New York, Jan 23, 2026, 19:35 EST — Trading after hours.
- Visa edged down 0.06%, closing Friday at $326.18, and showed little movement in after-hours trading.
- Investors are gearing up for Visa’s quarterly earnings and outlook set for Jan. 29.
- The Fed’s Jan. 28 move raises the stakes for rate-sensitive financials.
Visa Inc shares closed Friday barely lower, slipping 0.06% to $326.18, and showed little movement after hours. This tepid finish stood out against sharper drops seen in Mastercard and American Express. Roughly 5.7 million Visa shares traded during the day.
The steady price action is notable since Visa is often seen as a barometer for consumer spending: it earns fees from payment transactions without bearing the credit risk lenders face. That makes the upcoming earnings report particularly important, especially as Washington and the Fed return to the spotlight on consumer-related issues.
Wall Street closed out a volatile week with mixed moves Friday as Intel plunged on a gloomy forecast, while the S&P 500 barely budged. All three major indexes ended the week lower, leaving investors searching for clearer direction ahead of a packed slate of earnings and economic data. 1
Visa plans to release its fiscal first-quarter results after the market closes on Jan. 29, followed by a webcast at 5:00 p.m. ET. The company noted it is currently in its usual “quiet period,” during which executives generally refrain from speaking with investors until the earnings report is made public. 2
Interest rates remain a key driver for the sector. The Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting is scheduled for Jan. 27-28, with a decision expected at 2:00 p.m. ET and a press conference set for 2:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 28, per the Fed’s January calendar. 3
Data showed U.S. consumer spending climbed 0.5% in November, matching October’s increase. But economists warn the growth leans heavily on wealthier households as savings dwindle. “Consumer spending remained remarkably resilient … yet this impressive strength masks a more troubling reality,” said Lydia Boussour, senior economist at EY-Parthenon. 4
The latest reading on consumer mood showed a modest uptick. The University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index climbed to a final 56.4 in January. “While the overall improvement was small, it was broad based,” said survey director Joanne Hsu, noting that concerns about prices and jobs still drag on purchasing power. 5
Business surveys indicated steady expansion, though cost pressures remain tough to shake. S&P Global’s flash composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) came in at 52.8 — comfortably above the 50 mark that signals growth — while price readings stayed stubbornly high. “Increased costs, widely blamed on tariffs, are again cited as a key driver,” noted Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. 6
Policy risk continues to loom over the credit card sector. Bank of America is exploring options to roll out new credit cards capped at a 10% interest rate, responding to President Donald Trump’s demands, a source told Reuters. Bloomberg reported Citigroup is mulling a similar strategy. Analysts cited by Reuters say any broad interest rate cap would likely need legislation and faces a tough, uncertain road in Congress. 7
For Visa, the real risk isn’t loan defaults but the ripple effects. If lenders clamp down on credit, cut rewards, and scale back marketing, transaction growth could stall—even if the economy dodges a sharp downturn. Plus, any slowdown in cross-border transactions—those fees from cards used abroad—tends to catch investors’ attention fast.
Markets have been swinging amid a mix of geopolitics, economic data, and earnings forecasts. “At the end of the day, earnings are the driver,” Chris Galipeau, senior market strategist at Franklin Templeton, told Reuters in a week-ahead preview. 8
Coming Wednesday, Jan. 28, the Fed will announce its decision. Then on Thursday, Jan. 29, Visa reports earnings after the close, with management scheduled to speak at 5 p.m. ET. Traders will focus on Visa’s insights into payment volumes, cross-border activity, and consumer spending habits.
