🧪 What's Moving Markets Today?

Good Morning!

Today, we've jam-packed this edition with the latest news and my personal insights. From Alphabet's ambitious AI investments to Snap's unexpected earnings beat, and the shimmering allure of gold amid global uncertainties—we've got it all covered.

Let’s get into it 👇

🌡 TradingLab’s Headline Roundup

Stock Markets

• European stocks slip lower; earnings, services PMI data in focus

• Nasdaq Pops 1.4% as Traders Shrug Off Tariff Fears and Go Bargain-Hunting

• Google Stock Plunges 7% on Slight Revenue Miss, AI Bets Not Paying Off

• Spotify Stock Gets Investors Groovin’ on First Annual Profit, Shares Rally 13%

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Crypto

• Bitcoin Miners from Wall Street Pivot to AI as Bitcoin Operations Face Headwinds in 2025

• Ripple says XRP Ledger back online after hourlong network halt

• Bitcoin Risks Losing the $90K- $110K Range as These 3 Development Could Put the Brakes on the Next Bull Breakout

Commodities/Forex

• Yen Extends Gains Past ¥153.30 as US Dollar Rattled by Tariff Games

• Gold price uptrend remains uninterrupted; overbought RSI warrants caution for bulls

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📈 What’s Moving The Markets?

U.S. stock futures took a modest hit this Wednesday morning, as investors mulled over a barrage of corporate earnings and the ever-tense trade dynamics between the U.S. and China.

• Futures Performance:

  • S&P 500: Down 0.4%

  • Nasdaq 100: Dropped 0.6%

  • Dow Jones: Slipped 0.2%

The previous session had investors riding high on optimism, thanks to President Trump's decision to delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada—a move that many hoped signaled a softer approach toward China. However, with a 10% levy on Chinese goods now in effect and Beijing's measured retaliation, the market's enthusiasm has been tempered.

Analysts at ING have noted, "A consensus U.S.-China deal does seem the most likely scenario, but we sense markets are under-pricing the risk of a more prolonged trade spat."

Alphabet's Big Bet on AI: $75 Billion and Counting

Alphabet, Google's parent company, has announced plans to pour a whopping $75 billion into building out its artificial intelligence capabilities this year. This figure significantly overshadows the $58 billion analysts had anticipated.

This aggressive investment comes on the heels of concerns sparked by Chinese startup DeepSeek's recent unveiling of a low-cost AI model. DeepSeek claims its model delivers performance comparable to OpenAI's ChatGPT but at a fraction of the cost, utilizing less advanced chips. While some skepticism surrounds these claims, the development has undoubtedly intensified the AI arms race.

Adding to Alphabet's challenges, its cloud computing division reported revenues of $11.96 billion in the fourth quarter, marking a 30% increase but falling short of the expected $12.16 billion. Following these announcements, Alphabet's shares dipped by more than 7% in after-hours trading.

Snap Surprises with Strong Earnings

In a pleasant twist, Snap Inc., the parent company of Snapchat, reported quarterly earnings that surpassed expectations, buoyed by a resurgence in digital ad spending.

• Earnings Per Share: $0.16 (beating the anticipated loss of $0.04)

• Revenue: $1.56 billion (slightly above the projected $1.55 billion)

CEO Evan Spiegel highlighted, "Active advertisers more than doubled in [the fourth quarter], with the improvements we have made to our advertising platform driving improved advertiser performance and helping to grow revenue 14% year-over-year."

The platform's daily active users also saw an uptick, reaching 453 million, with projections aiming for 459 million in the upcoming quarter.

AMD's Data Center Revenues Fall Short

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) faced a setback as its fourth-quarter data center revenue came in at $3.9 billion, missing the consensus estimate of $4.15 billion.

CEO Lisa Su indicated that the current quarter's data center sales are expected to decline by approximately 7% compared to the previous quarter. She refrained from providing specific forecasts for revenue from AMD's high-end AI chips but mentioned expectations of "tens of billions" in sales over the next couple of years.

Gold Shines Amid Market Uncertainty

Gold prices have surged to record highs, driven by ongoing concerns over the escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

• Safe Haven Demand: Investors are flocking to gold as a protective measure against market volatility.

• Dollar Dynamics: A weakening dollar, exacerbated by the postponement of tariffs on Mexico and Canada, has further bolstered gold's appeal.

In contrast, oil prices have dipped, influenced by higher-than-expected U.S. crude inventory data and apprehensions surrounding U.S.-China trade relations.

Stay ahead, stay informed, and most importantly, stay profitable.

‘til next time,

TradingLab