Item 1 of 2 Futures-options traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange’s NYSE American (AMEX) in New York City, U.S., January 15, 2026. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
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Investors had worried tech valuations “were getting a little too far ahead of themselves,” said Alan Lancz, president of Alan B. Lancz & Associates Inc., an investment advisory firm, based in Toledo, Ohio. “That’s been kind of squashed this morning with the news from Taiwan Semiconductor.”
“We are at the very beginning of the earnings season and so far so good,” said Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Spartan Capital Securities in New York.
IMMEDIATE RISK SOFTENS
Oil prices settled 4% lower, breaking a five-day streak of gains sparked by Trump’s threat of intervention in Iran, a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
“While the situation remains fragile, the immediate risk premium has softened but is unlikely to go away given the continued risk of a disruption,” Saxo Bank analyst Ole Hansen said.
Brent futures settled down $2.76 or 4.15%, at $63.76 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude fell $2.83, or 4.56%, to $59.19.
Gold, which thrives as a safe haven in geopolitical and economic uncertainty, as well as in low-interest-rate environments, declined.
Its price fell 0.15% to $4,613.37 an ounce, a day after hitting a record $4,642.72.
Trump said he had no plans to fire Powell, who is facing a Justice Department criminal investigation.
“Right now, we’re (in) a little bit of a holding pattern with him, and we’re going to determine what to do. But I can’t get into it. It’s too soon. Too early,” Trump said.
JOBS SURPRISE BOOSTS DOLLAR
The dollar rose to a six-week high on news that the number of Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits unexpectedly fell last week, bolstering expectations the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates on hold for several months.
The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, including the yen and the euro, reached 99.49, the highest since December 2. The euro reached as high as $1.1592, the lowest since December 2.
The index was last seen 0.24% higher at 99.32, with the euro down 0.24% at $1.1614.
Reports on manufacturing in New York State and the Mid-Atlantic region were also stronger than expected.
U.S. Treasury yields were mostly higher after the data flurry.
The benchmark 10-year notes were last yielding 4.162%, from 4.14% late on Wednesday.
Additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak in New York, Enes Tunagur in London and Kevin Buckland in Tokyo. Editing by Ed Osmond, Andrew Heavens and Mark Potter and Aurora Ellis
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
