Market Update
U.S. Stocks Gyrated Amid Mixed Earnings, Precious Metals Halted January Rally
Barry Adams
30 Jan, 2026
New York City
Stocks on Wall Street struggled to advance, gold and silver dropped, and U.S. Treasury bonds were in focus in Friday's session.
The S&P 500 index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite decreased 0.3% amid mixed corporate results.
Apple edged higher after sales of iPhone 17 models soared, Visa reported strong quarterly results, driven by an increase in cross-border payments, and SanDisk offered solid outlook for the current quarter.
Gold dropped as much as 5% and dipped briefly below $5,000 an ounce, and silver decreased 12% to $102.70 an ounce amid profit taking.
The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes edged up to 4.25% ahead of the U.S. president's announcement of the next Federal Reserve Chairman.
Over the last year, Donald Trump has waged a vicious campaign targeting the Federal Reserve's independence and Fed Chair Jerome Powell and attempted to influence monetary policy to his liking.
U.S. Movers
SanDisk Corp. soared 19% to $642.0, and the digital storage company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results and issued a better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter estimate.
SanDisk estimated fiscal third quarter adjusted earnings per share between $12 and $14.
Apple Inc. decreased 0.4% to $257.22, and the popular mobile device maker reported sharply higher revenue and earnings in its latest quarter, driven by strong revenue from its popular iPhone 17 models.
Sale of iPhone mobile devices rose 23% from a year ago to $85.3 billion, driving the total revenue in the quarter to $143.7 billion.
Visa Inc. decreased 2.1% to $324.82 despite the payment processing company reporting higher-than-expected adjusted earnings per share of $3.17.
Revenue advanced to $10.9 billion, driven in part by a surge in cross-border transactions and payments.
Western Digital Corp. declined 3.7% to $268.10, despite the electronic storage company estimating higher-than-expected revenue in the current quarter.
The company estimated fiscal third quarter revenue of $3.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.30.
U.S. Stocks Gyrated Amid Mixed Earnings, Precious Metals Halted January Rally
Barry Adams
30 Jan, 2026
New York City
Stocks on Wall Street struggled to advance, gold and silver dropped, and U.S. Treasury bonds were in focus in Friday's session.
The S&P 500 index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite decreased 0.3% amid mixed corporate results.
Apple edged higher after sales of iPhone 17 models soared, Visa reported strong quarterly results, driven by an increase in cross-border payments, and SanDisk offered solid outlook for the current quarter.
Gold dropped as much as 5% and dipped briefly below $5,000 an ounce, and silver decreased 12% to $102.70 an ounce amid profit taking.
The yield on 10-year U.S. Treasury notes edged up to 4.25% ahead of the U.S. president's announcement of the next Federal Reserve Chairman.
Over the last year, Donald Trump has waged a vicious campaign targeting the Federal Reserve's independence and Fed Chair Jerome Powell and attempted to influence monetary policy to his liking.
U.S. Movers
SanDisk Corp. soared 19% to $642.0, and the digital storage company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results and issued a better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter estimate.
SanDisk estimated fiscal third quarter adjusted earnings per share between $12 and $14.
Apple Inc. decreased 0.4% to $257.22, and the popular mobile device maker reported sharply higher revenue and earnings in its latest quarter, driven by strong revenue from its popular iPhone 17 models.
Sale of iPhone mobile devices rose 23% from a year ago to $85.3 billion, driving the total revenue in the quarter to $143.7 billion.
Visa Inc. decreased 2.1% to $324.82 despite the payment processing company reporting higher-than-expected adjusted earnings per share of $3.17.
Revenue advanced to $10.9 billion, driven in part by a surge in cross-border transactions and payments.
Western Digital Corp. declined 3.7% to $268.10, despite the electronic storage company estimating higher-than-expected revenue in the current quarter.
The company estimated fiscal third quarter revenue of $3.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $2.30.
Japan's Indexes Advanced In January Ahead of Elections and Yen Uncertainty
Akira Ito
30 Jan, 2026
Tokyo
Stock market indexes in Japan advanced for the fourth consecutive session on Friday as investor confidence held steady in the middle of earnings season.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average decreased 0.2%, and the broader Topix index fell 0.3%.
In January, the Nikkei 225 advanced 6%, and the Topix gained about 5% as investors shifted their focus to corporate results.
Japan's retail sales unexpectedly dropped 0.9% from a year ago in December.
Retail sales reversed from an upwardly revised 1.1% in the previous month, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry.
Sales decreased for apparel and personal goods by 11.6%, fuel by 10.8%, non-store retailers by 5.8%, and department stores by 0.5%.
However, sales advanced for automobiles by 5.9%, machinery and equipment by 5.9%, and cosmetics by 0.1%.
Japan's unemployment rate held steady for the fifth month in a row in December, indicating tight labor market conditions.
The jobless rate was unchanged at 2.6% as more female and elderly workers sought jobs in the expanding labor force, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications.
Japan's 2025 jobless rate was unchanged at 2.5% from the previous year, as higher inflation drove more people to look for jobs as the number of people with jobs increased.
