U.S. stocks were in high spirits toward the end of trading, as the Nasdaq Composite made a resounding gain of around 1.8% on Friday.
The Dow displayed jubilant trading, up 0.49% to 38,705.29, while the NASDAQ soared 1.81% to 15,639.81. The S&P 500 also joined the celebration, gaining an impressive 1.20% to reach 4,965.03.
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Investors witnessed the communication services sector join the festivities with a remarkable 4.1% surge on Friday. On the flip side, real estate shares had a gloomy day, plunging by 1.9% in trading.
Top Headline
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) brought fireworks to the market, posting results for its fourth quarter that triumphed over expectations. The company shared an optimistic outlook, forecasting first-quarter revenue to be between $138 billion and $143.5 billion, exceeding estimates of $142.13 billion. Operating income is anticipated to be between $8 billion and $12 billion in the first quarter.
Equities Trading UP
Investors had reason to rejoice as Intelligent Bio Solutions Inc. (INBS) shares skyrocketed by an astonishing 101% to reach $4.84. The company announced a preliminary second-quarter revenue of $0.76 million, adding to the celebratory mood. Additionally, Tyra Biosciences, Inc. (TYRA) experienced a boost, with shares surging 24% to $16.19 after announcing a $200 million private placement financing. Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) shares were also in high spirits, gaining 21% to $476.91, attributed to the company’s upbeat fourth-quarter financial results and initiation of a quarterly dividend of 50 cents per share.
Equities Trading DOWN
The market witnessed a bit of a downer as Cingulate Inc. (CING) shares stumbled by 53% to $1.59 after announcing the pricing of a $7.5 million public offering of 3.750 million shares at $2.00 per share. Similarly, Atlassian Corporation (TEAM) saw a 16% downturn to $215.05 following the company’s second-quarter financial results. GRI Bio, Inc. (GRI) also experienced a decline, falling 23% to $1.50 after the company announced pricing of a $5.5 million public offering.
Commodities
Amid all the excitement, there was a bit of a buzzkill in commodity news, as oil traded down 2% to $72.37, and gold also dipped, trading down 0.9% at $2,053.40. Silver experienced a 2.1% decline to $22.75, while copper fell 0.8% to $3.8220.
Euro zone
The European market had a mix of excitement and somberness, with the eurozone’s STOXX 600 gaining a modest 0.01%, but London’s FTSE 100 falling 0.09%. Spain’s IBEX 35 Index brought some cheer, rising 0.48%, while the German DAX and French CAC 40 both rose 0.35% and 0.05% respectively. Italy’s FTSE MIB Index joined the festivities, rising 0.09%. Industrial production in France added to the merriment, showing a 1.1% month-over-month increase in December.
Asia Pacific Markets
In the Asian markets, Japan’s Nikkei 225 led the way with a gain of 0.41%. Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index and China’s Shanghai Composite Index saw some dips, falling by 0.21% and 1.46% respectively. India’s S&P BSE Sensex provided a delightful surprise, rising 0.61%. On the economic front, the Australian final demand producer price index rose by 0.9% quarter-over-quarter in the fourth quarter.
Economics
The economic scenario was a cause for optimism, as non-farm payrolls jumped by 353,000 in January, well above the expected 180,000, and the unemployment rate remained steady at 3.7%, below the expected 3.8%. The average hourly earnings showed impressive growth, increasing by 0.6% for the month, and new orders for US manufactured goods rose 0.2% month-over-month in December. Additionally, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment rose to 79 in January.
