Amazon (AMZN) reports fourth-quarter earnings after the market close on February 09, 2026, amid continued pressure on capital expenditures and AI growth. The company announced cuts of 16,000 jobs and closures of Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores to flatten its structure and remove bureaucracy.

Key expectations: EPS of $1.96 on revenue of $211.5 billion, up 5% and 13% respectively from the prior-year quarter. AWS revenue is forecast at $34.9 billion (+21% YoY); online store sales at $82.3 billion (+8.9% YoY); advertising revenue at $21.2 billion. Q4 cash capex is expected at $34.9 billion, up from $34.2 billion in Q3, with 2025 guidance at $125 billion and continued 2026 expansion.

Meta (META) and Microsoft (MSFT) posted contrasting Street reactions last week as Amazon seeks clarity on its spending and AI momentum. If 2026 capital intensity exceeds expectations, Amazon’s stock could face significant pressure.

Powell Industries (POW) shares jumped 21% in early trading on February 4, 2026, following a Q1 2026 earnings report that beat expectations. The company reported net income of $48.5 million, or 24.3 cents per share, up 18% year-over-year, driven by strong demand in its industrial components and systems segment. Revenue rose 12% to $1.15 billion, with the aerospace and defense divisions contributing the most growth. Management attributed the results to disciplined cost controls and improved pricing.

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D.E. Shaw Group, a prominent institutional investor, has called for significant changes in leadership and capital allocation at CoStar Group Inc. (CSGP:NASDAQ), urging the company to refocus on core business strategies. This follows a series of underwhelming financial results and market performance.

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In a public statement, D.E. Shaw highlighted that CoStar's recent financial figures and strategic decisions have not aligned with investor expectations. The firm recommended a shift in focus to core real estate data services, suggesting a reallocation of resources to enhance operational efficiency and market share. Financial figures indicate a 5% decline in Q4 earnings compared to the same period last year, with stock price down 10% over the past year. The investor group is advocating for a more aggressive capital deployment strategy to capitalize on the company's strengths in the real estate data sector.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated at a House Financial Services Committee hearing on February 4, 2026, that public trust in the Federal Reserve—the foundation of its policy independence—was eroded by allowing inflation to rise, which ravaged household incomes.

Bessent argued that Presidents and prominent senators, including former President Donald Trump and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have the right to publicly express views on Fed monetary decisions. He reiterated his support for a strong-dollar policy.

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Anthropic (ANTH.PVT) intensifies its commitment to an ad-free model for its chatbot, Claude, countering OpenAI (OPAI.PVT) in a Super Bowl ad. The move follows OpenAI's recent integration of ads into its ChatGPT service, aiming to highlight user-centric engagement without third-party influence.

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In a bold marketing strategy, Anthropic emphasizes Claude's unaltered, user-focused interaction, avoiding any sponsored content or third-party product placements. The Super Bowl ad, set to air on February 5, 2026, humorously contrasts with OpenAI's approach, showcasing Anthropic's stance on maintaining a pure AI experience. As of late December 2025, OpenAI boasted nearly 900 million weekly ChatGPT users, underscoring the competitive landscape in AI. Anthropic, focusing on business and developer tools, has seen its Claude Code assistant gain popularity, contributing to recent market dynamics. The company anticipates monetization through agency commerce, where Claude acts on behalf of users in transactions, while respecting user data privacy.

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AMD's stock price plummeted over 16% today, February 04, 2026, amid market reaction to underwhelming earnings guidance. Despite the share price drop, AMD CEO Lisa Su confidently affirms that advanced chip demand is accelerating, driven by AI-related needs.

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Su, in an interview with CNBC, emphasized that AI computing demand has significantly escalated over the past two to three months, outpacing supply capabilities. She stated that AI development is progressing at a pace far exceeding her original expectations. AMD's fourth-quarter earnings exceeded Wall Street estimates, but some analysts felt the guidance for the first quarter did not fully capture the rapid expansion of AI investment. AMD forecasts first-quarter revenue of approximately $9.8 billion, ±$0.3 billion, surpassing market expectations of $9.38 billion. Su also noted a strong growth trend in AMD's data center business, particularly in CPU demand, as enterprise customers rapidly expand their AI computing capacity to meet enterprise-level AI applications. With the introduction of the Helios integrated server-level AI system in the second half of the year, AMD anticipates a significant market shift.

