Major Averages Close Higher, Gold Hits Record Highs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 12 2026
0mins
Should l Buy GOOG?
The major averages closed broadly higher despite an escalation in political pressure on the Federal Reserve. The Trump administration threatening a criminal indictment of Fed Chair Jerome Powell has renewed concerns about the independence of the central bank. Banking stocks and credit card lenders also have taken early hits because of policy proposals such as a one-year cap on credit-card interest rates that could compress financial sector profitability.With key inflation data and the start of earnings season approaching, traders are monitoring how persistent inflation signals might influence the Fed's policy path, even as central bank independence concerns loom large.Looking to commodities, gold surged past the $4,600 threshold to hit record highs, while oil prices were also fractionally higher as traders await more news surrounding Venezuela.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Alphabetbriefly hit thethreshold as Applepicked Google's Gemini to run an AI-powered SiriMeanwhile, Google and Walmartplan to launch a new experience for shopping thatAdditionally, Walmart will become a component of theParamount Skydanceplans toto Warner Bros. Discovery'sboardAllegiantSun Country Airlinesfor $18.89 per share in cash and stock2. WALL STREET CALLS:CitiPalantirto Buy on potential 80% sales growth in 2026Morgan StanleyAkamaito Overweight from UnderweightNetflixwith a Buy at HSBCCrowdStriketo Sector Weight at KeyBancGitLabto Underweight at Barclays and Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley3. AROUND THE WEB:New York Governor Kathy Hochul is seeking to regulate Robloxamid child safety concerns, Verge reportsPresident Trump may block Exxon Mobilfrom drilling in Venezuela after the company's CEO said the country was "uninvestable" without significant commercial and legal changes, WSJ saysIn 2025, global smartphone shipments increased by 2% year-over-year, with Appleleading the market with a 20% share supported by demand in mid-sized markets and strong iPhone 17 sales, Reuters reportsThe Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, has approved Boeing'sMAX 10, the largest variant of its 737 MAX jet, to move to the second phase of flight testing, Reuters saysLast year, Volkswagenwas overtaken by Geely Autoin sales in China, Reuters reports4. MOVERS:Albemarlehigher after Scotiabankthe stock to Outperform from Sector PerformVistrarises after at least three analystson the sharesShake Shackgains after reportingCapital Onefalls after President Trump called for ainterest for one yearSoleno Therapeuticslower after reporting5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCEUsanaraised itsPetcobacked itsand FY25DexComreportedand provided guidance for FY26Alphatecraised itsand provided its outlook for Q4 and FY26Lululemonsees Q4 revenueof prior guidanceINDEXES:The Dow rose 86.13, or 0.17%, to 49,590.20, the Nasdaq gained 62.56, or 0.26%, to 23,733.90, and the S&P 500 advanced 10.99, or 0.16%, to 6,977.27.
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Analyst Views on GOOG
Wall Street analysts forecast GOOG stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 311.430
Low
255.00
Averages
336.08
High
400.00
Current: 311.430
Low
255.00
Averages
336.08
High
400.00
About GOOG
Alphabet Inc. is a holding company. The Company's segments include Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets. The Google Services segment includes products and services such as ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Google Maps, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. The Google Cloud segment includes infrastructure and platform services, collaboration tools, and other services for enterprise customers. Its Other Bets segment is engaged in the sale of healthcare-related services and Internet services. Its Google Cloud provides enterprise-ready cloud services, including Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace. Google Cloud Platform provides access to solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, including its AI infrastructure, Vertex AI platform, and Gemini for Google Cloud; cybersecurity, and data and analytics. Google Workspace includes cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for enterprises, such as Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Meet.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Alphabet's Strong Earnings Contrast with Trade Desk's Disappointing Guidance
- Alphabet's Accelerating Performance: In its fourth quarter, Alphabet reported an 18% year-over-year revenue increase to $113.8 billion, accelerating from 16% growth in the previous quarter, showcasing strong performance in Google Services and cloud computing, thereby reinforcing its market leadership.
