Morning Brief

Futures point lower as investors weigh cautious guidance from Walmart and rising geopolitical risk tied to Iran. Dow futures fall about 166 points, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 also in the red. Markets are watching consumer data and oil prices for the next signal. Walmart modestly beat Q4 expectations, with revenue up 5.6% to $190.7B. But management guided fiscal 2027 net sales growth of 3.5% to 4.5%, citing an unstable macro backdrop and softer sentiment. The retailer now reports as a trillion-dollar company and faces new comparisons with Amazon, whose annual sales have surpassed Walmart’s. Strategists call this a “weird market,” with money rotating out of tech into smaller sectors like energy and staples. Tech valuations have reset, but earnings growth remains strongest there. Oil near $60 limits consumer pressure for now, even as tensions with Iran lift uncertainty. Trending Tickers: Deere lifts profit outlook on farm recovery; Occidental Petroleum beats on sales and capital expenditures; Etsy jumps after selling Depop to eBay for $1.2B. Takeaways: Futures fall on cautious guidance and Iran headlines Walmart guides conservatively despite Q4 beat Amazon sales now exceed Walmart annually Sector rotation drives dispersion across the market Oil remains contained, limiting inflation risk Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stocks are rebounding after another AI-driven sell-off, with housing starts and durable goods topping estimates despite December declines. Still, US equities are off to their worst relative start since 1995, as investors await the GDP report and reassess positioning. The S&P 500’s premium has widened to roughly 40% over global peers, prompting debate over allocations. International markets are up about 8% year to date, while the US is flat, driven mainly by multiple expansion rather than earnings. Japan will deploy $36B into US energy and critical minerals, part of a broader $550B framework, backing a major Ohio gas project tied to data center demand. Trending: Moderna jumps on FDA reversal of flu review; New York Times gains after Berkshire stake; Palo Alto Networks falls on lowered profit outlook. Takeaways: US underperforms global markets on valuation gap International gains driven by multiples, not earnings Japan invests $36B into US energy build-out AI volatility pressures software and cybersecurity Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Futures are lower after the holiday break, with Nasdaq 100 futures off about 0.7% as investors digest last week’s worst stretch since November. The AI transition remains the central driver, with traders watching earnings commentary and capital expenditures discipline for clarity. Software stocks have reset sharply, with Microsoft (MSFT), Oracle (ORCL), and Palantir (PLTR) pulling back from elevated multiples. Investors are recalibrating around return on AI spend and which companies can embed AI into core revenue streams rather than chase hype. Banking executives argue that AI will enhance productivity rather than replace entire sectors, but questions remain about the speed of disruption and regulatory lag. In IPOs, discipline is returning, with valuations and pricing scrutiny shaping 2026’s expected rebound. Trending tickers: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) reopens Paramount talks, Tripadvisor (TRIP) faces activist pressure, and Masimo (MASI) surges on a Danaher deal. Takeaways: • Nasdaq futures lead declines as AI volatility continues• Software multiples compress amid ROI scrutiny• AI seen as a productivity boost, not a complete replacement• IPO market favors pricing discipline over momentum• M&A and activism drive single-stock moves Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US stocks are mixed premarket after a solid jobs report and a stronger earnings season. Investors are weighing resilient growth against fewer Fed rate cuts. Value is outperforming growth early in the year as traders reassess positioning. Software names like Salesforce (CRM), Workday (WDAY), and ServiceNow (NOW) are sliding, even as some argue the sell-off looks overdone. Meanwhile, Nvidia (NVDA) remains central to the AI trade, with expectations building into earnings. Consumer staples are rotating higher, but McDonald's (MCD) is leaning on value menus to drive traffic while watching GLP-1 risk. In crypto, Robinhood (HOOD) and bitcoin face a catalyst vacuum amid investor debate over regulation and tokenization. Trending Tickers: AB InBev (BUD) on steady profit growth; McDonald's (MCD) on value momentum; Nvidia (NVDA) into earnings. Takeaways: Retail is buying beaten-down software, institutions