The Federal Reserve’s most recent reading of the U.S. Services Index for January showed no change at 103.1, seasonally adjusted. The index, published on February 4, 2026, measures the level of economic activity in the services sector, which accounts for about 80% of U.S. GDP. The reading aligns with expectations of continued softness in services demand, suggesting inflationary pressures may moderate but at a gradual pace. The index is compiled by the Federal Open Market Committee’s Beige Book.

[Para 1: The Lead] Amazon has announced the immediate availability of its Alexa+ artificial intelligence assistant to all U.S. customers, marking a significant expansion of its smart home ecosystem. The move, effective February 5, 2026, is aimed at enhancing user accessibility and engagement across the country.

[Para 2-3: Supporting details & Context] The company estimates that over 100 million households in the U.S. will now have access to Alexa+ features, including advanced voice commands, enhanced security protocols, and improved integration with third-party devices. Amazon reports a 25% increase in Alexa+ device sales in the last quarter, driven by consumer demand for more sophisticated home automation solutions. The expansion is expected to boost Amazon's market share in the smart home sector, currently led by Google and Apple.

U.S. crude oil inventories fell by 2.6 million barrels in the week ended February 1, 2026, more than the 1.2 million barrels decrease forecast by economists, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

The decline followed a similar drop in the prior week and brings the strategic petroleum reserve closer to its lowest level in over two years. The EIA reported refined oil product inventories also fell, signaling continued tightness in the supply chain.

This week's draw suggests upward pressure on U.S. crude prices, as lower inventories can indicate reduced future supply and increased demand for existing reserves.

GEHC shares rose 5% on February 4, 2026, following a report of strong fourth-quarter revenue growth. The company reported revenue of $12.8B in Q4 2025, a 7.2% increase from $12.0B in Q4 2024. Operating profit for the quarter was $1.4B, up 11.8% year-over-year. Management attributed the results to higher demand for imaging and diagnostics solutions, particularly in North America and Asia-Pacific. The stock closed at $137.42 on the NYSE, up from $130.98 at the start of trading on February 4.

JinkoSolar (JKO) shares jumped 10% in early trading on February 4, 2026, following Exida’s issuance of the IEC 62443-2-4 cybersecurity certification. The recognition validates the company’s industrial control systems security framework, strengthening its position in the competitive solar inverter market.

The certification, issued on January 25, 2026, is a key standard for industrial control cybersecurity, signaling improved protection of the company’s energy infrastructure and supporting its expansion plans. Exida, a globally recognized registrar, is known for its rigorous verification processes.

Labour leadership transitions in the UK could reduce the likelihood of significant monetary policy easing, with former Bank of England official Michael Saunders of Oxford Economics cautioning that shifts toward “tax and spend” or tighter migration policies under potential leaders Angela Rayner or Andy Burnham would likely keep interest rates higher for longer.

Saunders, who served on the MPC 2016–2022, said Rayner or Burnham’s fiscal stance would probably reduce MPC rate-cutting scope, while Wes Streeting’s pro-EU trade agenda might boost growth over time—though benefits are likely distant. Shabana Mahmood’s potential leadership could further收紧 net migration, adding fiscal pressure.

The Bank of England is expected to keep rates at 3.75% at its meeting on February 07, 2026. Governor Andrew Bailey has linked high inflation to tax increases, energy and minimum wage rises. Panmure Liberum’s Simon French notes that without gains in productivity to match wage growth, further rate cuts are plausible, but looser fiscal policy, higher public sector pay, or a weaker exchange rate could reverse that path.

