Author: Daniel Chang

The U.S. dollar slips edged lower on Thursday after retail giant Walmart (NYSE: WMT) issued a sales forecast that fell short of expectations, prompting concerns about the resilience of the American consumer. As of 10:40 ET (15:40 GMT), the U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of major currencies, dipped by 0.5% to 106.64. The euro gained 0.5% against the dollar, reaching $1.0469, while the British pound advanced 0.4% to $1.2637. Walmart, a leading indicator of consumer spending trends in the U.S., signaled a softer growth outlook for 2025. Recent economic indicators have also shown a drop…

Shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR) took another hit on Thursday, initially dropping sharply before recovering some losses. The palantir stock declines follows news that CEO Alex Karp has implemented a new stock trading plan and reports indicating that the Pentagon is preparing for significant annual defense budget reductions. The stock was down 4.7% at its last trade on Thursday after plunging as much as 14.5% earlier in the session. This latest dip comes on the heels of a 10% sell-off on Wednesday, triggered by early reports of potential defense spending cuts. Palantir, known for its data analytics software…

The stock market closed lower on Thursday after Walmart’s weaker-than-expected sales outlook sparked concerns about consumer spending and overall economic stability. By the end of the trading session at 4:00 p.m. ET (21:00 GMT), the S&P 500 dropped by 0.4%, the Nasdaq Composite declined by 0.5%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid by 450 points, equivalent to a 1% loss. Walmart’s Forecast Weighs on Investor Sentiment Walmart (NYSE: WMT) saw its stock market tumble by over 6% after the retail giant projected slower-than-expected sales growth for its 2026 fiscal year. The forecast, which came in below analyst expectations, suggested…

The latest data from the U.S. Treasury Department reveals that US Treasury holdings decline in December, with Japan and China, the two largest foreign holders, reducing their investments. Total foreign holdings of U.S. Treasuries fell to $8.513 trillion in December, down from $8.633 trillion in November and $8.679 trillion in September. Japan, the largest foreign holder of U.S. Treasury securities, cut its holdings to $1.060 trillion, a decline from $1.087 trillion the previous month. Meanwhile, China, the second-largest holder, reduced its holdings to $759 billion, down from $768.6 billion in November. The US Treasury holdings decline coincided with a surge in U.S. Treasury yields in December, fueled by expectations of stronger economic growth and concerns over potential inflationary…

The US dollar forecast suggests that the DXY could be following a similar trajectory to its 2015-2017 cycle, raising the possibility of a market top forming in early 2025, according to Bank of America’s technical strategist Paul Ciana. Since the 2024 US election, the DXY has experienced two significant rallies, amounting to a 6.32% gain, breaking out of a two-year range. Ciana suggests that this movement could push the index toward a target of 114, mirroring the post-election rally seen after 2016. At present, the DXY has already climbed to the low 110s, reaching halfway to its target. However, if the index forms a lower…

Analysts predict another strong quarter for Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), with Nvidia earnings forecast expected to meet or exceed market expectations. The company continues to benefit from surging demand for AI-driven computing, particularly in the data center segment, which is projected to generate approximately $38.5-$39 billion in revenue. Nvidia’s total revenue is estimated to reach $42.5-$43 billion for the quarter. Nvidia’s Blackwell compute boards remain a key driver of growth, with shipments accelerating ahead of schedule. Analysts believe the supply chain is efficiently managing the shift between Blackwell compute board shipments and OEM/ODM Blackwell GB200 rack deliveries. Customers are reportedly opting…

The Indian rupee edged lower against the U.S. dollar as strong demand for the greenback and weakness in regional currencies weighed on sentiment. However, traders believe the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) may have stepped in to curb further losses, with state-run banks seen selling dollars. As of 10:50 a.m. IST, the rupee was trading at 86.9550 per dollar, slightly weaker than its previous close of 86.8775, according to Reuters. A trader at a foreign bank noted that the daily reference rate carried a premium of 0.30/0.50 paisa, reflecting strong dollar demand. State-run banks were reportedly selling dollars around the…

Figure AI, an American humanoid robotics startup, is reportedly in talks to raise $1.5 billion, which could push its valuation to $39.5 billion, according to Bloomberg. The funding round is expected to be led by Align Ventures and Parkway Venture Capital, though the terms aren’t finalized yet and could still change. This would be a massive leap from the company’s $2.6 billion valuation in a deal last year. Figure AI has already drawn big-name investors like Microsoft, OpenAI, Nvidia, and Jeff Bezos. CEO Brett Adcock recently posted on LinkedIn about the company’s plan to produce 100,000 robots over the next…

BofA analysts predict the company will report better than expected fiscal fourth quarter earnings on February 26. However, they caution that guidance for the first quarter could be weaker due to factors like the transition to Blackwell chips, declining demand for Hopper, and China related restrictions. Despite potential stock volatility after the earnings report, BofA believes investor confidence will grow as Nvidia moves toward its next generation products. The firm maintains Nvidia as its top sector pick, emphasizing its role as more than just a chipmaker it’s a full computing platform. BofA highlights Nvidia’s ability to integrate hardware and software,…

The Indian rupee recorded its strongest weekly gain in over 18 months, benefiting from a weaker U.S. dollar and easing concerns over potential U.S. tariffs. It closed at 86.8225 per dollar, appreciating 0.7% over the past week. The rally was supported by intervention from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the absence of new tariffs that many had expected under former U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies. Kunal Kurani from Mecklai Financial said the rupee’s next moves will depend on the dollar’s trajectory. The latest surge likely led to traders unwinding some positions, with markets now looking for fresh signals. The U.S. dollar index fell 1% last week and has now…