- Cloud Business Surge: Google Cloud's revenue soared 48% year-over-year to $17.7 billion in the fourth quarter, driven by the ongoing adoption of AI infrastructure, indicating Alphabet's rapid expansion in high-margin sectors.
- Trade Desk's Slowing Growth: The Trade Desk reported fourth-quarter revenue of $847 million, up 14% year-over-year, but noted that growth would have been closer to 19% without the irregular nature of U.S. political ad spending, highlighting a deceleration in its growth momentum.
- Uncertain Outlook: The Trade Desk's first-quarter revenue guidance of at least $678 million implies only about 10% year-over-year growth, and the adjusted EBITDA guidance suggests a decline in key profitability metrics, reflecting the challenges it faces.
See More
Alphabet vs. The Trade Desk: Earnings Comparison
- Strong Earnings for Alphabet: Alphabet's fourth-quarter revenue increased by 18% year-over-year to $113.8 billion, exceeding market expectations and demonstrating robust performance in Google Services and cloud computing, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Cloud Business Thriving: Google Cloud saw a staggering 48% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4, reaching $17.7 billion, driven by widespread adoption of AI infrastructure, significantly boosting overall revenue and profit.
- Challenges for The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk reported Q4 revenue of $847 million, up 14% year-over-year, but actual growth was lower than expected due to irregular U.S. political ad spending, indicating a deceleration in momentum.
- Gloomy Future Outlook: The Trade Desk anticipates first-quarter revenue of at least $678 million, implying only 10% year-over-year growth, while adjusted EBITDA guidance suggests a decline in profitability, despite maintaining a debt-free balance sheet.
See More
Broadcom Stock Affected by Analyst Downgrade
- Minor Stock Decline: Broadcom's shares fell 0.2% on Monday, reflecting investor caution despite the company's leading position in the AI revolution, indicating a lack of confidence in its immediate market performance.
- Analyst Price Target Cut: RBC Capital's analyst Srini Pajjuri lowered Broadcom's price target from $370 to $340 while maintaining a 'hold' rating, signaling concerns about the company's short-term outlook despite its strong fundamentals.
- Optimistic Earnings Outlook: Despite the price target reduction, the analyst anticipates that Broadcom will report a 'beat and raise' quarter for Q1 FY2026, driven by increased demand for tensor processing units (TPUs) supplied to Google, which could bolster growth.
- Risks with Anthropic Relationship: The analyst expressed concerns regarding Broadcom's relationship with AI developer Anthropic, noting that while current supply agreements will generate revenue, demand may decline after the first half of 2027, posing risks to the company's future revenue stability.
See More
Reddit's Stock Soars, Significant Growth Potential Ahead
- Significant User Growth: By the end of 2025, Reddit's daily active unique visits reached 121.4 million, a 19.3% increase from 101.7 million in 2024, with 50.7 million logged-in users, indicating a higher monetization potential and solidifying its position in the social media market.
- Substantial Revenue Increase: In 2025, Reddit's annual revenue surged by 69% to $2.2 billion, while adjusted EBITDA nearly tripled to $845 million, marking its first GAAP profitability, which reflects the success of its business model and strong market demand.
- International Expansion and AI Tools: Reddit attracted a broader range of advertisers through international expansion and newly launched AI-driven ad tools, while leveraging platforms like Google Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT to enhance its user base and advertising revenue.
- Future Growth Expectations: Analysts project that from 2025 to 2028, Reddit's revenue and adjusted EBITDA will grow at CAGRs of 33% and 42%, respectively, and if its valuation aligns with a 25x multiple of future EBITDA, its stock could rise over 140% in the next two years.
See More
Nvidia Launches Specialized Inference Chip
- Market Share Protection: Nvidia controls an estimated 92% of the data center GPU market but faces threats from competitors offering more cost-effective alternatives, prompting the launch of a new chip specifically designed for AI inference to solidify its market position amid intensifying competition.
