RTX stock snaps losing streak near a 52-week high — what to watch before Monday’s open

RTX stock snaps losing streak near a 52-week high — what to watch before Monday’s open

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:44 ET — Market closed. RTX Corp shares closed up 2.1% at $187.25 on Friday, snapping a four-session losing streak and finishing within 0.4% of a 52-week high, MarketWatch data showed. MarketWatch The move matters because RTX is starting 2026 perched near the top of its recent range, where even small shifts in rates or risk appetite can trigger outsized repositioning. It also lands at a moment when markets are hunting for a new narrative after 2025’s run, with defense and aerospace stocks often acting as a crossroads trade between geopolitics and the economic cycle.
3 January 2026
Novavax stock today: NVAX closes up 6% as Singapore rolls out JN.1 Novavax COVID shot

Novavax stock today: NVAX closes up 6% as Singapore rolls out JN.1 Novavax COVID shot

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:15 ET — Market closed Novavax Inc (NVAX.O) shares rose 6.1% on Friday to close at $7.13, outperforming in a mixed U.S. session as traders latched onto fresh signs of overseas demand for its updated COVID-19 shot. The stock traded about 38% below its 52-week high of $11.55 set on Jan. 7 last year, according to MarketWatch data. MarketWatch The move matters because it ties the stock to a concrete, near-term distribution window in a government-backed program. Singapore’s Communicable Diseases Agency said the JN.1 Novavax/Nuvaxovid vaccine will be offered at selected general practitioner clinics under
MercadoLibre stock drops 2% to start 2026 as rates and jobs data loom

MercadoLibre stock drops 2% to start 2026 as rates and jobs data loom

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:28 ET — Market closed. MercadoLibre shares closed down 2.0% at $1,973.70 on Friday, a $40.62 drop on the day as the Nasdaq-listed Latin American e-commerce and payments company lagged the broader market. The move matters because MercadoLibre is a high-growth name whose valuation tends to swing with shifts in risk appetite and interest-rate expectations, especially at the start of a new year. Friday’s slide also put the stock back below the $2,000 level, a round-number marker traders often watch as sentiment resets after year-end positioning. U.S. stocks started 2026 on a mixed note, with
3 January 2026
Caterpillar stock today: CAT closes near $600 after a 4.5% jump — here’s what investors watch next

Caterpillar stock today: CAT closes near $600 after a 4.5% jump — here’s what investors watch next

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:32 ET — Market closed Caterpillar Inc shares (CAT) rose $25.54, or 4.46%, to close at $598.41 on Friday. The stock traded between $575.31 and $599.61 and finished about $29 below its recent high of $627.50, according to Investing.com data. Investing The move matters because Caterpillar is a bellwether for big-ticket equipment demand in construction, mining and energy. Its shares tend to react quickly to shifts in growth expectations, interest-rate bets and trade policy. That mix is in flux early in 2026, as markets look for clues on how fast the economy is cooling and
3 January 2026
USA Rare Earth stock jumps nearly 19% to start 2026 — what drove USAR shares

USA Rare Earth stock jumps nearly 19% to start 2026 — what drove USAR shares

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:17 ET — Market closed USA Rare Earth, Inc. shares jumped 18.9% on Friday, closing at $14.15 after trading between $12.17 and $14.41 and changing hands 11.26 million times, according to data compiled by StockAnalysis. StockAnalysis The surge put the small-cap rare earths developer back on trader screens as investors reset positioning for the new year and looked for leverage to themes around U.S. supply-chain reshoring. USA Rare Earth says it is building a sintered “neo” magnet manufacturing facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma — “neo” refers to neodymium‑iron‑boron magnets used in products ranging from electric vehicles
Oil prices stuck near $60 as OPEC+ decision looms after 2025’s steep slide

Oil prices stuck near $60 as OPEC+ decision looms after 2025’s steep slide

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 04:57 ET OPEC+ is expected to keep oil output steady through March when eight key members meet on Sunday, three delegates said. The alliance, which pumps about half the world’s crude, raised output targets by about 2.9 million barrels per day from April to December and then paused further hikes for the first quarter. Reuters The decision matters because even small shifts in supply can move benchmark crude prices that feed into transport costs, inflation and energy-company cash flow. Traders are looking for a clearer floor after a year in which surplus supply concerns dominated
Trump Media’s DJT token giveaway: Crypto.com tie-up, perks and what comes next

