Breakfast News: 2026 Earnings Kick Off
January 5, 2026
| Friday's Markets |
|---|
| S&P 500 6,858 (+0.19%) |
| Nasdaq 23,236 (-0.03%) |
| Dow 48,382 (+0.66%) |
| Bitcoin $89,937 (+1.9%) |
Source: Image created by Jester AI.
1. What to Watch This Week
RPM International (RPM +1.42%), recommended in both Stock Advisor and Dividend Investor, will release second-quarter earnings Thursday. In Q1, the specialty chemicals company saw record quarterly sales of $2.11 billion, and returned $82 million through dividends and buybacks for a 7.4% rise year over year (YoY). RPM has raised its dividend for 52 years in a row.
- "Net revenues of $2.05 billion for the third quarter reflect continued growth": Brian Friedman, CEO of fellow SA rec Jefferies (JEF +2.75%), was upbeat about "an improvement in the environment for mergers and acquisitions" after Q3 brought record revenue. Q4 and full-year results are on the calendar for Wednesday.
- December jobs report due: Following a shortened trading week that saw the S&P 500 edge down 1% and the Nasdaq slip 1.5%, eyes turn to employment. Analysts expect jobs figures due Friday to show a slowing to 55,000, from 64,000 nonfarm additions in November – with the unemployment rate at 4.7%.
2. Venezuela Events Boost Oil Stocks
Chevron (CVX 4.46%), the only U.S. oil major operating in Venezuela, popped 7% in pre-market trading following the special forces operation that captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife over the weekend. Other big oil stocks also ticked up, with ExxonMobil (XOM 3.44%) gaining 3% and ConocoPhillips (COP 2.11%) jumping 7% overnight. Oil prices are slightly down this morning, with WTI Crude dipping 1.1% to under $57.
- "We have been anticipating this breakthrough for a while": Former Chevron executive Ali Moshiri told the Financial Times his Amos Global Energy Management fund is raising $2 billion for Venezuelan oil projects, as The Wall Street Journal cautioned "the industry has fallen into disarray after more than two decades of mismanagement and corruption."
- Venezuela events "reinforced a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty": Bloomberg quoted Christopher Wong at Oversea-Chinese Banking in relation to gold and silver prices both rising, up 2.25% and 4% respectively as investors seek safe havens, who suggested "a relatively quick closure, rather than a prolonged military conflict."
3. CES: Tech Takes the Stage
CES, the biggest tech industry show of the year, officially opens tomorrow in Las Vegas, with AI-based technology expected to dominate proceedings. Some events will take place earlier, with Nvidia (NVDA 0.47%) CEO Jensen Huang due to speak at 5pm PT today, and AMD (AMD 2.98%) CEO Lisa Su to follow at 6:30pm.
- "Every year CES has a theme. And sometimes you don't know what it is until you get to the show": Expect less of a surprise this year, as Kinsey Fabrizio of the Consumer Technology Association running the show added "But we can tell you right now, robotics is going to be talked about ... big time at CES."
- "Is It a Bubble?": Howard Marks, co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management, answered his own question in a December 9 memo: "AI is currently the subject of great enthusiasm. If that enthusiasm doesn't produce a bubble conforming to the historical pattern, that will be a first."
4. 2025 Review: From Near-Bear to Bull
Robert Brokamp, CFP
AI stocks powered U.S. equities to another double-digit gain in 2025 after a rocky start, but those returns trailed the performance of international stocks and precious metals like gold and silver. The overall bond market returned 7.1% in 2025, making it the fourth-best year for bonds of the past two decades.
5. Your Take
Which companies in your portfolio are successfully integrating AI in ways that genuinely improve their products rather than just adding buzzwords? Discuss with friends and family, or become a member to hear what your fellow Fools are saying.
