Major Averages Bounce Back, Investors Focus on AI News
The major averages closed broadly higher in a bounce-back from yesterday's declines, though sentiment remains fragile with tariff worries and AI-related risk aversion still front and center. Investors continue to digest more and more AI news - including AMD's newest GPU partnership with Meta as well as Anthropic's latest partnerships with companies like Intuit and DocuSign - while staying alert for any market-moving news coming out of tonight's State of the Union address.Looking to commodities, gold dipped following yesterday's sharp gains as the "safe haven" asset continues seesawing in value. Oil prices were mostly flat ahead of API crude data set for release this afternoon.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Home Depotreported, provided its outlook for FY26, and increased its quarterly dividendAMDand Metaannounced anto deploy 6-gigawatts of AMD GPUsBed Bath & Beyondreportedand provided FY26 revenue guidanceIntuitand Anthropic announced aWarner Bros. Discoveryreceived afrom Paramount2. WALL STREET CALLS:Qualcommto Buy at Loop Capital and to Equal Weight at Wells FargoMorgan StanleyBooking, says "just as important in agentic world"Comcastto Underperform at BNP Paribas on fiber headwindsBarclaysGossamer Bioto Underweight from OverweightHims & Hersto Neutral at BTIG after "disappointing" Q4 report3. AROUND THE WEB:Unityis working with an adviser on a potential sale of its China business, Bloomberg reportsOmnicomis planning to eliminate an additional 94 roles in the U.S. starting March 1, which comes following its $13B November acquisition of Interpublic Group and 4,000 related redundancies, Adweek saysIrenic Capital Management, holding roughly a 2% stake in Ralliant, is urging the precision technology company to accelerate stock buybacks, reduce costs, and increase focus on its defense and electronics business, according to sources familiar with the private discussions, Reuters reportsHondahas suspended operations at its facility in Guadalajara, Mexico, while employees at other manufacturers work from home, after a wave of violence was unleashed by the killing of one of the country's most wanted cartel leaders, FT saysJPMorganChase CEO Jamie Dimon said fears of AI are overblown, noting the company will use the technology to its advantage, WSJ reports4. MOVERS:Larimar Therapeuticsadvanced after the FDA grantedto nomlabofuspPayPal (PYPL) rose after Bloomberg reported that Stripe isof all or part of the companyClarivateand Vir Biotechnologyclosed higher afterShoals Technologyfell afterand entering an agreement with ON.energyXometrydeclined afterand appointing a new CEO5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Chewybacked itsPlayboyreported, with CEO Ben Kohn commenting, "Our preliminary fourth quarter results demonstrate the significant progress we have made executing our strategic transformation"NRG Energy, with EPS and revenue beating consensusHarmony Biosciencesand backed its guidance for FY26FISand provided guidance for Q1 and FY26INDEXES:The Dow rose 370.44, or 0.76%, to 49,174.50, the Nasdaq gained 236.41, or 1.04%, to 22,863.68, and the S&P 500 advanced 52.32, or 0.77%, to 6,890.07.