Trump Media’s DJT token giveaway: Crypto.com tie-up, perks and what comes next

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:00 ET Trump Media & Technology Group said it plans to distribute a new digital token to shareholders in partnership with Crypto.com, extending the Truth Social owner’s push into cryptocurrencies. Shares of the company, traded under the ticker DJT, last changed hands at $13.77 on Friday, up 53 cents from the prior close, according to market data. The move matters because it links a U.S.-listed stock to a crypto-style giveaway, blurring the line between equities and digital assets. In crypto markets, these free token distributions are often called “airdrops,” a tactic used to build user
Kalshi’s inflation prediction market claims to beat Wall Street — scrutiny rises

Kalshi’s inflation prediction market claims to beat Wall Street — scrutiny rises

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 04:56 ET Kalshi Inc. is stepping up efforts to turn inflation forecasts into tradable contracts, drawing a new wave of scrutiny over whether prediction-market prices belong in macroeconomic analysis. In a Bloomberg Opinion column published Friday, columnist Aaron Brown said Kalshi had publicized a study claiming more accurate inflation forecasts than Wall Street’s consensus, while leaving open key questions about the benchmark and how a single forecast is derived from market bets. Pechanga The debate is landing ahead of the next U.S. inflation report, a release that can shift expectations for Federal Reserve policy and
3 January 2026
ServiceNow stock slides to $147 as software names stumble; jobs report now in focus

ServiceNow stock slides to $147 as software names stumble; jobs report now in focus

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 05:06 ET — Market closed ServiceNow, Inc. (NOW) shares closed down 3.75% at $147.45 on Friday, after trading between $145.65 and $154.69. About 9.9 million shares changed hands. The move tracked weakness across software stocks, with the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF — an exchange-traded fund, or ETF, that trades like a stock — down about 2.9% on the day. Broader U.S. indexes were mixed on the first trading day of 2026, as investors returned from holiday-thin trading and looked ahead to a busy January calendar. “The market is looking for direction,” said Matthew Maley,
Fluence Energy stock jumps 16% to start 2026 — what’s driving FLNC and what comes next

Fluence Energy stock jumps 16% to start 2026 — what’s driving FLNC and what comes next

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 04:55 ET — Market closed Shares of Fluence Energy, Inc. (FLNC) jumped 16.3% on Friday to close at $23.01. The Nasdaq-listed stock traded between $20.18 and $23.13 and changed hands about 6.1 million times. The rally matters because battery storage is a financing-heavy business: big projects often rely on debt, and the sector can react sharply when markets reassess interest rates. A fast move at the start of the year can also force short-term positioning changes as portfolios reset. Energy storage systems help balance the grid by storing electricity when supply is high and releasing
Netflix stock slides to start 2026 as Warner deal drama and earnings loom

Netflix stock slides to start 2026 as Warner deal drama and earnings loom

NEW YORK, January 3, 2026, 04:58 ET — Market closed Netflix shares fell 2.97% to close at $90.99 on Friday, extending a pullback that traders have tied to uncertainty around the company’s planned acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets. The stock traded between $90.83 and $94.50 and finished the day with about 41 million shares changing hands. The move matters now because Netflix is heading into a dense January catalyst stretch with its biggest strategic bet in years still under scrutiny. Investors are weighing whether the deal will add scale and content strength — or raise regulatory

Stock Market Today

Amazon stock tumbles on $200 billion AI spend plan — what to know before Monday

Amazon stock tumbles on $200 billion AI spend plan — what to know before Monday

7 February 2026
Amazon shares fell 5.6% to $210.32 on Friday after the company projected about $200 billion in 2026 capital expenditures, triggering investor concern over AI spending. The stock had already dropped 11.5% after-hours Thursday. Amazon forecast Q1 net sales of $173.5–$178.5 billion and operating income of $16.5–$21.5 billion. Analyst Gil Luria downgraded Amazon, citing rising investment as its cloud lead narrows.
AMD stock jumps 8% in chip rebound — what investors are watching before Monday

AMD stock jumps 8% in chip rebound — what investors are watching before Monday

7 February 2026
AMD shares jumped 8.2% to $208.44 Friday, trading on heavy volume as chip stocks rebounded and the Dow closed above 50,000 for the first time. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 5.7% after Amazon’s AI spending plans lifted sector estimates. Nvidia’s CEO cited surging AI chip demand. AMD’s rally followed a weak revenue outlook earlier in the week.
Go toTop