Market Signal Briefing

Fri, 9/01/2026 - 19:16

XRP continues to see attention across the global space, with major entities joining efforts to facilitate institutional XRP infrastructure and boost adoption for the asset.

Cover image via U.Today XRP has continued to gain traction amid heightened interest across institutions and the global financial market, as it is increasingly becoming one of the most recognized cryptocurrencies.

As momentum continues to build, Evernorth, an XRP-focused digital asset treasury company backed by Ripple and SBI Holdings, has announced a major partnership aimed to boost adoption for XRP.

Evernorth and Doppler Finance in major partnershipOn Friday, January 9, Evernorth partnered with Doppler Finance, a leading infrastructure provider in XRPFi, to boost utility for the fourth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, as disclosed by renowned social media personality, Chad Steingraber.

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While both companies are focused on XRP development, they have decided to join hands together to bolster real-world adoption of the XRP Ledger (XRPL) by bringing institutional-grade liquidity and treasury solutions on-chain.

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The partnership will see Evernorth and Doppler Finance work together to boost utility for the XRP Ledger while making it more reliable and scalable for large financial institutions.

The companies have embarked on this journey to make XRP the top choice for institutions that demand clarity, structure, and real economic utility.

XRP’s full potential unlockedThe major partnership, which has got the crypto community talking, will see the companies work together to provide institutional liquidity, robust infrastructure, and disciplined risk frameworks to enable XRP to feature as a scalable, yield-generating digital asset for the global market.

To achieve their mission, the concerned companies will begin to design and pilot institutional liquidity and treasury use cases on XRPL.

Basically, the companies are planning to explore structured frameworks for deploying large-scale XRP capital, evaluate on-chain financial products, and also build the operational and technical environment that is needed to facilitate institutional participation on a long term.

While big institutions are already adopting XRP, the development will further help banks, funds, and large investors to be able to confidently use XRP in real financial operations.

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Bitcoin briefly surged toward $92,000 on Jan. 9 after the U.S. Supreme Court delayed a ruling on the Trump administration's reciprocal tariffs. The price quickly retraced, however, triggering $20 million in liquidations and returning the asset to its $90,000 to $92,000 consolidation zone.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) may play an underrated role in the recent protests in Iran, with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard reportedly moving $1 billion through crypto exchanges to evade sanctions.

Currency Collapse Drives Mass Bitcoin AdoptionThe Iranian rial crashed to a record 1.42 million per U.S. dollar in late December, having lost over 40% of its value since June 2025.

While ordinary citizens flee economic collapse, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been using cryptocurrency for a different purpose: evading international sanctions.

TRM Labs identified Zedcex and Zedxion, two UK-registered exchanges, as key facilitators of IRGC transactions. IRGC-linked activity accounted for 56% of total volume on these platforms between 2023 and 2025.

The vast majority of transactions used Tether’s USDT stablecoin on the Tron (CRYPTO: TRX) blockchain.

IRGC crypto transactions surged dramatically: from $24 million in 2023 to $619 million in 2024, and $410 million through early 2025. TRM Labs traced funds through 187 sanctioned wallet addresses.

In one notable case, investigators identified a $10 million payment from an IRGC wallet to accounts funding Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

Between Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, these organizations are now using cryptocurrency at previously unseen scales, with total identified volumes exceeding $2 billion.

Iran Offers Crypto Payments For Weapons SalesAdding another dimension to Iran’s crypto strategy, the country is now openly advertising weapons sales with cryptocurrency payment options.

According to promotional materials from the Ministry of Defence Export Center (Mindex), Iran is offering ballistic missiles, drones, and warships with crypto payment capabilities.

Mindex claims relationships with 35 countries, though their identities remain undisclosed.

Security analysts note it’s extraordinarily rare for a country to openly advertise cryptocurrency payments for strategic military equipment.

Why This Matters For Bitcoin And Crypto MarketsThe Iranian crisis validates Bitcoin’s value proposition as censorship-resistant money during currency collapse. 

However, the internet shutdown exposes a critical vulnerability: Bitcoin requires infrastructure that authoritarian regimes can shut down.

The $1 billion IRGC operation demonstrates cryptocurrency’s evolution from fringe asset to tool of statecraft. 

Between Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, these organizations are using cryptocurrency at scales previously unseen, with total identified volumes currently standing at over $2 billion.

For Ethereum, the IRGC’s choice of USDT on Tron rather than Ethereum highlights competition: lower fees and faster settlement make alternative chains more attractive for moving large sums under sanctions. 

This fragments the crypto ecosystem and challenges Ethereum’s DeFi dominance.

The situation positions XRP as potentially favored by regulators because its compliance-focused design makes it less attractive to sanctioned actors, while still offering speed and low costs for legitimate cross-border commerce.

Polymarket traders assign about a 17% chance that Khamenei will be removed from power by the end of January, with trading volume spiking to $4.7 million in four days.

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TL;DR

South Korea outlines a 2026 regulatory roadmap including Bitcoin spot ETFs. New stablecoin rules demand full reserve backing and strict capital requirements. Public finance will trial blockchain for treasury management and payments. South Korea opens a clearer phase for crypto assets. The government considers authorizing Bitcoin spot ETFs during 2026 and, in parallel, sets a regulatory calendar for stablecoins, payments, and blockchain use in public finance. The roadmap appears in the 2026 Growth Strategy, presented on January 5, with the Financial Services Commission (FSC) as lead agency.

The FSC advances a second bill for digital assets with emphasis on stablecoins. The draft sets issuer capital requirements, 100% reserve backing, and enforceable redemption rules. Supervisors also target disclosures, segregation of funds, and clear conduct standards for marketing and distribution.

Stablecoins, cross-border flows, and public payments The FSC and the Ministry of Strategy and Finance coordinate rules for cross-border transfers using stablecoins. Authorities define authorization for issuers, reserve management with verified assets, and monitoring of flows between jurisdictions. Banks, payment gateways, and wallet providers must align controls with anti-fraud and consumer-protection objectives.

Public finance adopts blockchain for treasury funds, payments, and electronic wallets. The long-term plan allocates up to one quarter of the national treasury to deposit tokens by 2030, subject to pilot results and legal updates. Agencies run controlled trials, measure reconciliation quality, and publish implementation playbooks for state entities.

Policymakers show more openness to Bitcoin spot ETFs after observing adoption in the United States and Hong Kong. The national plan includes permission for spot asset ETFs in 2026, with the FSC responsible for authorization. Earlier criteria excluded Bitcoin as an eligible underlying; the updated stance now recognizes investor demand and custody standards.

Teams prepare amendments to the Bank of Korea Act and the National Treasury Management Act to support blockchain-based payments, digital custody, and accounting treatment for tokenized instruments. The calendar includes pilot assessments and supervisory guidance before market launch.

Operating in South Korea requires full authorization, not transitional registrations. Stablecoin issuers, intermediaries, payment processors, and brokerages need to meet local rules on capital, reserves, audits, and disclosures. For asset managers, potential approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs offers a regulated channel with domestic pricing and recognized custodians.

ETF withdrawals and slowing on-chain activity highlight growing investor caution amid Bitcoin’s near-term price consolidation.

Market Sentiment:

Bullish Bearish Neutral

Published: January 9, 2026 │ 6:50 PM GMT

Created by Kornelija Poderskytė from DailyCoin

U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) extended their losing streak for a third straight session, pointing to a short-term cooling in investor risk appetite.

Nearly $399 million flowed out of Bitcoin ETFs on Friday alone, pushing total withdrawals over the past three days to approximately $1.3 billion, and wiping the New Year’s returns, according to SoSoValue’s data.

Source: SoSoValue

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The largest outflows came from BlackRock’s IBIT ($193.34 million), followed by Fidelity’s FBTC ($120.52 million) and Grayscale’s GBTC ($73.09 million).

