New York, Jan 25, 2026, 10:50 EST — The market has closed.
- Palantir shares climbed 2.3% on Friday, closing at $169.60.
- A UK defence procurement notice revealed a follow-on Palantir enterprise agreement worth £240.6 million.
- Investors are focused on the Fed’s late-January decision alongside Palantir’s earnings report due February 2.
Palantir Technologies Inc shares ended Friday 2.3% higher, closing at $169.60. U.S. markets remain closed over the weekend, while a busy slate of catalysts looms for the coming week.
In London, the UK Ministry of Defence awarded Palantir Technologies UK Ltd a follow-on enterprise agreement, a wide-ranging software licensing and support contract, worth £240.6 million, according to a government procurement notice published Friday. The deal, signed on Dec. 30, will run from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029. It was a direct award, bypassing any competitive bidding.
Palantir is set to release its fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results on Feb. 2, after U.S. markets close. The company will host a webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET. Investors will be watching closely to see if new government contracts and commercial demand are still growing fast enough to support the stock’s valuation.
The overall mood remains uneasy. On Friday, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained slightly, driven by strong performances in mega-cap tech stocks. Yet, a steep fall in Intel shares and renewed geopolitical tensions capped enthusiasm for riskier assets, Reuters reported.
Palantir’s stock has been volatile. It ended the week roughly 0.8% below last Friday’s close, even with a rebound on Friday. Recent sessions have seen sharp swings as traders adjust ahead of earnings.
Macro developments may impact high-growth stocks just as much as company-specific news. The Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting is set for Jan. 27-28, with the rate announcement expected on Jan. 28. Investors closely watch the Fed’s stance on interest rates, since any hint of tightening can pressure pricey software stocks by hitting their future earnings valuations.
Palantir is ramping up its commercial reach beyond government contracts. This week, it extended its partnership with South Korea’s HD Hyundai in a deal Reuters described as worth “hundreds of millions of dollars” spread over several years. CEO Alex Karp told Reuters he’s “very bullish” on prospects in the Korean market. Reuters
Investors will track how fast the UK defence deal translates into reported revenue. Although the contract kicks off in April, it could already shape sentiment. Still, unless delivery and billing pick up ahead of schedule, near-term results might not budge much.
The downside risk is well-known. Government contracts tend to be uneven, often face intense review, and typically take time to convert into actual revenue. With Palantir’s shares already priced for robust growth, any weaker-than-anticipated forecast on Feb. 2 might slam the stock more than a typical miss in a less volatile sector.
As the Nasdaq prepares to reopen Monday, traders eye the UK contract headline for signs of fresh buying. All eyes will also be on positioning ahead of the Fed’s Jan. 28 decision and Palantir’s earnings on Feb. 2.