- Technological Innovation: At the upcoming GPU Technology Conference, Nvidia is set to unveil a next-generation AI chip developed by AI startup Groq, aimed at addressing the unique needs of inference processing, thereby enhancing processing efficiency and potentially reshaping the AI competitive landscape.
- Customer Collaboration: OpenAI will be one of the first users to deploy the new chip, committing to 3GW of capacity from Nvidia, which not only lays the groundwork for Nvidia's initial foray into inference-centric chips but also showcases its competitiveness in energy efficiency.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: As the demand for inference grows, Nvidia is changing the market narrative with the release of its dedicated chip, expected to attract more developers to its products, further driving the company's stock price upward, with a current price-to-earnings ratio of 22 times indicating investment value.
See More
Five Key Principles of Innovation
- Importance of Innovation Culture: Lorraine Marchand emphasizes that successful organizations foster a culture that reframes failure as a learning opportunity, encouraging experimentation and allowing employees to freely express new ideas, thereby enhancing the organization's innovative capacity.
- Investment Strategy in Risk: She notes that successful companies often follow a 70/20/10 investment ratio, with 10% allocated to uncertain innovation projects, a strategy validated by Google's success, indicating that appropriate risk investment can significantly drive company growth.
- Customer-First Strategy: Marchand points out that many companies fail to adjust to changing customer demands, leading to market failures; therefore, investors should focus on a company's customer-oriented strategies to avoid failures similar to those of Blockbuster and Kodak.
- Collaboration and Change Management: She highlights that collaboration has become a strategic imperative for corporate success, and organizations need to prioritize team collaboration during change to achieve breakthrough growth, ensuring that departments work together towards common objectives.
See More
Alphabet's Strong Earnings Contrast with Trade Desk's Disappointing Guidance
- Alphabet's Accelerating Performance: In its fourth quarter, Alphabet reported an 18% year-over-year revenue increase to $113.8 billion, accelerating from 16% growth in the previous quarter, showcasing strong performance in Google Services and cloud computing, thereby reinforcing its market leadership.
- Cloud Business Surge: Google Cloud's revenue soared 48% year-over-year to $17.7 billion in the fourth quarter, driven by the ongoing adoption of AI infrastructure, indicating Alphabet's rapid expansion in high-margin sectors.
- Trade Desk's Slowing Growth: The Trade Desk reported fourth-quarter revenue of $847 million, up 14% year-over-year, but noted that growth would have been closer to 19% without the irregular nature of U.S. political ad spending, highlighting a deceleration in its growth momentum.
- Uncertain Outlook: The Trade Desk's first-quarter revenue guidance of at least $678 million implies only about 10% year-over-year growth, and the adjusted EBITDA guidance suggests a decline in key profitability metrics, reflecting the challenges it faces.
See More
Alphabet vs. The Trade Desk: Earnings Comparison
- Strong Earnings for Alphabet: Alphabet's fourth-quarter revenue increased by 18% year-over-year to $113.8 billion, exceeding market expectations and demonstrating robust performance in Google Services and cloud computing, further solidifying its market leadership.
- Cloud Business Thriving: Google Cloud saw a staggering 48% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4, reaching $17.7 billion, driven by widespread adoption of AI infrastructure, significantly boosting overall revenue and profit.
- Challenges for The Trade Desk: The Trade Desk reported Q4 revenue of $847 million, up 14% year-over-year, but actual growth was lower than expected due to irregular U.S. political ad spending, indicating a deceleration in momentum.
- Gloomy Future Outlook: The Trade Desk anticipates first-quarter revenue of at least $678 million, implying only 10% year-over-year growth, while adjusted EBITDA guidance suggests a decline in profitability, despite maintaining a debt-free balance sheet.
