NextFin News - U.S. equity futures edged higher ahead of key services PMI and ADP jobs data, with commodities volatile and the dollar stabilizing near recent lows.

Pre‑Market Performance

• U.S. index futures: Nasdaq 100 +11.5 pts to 25,463.5 (+0.05%); S&P 500 +10.8 pts to 6,952.5 (+0.15%); Dow +94 pts to 49,444 (+0.19%).
• Europe (mid‑session): FTSE 100 10,314.59 (−0.26%); CAC 40 8,179.50 (−0.02%); DAX 24,780.79 (−0.07%).
• Commodities/FX:
  • Brent crude near $66/bbl after Monday’s sharp pullback as geopolitical premiums faded; OPEC+ maintained March output levels. TradingEconomics, Saudi Gazette, Argaam
  • WTI crude ~$64/bbl, up ~3% versus prior session. Oilprice.com
  • Gold around $5,070/oz after a >6% overnight rebound. Business Insider
  • U.S. Dollar Index ~97.7, steady after a 4‑year low near 95.9 last week. CNBC, MarketWatch
  • Recent futures activity: NYMEX crude volume 939,642 contracts Tuesday; COMEX gold 274,969. AP (Crude), AP (Gold)

Macroeconomic Policy and Data

• Fed policy: On January 28, the FOMC held the fed funds target at 3.50%–3.75% (10–2 vote), signaling patience after three 2025 cuts amid easing inflation and a stabilizing labor market. Markets are watching leadership developments and March guidance. WSJ, Washington Post
• Inflation:
  • CPI (Dec 2025): Headline +2.7% y/y (prev +2.7%, cons +2.6%); Core +2.6% y/y (cons +2.7%). CBS News, EY analysis
  • PCE (Dec 2025): Headline +2.6% y/y (in line); Core +2.8% y/y (in line). UPI, InvestingLive
  • PPI (Dec 2025): +0.5% m/m (cons +0.3%); +3.0% y/y. AP
• Activity data:
  • ISM Manufacturing (Jan): 52.6 vs 48.5 cons, 47.9 prior — first expansion in a year; new orders and production surged, while employment remained soft. ISM/PR Newswire, WSJ
  • ISM Services (Jan): due 10:00 a.m. ET today; consensus ~53.6; previous 54.4. ISM calendar, ForexFactory
• Labor:
  • ADP private payrolls (Jan): due 8:15 a.m. ET today. ADP
  • BLS Employment Situation (Jan): release delayed by last week’s partial government shutdown; with funding restored late Feb 3, a new timetable is pending. CBS News, Washington Post, The Guardian

Market take: A firmer ISM manufacturing print and hotter PPI tilt risks modestly hawkish for rates, but the dollar’s slide and gold’s surge point to ongoing macro uncertainty and demand for hedges. Today’s services PMI and ADP will shape near‑term rate‑cut odds and sector leadership into Friday’s rescheduled labor data window.

Hot News

• Shutdown ends; key data were delayed — A $1.2T funding bill signed Feb 3 ends the partial shutdown, but January jobs and other labor reports were already postponed. Washington Post, The Guardian
• OPEC+ keeps output steady for March — Producers reaffirmed no change to March quotas, balancing inventories and demand signals. Saudi Gazette, Argaam
• Dollar hits 4‑year low — The DXY touched ~95.86 last week before stabilizing near 97–98, aiding multinationals while underpinning commodity bids. MarketWatch, CNBC
• Gold snaps back above $5,000 — After a historic sell‑off, dip‑buyers drove a >6% rebound, with safe‑haven demand and central‑bank buying cited. Business Insider

U.S. Stock Focus

• Apple — Record quarter, dividend maintained — Apple posted all‑time highs for revenue and EPS: $143.8B (+16% y/y) and $2.84, with iPhone and Services at records; quarterly dividend set at $0.26 (payable Feb 12). Apple Newsroom, MacRumors
• Microsoft — Cloud/AI fuel FY26 Q2 beat — Revenue rose 17% to $81.3B; GAAP EPS $5.16 as management highlighted an expanding AI franchise across Microsoft Cloud. Microsoft IR
• Meta Platforms — Strong Q4; capex surges — Q4 revenue $59.89B (+24% y/y), EPS $8.88; 2026 expense and capex plans step up sharply on AI build‑out; shares jumped post‑print. Meta IR, AP
• AMD — Beat and raise, but shares soften — Q4 revenue $10.27B; adj. EPS $1.53 vs $1.32 est.; Q1 revenue guide ~$9.8B. Data‑center strength offset profit‑taking in the stock. AMD IR, WSJ, Barron’s
• PayPal — Earnings miss, CEO change; stock plunges — Q4 revenue $8.68B and adj. EPS $1.23 missed; guidance disappointed. Board moved to replace the CEO; shares sank ~20%. Financial Times, Investopedia, Zacks
• Teradyne — First $1B+ quarter since 2021; AI test demand — Q4 revenue $1.083B; non‑GAAP EPS $1.80 beat; robust Q1 outlook lifted shares pre‑market. Teradyne IR, Barron’s
• Woodward — Guidance raised on aerospace/industrial strength — FQ1 sales +29% to $996M; EPS $2.17; FY26 sales growth raised to 14%–18%, EPS to $8.20–$8.60. Woodward IR, Investor’s Business Daily
• Palantir — Top‑line and EPS beat; profitability widens — Q4 revenue ~$1.41B vs $1.34B est.; adj. EPS $0.25; strong U.S. commercial and government growth buoy outlook. Barron’s
• Broadcom/VMware — Channel shake‑up — Broadcom ended VMware’s VCSP Advantage partner program, consolidating providers and drawing EU cloud pushback. TechRadar Pro
• Uber — Earnings call this morning — Uber reports Q4 and FY25 results with a webcast at 8:00 a.m. ET; focus on mobility take‑rates, Delivery profitability, and advertising ramp. Uber IR

What to watch today: 8:15 a.m. ET ADP private payrolls; 10:00 a.m. ET ISM Services PMI (consensus ~53.6). Market reaction across rates, the USD, and cyclical leadership will steer the session, while energy and gold remain sensitive to geopolitics and dollar swings.