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Welcome to your new week.
Earnings are back in full force, the World Economic Forum is underway, Trump is willing to place new tariffs in order to get Greenland, and so much more…
Let’s dive into everything you need to know for the next few trading days.
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Key Earnings Announcements:
Capital One, Intel, Johnson & Johnson, Netflix, and United Airlines highlight this week.
Monday (1/19): Markets Closed (MLK Day)
Tuesday (1/20): 3M, Netflix, United Airlines, DR Horton, Interactive Brokers, U.S. Bancorp, Fifth Third Bank, Fastenal, KeyBank
Wednesday (1/21): Johnson & Johnson, Halliburton, Ally Financial, Kinder Morgan, Charles Schwab, CACI, Pinnacle Financial, Travelers, RLI Corp, Teledyne Technologies
Thursday (1/22): Procter & Gamble, Intel, GE Aerospace, Capital One, Abbott Laboratories, CSX, McCormick, Huntington Bancshares, Associated Bank, Texas Capital Bank
Friday (1/23): SLB (Schlumberger), Ericsson, Webster Financial, First Citizens BancShares, Comerica
What We’re Watching:
Intel (INTC)
Intel (+27% YTD) reports Q4 FY2025 earnings this week, with investors focused on whether the company’s multi-year turnaround strategy is beginning to show tangible progress amid intense competition in AI chips, data centers, and foundry services.
Last quarter, Intel posted $13.6 billion in revenue (-2% YoY) and $0.41 in adjusted EPS, modestly ahead of expectations as cost controls and improved execution helped stabilize margins. However, data center revenue remained under pressure, and Intel Foundry Services continued to operate at a loss as the company ramps capacity and pursues external customers.
For Q4, I’ll be watching updates on foundry customer traction, capital spending discipline, and progress on next-gen process nodes (Intel 18A). Commentary around AI accelerators, Gaudi adoption, and how Intel plans to compete with Nvidia and AMD — while balancing cash flow and government-backed investment — will be critical for sentiment.
“We’re rebuilding Intel to win in the era of AI – with world-class manufacturing, leadership products, and a resilient ecosystem.”
Intel Corp. (INTC) Stock Performance, 5-Year Chart, Seeking Alpha
Netflix (NFLX)
Netflix (-6% YTD) reports Q4 FY2025 earnings this week, with investors focused on whether the streaming giant can sustain subscriber growth, expand margins, and deepen monetization as competition intensifies and strategic ambitions widen.
Last quarter, Netflix delivered $11.1 billion in revenue (+16% YoY) and $7.20 in EPS, beating expectations as paid sharing, pricing actions, and advertising momentum drove strong operating leverage. Management also reiterated confidence in full-year margins, citing disciplined content spending and continued growth in the ad-supported tier.
Heading into this release, I’ll be watching net subscriber additions, ad-tier engagement and ARPU trends, and guidance for 2026 margin expansion. Investors will also be paying close attention to commentary around Netflix’s $83 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, which could reshape the competitive landscape across streaming, content libraries, and global distribution.
“Our goal is simple: build the most loved entertainment service in the world — and do it profitably.”
Netflix Inc. (NFLX) Stock Performance, 5-Year Chart, Seeking Alpha
Investor Events / Global Affairs:
Geopolitics and Greenland in focus while Trump delivers a speech at Davos for the World Economic Forum.
Greenland Remains in Focus
Renewed attention on Greenland has surfaced following revived rhetoric around U.S. strategic interest in the Arctic. In response, Denmark confirmed that a standing 1952 military directive remains in force, requiring Danish forces to immediately engage any unauthorized invading power — without waiting for political approval — across all Danish territory, including Greenland.
While Copenhagen has emphasized it does not expect U.S. military action, the reaffirmation is widely viewed as a signal that sovereignty violations would be treated uniformly, regardless of alliance status. For markets, the episode underscores rising Arctic geopolitical risk, intensifying competition over strategic resources and shipping routes, and the growing overlap between defense policy, energy security, and great-power politics under Donald Trump.
It will be important to watch developments this week, after Trump announced new tariffs starting at 10% — with a proposed increase to 25% in June — on eight European nations, including Denmark, following their plans to conduct NATO military exercises in Greenland in response to U.S. pressure.
“We have subsidized Denmark, and all of the Countries of the European Union, and others, for many years by not charging them Tariffs, or any other forms of remuneration. Now, after Centuries, it is time for Denmark to give back — World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently. Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown. This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet.”
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
The World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos kicks off this week, bringing together global political and business leaders to discuss AI deployment, economic growth, and geopolitical stability. Davos often serves as an early-year barometer for policy direction, corporate sentiment, and cross-border coordination.
Notable executives scheduled to appear include Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. Political leaders expected include President Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Investors will be watching for signals on AI regulation, global growth priorities, and geopolitical risk, particularly as markets assess the policy backdrop for 2026.
“Over the years, I have seen many versions of Davos: the fall-out from the Great Financial Crisis and European debt crunch; the trading scandal that rocked French banking giant Societe Generale; the surge of the Arab Spring; the rise and fall of Russia; the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic and now the upending of the world order that has been in place since the end of the Second World War. Everyone has an opinion about this meeting, but one thing is true — it is never dull. And 2026 will certainly be no different.”
Major Economic Events:
The Fed's preferred inflation gauge and a quarterly GDP revision are in focus this week.
Monday (1/19): Markets Closed (MLK Jr. Day)
Tuesday (1/20): None Scheduled
Wednesday (1/21): Construction Spending, Pending Home Sales
Thursday (1/22): GDP (Revision), Initial Jobless Claims, Personal Income, Personal Spending, PCE Index, Core PCE
Friday (1/23): Consumer Sentiment, S&P Flash Manufacturing PMI, S&P Flash Services PMI
What We’re Watching:
Core PCE Index
The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, core PCE, rose 0.2% MoM in September, matching the pace seen in August and July and landing in line with expectations. On a year-over-year basis, core PCE eased to 2.8%, continuing its slow but consistent move toward the Fed’s 2% target.
The steady monthly readings suggest underlying inflation pressures – particularly in services – are cooling gradually rather than reaccelerating. With headline inflation already moderating and labor-market data showing signs of balance, the report supports the Fed’s patient, data-dependent approach to policy easing.
Economists expect the following this week:
• Core PCE (MoM): +0.2% vs. +0.2% prior
• Core PCE (YoY): ~2.7%–2.8%
“The underlying trend in core PCE inflation appears to be moving much closer to our 2 percent target than is currently showing in the data. Core services inflation is already roughly consistent with our target, and only core goods inflation remains elevated, but I expect it to start moving down in coming months as the effects of earlier price increases and one-time tariff-related adjustments fade.”
GDP (First Revision)
U.S. GDP expanded at a 4.3% annualized pace in Q3, the strongest growth in two years and well above expectations for 3.3%. The upside surprise was driven primarily by resilient consumer spending, a rebound in exports, and renewed government outlays.
Consumer spending rose 3.5%, its fastest pace this year, with strength across both goods (+3.1%) and services (+3.7%), led by health care, travel, and prescription drugs. Business investment continued to grow, though at a slower rate, as gains in equipment and intellectual property were offset by ongoing weakness in structures and residential investment. Exports surged 8.8%, while imports declined further, providing a meaningful boost to net trade. Inventory drag eased significantly compared to Q2.
Economists expect the following next quarter:
• Q4 GDP Growth: ~2.0%–2.5%
• Consumer Spending: Moderating but positive
• Residential Investment: Continued contraction
“Tax cuts, real wage gains, and rising wealth should sustain solid consumer spending growth.”
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Cover Art Sources: Wio News
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