See More
Broadcom Stock Affected by Analyst Downgrade
- Minor Stock Decline: Broadcom's shares fell 0.2% on Monday, reflecting investor caution despite the company's leading position in the AI revolution, indicating a lack of confidence in its immediate market performance.
- Analyst Price Target Cut: RBC Capital's analyst Srini Pajjuri lowered Broadcom's price target from $370 to $340 while maintaining a 'hold' rating, signaling concerns about the company's short-term outlook despite its strong fundamentals.
- Optimistic Earnings Outlook: Despite the price target reduction, the analyst anticipates that Broadcom will report a 'beat and raise' quarter for Q1 FY2026, driven by increased demand for tensor processing units (TPUs) supplied to Google, which could bolster growth.
- Risks with Anthropic Relationship: The analyst expressed concerns regarding Broadcom's relationship with AI developer Anthropic, noting that while current supply agreements will generate revenue, demand may decline after the first half of 2027, posing risks to the company's future revenue stability.
See More
Reddit's Stock Soars, Significant Growth Potential Ahead
- Significant User Growth: By the end of 2025, Reddit's daily active unique visits reached 121.4 million, a 19.3% increase from 101.7 million in 2024, with 50.7 million logged-in users, indicating a higher monetization potential and solidifying its position in the social media market.
- Substantial Revenue Increase: In 2025, Reddit's annual revenue surged by 69% to $2.2 billion, while adjusted EBITDA nearly tripled to $845 million, marking its first GAAP profitability, which reflects the success of its business model and strong market demand.
- International Expansion and AI Tools: Reddit attracted a broader range of advertisers through international expansion and newly launched AI-driven ad tools, while leveraging platforms like Google Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT to enhance its user base and advertising revenue.
- Future Growth Expectations: Analysts project that from 2025 to 2028, Reddit's revenue and adjusted EBITDA will grow at CAGRs of 33% and 42%, respectively, and if its valuation aligns with a 25x multiple of future EBITDA, its stock could rise over 140% in the next two years.
See More
Nvidia Launches Specialized Inference Chip
- Market Share Protection: Nvidia controls an estimated 92% of the data center GPU market but faces threats from competitors offering more cost-effective alternatives, prompting the launch of a new chip specifically designed for AI inference to solidify its market position amid intensifying competition.
- Technological Innovation: At the upcoming GPU Technology Conference, Nvidia is set to unveil a next-generation AI chip developed by AI startup Groq, aimed at addressing the unique needs of inference processing, thereby enhancing processing efficiency and potentially reshaping the AI competitive landscape.
- Customer Collaboration: OpenAI will be one of the first users to deploy the new chip, committing to 3GW of capacity from Nvidia, which not only lays the groundwork for Nvidia's initial foray into inference-centric chips but also showcases its competitiveness in energy efficiency.
- Optimistic Market Outlook: As the demand for inference grows, Nvidia is changing the market narrative with the release of its dedicated chip, expected to attract more developers to its products, further driving the company's stock price upward, with a current price-to-earnings ratio of 22 times indicating investment value.
See More
Five Key Principles of Innovation
- Importance of Innovation Culture: Lorraine Marchand emphasizes that successful organizations foster a culture that reframes failure as a learning opportunity, encouraging experimentation and allowing employees to freely express new ideas, thereby enhancing the organization's innovative capacity.
- Investment Strategy in Risk: She notes that successful companies often follow a 70/20/10 investment ratio, with 10% allocated to uncertain innovation projects, a strategy validated by Google's success, indicating that appropriate risk investment can significantly drive company growth.
- Customer-First Strategy: Marchand points out that many companies fail to adjust to changing customer demands, leading to market failures; therefore, investors should focus on a company's customer-oriented strategies to avoid failures similar to those of Blockbuster and Kodak.
- Collaboration and Change Management: She highlights that collaboration has become a strategic imperative for corporate success, and organizations need to prioritize team collaboration during change to achieve breakthrough growth, ensuring that departments work together towards common objectives.
See More