The recent ETF outflows signal a moderation in investor risk appetite. Experts suggest these moves largely reflect tactical repositioning rather than a wholesale shift away from Bitcoin exposure.

Price Movements Reflect CautionBitcoin’s market performance has mirrored this cautious sentiment. Year-to-date gains, previously around 8%, have moderated to roughly 4% as the cryptocurrency traded near the $90,000 level on Friday.

According to CryptoQuant data, Bitcoin’s spot markets are also showing signs of cooling momentum, with on-chain metrics indicating slower accumulation of unrealized profits.

Bitcoin MVRV Signals Cooling Momentum as Valuation Stretches

“Unless the MVRV Ratio can stabilize and reclaim higher ground, the broader signal continues to favor cooling momentum over renewed strength.” – By @CrypZeno pic.twitter.com/v2mwxjLi0U

— CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) January 8, 2026 Long-term holders are distributing into strength, while short-term demand drives incremental gains. The setup suggests a potential transition to consolidation or deeper corrections, as valuations remain elevated but momentum weakens, leaving Bitcoin sensitive to negative catalysts.

“The market is not fully risk-off yet, but the balance of probabilities increasingly points toward consolidation or deeper corrections rather than a clean continuation of the prior uptrend,” say CryptoQuant analysts.

Why This MattersSustained outflows and slowing on-chain momentum signal that investor caution could weigh on Bitcoin’s near-term price action, making the market more sensitive to negative catalysts.

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People Also Ask:What is a Bitcoin ETF?

A Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) is a financial product that allows investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without directly buying or storing the cryptocurrency.

Why do Bitcoin ETFs experience outflows?

Outflows occur when investors sell their ETF shares. This can reflect risk aversion, profit-taking, or portfolio rebalancing, rather than a complete loss of confidence in Bitcoin.

What does “cooling momentum” mean in crypto markets?

Cooling momentum refers to a slowing rate of price gains or profit accumulation, often indicating reduced buying pressure or market caution.

How can investors protect themselves during volatile periods?

Investors can diversify portfolios, set stop-losses, avoid over-leveraging, and monitor market signals and on-chain indicators to manage risk.

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This article is for information purposes only and should not be considered trading or investment advice. Nothing herein shall be construed as financial, legal, or tax advice. Trading forex, cryptocurrencies, and CFDs pose a considerable risk of loss.

TL;DR

House of Doge outlined a Japan roadmap with abc Co., Ltd. and ReYuu Japan to explore tokenization, payments, and real world assets. Roles split: House of Doge coordinates infrastructure, ReYuu drives local integration, and abc supports token economy design, smart contracts, and regulatory alignment. The plan highlights Japan’s “green list” compliance path, includes gold backed stablecoins and RWA tokenization, and reiterates a localized push toward Dogecoin usage. House of Doge, a Dogecoin Foundation entity, is aiming for Japan with a collaboration roadmap rather than a single product launch. Announced Thursday, the framework links House of Doge with abc Co., Ltd. and ReYuu Japan Inc. to explore regulated tokenization, payment integrations, and real world asset initiatives tailored to Japan’s market. CEO Marco Margiotta framed the push as practical utility and ecosystem growth, emphasizing a shift from meme identity to real world deployment as the ecosystem looks for adoption. The agreement is described as a roadmap for collaboration, designed to evolve as opportunities emerge.

Strategic partnerships target compliance and real world utility The tripartite design assigns distinct responsibilities. House of Doge is set to coordinate infrastructure investment and broader ecosystem development. ReYuu Japan will handle business development and local market integration, while abc Co. brings token economy design, smart contract development, and regulatory alignment. Margiotta called Japan a “natural and culturally aligned market” for DOGE due to its embrace of digital innovation, and argued clear operating roles can turn interest into execution as each party focuses on its lane and delivers within Japan’s regulatory perimeter from day one.

Compliance sits at the center of the plan. The partners intend to promote gold backed stablecoins and real world asset tokenization under Japan’s “green list” framework, positioning growth as regulated and structured rather than leaning on Dogecoin’s cultural reach. The announcement does not specify which assets would be tokenized, but it signals interest in regulated financial products and next generation Web3 applications. By highlighting the green list pathway, the roadmap suggests regulatory fit is the prerequisite for scaling and for building products that can survive scrutiny and last, and supports a compliance first rollout locally.

House of Doge said the collaboration is meant to be “localized and responsible,” but it did not disclose timelines, pilot programs, or named merchant participants. Still, the scope is broad, spanning payments, financial products, and tokenization, and the organization reiterated its commitment to establishing Dogecoin as a widely accepted global currency through infrastructure investments. Margiotta described the partnership with abc and ReYuu Japan as a step toward responsible innovation and long term ecosystem growth, with infrastructure investment positioned as the bridge to everyday usage for local users and businesses, reinforcing its currency goal for Dogecoin.

Meta on Friday announced agreements with three nuclear power providers, including one backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, as part of its efforts to secure necessary resources for its AI ambitions. The arrangements with Vistra, TerraPower and Oklo, which are all working on nuclear power technologies, are for Meta's Prometheus supercluster computing system that's being built at a data center in New Albany, Ohio.

Key Takeaways DAVE posted a 49% y/y rise in ExtraCash originations, reaching $2B in 3Q25.Dave uses CashAI v5.5, trained on 7M originations, cutting the 28-day delinquency rate to 2.33%.DAVE's Coastal Community Bank partnership supports high originations. Dave Inc. (DAVE - Free Report) witnessed a 49% year-over-year rise in its ExtraCash originations in the third quarter of 2025. While $2 billion in ExtraCash originations is significantly impressive, it attracts credit risks. Hence, the vital question that remains on the table is whether the company can mitigate the credit risks while managing the ExtraCash trajectory.

DAVE has incorporated its proprietary AI and machine learning model, CashAI v5.5, into its arsenal to stand tall against the lingering credit risks. This technology is trained on more than 7 million ExtraCash originations and is pretty effective, as evidenced by a reduction in its 28-day delinquency rate to 2.33% from the preceding quarter’s 2.4%.

The company’s net monetization rate paints an optimistic picture. This metric has improved 45 basis points from the year-ago quarter, highlighting its underwriting precision. While the new fee model has generated fruitful results by capturing revenues with ease, it has done so by offsetting the rising risks of larger advances leveraging its CashAI v5.5.

The partnership between Dave and Coastal Community Bank is instrumental to maintaining high ExtraCash origination while managing credit risks. Coastal Community Bank sponsors Dave, including the ExtraCash product. This arrangement enables Coastal Community Bank onboard customers efficiently, accelerating Dave’s business growth and expansion. This move allows DAVE to mitigate credit risks, pivoting toward a capital-light model.

DAVE’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesThe stock has skyrocketed 177.5% in the past year, significantly outperforming its peers, Jamf (JAMF - Free Report) and Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. (KD - Free Report) , and the industry as a whole. The industry has gained 16.9%. Jamf and Kyndryl Holdings have lost 7.8% and 27.8%, respectively.

1-Year Share Price PerformanceImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, DAVE trades at a 12-month forward price-to-earnings ratio of 16.77, higher than Jamf’s 13.08 and Kyndryl Holdings’ 8.94.

P/E - F12MImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

DAVE carries a Value Score of D, while Jamf and Kyndryl Holdings carry B and A.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for DAVE’s earnings for 2025 and 2026 is pinned at $12.96 and $14 per share, respectively, unchanged over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

DAVE currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

A one-kilogram silver bar at the Valcambi SA precious metals refinery in Balerna, Switzerland; (Francesca Volpi/Bloomberg)

Silver is on a scintillating run, skyrocketing nearly 160% over the past 12 months to near a record high of about $80 an ounce. The rally pales in comparison to the surge for Hecla Mining, the largest silver miner in the U.S. and Canada.