Increasingly, Japan's businesses are restraining hiring due to minimum wage increase and rising materials costs.
The number of employed people increased by 470,000 to 68.3 million, and the labor force expanded by the same amount to 70 million.
The labor force includes those employed and those seeking jobs over the age of 15 years.
Flexible working hours and rising wages are also drawing more elderly and young workers to the labor market, but rising living costs are also increasing job seekers.
A separate report from the agency showed that the job availability ratio edged up 0.01 to 1.19, according to the labor ministry.
The ratio declined 0.03 point from a year ago to 1.22 in 2025, weakening for the second consecutive year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average decreased 0.2%, and the broader Topix Index added 0.3% to 3,555.10.
Hitachi Ltd. jumped 3.8% to ¥5,271.0, and Fujikura Ltd. added 0.2% after the release of their financial results.
Sumitomo Metal Mining declined 3.9% to ¥9,469.0 amid a weakness in the metals market, and the company is scheduled to release its financial results next week.
Kioxia Holdings Corp. soared 10.5% to a new record high of ¥21,310.0 ahead of the digital storage company's quarterly results on February 12.
Japan's Indexes Advanced In January Ahead of Elections and Yen Uncertainty
Akira Ito
30 Jan, 2026
Tokyo
Stock market indexes in Japan advanced for the fourth consecutive session on Friday as investor confidence held steady in the middle of earnings season.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average decreased 0.2%, and the broader Topix index fell 0.3%.
In January, the Nikkei 225 advanced 6%, and the Topix gained about 5% as investors shifted their focus to corporate results.
Japan's retail sales unexpectedly dropped 0.9% from a year ago in December.
Retail sales reversed from an upwardly revised 1.1% in the previous month, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry.
Sales decreased for apparel and personal goods by 11.6%, fuel by 10.8%, non-store retailers by 5.8%, and department stores by 0.5%.
However, sales advanced for automobiles by 5.9%, machinery and equipment by 5.9%, and cosmetics by 0.1%.
Japan's unemployment rate held steady for the fifth month in a row in December, indicating tight labor market conditions.
The jobless rate was unchanged at 2.6% as more female and elderly workers sought jobs in the expanding labor force, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs & Communications.
Japan's 2025 jobless rate was unchanged at 2.5% from the previous year, as higher inflation drove more people to look for jobs as the number of people with jobs increased.
Increasingly, Japan's businesses are restraining hiring due to minimum wage increase and rising materials costs.
The number of employed people increased by 470,000 to 68.3 million, and the labor force expanded by the same amount to 70 million.
The labor force includes those employed and those seeking jobs over the age of 15 years.
Flexible working hours and rising wages are also drawing more elderly and young workers to the labor market, but rising living costs are also increasing job seekers.
A separate report from the agency showed that the job availability ratio edged up 0.01 to 1.19, according to the labor ministry.
The ratio declined 0.3% from a year ago to 1.22 in 2025, weakening for the second consecutive year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.
Japan Indexes and Stocks
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average decreased 0.2%, and the broader Topix Index added 0.3% to 3,555.10.
Hitachi Ltd. jumped 3.8% to ¥5,271.0, and Fujikura Ltd. added 0.2% after the release of their financial results.
Sumitomo Metal Mining declined 3.9% to ¥9,469.0 amid a weakness in the metals market, and the company is scheduled to release its financial results next week.
Kioxia Holdings Corp. soared 10.5% to a new record high of ¥21,310.0 ahead of the digital storage company's quarterly results on February 12.
Indexes In Shanghai and Hong Kong Advanced In January Overlooking Trade and Geopolitical Tensions
Li Chen
30 Jan, 2026
Hong Kong
Stock indexes in China and Hong Kong traded down as investors locked in profits ahead of a flood of earnings reports next week.
The Hang Seng Index decreased 1.6%, and the mainland-focused CSI 300 Index declined 1% amid elevated geopolitical tensions and the possible rise in trade frictions with the U.S.
The Hang Seng Index halted a seven-day rally, and the index gained about 7.4% in January, its best monthly rise since February 2025, when it rose 13%.
In January, the benchmark index in Shanghai increased 3.5%, and the broader CSI 300 Index advanced 1.6%.
In overnight trading in New York, the S&P 500 index decreased 0.1%, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.7% after investors reacted to Microsoft's earnings and the Fed's interest rate decisions.
Markets in Asia traded mixed ahead of the ramp-up in earnings next week, and the U.S. president said he will announce his selection for the next Federal Reserve chair on Friday.
China Indexes and Stocks
The Hang Seng Index dropped 1.6% to 27,509.91, and the mainland-focused CSI 300 Index decreased 1% to 4,705.81.
Zijin Mining Group dropped 8% to HK $42.0, and Zijin Gold International plunged 10% to HK $219.20 after gold prices swung 8% in overnight intraday trading in New York.
New World Development rose 3.4% to HK $11.54 after the company confirmed that potential investors approached its parent company, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises.