NEW YORK, Jan 10, 2026, 14:16 EST — Market closed
Morgan Stanley shares climbed 0.9% on Friday, closing at $186.32 after fluctuating between $185.00 and $186.91. Investors held steady ahead of a packed week for major banks and key economic reports.
Wall Street’s biggest lenders kick off fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday, the same day we get December’s CPI, a crucial inflation indicator. “All the inflation numbers are going to be critical,” said Hartford Funds’ Nanette Abuhoff Jacobson. Natixis’ Jack Janasiewicz added that banks remain “on the front lines.” Reuters.
Morgan Stanley plans to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Jan. 15, followed by a conference call at 8:30 a.m. Eastern.
The mood remains risk-on. The S&P 500 hit a record close on Friday, while the Nasdaq and Dow also posted gains. A softer-than-anticipated U.S. jobs report failed to derail hopes for rate cuts later this year.
Payrolls increased by 50,000 in December while the unemployment rate edged down to 4.4%, the Labor Department reported. Fitch Ratings’ Olu Sonola didn’t mince words on the sluggish pace, saying, “Hiring is still stuck in stall speed.” Reuters
JPMorgan analyst Kian Abouhossein maintained a neutral rating on Morgan Stanley but raised his price target to $162 from $157, according to a Yahoo Finance roundup of analyst moves. For context, a price target reflects where analysts expect the stock to trade over the coming year.
An internal memo revealed that Morgan Stanley promoted 184 employees to managing director this year, marking a 6% increase from 2025. Roughly 70% of these promotions were in revenue-generating roles. Institutional Securities, the firm’s investment banking and trading arm, accounted for the largest portion at 48%, the memo noted.
Investors are once again focusing on dealmaking. A Reuters “Take Five” note this week pointed to a jump in investment banking revenue driven by faster deal activity, which should support banks’ fourth-quarter earnings. Traders are also keeping an eye on management’s remarks about consumer spending to gauge the economic outlook. Reuters
Morgan Stanley is drawing focus on investment banking fees, markets revenue, and the direction of wealth management. Expense control remains key, given how compensation can heavily impact Wall Street earnings. Investors will also track whether net new assets—the fresh client funds flowing in—hold steady.
The setup isn’t one-sided. Reuters Breakingviews’ “Market Talk” pointed out that the December jobs report “dashed” hopes for a January rate cut. A hotter-than-expected CPI could swiftly shift market expectations on the Fed’s path and dampen risk appetite. Reuters
Coming soon: the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release December’s CPI data on Jan. 13 at 8:30 a.m. ET. Morgan Stanley is also set to report earnings on Jan. 15 before the market opens.