The first few trading days of January have reminded investors that we’re still operating in a manic market. Each of the major indexes has closed at a new all-time high in January, and as of the market opening on Jan. 8, all the indexes were positive for the year. That could confirm the January effect, which would keep the bull market running.

However, there have been several red days to dampen the bullish sentiment. Many of the same themes from 2025 continue to bubble up: interest rates, earnings durability, and valuation risk. Growth is still growth, but it looks like a year where many stocks may rally more on liquidity and capital gains as opposed to earnings growth and dividend payouts. 

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But periods of uncertainty often create opportunities. In 2026, this means investors may want to consider stocks where the most important catalysts are likely to emerge later in the year, at which point there should be more clarity on the macroeconomic story. 

Volatile starts to the year may test investor patience, but they can also reward those who focus on when growth is likely to materialize. With that in mind, long-term investors can look for technology stocks with clear second-half growth drivers that may be underappreciated today.

Broadcom: AI Monetization Is a Second-Half Story Broadcom Inc. NASDAQ: AVGO stock climbed 45% in 2025. That gain was supported by the TradeSmith Health Indicator, a volatility-based metric that’s had AVGO stock in the Green Zone for most of 2025.

Health Indicator for Broadcom TradeSmith's Health IndicatorA long-term volatility-based measure designed for securities held 12 months or longer.

Green: Strong and healthy uptrend with normal pullbacks.

Yellow: Significant pullback but still within expected volatility.

Red: Dropped beyond expected volatility; considered unhealthy.

Green Zone (3w+)

1-Year History

Jan 25 Apr 25 Jul 25 Oct 25 Jan 26

For the last 3 weeks, AVGO's financial health has been in the Green zone, according to TradeSmith.

Broadcom’s diversified model, which spans semiconductors and infrastructure software, provides cash flow stability during periods of market volatility. 

Heading into its fourth quarter earnings report, the stock was on track for even bigger gains.

However, it dropped sharply after issuing forward guidance that pointed to some softness in gross margin percentage in 2026.

That appears to be a short-term concern. Broadcom’s key role in the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure story provides a strong reason to believe that the second half of 2026 could be very strong.

Broadcom Today

$344.70 +12.22 (+3.67%)

As of 01:44 PM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$138.10▼

$414.61Dividend Yield0.75%

P/E Ratio72.47

Price Target$438.00

Specifically, the company’s exposure to custom AI accelerators and networking components should lead to stronger momentum as enterprise and hyperscaler spending ramps later in the year. That could be one reason why analysts are forecasting 18% earnings growth for Broadcom in 2026.

That balance allows AVGO to invest through cycles while still returning capital to shareholders.

Part of that shareholder value comes in the form of a dividend. Broadcom has increased its dividend payout for 15 consecutive years, and for the last five years, the dividend has increased at an annual rate of over 12%.

Oracle: Cloud Infrastructure Momentum Builds Over Time Oracle Corp. NYSE: ORCL had a volatile year that was fueled more by headlines than by fundamentals. The stock has plummeted over 34% in the three months ending Jan. 8, 2026. But when investors get past noisy headlines, a bull case emerges.

Oracle Today

$199.07 +9.42 (+4.97%)

As of 01:44 PM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$118.86▼

$345.72Dividend Yield1.00%

P/E Ratio37.34

Price Target$304.94

It starts with the fact that Oracle is no longer just a legacy software company. It’s become a key part of the cloud infrastructure ecosystem, where it is building a roster of enterprise clients that need high-performance workloads tied to AI and data-intensive applications.

However, unlike some cloud peers, Oracle’s growth story is less about headline-grabbing quarterly numbers and more about contract wins, backlog conversion, and capacity expansion.

Those are dynamics that aren’t likely to show up until new data centers come online and signed contracts move into revenue recognition.

If that occurs as expected, Oracle’s cloud growth could reaccelerate meaningfully in the second half.

Analysts are projecting 12% earnings growth in 2026. That supports a consensus price target of $304.94, which is over 60% above the ORCL stock price on Jan. 8.

Uber Technologies: Margin Inflection Is the Real Catalyst Uber Technologies Inc. NYSE: UBER stock has already rewarded investors who believed in its path to profitability. UBER stock was up more than 34% in 2025. However, the company’s next phase may be even more important, and it has to do with what many perceive to be its biggest threat.

Uber Technologies Today

UBER

Uber Technologies

$85.40 -2.19 (-2.50%)

As of 01:44 PM Eastern

This is a fair market value price provided by Massive. Learn more.

52-Week Range$60.63▼

$101.99P/E Ratio10.98

Price Target$107.14

The bear case on Uber hinges on autonomous driving. The argument is simple: if Tesla perfects robotaxis, Uber faces an existential threat.

However, what this framing misses is that Uber doesn’t need to own the vehicles to win. Its advantage is demand aggregation, pricing, routing, payments, and regulatory infrastructure. If autonomous fleets scale this year, Uber can become the distribution layer for that supply, reducing capital spending while likely improving margins. That’s why margin inflection, not autonomy itself, is the real catalyst.

In 2026, Uber’s story increasingly shifts from growth-at-all-costs to operating leverage, free cash flow, and margin expansion. Analysts are forecasting Uber to grow earnings at over 37% in the next 12 months. They also give UBER stock a consensus price target of $107.15, which marks a 21% gain from its price as of this writing.

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America vs. Venezuela (0:25). Memory, storage stocks soar; AI trade moving to different sectors (3:30). Jobs data this week just fine (6:15). Roblox's longer-term decline (10:00). Thoughts on the market in 2026 (14:00).

Transcript

Rena Sherbill: Brian Stewart, our Director of News at Seeking Alpha, our first Wall Street roundup of 2026. Welcome back.

Brian Stewart: Yeah, great to be here.

Rena Sherbill: It's great to have you. It's great to be talking again. What have you got for us? The world is on stage performing for us all in comedy and drama and horror. What do you got for us?

Brian Stewart: Well, if we're to talk about the world stage, I think we have to start with Venezuela over the weekend going into this week. US captured Maduro. The stock market, generally positive response. Several sectors saw gains. You saw gains in oil sector oil services.

The only exception there really a glaring exception was the Canadian oil stocks. Canadian oil sands competes with Venezuela for the heavy crude. So if there's going to be more Venezuelan oil on the market, that's bad for the oil sands, lower prices there.

At a certain point, that drilling becomes uneconomical if oil prices get too low. So there were some concerns in that little pocket. But otherwise, oil stocks, the prospects of more production in Venezuela move those higher, defense stocks higher both on the idea of broader geopolitical tensions driving those stocks, but also the idea that companies like Halliburton (HAL) are going to contracts to build out the infrastructure in Venezuela.

Obviously, we'll have to see how that goes. We're still at stage one of that process. There's going to be a multi-year process.

But I think the interesting impact stock market wise was that the idea of a military action in Venezuela, kind of a ratcheting up of international tensions, a lot of American allies pushing back against the idea that we would jump into Venezuela. The stock market basically shrugged those off.

So the idea that there'd be, that we're moving into say a more dangerous world or that things are gonna get more troublesome as we kind of move forward, even with the kind of tough talk coming from the Trump administration about other countries, Greenland, Cuba, Colombia, even that didn't really phase the stock market that much.

Rena Sherbill: Have you ever seen a time like this where, like, seems everything is priced in except for normalcy, quote unquote?

Brian Stewart: Yeah, that's really interesting. I like the idea of everything priced in but normalcy.

I think we had for a while the Taco Trade, the Trump always chickens out trade. That's obviously a negative way to frame that, but you could frame it in the sense that the Trump administration has proven itself to be extremely pragmatic. So even when it takes an aggressive step, the administration kind of looks around, sees what the reaction is and will adjust in real time to that.

