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Stock Market News 17 January 2026

Basic materials stocks face a copper reality check after the long weekend as XLB slips

Basic materials stocks face a copper reality check after the long weekend as XLB slips

cNEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 14:40 ET — Market closed. Basic materials stocks slipped to finish the week, with the Materials Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLB) dropping 0.6% on Friday. The S&P 500 Materials sector index also edged lower, falling 0.44%. (Investing.com) This shift is significant since the sector has heavily relied on copper’s rally, which just faltered. Prices slipped after briefly topping $13,000 a metric ton on the London Metal Exchange this week. Reuters Breakingviews linked the earlier surge partly to worries over tariffs. (Reuters) “Metals have faced pressure this week as China dialed back risk and officials moved
Amazon’s Europe-only AWS cloud launch puts cloud computing stocks in focus before Tuesday’s open

Amazon’s Europe-only AWS cloud launch puts cloud computing stocks in focus before Tuesday’s open

NEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 13:45 EST — Market closed Cloud computing stocks enter the extended U.S. weekend under fresh scrutiny after Amazon’s AWS rolled out a cloud service based solely in Europe. The move targets clients worried about data access and legal jurisdiction. (Reuters) The term “sovereign cloud” — which refers to keeping data and control within a given jurisdiction — is shifting from a niche preference to a must-have for certain regulated buyers. Investors are also pressing tougher questions about whether massive AI investments will deliver returns quickly enough. Markets shut Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day,
Communication Services stocks slide into long weekend: Netflix earnings, Google court fight in focus

Communication Services stocks slide into long weekend: Netflix earnings, Google court fight in focus

NEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 14:08 EST — Market closed. Communication services stocks closed the week weaker, as the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF fell 0.9% on Friday to $115.17. The ETF has slipped roughly 2.3% over the last five sessions, marking a fifth consecutive daily drop. (StockAnalysis) XLC is an ETF that tracks the communication services sector of the S&P 500, covering media, entertainment, telecom, and interactive services. It’s heavily weighted at the top, with Meta Platforms and Alphabet leading the pack. Netflix and Disney follow as some of the largest holdings. (SSGA) That concentration takes on added
Data center stocks head into MLK break as PJM power auction plan looms; Digital Realty, Vertiv rise

Data center stocks head into MLK break as PJM power auction plan looms; Digital Realty, Vertiv rise

NEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 13:36 (EST) — Market closed. U.S. data center stocks wrapped the week with mixed results as Washington urged PJM Interconnection to conduct an emergency power procurement auction. The goal: add new generation and push more costs onto large data center users. Digital Realty finished Friday up 1.9%, Vertiv climbed 2.5%, and Equinix saw little movement. (The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov) The narrative in the sector has shifted away from racks and rent, focusing instead on watts. Power availability and the rising cost of electricity now directly influence how quickly operators can scale up and what
Nvidia stock’s next test: Trump’s AI chip tariff meets China’s H200 roadblock

Nvidia stock’s next test: Trump’s AI chip tariff meets China’s H200 roadblock

New York, Jan 17, 2026, 13:02 EST — The market has closed. Nvidia and AMD shares face a new hurdle next week after President Donald Trump signed a proclamation slapping a 25% tariff on some advanced computing chips, including Nvidia’s H200 AI processor and AMD’s MI325X. South Korea’s trade minister noted the tariff targets “advanced chips made by Nvidia and AMD.” (Reuters) This move is significant since AI-chip stocks now serve as a fast barometer for geopolitics alongside data-center demand. Tariffs act as import taxes, and even targeted rules can disrupt pricing and supply strategies in a market where buyers
Ucore Rare Metals stock jumps again as Washington’s critical-minerals push heats up — what’s next

Ucore Rare Metals stock jumps again as Washington’s critical-minerals push heats up — what’s next

Toronto, January 17, 2026, 13:19 EST — The market has closed. Ucore Rare Metals shares ended Friday’s session up 4.4% at C$9.43 on Canada’s TSX Venture Exchange, building on a 5.9% rise from Thursday. The momentum comes amid ongoing policy talk keeping rare-earth stocks active. (Investing.com) This shift is crucial as investors scramble to figure out which segments of the rare earth supply chain Washington aims to develop domestically—and which could face trade hurdles. Attention this week turned away from mining and onto processing, an area where the U.S. remains heavily dependent on imports. On January 14, the White House
IonQ, Rigetti and QUBT move: what’s driving quantum computing stocks into next week

IonQ, Rigetti and QUBT move: what’s driving quantum computing stocks into next week

New York, Jan 17, 2026, 13:22 EST — Market closed. Rosenblatt Securities analyst John McPeake kicked off coverage on Rigetti Computing and Quantum Computing Inc, handing both Buy ratings, Barron’s reported. The quantum computing sector stays under the spotlight, despite ongoing skepticism about extended timelines and scant near-term revenue. “Rigetti does indeed need to get their error rates down to be more competitive,” McPeake noted. (Barron’s) Quantum computing uses quantum bits, or qubits, to tackle problems beyond the reach of classical computers. But in the market, that potential is tough to value. Stocks in this space usually move on technical
Micron stock jumps after insider buy as chip stocks brace for tariff headlines, Intel earnings

