CME raises gold and silver margins; Amazon drops over 11% post-market; Hong Kong listings today.

US Job Openings Drop to Lowest Level Since 2020

The number of job openings in the US unexpectedly fell to its lowest level since 2020 in December, with layoffs slightly increasing, indicating weak labor demand from businesses. According to the Labor Department, job openings decreased from a revised 6.93 million in November to 6.54 million in December, below market expectations. The decline was primarily seen in professional and business services as well as retail sectors, while layoffs increased notably in the transportation and warehousing industries.

Data shows that hiring has risen, but overall levels remain low, suggesting that companies are cautious about hiring amid evaluations of their workforce needs and economic outlook. This data reinforces the Federal Reserve's view that wage growth is not a source of inflationary pressure. The report indicated that there were 0.9 job openings for every unemployed person in December, a key metric closely monitored by the Fed, which peaked at 2:1 in 2022.

Bessent: Trump to Decide on Lawsuit Against Fed Nominee

US Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that President Trump will decide whether to sue Fed nominee Waller over interest rate issues. Following Trump's mockery of Waller, Bessent clarified that it was merely a joke. Trump had previously suggested he might sue Waller for lowering interest rates after announcing Waller's nomination.

White House: Diplomacy Preferred in Iran Nuclear Talks

On February 5, White House Press Secretary Levitt stated that President Trump continues to prioritize diplomacy in international affairs, particularly regarding the upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks. Levitt emphasized that Iran must achieve "zero nuclear capability" and warned that while diplomatic efforts are ongoing, Trump, as Commander-in-Chief, has various options at his disposal.

Trump on Nuclear Arms Treaty

President Trump expressed that rather than extending the New START treaty, a new, more comprehensive agreement should be developed. He highlighted the US's military strength and the need for modernized nuclear agreements.

CME Raises Margin Requirements for Gold and Silver Futures

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange announced an increase in margin requirements for certain futures contracts, with gold margins raised to 9% and silver to 18%, effective after market close on February 6.

Silver Prices Continue to Plummet

Following a nearly 20% drop in the previous trading session, silver prices continued to decline, falling nearly 5% today. Silver has now erased all gains for the year, amidst significant market volatility not seen since 1980.

Trump Supports Japan's Upcoming Legislative Elections

President Trump expressed strong support for Japan's Prime Minister Kishi, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming legislative elections on February 8, 2026, for Japan's future.

TrumpRX Pharmacy Website Launch

President Trump plans to launch a pharmacy website, "TrumpRX," allowing consumers to purchase prescription drugs directly from manufacturers at discounted prices without insurance.

Canada Announces New Electric Vehicle Strategy

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new electric vehicle strategy, including the revival of purchase subsidies and collaboration with China to boost domestic production and export of electric vehicles.

OpenAI Releases GPT-5.3-Codex

OpenAI founder Altman announced the release of GPT-5.3-Codex, boasting improved coding performance and efficiency.

Major Indices Decline Amid Weak Employment Data

The three major US indices fell collectively, with the Nasdaq dropping over 1% for three consecutive days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.20%, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.59%, and the S&P 500 decreased by 1.23%.

Amazon's Post-Market Drop

Amazon's stock fell over 11% in after-hours trading, despite reporting fourth-quarter net sales of $213.39 billion, slightly above analyst expectations.

Novo Nordisk Shares Drop After Hims Launches Generic Drug

Novo Nordisk shares fell over 8% after telehealth company Hims launched a generic version of its weight loss drug at a significantly lower price.

Musk Denies Development of Starlink Phone

Elon Musk clarified that SpaceX is not developing a dedicated Starlink phone, refuting a Reuters report.

Netflix's Acquisition Deal

President Trump stated he would not intervene in the acquisition battle between Netflix and Paramount Skydance for Warner Bros Discovery.

Estée Lauder's Stock Plummets

Estée Lauder shares dropped over 19% after the company provided a disappointing earnings forecast for the year.

NIO Reports First Quarterly Profit

NIO announced it expects to report adjusted operating profits for Q4 2025, marking its first quarterly profit.

Qualcomm's Weak Forecast

Qualcomm's stock fell over 8% after the company provided a weak revenue forecast for the current quarter.

Nvidia Delays New Gaming Chip Release

Nvidia will not release new gaming graphics chips this year due to a global shortage of memory chips.

Anthropic Launches AI Model

Anthropic launched its AI model Claude Opus4.6, which significantly upgraded its capabilities in financial research.

Roblox Reports Strong Q4 Growth

Roblox reported a 43% year-over-year increase in Q4 revenue, with daily active users rising by 69%.

Hong Kong Stock Market Activity

Southbound funds net bought nearly HKD 25 billion in Hong Kong stocks, with significant purchases in Tencent and Alibaba.

Upcoming Economic Data

The US will release non-farm payroll and unemployment rate data at 21:30, along with the preliminary Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index at 23:00.