Cigna Corp's Express Scripts (EXPS) has settled the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's antitrust and consumer protection claims, agreeing to overhauling insulin and drug pricing practices to lower costs. The 10-year agreement, effective February 4, 2026, bans rebate-based pricing and places the company under a three-year FTC monitor. Provisions include collaborating with local pharmacies, disclosing drug costs to employers annually, and moving its Switzerland-based rebate aggregator, Ascent Health Services, to the U.S. The FTC estimates the reforms could save patients up to $7 billion over the decade. The settlement also ties direct-to-consumer purchases via TrumpRX to employer standard plans' copays and deductibles. The case was originally brought by the prior administration and reflects ongoing FTC enforcement of PBM practices.

Gold futures (GC=F) near $5,000 and silver (SI=F) up 8% on a second consecutive day as investors buy the dip after a volatile pullback. The U.S. dollar resumed its slide, supporting commodities and making dollar-denominated bullion cheaper abroad.

Goldman Sachs projects gold could reach $5,400/oz by year-end 2026, citing central bank accumulation and potential strong private sector ETF purchases. JPMorgan forecasts gold to reach $6,300/oz by year-end, with a floor of $75–$80/oz for silver, which fell over 30% last week amid tight London market supply.

YTD, gold is up about 14% and silver about 16%.

ElevenLabs (IVL) closed a $500 million funding round led by Sequoia Capital, with the company’s valuation rising to $11 billion. a16z quadrupled its stake, and ICONIQ, the lead from the prior round, tripled its investment. Existing investors include BroadLight, NFDG, Valor Capital, AMP Coalition, and Smash Capital, with new commitments from Lightspeed Venture Partners, EvanticCapital, and BOND, and additional strategic investors to be disclosed in February.

Total funding to date exceeds $781 million, earmarked for R&D and expansion into India, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, and Mexico. ARR reached $330 million at year-end, growing from $200 million to $300 million in five months. The company plans to expand creative capabilities and integrate video with agents beyond voice, following a partnership with LTX to generate audio-to-video content.

AMD shares fell 13% in early trading February 06, 2026, despite reporting fourth-quarter revenue of $10.27B and adjusted EPS of $1.53, both exceeding estimates. A significant boost came from MI308 sales in China, but analysts at Wedbush expressed caution about "muted growth" in broader AI sales amid evolving export restrictions limiting AMD's access to key markets. Morgan Stanley analysts were surprised by the reaction, noting the market may be waiting for more proof of the effectiveness of AMD's latest products. The sell-off erased the year-to-date gains for AMD, which remains up about 90% over the past 12 months.

Cerebras Systems (CRS) announced on February 04, 2026, a late-stage $1 billion funding round valued at $23 billion, led by Tiger Global with participation from Benchmark, AMD, Coatue, and 1789 Capital.

The funding underscores continued private investment in AI chipmakers as corporations and governments accelerate adoption of the nascent technology.

Lamb Weston (LAM.B) announced on February 4, 2026, the appointment of Jan Craps as Executive Chair and James Gray as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 15, 2026. The changes follow a strategic leadership review aimed at strengthening board governance and financial oversight. Craps will lead the board in strategic direction and executive succession, while Gray will oversee financial planning, risk management, and corporate strategy. No immediate impact on stock price or operations is expected.

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PrimeGen Therapeutics, a leading biotechnology firm focusing on genetic diseases (PRMG), is set to go public through a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) deal, scheduled for February 15, 2026. The SPAC, previously announced in December 2025, will see PrimeGen raising $100 million at an estimated valuation of $500 million, significantly boosting its financial profile and market presence.

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The transaction is expected to close by the end of this month, marking a pivotal moment for PrimeGen, which has been developing innovative treatments for rare genetic disorders. Financial figures indicate a 30% increase in R&D spending in the last fiscal year, reflecting the company's commitment to advancing its pipeline. Shares of PRMG are anticipated to begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker PRMG, signaling a significant step in its journey towards public market scrutiny and expanded capital base.

Rallybio (RLYB) announced it will implement a 1-for-8 reverse stock split to regain compliance with the NASDAQ's minimum share price requirement, effective February 15, 2026. The split is expected to increase the stock price per share, potentially restoring the company's listing eligibility. The company's shares closed at $1.28 on February 4, 2026, down 11.7% in after-hours trading following the announcement.