Micron stock jumps after insider buy as chip stocks brace for tariff headlines, Intel earnings

New York, Jan 17, 2026, 13:08 ET — Market closed. Micron Technology (MU.O) shares jumped on Friday after a Form 4 filing — the SEC disclosure insiders use for stock trades — showed director Teyin M. Liu bought 23,200 shares in open-market transactions. The purchases were priced around $337 a share and totaled about $7.82 million, the filing showed. (SEC) Chip stocks now head into a holiday-shortened week with tariffs and U.S. buildout plans back in focus after the United States and Taiwan clinched a trade deal that cuts broad tariffs on most Taiwanese exports to 15% from 20% and
Oil stocks head into long weekend with Iran risk in focus as Exxon, Chevron earnings near

Oil stocks head into long weekend with Iran risk in focus as Exxon, Chevron earnings near

New York, Jan 17, 2026, 13:12 EST — Market closed. U.S. oil inventories edged up slightly on Friday as crude prices finished the day stronger. Investors, cautious of new geopolitical developments, prepared for the long weekend ahead. The timing is crucial. U.S. equity markets will be closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, giving energy traders a two-day stretch of headline risk without access to the cash market. (Kiplinger) Oil prices have been volatile. They plunged sharply on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks on Iran wiped out much of the risk premium in crude, only for some
Micron stock set for Tuesday test after $1.8 billion Taiwan fab deal

Micron stock set for Tuesday test after $1.8 billion Taiwan fab deal

New York, Jan 17, 2026, 12:43 p.m. ET — Market closed. Micron Technology revealed Saturday it has signed an exclusive letter of intent to acquire Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp’s P5 fab in Tongluo, Taiwan, for $1.8 billion in cash. The 300-millimeter (12-inch) facility spans a 300,000-square-foot cleanroom and is set to strengthen Micron’s strategic ties with PSMC. The deal is expected to close by Q2 2026, pending final agreements and regulatory clearance. Micron projects the site will boost DRAM wafer output starting in the second half of 2027. Shares rose 7.8% to $362.75 on Friday. COO Manish Bhatia said the
Dow Jones slips into MLK Day break as Netflix, Intel and J&J earnings loom

Dow Jones slips into MLK Day break as Netflix, Intel and J&J earnings loom

New York, Jan 17, 2026, 12:40 (EST) — Market closed The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 83.11 points, or 0.2%, ending Friday at 49,359.33. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each slipped 0.1%. Over the week, the Dow declined 0.3%. (AP News) The calendar throws the first curveball. U.S. equities won’t trade Monday due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, cutting the week short and likely thinning volume when markets reopen Tuesday. (New York Stock Exchange) That return comes amid ongoing uncertainty around interest rates. Treasury yields climbed late Friday, while the dollar hovered near a six-week peak. Comments on
RTX stock hits a fresh 52-week high — here’s what to watch before earnings

RTX stock hits a fresh 52-week high — here’s what to watch before earnings

NEW YORK, Jan 17, 2026, 12:35 PM EST — Market closed RTX Corp. shares closed Friday up 1.05% at $201.92, marking their seventh consecutive gain and hitting a fresh 52-week high—the stock’s best closing price in a year—even as the broader market declined. (marketwatch.com) RTX is now trading close to its recent highs as earnings season for aerospace and defense approaches. Analysts are adjusting their forecasts for the sector in 2026. Susquehanna’s Charles Minervino lifted his price target to $230 from $205, maintaining a Positive rating and describing the industry outlook as “quite favorable.” (TipRanks) RTX will release its fourth-quarter

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BAT share price closes near 52-week high as buyback rolls on ahead of results week

BAT share price closes near 52-week high as buyback rolls on ahead of results week

7 February 2026
British American Tobacco shares closed up 1.2% at 4,609 pence Friday, near a 52-week high. The company disclosed further share buybacks and management share purchases ahead of its Feb. 12 full-year results. BAT bought 121,668 shares for cancellation on Feb. 5. Investors await updates on nicotine alternatives and cash returns.
Anglo American share price slips as BofA turns neutral after copper outlook cut

Anglo American share price slips as BofA turns neutral after copper outlook cut

7 February 2026
Anglo American shares closed down 0.75% at 3,435 pence Friday after BofA Global Research downgraded the miner to “neutral” and raised its price target to 3,600 pence. Anglo cut its 2026 copper production guidance and warned of continued weakness at De Beers. The company expects $200 million in charges tied to its Chile copper operations in the second half of 2025.
Amazon’s $200B AI Spending Jolt Spurs Stock Selloff as Big Tech Capex Nears $650B

Amazon’s $200B AI Spending Jolt Spurs Stock Selloff as Big Tech Capex Nears $650B

7 February 2026
Amazon shares fell Friday after the company announced a $200 billion AI infrastructure plan for 2026, exceeding analyst expectations and reviving investor concerns about profitability. Combined 2026 capex flagged by Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Meta now tops $630 billion. Nvidia, AMD, and Broadcom shares surged on the news, while software and data firms remained under pressure.
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