By Alex Financials

📈 U.S. Markets Near Record Highs as Tech & Storage Stocks Lead

U.S. stock markets climbed again on Tuesday, with major indexes approaching or setting new record levels. The $DOW Dow Jones Industrial Average rose sharply, continuing Monday’s momentum and flirting with the 50,000 milestone after a series of record closes. Meanwhile, the $SPX S&P 500 and $COMP Nasdaq both posted gains, lifted by strong performances in technology and data storage shares.

Big movers included $AMZN Amazon, which rallied more than 3% on strong buying interest, and $MU Micron Technology, jumping over 6.5% as investors continued to back memory and semiconductor demand. Standout strength was seen in $SNDK SanDisk shares, which soared over 24% on heavy trading and strong AI-related demand for data storage solutions since its spin-out.

Sectorwise, tech and healthcare led gains, with some materials names like $ALB Albemarle also making notable moves. Energy names gave back some earlier strength, reflecting mixed oil price reactions after recent geopolitical events.

Why it matters: Stocks rallying toward record highs underscores continued investor confidence after strong end-of-year performance, though markets remain sensitive to economic data and policy signals ahead this week.

🧠 AI & Tech Sector — Mixed Signals With New Products and Ratings

Tech headlines remain dominated by AI optimism — and some skepticism.

🔹 Nvidia & AI Chips

$NVDA Nvidia extended gains after CEO Jensen Huang unveiled its next-generation AI chip (“Vera Rubin”) at CES 2026. Though gains were modest in regular trading, futures pricing remains supportive as anticipation builds for later-year deployments.

🔹 Other Tech Movers

$AMD Advanced Micro Devices saw a pullback of around 3.5% despite its own CES AI announcements. $PLTR Palantir Technologies received a fresh Buy rating from Truist and saw shares climb. $ZETA Zeta Global jumped nearly 9% after announcing a new AI partnership with OpenAI. $OS OneStream surged double-digits amid talk of a potential take-private buyout. $MCHP Microchip Technology also outperformed after raising sales guidance.

Why it matters: Tech leadership continues to shape market direction, but divergences within the sector — from chipmakers to AI platform plays — reflect nuanced investor positioning and valuation sensitivities.

🌍 International Markets Eye Broad Gains; UK Stocks Surge

Across the pond, the FTSE 100 in London enjoyed its best trading day in six months, breaking through the 10,000 level as financials, pharmaceuticals, oil & retail shares all marched higher. Companies like Fresnillo and Next were among the leaders, with Next PLC raising profit forecasts post-Christmas.

Global optimism was broad despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and mixed macro signals. Other major world indexes also posted gains, with sentiment buoyed by strong raw materials prices and defensive sector positioning.

Why it matters: International strength supports the narrative of synchronized markets — even as economies face slowing growth signals and geopolitical risk.

📊 Macro & Market Drivers: Jobs, PMI, and Geopolitics

Investors are parsing a sparse economic calendar this week, with focus squarely on forthcoming macro data:

• Jobs Report: December’s payroll numbers (due Friday) are now a key market catalyst, as traders weigh the expectations for unemployment and wage growth.

• PMI Data: Final services and manufacturing PMIs are releasing soon and could influence short-term volatility.

• Geopolitics: Oil and energy stocks have been sensitive to U.S. military and diplomatic developments involving Venezuelan leadership, which has boosted risk sentiment in energy and broader markets.

These macro drivers could shape Federal Reserve policy expectations — and therefore stocks — as markets price in interest rate stability versus future easing.

🆕 IPO Watch: FG Holdings Files for Upsized Offering

In IPO news, FG Holdings Limited (ticker: $FGO) filed for an upsized offering of 3.75 million shares priced between $4–$5, up from earlier planned issuance. The move signals ongoing capital markets activity despite broader macro uncertainty.

Why it matters: A larger planned offering reflects confidence among some issuer-side participants that investor appetite for new equities remains healthy — even with calm trading environments.

🧠 Market Commentary & Long-Term Perspectives

Some analysts continue cautioning about valuations. Discussions about potential an “AI bubble” and concentrated market gains among a few mega tech names are gaining traction, even as long-term compounding strategies like broad market ETFs (e.g., $VTI) remain popular with buy-and-hold investors.