So I think that is the main thing that's priced in is the idea that, I just don't think people take seriously that the worst case scenario, which is often the thing that Trump says, I'm going to do this terrible thing, this thing that is terrible for the economy or whatever. and I think people just sort of assume that that's rhetoric and that'll be sort of figured out over the course of the process.

But there are things that don't seem to be completely priced in. So for instance, if we could just get back to stocks, memory and storage stocks without much of a catalyst jumped over the past week.

So you saw Sandisk (SNDK) up 36% in the past week. It's up 10% today as we started taping up 71 % in the past month. Meanwhile, Micron (MU) was one of the best performing stocks, major larger cap stocks of 2025 is up 6 % in the past week, up 36 % in the past month, past year, just looking at the 2025 performance up 230%.

So I think this signifies just sort of the AI trade kind of moving around. Like you think about like a game board, like it's just sort of, you know, moving to where the opportunity is.

And right now there's just this feeling that there's going to be a dearth of the memory and storage chips. And so these products are going to be in high demand and so you're seeing these stocks respond in kind

Rena Sherbill: Any other stocks you would add to that conversation or tech wise or sector wise that you're seeing move?

Brian Stewart: Yeah, just terms of the AI trade moving around to different sectors, saw Oklo (OKLO) is up today. It got a deal after Meta (META) signed three major nuclear power agreements.

Basically, the companies are building out these huge data centers need power. These are huge power using facilities and the current grid, can't just plug in your data center into the normal grid and just start, you you blow that out. So these companies are looking for alternative power solutions and Oklo is an example of one.

Vistra is another one. The ticker that is (VST). So you're seeing that as people reason out like what's going to be necessary to do what these AI, these huge hyperscalers are promising.

We talked about last year, we were talking about a lot about Caterpillar (CAT), Caterpillar is up again this week, getting a boost from the idea that they're going to have to buy equipment to build these data centers. And now you have to have power to build these data centers, to power these data centers.

So I think you're still kind of in the shovel and pickaxe part of the trade, but I feel like people, like it's dawning on people sort of in real time, like, we're going to need power for this. And so you see these stocks respond when that happens.

Rena Sherbill: I've been talking to people that are in the job market and people that are kind of recruited by those data storage firms. And it's a bonanza. It's a bonanza. I can tell you some companies do have money and some companies don't. And I can tell you in that sector, there's a lot of money as we all see being moved around there. So definitely interesting to see how that will play out.

And then speaking of like the labor situation, what would you say about the jobs data we saw this week?

Brian Stewart: I recently went to the doctor for the first time in a while and they took my blood pressure and I asked, so how does it look? And the nurse was like, it's fine. And I think that's sort of like how the jobs data looks now. It's certainly not as egregious as it could be.

Last month's jobs data, we saw the unemployment rate spike to 4.6%. This time we saw it hold back to 4.4%. So you kind of see a reversal of that. Some of that is the labor participation rate went down.

So you see people coming out of the workforce. So this could be people who have been looking for jobs for a while have now kind of just given up, gone back to school, um, have kind of settled into being housewives or house husbands or whatever is happening there, maybe just decided that, okay, I guess I'm retired now, those kinds of things happen.

Meanwhile, jobs, you saw an increase of 50,000 jobs in December. It's a little down from November. We saw 56,000. It's, it's around expectations. Expectations were 55,000 going to this, but 5,000 either way isn't really a meaningful amount.

I think it'll be interesting to see the revisions for this. November's was revised down from just over 60,000 to the 56,000 it was. That's been a trend for the jobs data is you'll get a number, then you'll see it revised lower. and so this is right around just sort of stagnant job market. I think it was kind of interesting.

The anecdote you were talking about, where people in the mining sector and things like that are finding jobs. Meanwhile, we see the tech companies laying off people.

The story for 20 years was if you want to get a good job, learn to code. Now it's going to be all the people who learned how to code are going to have to become construction workers to build the data centers that put them out of business. So I don't know.

It's a very interesting time for the economy. Inflation is still kind of high. got the CPI coming out next week and we're really, we've been wait and see for a while.

Just looking at kind of like the market response to the latest jobs data we see there's now a 95 % chance that rates will hold steady at the next Fed meeting, is coming at the end of this month. It was 83 % last week. So you basically see people kind of locking into the consensus that rates are going to kind of hold steady.

The jobs data kind of played into the idea that, okay, the labor market's not great, but it's also doesn't seem to be collapsing. So maybe that gives the Fed a little bit more runway to hold rates steady. They don't have to slash them aggressively to generate hiring. So like I said, it's been wait and see, and it looks like it's going to stick to the wait and see for a while.

Rena Sherbill: Yeah, definitely interesting to see how this plays out to your point about the coders, you know, perhaps now having to become construction workers and then building a certain kind of world and perhaps more. Now they're having to build a concrete tangible, perhaps they'll be involved with that.

I remember reading an article like more than a decade ago, or perhaps just about a decade ago in the New Yorker about AI and they were saying how at the end, humans will have robots putting bags over their head and we're going to be laughing and saying, isn't this ironic?

And I think a lot of people are right now wondering if they are the architects of their own demise as AI comes chugging along and probably replacing a lot of what we see. But also there's still so much yet that we don't know. There's a lot of fear, of course, because of that uncertainty. But also I think the call is for patience as we see how the world evolves.

And one stock I wanted to mention as we watch the world evolve, and we were talking about stocks that have been on the rise, but a stock that has been on the decline has been Roblox (RBLX). And that was a stock that was like on fire, you know, in recent years. Anything to say about that and how that may speak to kind of the trends that we're seeing play out?

Brian Stewart: I actually think that's kind of tangentially related to the kind of fear that robots will put bags over our heads kind of situation.

So Roblox is down about 10 % in the past week. This is part of a longer term decline. It's been falling since its last earnings report in late October. It's down about 45 % since then. The latest catalyst is it's now going to require age verification for chat.

The fear is just, this is going to kind of slow down, iit makes it more difficult for people to sort of participate in. Roblox is an online video game platform. The reason they're doing this though, is there's been a lot of pushback against the company. For a while it's had the reputation as kind of a wild west. It's a series of video games that appeal to kids. Like my daughter used to play Roblox all the time when she was a kid, but it's also gotten kind of a reputation as a place where the groomers and other despicable people can kind of slip into the chats of the kids who are on the platform.

So there's been lawsuits filed by different states. There's been a lot of pushback publicly for it. And so they're putting in these age verification for the chat just to sort of eliminate or at least tamp down this problem that they've been having. I think it points to just every time we kind of roll into a new technological era, there's kind of an utopian view of what it'll look like, but then the worst parts of humanity. I mean, you can kind of see this online and like a place like Twitter or whatever kind of surfaces, not only the good, but also the bad.

And so you need moderators, you need maybe down the line regulation. And I think when you're looking at AI, I think that kind of points to the idea that, you know, all these sort of technological advancements are going to require some sort of social response and whether that's more self-regulation, which is what Roblox is trying to put into play here or whether it's going to come from government regulation, which is what being sued by the States is sort of the corollary there.

So, I don't know, as we move forward, I think that as AI builds, like you said, a new world, a world that is going to be functioning differently than what we, and the assumptions that we had about what was a good job and what was the right course of education.

Like those are all going to be sort of challenged and how we respond is going - whether the companies are going to take steps to kind of mitigate the worst aspects of it or whether eventually there's going to be kind of a public response, we'll have to see as we move forward.

Rena Sherbill: Change is the only constant. Remember that. What do you got for us next week?

Brian Stewart: Next week, as I said, we got the CPI coming out early in the week. Again, mostly kind of looking to the Fed, whether or not they can kind of stand on that knife's edge between the economy looking a little shaky, but inflation is still being higher than we'd hope.

