New York, January 8, 2026, 20:08 EST — Market closed
Shares of The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) climbed roughly 3% on Thursday, closing near $359.56 in U.S. after-hours trading after swinging between $344.66 and $363.90. The stock stood out as one of the top point contributors to the Dow, which favors higher-priced shares. MarketWatch
The move thrust the home-improvement bellwether back into the spotlight as investors eyed a new White House push on housing costs. President Donald Trump said he was directing his “representatives” to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds — bundles of home loans sold to investors — to “drive Mortgage Rates DOWN.” Housing finance chief Bill Pulte added that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac would handle the purchase; filings reveal the two firms had under $17 billion in cash as of Sept. 30. Reuters
Why it matters now: rate expectations are jittery ahead of Friday’s U.S. nonfarm payrolls report for December, a crucial indicator for the economic outlook and borrowing costs. Weekly jobless claims ticked up slightly last week. Investors have been hanging on every major data point, especially after a prolonged government shutdown stalled economic releases. Reuters
Home-related stocks followed a similar path. Lowe’s rose 3.7% to $256.21, and Sherwin-Williams added roughly 2.9%, reaching $341.03.
Home Depot has been pushing the idea that a thaw in housing will kickstart big-ticket home improvement spending, following a slowdown in do-it-yourself demand. At its December investor conference, the company projected fiscal 2026 comparable sales growth between flat and 2%, and said adjusted EPS could rise anywhere from flat to 4%. CFO Richard McPhail said bluntly, “the pressures in housing will correct.” Reuters
Despite Thursday’s rebound, the stock remains far from last year’s peak. Home Depot closed Tuesday at $349.29, roughly 18% shy of its 52-week high at $426.75, according to market data. MarketWatch
Housing policy has become a key factor shaping the market each day. Just one day ago, Trump warned he might bar Wall Street firms from snapping up single-family homes. That move rattled some landlord stocks and weighed on homebuilder shares. Reuters
But the upside scenario involves many variables. Richard Green, director of the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, told Business Insider the $200 billion bond-buying plan was “a gesture,” cautioning that lower mortgage rates could push home prices higher if supply remains limited.
Home Depot is gearing up for its next major event: the fourth-quarter earnings report due on Feb. 24 at 9 a.m. ET. Investors will be watching closely for any shifts in its 2026 outlook and clues that demand for big-ticket items might be picking up. Homedepot
