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Stock Market News 18 January 2026

Bank of America stock price: BAC heads into Jan. 20 credit-card cap test after holiday break

Bank of America stock price: BAC heads into Jan. 20 credit-card cap test after holiday break

New York, January 18, 2026, 10:57 EST — Market closed. Bank of America Corp shares ticked up slightly on Friday, closing at $52.97, a 0.7% gain. The real pressure on bank stocks could hit when U.S. markets open Tuesday, with Washington’s moves likely to overshadow earnings reports. The New York Stock Exchange will be closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delaying the next trading session until January 20. That’s also the date President Donald Trump has targeted to implement a proposed cap on credit-card interest rates, limiting them to 10% for one year. Credit-card rates are
ASML stock in focus after Morgan Stanley lifts target to €1,400 as trade headlines build

ASML stock in focus after Morgan Stanley lifts target to €1,400 as trade headlines build

Amsterdam, Jan 18, 2026, 16:52 CET — Market closed. ASML Holding NV (ASML.AS) kicks off the week after Morgan Stanley raised its price target to €1,400, highlighting a bull case as high as €2,000 for the Dutch chip equipment giant. The stock closed Friday at €1,167.20 in Amsterdam, up 1.55%. Analyst Lee Simpson expects “order intake over the next 2-3 quarters to confirm this strength,” pointing to “higher 2027 foundry and memory capex as well as better than feared China demand.” (Investing.com) Why it matters now: ASML’s order intake—the total value of new machine orders—is closely watched as a barometer
Costco stock price edges higher before holiday break as filings, dividend dates come into view

Costco stock price edges higher before holiday break as filings, dividend dates come into view

New York, January 18, 2026, 10:43 EST — Market closed. Shares of Costco Wholesale (COST.O) edged up 0.7% to close at $963.61 on Friday. Investors appeared to be positioning themselves ahead of a U.S. trading week shortened by the holidays, with an eye on upcoming sales and earnings reports from the retailer. U.S. markets were closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, leaving Tuesday’s open with tighter room for positioning and heightened sensitivity to news. For Costco, the key driver remains the monthly sales report. Costco often behaves like a “defensive growth” stock during market turbulence — its
Visa stock price ends week lower as Trump credit-card cap talk clouds Tuesday reopen

Visa stock price ends week lower as Trump credit-card cap talk clouds Tuesday reopen

New York, Jan 18, 2026, 10:29 ET — Market closed. Visa Inc shares ended Friday at $328.30, marking a modest gain of 0.17% for the day but slipping roughly 4.3% over the last five sessions. Over the past year, the stock has fluctuated between $299.00 and $375.51. (Visa Investor Relations) The weekend brings new uncertainty as Reuters reports the White House is considering an executive order linked to President Donald Trump’s push to cap credit-card interest rates. The proposal remains in flux, with officials hashing out details alongside industry leaders and lawmakers, according to Reuters. (Reuters) Trump proposed capping credit-card
Exxon Mobil stock price holds near $130 as oil firms brace for holiday-shortened week

Exxon Mobil stock price holds near $130 as oil firms brace for holiday-shortened week

New York, Jan 18, 2026, 10:26 EST — Market closed. Exxon Mobil shares finished Friday just above their previous close, settling at $129.89 after a volatile session that held the stock close to the $130 mark. The next step is uncertain, caught in a gap. U.S. markets remain closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, pushing energy stocks to trade on headlines alone as investors brace for Tuesday’s return. (New York Stock Exchange) Exxon’s stock still moves closely with crude prices, despite its refining and chemicals businesses. With this week shortened by a holiday, swings can get amplified—especially when
Johnson & Johnson stock heads into earnings after a mild dip — what could move JNJ next

Johnson & Johnson stock heads into earnings after a mild dip — what could move JNJ next

New York, Jan 18, 2026, 10:37 EST — Market closed. Johnson & Johnson shares slipped 0.4% to $218.66 on Friday, the last session before U.S. markets shut for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday. (Yahoo Finance) The stock heads into the week with investors leaning hard on earnings to justify valuations. “The most important thing right now is earnings,” said Chris Fasciano, chief market strategist at Commonwealth Financial Network. (Reuters) On Friday, U.S. stocks ended nearly flat in choppy trade, while the S&P 500 health care sector fell 0.8%, a bigger drop than the broader market. “We’re at the
Tencent stock price: 0700.HK closes at HK$617.50 as AI push and March results date come into focus

Tencent stock price: 0700.HK closes at HK$617.50 as AI push and March results date come into focus

Hong Kong, Jan 18, 2026, 23:21 HKT — Market has closed. Tencent Holdings Ltd (0700.HK) closed Friday at HK$617.50, slipping HK$4.50, or 0.72%, as markets wound down for the weekend with limited new Hong Kong price cues. The stock fluctuated between HK$613.50 and HK$630.00, with 20.62 million shares traded. (Investing.com) Hong Kong trading picks up again Monday, bringing Tencent’s annual-results announcement into focus. The company disclosed its board will convene on March 18 to approve the results for the year ending Dec. 31, 2025, and decide on a final dividend, if any. (Tencent) Over the weekend, the South China Morning
Samsung Electronics stock eyes Monday test after 3.5% jump as U.S. chip tariffs loom