So that'll just be sort of a data point in that direction. Meanwhile, the earnings season is going to start to move forward. The financials are going to be the theme next week.

We have Citi (C), we have Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), Goldman Sachs (GS), all reporting. Elsewhere, Delta Airlines (DAL), the first airline of this earnings cycle is coming out. So that's always kind of a good indication of the economy just because if people are traveling, people are spending money on vacations and things like that, it kind of indicates strong consumer spending.

Meanwhile, just another kind of economic indicator type earnings report. We have JB Hunt (JBHT) reporting next week as well. It's a trucking firm. Again, it just kind of points to just overall economic activity. If you're looking for more signs of what the economy is doing.

Rena Sherbill: And then I guess just because we're the first episode of the New Year, anything to say about the market in general this coming year, anything that you're particularly focused on or thinking about or anything to give to investors for this coming year?

Brian Stewart: 2025, just like 2024 was the story of AI. The market's been on a pretty hot streak the last several years.

I think 2026 is kind of a prove it year, there's a lot of commentary going into this year, whether AI is a bubble or not, what the next steps were. A lot of these companies, if you look at the Seeking Alpha quant grades for a lot of the popular companies that we're talking about, like valuation grades, it's F F F F.

By traditional metrics, these stocks have gone well beyond what you'd expect in terms of valuation. And the question just becomes, is it just different this time? The market priced in correctly a sea change in exactly what we can expect from these companies.

So I think that's something to look for. I think that debate's going to keep going. Like even if stocks keep going up, there's still going to, if you believe it's a bubble, every step higher is just more proof that it's a bubble, right? So those voices aren't going to go away.

There's not a point where someone's like, yeah, now I'm convinced. Like it's up another 10%. So now it's not a bubble. I think that's going to be the dominant debate, at least in the tech space.

And then, I think just look to external events. I think, opening the year with the raid on Venezuela is just evidence that things can kind of come out of nowhere. It's the world we live in over the last several years with Russia and the Gaza situation, it has just become more violent seeming in geopolitical terms.

So look for, how does China respond to these kinds of things? Are we going to finally get a peace resolution in Ukraine? Those kind of factors are in there. And then obviously the midterms coming in November. By the middle of the year, there's going to be a lot of politics going back and forth.

And to the extent that it affects the stock market, I don't know if on a day-to-day basis we're going to see much movement, even the actual election itself. I don't know if that's going to, like you said, the market's pretty good at pricing these things in ahead of time.

I think it's going to be responsive to whatever those political wins are going to be in a more gentle way. I don't expect a huge political related crash or anything like that, but it's going to set the tone for how things are going to look in the second half of the Trump administration and who knows what's going to happen in 2028 and beyond.

I think 2026 might just be a pivot, for that kind of who knows beyond. I think that's the big takeaway is, I think the future seems much more hazy than maybe three, four years ago.

Rena Sherbill: Yes, yes, yes.

To the point about valuation and how it's a difficult thing to ascertain these days, I just had a fantastic conversation for those interested with Julian Lin on our Investing Experts Podcast. He's a valuation guy and he gets into how he figures out valuation when it's a bit confusing and sus. So I would recommend people listen to that. It's a deep dive on (IIPR), the cannabis REIT, but he gets into some good stuff about valuation for those interested.

Brian, we are off next week. I'm on vacation, but we will talk to everybody and each other in a couple of weeks. Talk to you then. Appreciate this very thoughtful conversation.

Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

Shares of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) are trading sideways on Friday. The recent downtrend of our “Stock of the Day” may have ended. The shares are oversold and at support.

As shown in the chart below, the $258 level has been significant for Apple for more than a year. It was resistance, and now it is support.

In late 2024, the stock was in an uptrend. When it reached approximately $258, sellers overpowered buyers, and a selloff followed.

When this happened, many of the people who bought shares at around $258 came to think their decision to do so was a mistake.

They decided to hold their losing positions. However, they also decided that, if they could do so, they would exit at breakeven.

As a result, when Apple rallied back to $258 in September, these remorseful buyers placed sell orders. There was a large quantity of these orders. It was enough to create resistance.

In late October, this resistance broke, and the price moved higher.

When this occurred, many of the people who sold shares at around $258 believed their decision was a mistake.

Many of these remorseful sellers decided that, if they could, they would buy their shares back at the same price at which they were sold. When the stock dropped back to approximately $258 yesterday, these remorseful sellers entered buy orders.

The large number of these orders created support at the level.

Apple is also oversold. The Commodity Channel Index (CCI) is on the lower part of the chart. If the blue line is below the lower red horizontal line, it indicates oversold conditions. As you can see, that's the case now.

The dynamics of being oversold while at support can be bullish. Apple may be about to head higher.

Image: Shutterstock

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© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Key Takeaways RPM reported Q2 FY26 adjusted EPS of $1.20, missing estimates and falling from $1.39 a year earlier.RPM sales rose 3.5% year over year to $1.91B, helped by acquisitions but hurt by softer DIY demand.RPM's adjusted EBIT fell 11.2% as higher SG&A, M&A costs and facility consolidation weighed on margins. RPM International Inc. (RPM - Free Report) reported dismal second-quarter fiscal 2026 (ended Nov. 30, 2025) results, with quarterly earnings missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate and decreasing on a year-over-year basis. Net sales also missed the consensus estimate but increased year over year.

The fiscal second-quarter results showed year-over-year growth in sales, driven by acquisitions and high-performance building solutions. However, the momentum slowed as the quarter progressed due to softening DIY demand. The extended government shutdown further delayed construction activity tied to public projects and lengthened project lead times. Higher Selling, General & Administrative expenses, Mergers and Acquisitions-related costs, and temporary inefficiencies from facility consolidations pressured margins.

 Although all segments posted positive sales growth for the quarter, it was insufficient to offset higher costs. Expenses rose due to continued growth investments and temporary inefficiencies related to the ongoing consolidation of manufacturing and warehouse facilities, resulting in margin pressure.

Looking ahead, management expects margins to improve as the MAP 3.0 initiative gains traction. The company also remains focused on disciplined investments in areas demonstrating strong returns and long-term growth potential, including high-performance buildings, business intelligence and innovation.

Following the release, shares of RPM gained 1.7% during trading hours yesterday.

Inside RPM International’s HeadlinesThe company’s adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.20 missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.41 by 14.9%. In the year-ago quarter, RPM reported an adjusted EPS of $1.39.

Net sales of $1.91 billion also missed the consensus mark of $1.93 billion by 1% but increased 3.5% year over year.

Geographically, sales increased 1.9% in North America (accounting for around 76% of fiscal second-quarter total sales), supported by acquisitions and strong demand for high-performance building solutions in the United States, partly offset by softer demand in Canada. Sales in Europe (16% of total sales) increased 13.9%, driven by M&A and favorable foreign exchange. The metric in Africa and the Middle East (2% of total sales) grew 5.2% on the back of high-performance building and infrastructure projects.

However, sales in Latin America (4% of total sales) were down 0.2% year over year. The metric in the Asia Pacific (2% of total sales) also declined 3.5% year over year.

Net sales decreased 0.5% organically during the quarter year over year. Acquisitions and favorable foreign currency translation aided sales by 3.4% and 0.6%, respectively.

RPM International’s Operational DiscussionSelling, general and administrative expenses, as a percentage of net sales, increased 10 basis points (bps) to 28.8% from 28.7% reported a year ago.

Adjusted EBIT decreased 11.2% year over year to $226.6 million. Adjusted EBIT margin contracted 190 bps to 11.9%.

Segmental Details of RPM InternationalConstruction Products Group: In the reported quarter, the segment’s net sales increased 2.4% from a year ago to $737.4 million, owing to 0.8% organic sales growth, a 0.5% contribution from buyouts and 1.1% favorable foreign currency translation.

