GoAI Market Wrap - 8th Jan

Stock Market

U.S. major indices closed mixed Wednesday Eastern Time. The S&P 500 ended lower, weighed down by declines in financials like JPMorgan Chase and Blackstone, while Nvidia and Alphabet bucked the trend, lifting the Nasdaq to a modest gain and showing money flowing back into AI names.

 

Both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average hit intraday record highs before pulling back, closing in the red, with President Trump’s comments throughout the day having a big impact on sentiment.

 

After recent worries about overvaluation, investors rotated back into AI stocks. Longbow CEO Jake Dollarhide said: “Investors are kicking off 2026 the same way they did last year: buy tech and let it ride. All the talk about the ‘AI trade being over’ has proven premature.”

 

With Q4 earnings season approaching in the coming weeks, Wall Street valuations remain elevated. LSEG data shows the S&P 500’s forward P/E around 22x—down from November’s 23x but still well above the five-year average of 19x.

 

On the macro front, Wednesday’s data showed U.S. November job openings falling more than expected, while a separate ADP report indicated December private payroll growth below forecasts.

 

These releases mark the resumption of economic data after the government shutdown pause, but they haven’t materially shifted Fed rate cut expectations—investors are still awaiting Friday’s official nonfarm payrolls report.

 

Geopolitically, investors are watching closely. The U.S. said it seized a Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuela, part of Trump’s push to control energy flows in the Americas and pressure Venezuela toward the U.S. side. The White House added that Trump is discussing multiple options for acquiring Greenland, including military force.

Global Hotspots

Zelenskyy says Russia-Ukraine conflict could end in first half of 2026  

 

On January 7 during a visit to Cyprus, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said negotiations with U.S. and European partners have reached a new level, and the conflict with Russia could end in the first half of 2026—potentially during Cyprus’s EU presidency.

 

U.S. Secretary of State: Talks with Denmark on Greenland next week  

 

On Wednesday local time, Secretary of State Rubio said the U.S. will hold talks with Denmark next week on Greenland issues. When pressed if military takeover was off the table, Rubio replied: “I’m not here to discuss Denmark or military intervention today,” before reiterating next week’s meeting.

Company News

Anthropic reportedly raising $10 billion  

Insiders say AI unicorn Anthropic is planning a $10 billion round at a pre-money valuation of ~$35 billion—nearly double four months ago. The round is said to be led by Singapore’s GIC and Coatue Management.

 

It would be the third “AI mega-round” in the past year. Anthropic raised $13 billion in September at an $18.3 billion valuation. The deal is expected to close in the coming weeks, with size possibly adjusting.

 

GameStop unveils $10 billion CEO incentive plan  

 

Meme stock favorite GameStop announced Wednesday a “Musk-style” long-term performance package for Chairman and CEO Ryan Cohen. Cohen gets no base salary, bonus, or time-based options during his tenure—all compensation ties to market cap and performance.

 

The plan allows Cohen to buy up to 171,537,327 Class A shares at $20.66 (Tuesday’s close).

 

Warner board rejects Paramount offer again, urges shareholders to back Netflix bid  

 

Warner Bros. Discovery rejected Paramount’s takeover bid again Wednesday and urged shareholders to support Netflix’s competing offer. The board said Paramount’s proposal doesn’t serve company or shareholder interests and reiterated doubts about Paramount’s ability to close.

 

The letter highlighted concerns over Paramount’s $50+ billion financing needs—the largest LBO ever—and 12–18 month timeline.

 

Arm creates Physical AI unit to target robotics  

 

Arm executives revealed a reorganization creating a Physical AI unit to grow robotics share. Amid CES humanoid robot buzz, Arm now has three main lines: cloud/AI, edge (mobile/PC), and Physical AI (including automotive). Leaders see huge long-term robotics potential.

 

New Physical AI head Drew Henry said solutions could “fundamentally improve labor productivity, save time,” and significantly impact GDP.

 

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health for medical results and diet plans  

 

OpenAI introduced ChatGPT Health, letting users analyze medical test results, prep for doctor visits, and get diet/exercise guidance—its biggest healthcare push yet. It connects to electronic health records, wearables, and apps like Apple Health and MyFitnessPal.

Forex & Commodities  

Oil fell January 7. WTI continuous contract −$0.73 to $56.40/barrel (−1.28%).  

 

COMEX gold futures continuous contract −$29.00 (−0.65%) to $4,467.10/oz.  

 

COMEX silver futures continuous contract −$3.059 (−3.77%) to $77.98/oz. Spot silver −$3.06 (−3.77%) to $78.19/oz.

Key Events  

India central bank sells dollars to support rupee  

 

India’s central bank sold dollars January 7 to bolster the rupee, lifting it to as high as 89.7458 per dollar intraday. Analysts say the intervention supports the currency and signals intent to prevent a break below 90.

Cryptocurrency 

Bitcoin −1.53% to $91,324.73.  

 

Ethereum −2.93% to $3,170.58.  

 

XRP −4.57%, BNB −0.86%, Solana −2.44%, Dogecoin −0.83%, Cardano −2.49%.

Crypto Key Event  

Bernstein: Bitcoin has bottomed, targeting $150,000 this year  

 

Bernstein analysts Gautam Chhugani and team say they’re reasonably confident Bitcoin and digital assets have bottomed, viewing late-November’s $80,000 as the low. Institutional demand drives adoption, making four-year cycle fears unnecessary.

 

They stick to long-term targets: $150,000 in 2026, $200,000 in 2027.