Hala,
💰 🇺🇸 Nearly 1 in 4 millennials and Gen Z-ers in the U.S. (18–43) say “No thanks!” to parenting due to finances, per a MassMutual survey.(1) With $240k+ needed to raise a child to age 18, some say it’s cheaper to just spoil the cat! 🐾
amana’s Take
- Buckle up for a tech-fueled earnings parade as over 100 S&P 500 heavyweights, including Tesla, Meta, Microsoft, and Apple, take the stage. With expectations high and growth forecasts glowing, the tech titans are under pressure to keep the party alive. No pressure, right?
- The Federal Reserve is expected to sit tight on rates, but all eyes will be on Powell’s post-meeting press conference. Will he play the inflation whisperer or the economic cheerleader? The tone could make or break market momentum.
- GDP growth and the Fed’s inflation metric are set to drop, promising a reality check for investors. With the new administration’s $500 billion AI splurge and hands-off tariff strategy fueling optimism, any surprises here could shift the script — and fast.
Stock Market Update
🔥📉 U.S. stocks cooled off as investors cashed in after a hot week centered on President Donald Trump’s White House comeback. The S&P 500 slipped 0.3% to 6,101.24, the Dow lost 0.3% to 44,424.25, and the Nasdaq 100 dropped 0.58% to 21,774.01.(2) Even Wall Street needed a breather! 💼💨
🎢🛼 Meanwhile, Gulf stocks played seesaw, buoyed by President Trump’s softer tone on tariffs and interest rates. Saudi rose 0.3% to 12,386, but Qatar eased 0.1% to 10,651.(3) 📈📉
🔥🏆 Gold’s Phoenix Moment!
Gold is soaring like a phoenix, shimmering brighter than ever as the U.S. dollar falters, thanks to President Trump’s latest remarks on tariffs and rates. This dazzling metal is just $5.63 shy of its record peak, and with its fourth weekly rise in the bag, gold’s shine is impossible to ignore.(4) Move over, Wall Street — this golden bird is stealing the spotlight! 💰✨
📈💡 Highlights from Gold’s Golden Flight:
- Spot Gold Surge: Up 0.7%, hitting $2,773.02 per ounce.
- Weekly Wins: A 2.9% gain, inching closer to its October high of $2,790.15.
- Futures on Fire: U.S. gold futures climbed 0.5% to $2,779.70.
- Silver Sparkles: Spot silver rose 0.7%, now at $30.66 per ounce.
- Platinum Pops: Up 0.6%, hitting $948.20.
- Palladium Edges Up: A 0.1% rise, closing at $992.56.
- ETF Flows: While choppy, they signal strong demand as traders hedge their bets. 💎🌍
📊✨ Dollar’s Dip, Gold’s Grip
As Trump calls for immediate rate cuts at Davos, the dollar hits a one-month low, making bullion a bargain for foreign buyers. With tariffs looming on Feb. 1, inflation fears bubbling, and the Fed likely to hold rates steady next week, gold gleams as the ultimate hedge against uncertainty. It’s not just a safe haven — it’s the headline act in a world brimming with economic drama. 🎭🌟
Closer to Home
- 🏢 Abu Dhabi’s Modon Holding makes its grand London debut, teaming up with Broadgate REIT to co-develop 2 Finsbury Avenue — a stunning dual-tower marvel in the heart of Broadgate.(5) Talk about towering ambitions! 🗼
- 🏙️ Speaking of real estate, Dubai’s property market smashed records in 2024 with 2.78M deals — the highest in history -and AED 761B ($207B) in transactions.(6) Indeed, a skyscraper-level success. 🚀
- 🧾 Meanwhile, according to Saudi’s GASTAT, November trade saw non-oil exports up 19.7% and re-exports soaring 82.9%. China remains both the MVP and BFF of the trade scene.(7) 🛢️
What Else Is Trending
- 🪙 Ethereum slipped 6.7% so far in January, bucking Bitcoin’s trend, but market watchers say February and March have a history of bullish comebacks.(8) Maybe Ether’s just biding its time. ⏳
- 🛍️ U.S. consumer sentiment slipped to 71.1 in January, the first drop in six months, with inflation expectations soaring above the 2.3%-3.0% pre-pandemic range. Tariffs and labor fears are adding fuel to the fire.(9) 🔥
- ⚖️ Lastly, oil prices held largely steady on Friday as President Trump pushed for more domestic production and cheaper OPEC crude. Brent gained 0.27% to $78.50, while WTI added a modest 0.05% to $74.66.(10) ⛽
💬Quote of the Day
“Focus has now shifted to Feb. 1 in terms of tariff or trade policy announcements, with less focus on the Jan. 29 Fed meeting.” — Standard Chartered
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Sources:(1) CBS News, (2) (4) (10) CNBC, (3) (9) Reuters, (5) (6) (7) Zawya, (8) Cointelegraph