Adjusted EBIT of $98.6 million was down 10.9% year over year, and adjusted EBIT margin contracted 200 bps to 13.4%.

Performance Coatings Group: The segment’s net sales grew 4.4% year over year to $533.8 million. Sales were up 2.7% organically, 1.1% driven by acquisitions and 0.6% aided by favorable foreign currency translation.

Adjusted EBIT was down 0.3% on a year-over-year basis to $82.8 million and adjusted EBIT margin contracted 80 bps to 15.5%.

Consumer Group: Net sales in the segment increased 4.1% year over year to $638.7 million. Organic sales declined 4.7%, while favorable foreign currency translation aided sales by 0.1%. Also, the acquisition contributed 8.7% to sales growth.

The segment’s adjusted EBIT was down 6.2% from the prior-year level to $90 million, and the adjusted EBIT margin contracted 150 bps to 14.1%.

RPM International’s Balance SheetAt the end of the fiscal second quarter, RPM International had a total liquidity of $1.1 billion compared with $969.1 million at the fiscal 2025-end. This includes cash and cash equivalents of $316.6 million compared with $302.1 million at fiscal 2025-end.

Long-term debt (excluding current maturities) as of Nov. 30, 2025, was $2.51 billion, down from $2.64 billion at fiscal 2025-end.

RPM International's Outlook for Q3 & Q4RPM International expects its pivot toward growth to continue in the third quarter of fiscal 2026, supported by solid construction pipelines and recent growth investments. While macroeconomic headwinds remain a challenge, the company plans to implement SG&A-focused optimization actions in the third quarter, though the benefits are expected to be partially offset by ongoing healthcare inflation and expenses related to M&A activity. For the fiscal third quarter, consolidated sales are projected to increase at a mid-single-digit rate, while adjusted EBIT is expected to grow in the mid- to high-single-digit range year over year. The Consumer segment is anticipated to post moderately higher sales growth than the Performance Coatings and Construction Products segments, driven by recent acquisitions.

For the fiscal fourth quarter, RPM International expects some projects that were recently delayed to convert into activity by year-end. Additionally, if weather-related delays shift projects out of the third quarter, as occurred last year, most of this activity is expected to be realized in the fourth quarter. The company should continue to benefit from acquisitions and targeted growth investments, supported by its resilient repair-and-maintenance focus and its ability to provide engineered systems and solutions for high-performance buildings. Consolidated sales are anticipated to increase toward the mid-single-digit range compared with prior-year record results, while adjusted EBIT is expected to rise in the low- to high-single-digit range year over year.

RPM’s Zacks Rank & & Key PicksCurrently, RPM International carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).

Some top-ranked stocks from the Basic Materials sector are:

Agnico Eagle MinesLimited (AEM - Free Report) presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.6%, on average. Agnico stock has surged 57.8% in the past six months. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Agnico’s 2026 sales and EPS indicates growth of 11.3% and 22.5%, respectively, from the year-ago period’s levels.

BUNGE GLOBAL SA (BG - Free Report) currently flaunts a Zacks Rank of 1. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.8%, on average. BUNGE stock has gained 27.4% in the past six months.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for BUNGE’s 2026 sales and EPS implies an increase of 38.4% and 19.4%, respectively, from a year ago.

Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE - Free Report) sports a Zacks Rank of 1 at present. The company delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 106.6%, on average. Coeur Mining stock has soared 115.4% in the past six months.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Coeur Mining’s 2026 sales and EPS indicates growth of 30.2% and 111.6%, respectively, from the prior-year levels.

Key Takeaways USAR crossed its 50-day moving average on Monday, signaling technical support despite trading below highs.USAR is advancing its Stillwater magnet plant, with Line 1a assembly and commissioning planned for early 2026.USAR raised over $400M and acquired Less Common Metals to secure feedstock and expand NdFeB output. USA Rare Earth, Inc. (USAR - Free Report) crossed its 50-day simple moving average (SMA) on Monday, reaching a key support level from a technical perspective. The stock is also trading above its 200-day moving average, indicating solid upward momentum and price stability. This reflects a positive market sentiment and confidence in the company's financial health and long-term prospects.

USAR Overtakes the 50-Day Moving Average
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Shares of the company have jumped 52.1% in the past six months, outperforming the S&P 500 composite and Zacks Mining - Miscellaneous industry’s growth of 19.4% and 13.3%, respectively. However, USAR has lagged other key industry players like NioCorp Developments Ltd. (NB - Free Report) and Aura Minerals Inc. (AUGO - Free Report) , which have surged 110.5% and 117.9%, respectively, over the said time frame.

6-Month Price Performance
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Closing at $16.73 on Thursday, the stock is trading below its 52-week high of $43.98 but higher than its 52-week low of $5.56. With investors’ sentiment starting to pick up for USAR, it is the right time to assess the stock’s potential upside. Let’s delve deeper.

Factors Driving USAR’s PerformanceUSA Rare Earth is working to move its Stillwater magnet manufacturing facility in Oklahoma closer to commercial production. The plant is designed to produce Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB) magnets, which are essential for defense, aviation, automotive and other high-growth applications. The Stillwater facility is expected to become one of the first large-scale magnet plants in the United States, supporting the country’s efforts to build a domestic rare earth supply chain.

USA Rare Earth is installing key equipment, assembling Line 1a and completing final preparations at the Stillwater facility for commissioning in early 2026. It is worth noting that the company began hiring and training engineers and technicians to operate the facility. These efforts are likely to improve USAR’s ability to reach commercial-scale production and help it secure long-term customer contracts.

USA Rare Earth also bolstered its balance sheet through PIPE financing and warrant exercises, bringing its total cash position to over $400 million as of November 2025. This funding is being used to make upgrades at the Stillwater plant, expand magnet finishing capabilities and complete Line 1b to increase total NdFeB magnet-producing capacity to roughly 1,200 metric tons.

USAR completed the acquisition of Less Common Metals in November 2025, which will supply critical metal and alloy feedstock for the Stillwater plant. In December 2025, LCM partnered with Solvay and Arnold Magnetic Technologies Corp. (Arnold) to provide a stable and premium-quality source of rare-earth materials. With this addition and continued progress across its development initiatives, the company is well positioned to expand capacity and scale production in the coming quarters.

However, since its inception, USA Rare Earth has remained in the exploration and research stages, incurring losses while yet to generate any revenues. Amid its project development phase, the company has been grappling with rising operational expenses, adversely impacting its margins and profitability. In third-quarter 2025, USAR’s selling, general and administrative expenses increased to $11.4 million from $0.8 million in the year-ago quarter due to a rise in legal & consulting costs, higher headcount & recruiting fees, and other costs..

Research and development expenses rose to $4.45 million compared with $1.16 million reported in the year-ago quarter due to an increase in employee-related expenses.

The lack of revenues and elevated expenses, partially offset by higher interest and dividend income from increased money market fund balances, resulted in a loss of 25 cents per share in the third-quarter.

USAR also operates in the mineral exploration and mining markets, which include major industry players like NioCorp Developments and Aura Minerals.

USAR’s Estimate RevisionsThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for USAR’s bottom line for 2025 and 2026 has remained steady in the past 60 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

ValuationFrom a valuation standpoint, USA Rare Earth is trading at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of a negative 40.62X against the industry average of 17.04X. In comparison, NioCorp Developments and Aura Minerals are trading at a negative 12.15X and 6.42X, respectively.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Final TakeThe steady progress at the Stillwater magnet manufacturing facility positions USA Rare Earth for a potential transformation as it moves toward commercial production. However, near-term challenges such as rising operating and development costs and the absence of revenues are likely to continue to impact this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company’s performance in the near term.