Samsung Electronics stock eyes Monday test after 3.5% jump as U.S. chip tariffs loom

Seoul, Jan 19, 2026, 00:21 (KST) — Market closed. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. shares ended Friday, Jan. 16, up 3.47%, closing at 148,900 won. That puts the stock near the top of its recent trading range as it heads into the new week. So far this year, the shares have gained around 24%. (MarketWatch) The next trigger is political rather than product-related. South Korea plans to push for favorable terms on U.S. tariffs targeting imported memory chips. This follows Washington’s recent focus on advanced AI processors, thrusting South Korean chip exporters back into the limelight. (Reuters) Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo
JPMorgan stock heads into Tuesday with Trump lawsuit threat and credit-card cap in focus

JPMorgan stock heads into Tuesday with Trump lawsuit threat and credit-card cap in focus

New York, January 18, 2026, 10:08 EST — Market closed. JPMorgan Chase & Co. shares closed up roughly 1% at $312.47. The bank faces renewed political drama ahead of next week after President Donald Trump announced plans to sue over alleged “debanking” within two weeks. CEO Jamie Dimon pushed back, saying, “There was no job offer,” while the bank stated accounts shouldn’t be closed based on political or religious beliefs. (Reuters) U.S. stock markets will remain closed Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, delaying trading until Tuesday. Investors get an additional day to digest weekend news before
Walmart stock price: leadership shake-up hits as Nasdaq-100 debut looms

Walmart stock price: leadership shake-up hits as Nasdaq-100 debut looms

New York, January 18, 2026, 10:06 EST — Market closed. Walmart (WMT) shares closed Friday at $119.70, gaining roughly 0.7%. The boost came after the company announced leadership changes effective Feb. 1, with John Furner set to become CEO. (Walmart Corporate News) The reshuffle installs new leaders at critical operating units as Walmart strives to stay ahead in a retail market investors see as a test of U.S. consumer resilience. It comes amid ongoing inflation concerns and trade policy uncertainties that could disrupt major supply chains, Reuters reported. (Reuters) Furner described the change as a structural shift rather than a
Oracle stock price steadies after PFO Kehring’s planned share sale filing as holiday week looms

Oracle stock price steadies after PFO Kehring’s planned share sale filing as holiday week looms

New York, Jan 18, 2026, 10:25 AM ET — Market closed. Oracle shares closed up Friday following a regulatory filing revealing that CFO Doug Kehring sold shares through a pre-arranged trading plan. The stock gained 0.7% to $191.09, with roughly 19.2 million shares changing hands. Prices swung between $186.60 and $192.09 during the session. (CloudFront) The announcement comes just before a holiday pause that shuts U.S. stock markets on Monday, cutting the trading week short by two days. Investors now face less time to adjust positions before month-end and the upcoming batch of tech earnings. (New York Stock Exchange) Why
Eli Lilly stock price: What to watch after Friday’s close as FDA review scrutiny and Novo’s pill data hit

Eli Lilly stock price: What to watch after Friday’s close as FDA review scrutiny and Novo’s pill data hit

New York, January 18, 2026, 10:06 EST — Market closed Eli Lilly shares ended Friday at $1,038.40, rising 0.5% after fluctuating between $1,019 and $1,049.83 during the session. With U.S. markets shut for the weekend, traders are left to digest regulatory and competitive developments ahead of Monday’s open. Why it matters now: Lilly’s next valuation boost hinges on weight loss, and investors are weighing two fresh signals — the speed of the U.S. drug regulator’s action, and whether pills can expand demand beyond injections. The setup is more delicate than it appears. Speeding up the timeline for a new oral

Stock Market Today

Westpac share price slides after ASX rout; investors brace for next week’s WBC update

Westpac share price slides after ASX rout; investors brace for next week’s WBC update

7 February 2026
Westpac shares fell 1.2% to A$39.43 Friday as the S&P/ASX 200 dropped 2% amid broad selling. The bank is set to roll out Microsoft 365 Copilot to 35,000 staff after a pilot last year. Investors are watching for signs of loan growth and credit quality ahead of Westpac’s first-quarter update on Feb. 13. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate to 3.85% this week.
ANZ share price fell Friday — here’s what to watch before the ASX reopens

ANZ share price fell Friday — here’s what to watch before the ASX reopens

7 February 2026
ANZ shares closed at A$37.01 on Friday, down 1.52% as the S&P/ASX 200 fell 2% and nearly $70 billion was wiped from the market. The Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 0.25 points to 3.85%, prompting ANZ to lift variable home loan rates from Feb. 13. ANZ announced a new Salesforce-based AI CRM rollout and a board change effective Feb. 8. Investors await ANZ’s first-quarter update on Feb. 12.
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