While current shareholders should hold their positions, new investors should wait for the stock to retract some of its recent gains and provide a better entry point. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

New York, New York, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oak Hill Advisors (“OHA”) served as Administrative Agent and Lead Left Arranger for a private unitranche financing supporting Majesco's acquisition of Vitech Systems Group (“Vitech”) and a concurrent refinancing. Majesco, a portfolio company of Thoma Bravo, is a leading provider of cloud-native, AI-native software for insurers in the property and casualty (P&C) and life, annuity and health (L&AH) sectors. Vitech is a complementary provider of cloud-native pension and benefits administration software.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The spirit of Music City was on full display on New Year's Eve as indie music venue Anzie Blue and Honda Powersports partnered to present Anzie Blue New Year's Eve Live, a first-time musical event featuring a genre-spanning lineup that was seen worldwide. The six-hour event was livestreamed on CNN.com, with select performances airing live on CNN as part of its daytime coverage of New Year's Eve from cities around the world. Hosted by CNN anchor Lynda Kinkade,.

Key Takeaways Visa's tokenization now improves transaction efficiency, not just card security.AI integration helps reduce declines, optimize routing and automate risk scoring.Tokenization extends to wallets, IoT and embedded commerce for smoother payments. Visa Inc.’s (V - Free Report) push into tokenization is often seen as a security upgrade, but its strategic value now runs much deeper. What started as a way to swap out sensitive card information for encrypted tokens is now transforming into a powerful tool for improving transaction efficiency, giving more data control and creating a more engaging ecosystem.

At a surface level, tokenization reduces fraud risk by ensuring real card numbers are hidden during transactions. However, V’s initiatives reflect a broader ambition. By integrating AI into token lifecycle management, the company can help reduce unnecessary declines, optimize routing decisions and automate risk scoring in real time. These AI-driven insights, derived from token behaviors across various devices and channels, empower issuers and merchants to minimize friction while keeping security intact.

Visa is extending tokenization beyond physical cards into digital wallets, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and embedded commerce. Recent initiatives with wallet providers and fintech partners focus on standardizing token frameworks, enabling seamless payments across apps, wearables and connected devices. This positions Visa at the center of emerging payment touchpoints where traditional card credentials are less effective.

Visa is using tokenization to boost authorization rates, streamline recurring payments and reduce friction in both digital and card-not-present transactions. Higher approval rates directly benefit merchants from fewer failed payments, and issuers enjoy better customer experience along with lower dispute costs.

Overall, the company's move toward tokenization reinforces its role as a critical payment infrastructure, extending its moat beyond security into efficiency and ecosystem control.

How Are Competitors Faring?Some of V’s competitors adopting AI to improve operations include Mastercard Incorporated (MA - Free Report) and American Express Company (AXP - Free Report) .

Mastercard advances tokenization and AI-powered tools that boost the accuracy of authorization and help detect fraud. MA’s initiatives support the changing landscape of digital payments and create smarter transaction processes, all while prioritizing security and preparing for the future of commerce experiences.

American Express is leveraging AI to enhance its risk modeling, gain deeper customer insights and bolster fraud prevention efforts, while deploying tokenization across virtual and mobile payments. This approach supports premium customer experiences and controlled innovation, leveraging AmEx’s direct issuer-merchant relationships.

Visa’s Price Performance, Valuation & EstimatesOver the past year, shares of Visa have jumped 14.5% against the 3.5% fall of the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, V trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 26.53, above the industry average of 21.18. V carries a Value Score of D.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Visa’s fiscal 2026 earnings implies an 11.7% jump from the year-ago period.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Visa stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Past performance is not an indicator of future performance. This post is illustrative and educational and is not a specific offer of products or services or financial advice. Information in this article is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned herein. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date, but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. Expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

The US military says its forces have seized a third oil tanker in the space of a week.

Overnight, US Marines and navy sailors boarded the Olina tanker in the Caribbean Sea, near Trinidad, before the US Coast Guard took control of the vessel, the US Southern Command said in a statement.

"There is no safe haven for criminals," it added as it announced the capture of the ship.

The tanker seizures have come in the days since Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was deposed, as the US seeks to tightens its control of the South American country's oil output.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump was meeting with oil executives - whom he described as "BIG OIL" - at the White House. The US firms are a key part of his plan to take "billions and billions dollars of oil from Venezuela".

'We're taking billions and billions dollars of oil from Venezuela'

The Olina marks the fifth tanker in total that has been seized by US forces since last month.

US government records show that the Olina was sanctioned for moving Russian oil under a previous name, Minerva M, and flagged in Panama.

While records show the Olina is now flying the flag of Timor-Leste, it is listed in the international shipping registry as having a false flag, meaning the registration it is claiming is not valid.

Back in July, the ship's owner and manager was changed on its registration to a Hong Kong company.

Read more:
Reviving Venezuela's oil industry may be harder than Trump thinks
Senators vote to curb Trump's ability to take more Venezuela military action
The significance of Venezuela releasing political prisoners

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Analysis: Oil is at the heart of Donald Trump's Venezuelan gamble

The seizure of the Olina oil tanker by US forces operating in the Caribbean is further demonstration of Donald Trump's determination to leverage Venezuela's oil industry for his political and economic ends.

It is the fifth seizure of a vessel alleged to be carrying sanctioned oil since December, and the third this week, following the boarding of the Sophia, also in the Caribbean, and the Marinera, a Russia-flagged vessel apprehended in the North Atlantic with RAF support.

By choking off supplies transported by the so-called shadow fleet the US is tightening its grip on the oil reserves that Trump unapologetically believes can help him deliver his political and economic goals; controlling the US's South American "backyard", enriching US companies, and sending a powerful message to its adversaries, specifically China.

And watch more from Paul Kelso here...

Oil is at the heart of Donald Trump's Venezuelan gamble

Venezuela releases political prisoners

In Venezuela, the remaining government is trying to grapple with the country's transition away from its former leader and dictator.

Maduro's vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, has been sworn in as his successor. And the government began releasing political prisoners, both foreign and domestic, on Friday.

Family members of those imprisoned gathered at prisons and detention centres after the news was announced, but according to a national human rights group only nine people had been released by around 6pm UK time.

Image: People react to the news that a large number of political prisoners could be released in Venezuela. Pic: Reuters

Image: A family member of a detainee waits outside the El Rodeo jail after it was announced political prisoners would be released. Pic: Reuters Steps taken toward restoring diplomatic relations

Both Washington and Caracas have made moves to rebuild diplomatic relations.

The US State Department sent a team to the country as Venezuela's government said it was starting a "exploratory diplomatic process" with the US government, "with a view of re-establishing the diplomatic missions in both countries".

Investors looking for stocks in the Transportation - Services sector might want to consider either DHL Group Sponsored ADR (DHLGY) or Expeditors International (EXPD). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?

Investors with an interest in Medical - Biomedical and Genetics stocks have likely encountered both Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO) and Axsome Therapeutics (AXSM). But which of these two stocks offers value investors a better bang for their buck right now?

Key Takeaways E is nearing a final decision on developing the Cronos gas deposit, one of six discoveries in Cypriot waters.The timely completion of documentation could allow Cronos gas exports to Europe by late 2027 or early 2028.Cronos is operated by Eni and Total Energies and holds about 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas. Eni S.p.A (E - Free Report) , an Italian integrated energy company, is anticipated to take a final decision on whether to proceed with the development of a natural gas field off the coast of Cyprus. This natural gas development is part of one of the six discovered deposits in Cyprus, known as Cronos. Cronos was discovered and operated by a consortium formed by Eni and the French energy giant, TotalEnergies.

The gas from Cronos could potentially be exported to European markets as early as 2027, according to the president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides. An Eni spokesperson has mentioned that there are a few required documents that need to be completed to move forward with the development and extraction of natural gas from Cronos. He further stated that the gas from these deposits may be potentially shipped to European markets by year-end 2027 or early 2028 if the required documentation is completed on time.

The natural gas deposit in Cypriot waters is an important resource, as Europe is trying to find alternatives to Russian energy supplies. Cronos is one of the three natural gas deposits found by Eni and TotalEnergies in Block 6 of Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone. Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone is divided into 13 sections, where Eni and TotalEnergies hold exploration licenses in four of them. A consortium formed by Chevron, Shell and NewMed Energy holds another exploration license in the exclusive economic zone where the Aphrodite natural gas field has been discovered. Cronos is estimated to have 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas, while Aphrodite is anticipated to hold an estimated 4.6 trillion cubic feet.

President Christodoulides has also mentioned that the deal is expected to be finalized by March 30, 2026. This marks the first field being developed from the country’s exclusive economic zone and is expected to boost Cyprus’ economy. The gas from Cronos could be transported via pipelines to Damietta in Egypt, where the gas would be processed and liquefied before shipping it to the European market. The development of this gas deposit should boost gas supplies to Europe, contributing to the region’s energy security.

E’s Zacks Rank and Key PicksEni currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some top-ranked stocks from the energy sector are Subsea7 S.A. (SUBCY - Free Report) , Oceaneering International (OII - Free Report) and FuelCell Energy (FCEL - Free Report) . While Subsea7 currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Oceaneering and FuelCell carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Subsea7 helps build underwater oil and gas fields. It is a leading player in the global offshore energy industry, providing engineering, construction and related services at offshore oil and gas fields. The long-term outlook for energy demand remains positive, and Subsea7’s focus on cost-efficient deepwater projects strengthens the position of its subsea business.

Oceaneering International delivers integrated technology solutions across all stages of the offshore oilfield lifecycle. The company is a leading provider of offshore equipment and technology solutions to the energy industry. OII’s proven ability to deliver innovative, integrated solutions supports ongoing client retention and new business opportunities, ensuring steady revenue growth.

FuelCell Energy is a clean energy company offering low-carbon energy solutions. It produces power using flexible fuel sources such as biogas, natural gas and hydrogen. The company designs fuel cells that generate electricity through an electrochemical process that combines fuel with air, reducing carbon emissions and minimizing the environmental impact of power generation. As such, FCEL is anticipated to play a crucial role in the energy transition by enabling industries and communities to shift from traditional fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives.

Key Takeaways XOM expects upstream earnings to be weighed down sequentially as lower liquids prices pressure results.Lower crude prices cut feedstock costs, lifting XOM's refining gains and supporting downstream profitability.XOM sees industry margin changes adding up to $700M to Energy Products and $200M to Specialty Products. Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM - Free Report) , the integrated energy giant, has recently warned that its upstream earnings are expected to have been weighed down sequentially due to lower liquids prices. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the West Texas Intermediate spot average is expected to drop from $65.78 per barrel in the third quarter to an estimated $59.31 per barrel in the fourth quarter.

However, the integrated nature of the company allows it to capitalize on the softness in crude prices through its refining operations. Lower crude prices imply cheaper feedstock for XOM’s refineries, which supports refining gains. This acts as a cushion to sustain the company’s profitability when its upstream business is affected by lower liquids prices. In fact, XOM has forecasted that changes in industry margins are expected to have a positive impact of $300-$700 million on the Energy Products segment and up to $200 million on the Specialty Products segment on a sequential basis.

The integrated business model shields ExxonMobil’s earnings by supporting downstream profitability and partially offsetting the negative impact on its upstream earnings. XOM’s diversification should help it stabilize earnings during a volatile commodity price environment. 

CVX and BP: Two Leading Integrated Energy Majors

Chevron Corporation (CVX - Free Report) and BP plc (BP - Free Report) are two other global integrated energy firms.  The two companies are involved in both the upstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas business. This allows them to stabilize earnings and sustain profitability even in challenging commodity pricing environments.

XOM’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates

Shares of ExxonMobil have risen 15.4% over the past year compared with the 9.2% increase of the composite stocks belonging to the industry.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, XOM trades at a trailing 12-month enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of 7.97X. This is above the broader industry average of 4.91X.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for XOM’s 2025 earnings has seen upward revisions over the past 30 days.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

XOM, CVX and BP each currently carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Key Takeaways COST saw 10.6% comp sales growth in Other International vs. 6% in the United States for December.For fiscal 2026 to date, COST's global comps rose 6.6%, led by 9.5% growth in Other International markets.Half of COST's 30 planned new clubs will open abroad, backed by strong 89.7% global renewal rates. Costco Wholesale Corporation’s (COST - Free Report) December sales highlight a significant shift in growth dynamics. While the United States remains the company’s largest market, international segments are becoming vital growth engines.

For the five weeks ended Jan. 4, 2026, Costco reported a 7% year-over-year increase in total comparable sales. Stellar international performance accounted for most of this growth. Comparable sales rose 8.4% in Canada and 10.6% in Other International markets, both outpacing the 6% growth in the United States.

This trend is not limited to a single retail period. Over the first 18 weeks of fiscal 2026, total company comparable sales grew 6.6%. During this period, international markets outperformed the domestic segment. Comparable sales rose 7% and 9.5% in Canada and Other International markets, respectively, while the metric grew 5.9% in the United States.

As Costco expands its global footprint and strengthens its digital platforms, international markets are becoming increasingly important contributors to overall sales momentum. The company now operates 290 warehouses outside the United States, spanning major markets — Canada, Mexico, Japan, the United Kingdom, Korea, Australia, Taiwan, China, Spain, France, Sweden, Iceland and New Zealand.

Markedly, the company expects to open 30 net new clubs in fiscal 2027 and beyond, with roughly half planned outside the United States. Strong member loyalty supports this global expansion strategy, with the worldwide membership renewal rate at 89.7% at the end of the first quarter.

By combining a strong physical presence with an expanding e-commerce reach, Costco is effectively capturing consumer demand globally. As international consumers increasingly seek value and quality, Costco’s ability to deliver both through its bulk-purchasing model ensures that its international divisions remain a primary source of future growth.

What the Latest Metrics Say About CostcoCostco, which competes with Dollar General Corporation (DG - Free Report) and Target Corporation (TGT - Free Report) , has seen its shares decline 2.3% in the past year against the industry’s growth of 6.1%. While shares of Dollar General have rallied 101.8%, those of Target dropped 24.9% in the aforementioned period.
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

From a valuation standpoint, Costco's forward 12-month price-to-earnings ratio stands at 44.10, higher than the industry’s ratio of 30.16. COST carries a Value Score of D. Costco is trading at a premium to Target (with a forward 12-month P/E ratio of 13.80) and Dollar General (20.51). 
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Costco’s current financial-year sales and earnings per share implies year-over-year growth of 7.5% and 11.7%, respectively. For the next fiscal year, the consensus estimate indicates a 7.2% rise in sales and 9.2% growth in earnings.
 

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Costco currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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SummaryMoving The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. from Buy to Hold after a 30% rally, now trading around $52 per share.Fiscal Q1 revenue beat expectations despite a 20% YoY decline; adjusted EPS of $1.14 exceeded consensus by $0.35.Margins compressed sequentially due to lower production and deliveries, but leasing and fleet management delivered strong operating results.GBX maintains a healthy backlog, consistent dividends, and active buybacks; forward guidance implies lower EPS but continued value in a house position.Looking for a helping hand in the market? Members of BAD BEAT Investing get exclusive ideas and guidance to navigate any climate. Learn More » Ignatiev/iStock via Getty Images

We last issued a Buy call on The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (GBX) stock in April of 2025. Shares have rallied some 30% from there. In past trades, we have consistently maintained that when you buy in the 20s

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of GBX either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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