stay selective Value and cyclicals are leading as growth lags AI leaders remain core despite volatility McDonald's sees value as a defense against consumer pressure Bitcoin lacks a clear near-term catalyst Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stock futures are higher after January payrolls rose 130,000 versus 65,000 expected, with unemployment ticking down to 4.3%. Dow futures are up 250 points as investors digest stronger labor data and push Fed rate cut odds to July. The key question now: does a resilient economy delay easing? AI remains the market’s action verb. Investors are rotating within tech and services, reassessing middleman risk while favoring companies with strong balance sheets and positive momentum. Speculative names look mispriced after aggressive bids. M&A and deregulation optimism could fuel a second-half melt-up. Credit markets remain open, and strategists see broader participation beyond last year’s narrow leadership. Trending tickers: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) hovers near competing bids from Paramount and Netflix; Kraft Heinz (KHC) drops after pausing its planned split; Moderna (MRNA) slides after the FDA declines to review its flu vaccine filing; Robinhood (HOOD) slips as crypto revenue misses despite broader product expansion. Takeaways: Strong jobs data lifts futures, delays rate cut expectations AI-driven rotation favors quality over speculation Broader market leadership emerging in 2026 M&A and deregulation seen as second-half catalysts Earnings and deal headlines driving single-stock volatility Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US futures are mixed near record levels as investors weigh soft December retail sales against resilient earnings and rotation away from software. Attention turns to labor and inflation data for clarity on rates and growth. Rotation is doing the work. Energy and industrials lead as AI demand boosts power and infrastructure, while uncertainty around long-term earnings keeps software volatile. Investors want a clearer terminal value before re-rating AI platforms. The consumer picture is uneven. Retail sales were flat in December, with broad category weakness, reinforcing a K-shaped split in which higher-income spending holds up while value-seeking intensifies elsewhere. Trending tickers: Spotify surged on stronger user growth; Paramount fell amid deal uncertainty; Harley‑Davidson slid after a shipment miss. Takeaways:• Rotation supports the index without a tech surge• Software needs earnings visibility to stabilize• Retail data signals consumer strain• Luxury demand outpaces mass market• Selectivity matters in AI trades Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US futures are lower after Friday’s rebound, with tech struggling to regain its footing following last week’s sharp software sell-off. Investors are bracing for a rescheduled jobs report on Wednesday and CPI on Friday, both key tests for rate expectations and market direction. Technically, the S&P 500 bounced off its 100-day moving average but remains stuck below the 7,000 level. A sustained breakout likely depends on software stabilizing after extreme oversold conditions. Strategists are also pushing back on blind rotation away from AI. The sell-off has been indiscriminate, but balance sheet strength and the speed of monetization matter more than chasing anti-AI trades. Volatility is creating opportunity, but selectivity is critical. Takeaways:• Futures point to a cautious open• Jobs and CPI data dominate the week• Tech leadership remains unresolved• AI rotation lacks a clear fundamental anchor Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US futures are modestly higher after a bruising week that saw nearly $1T wiped from software as AI disruption fears accelerated rotation. Investors are parsing hyperscaler spending, crypto volatility, and whether macro breadth can offset tech pressure. Software ETFs posted their worst week since 2008 as concerns spread beyond SaaS to mega caps like Amazon (AMZN), which flagged $200B in 2026 AI capital expenditures even as AWS growth improved. The debate is shifting from growth to ROI as capital intensity rises. Elsewhere, bitcoin steadied below $70K while the dollar slid roughly 9% over the past year, lifting non-US assets. Markets are watching Fed signals, PMI momentum, and whether rotation sticks. Trending tickers: Amazon (AMZN) on capital expenditures shock; Strategy (MSTR) tracking bitcoin swings; Reddit (RDDT) jumping on earnings and buyback. Takeaways: AI fears are forcing valuation resets across software. Hyperscaler capital expenditures keep rising, delaying ROI clarity. Rotation favors energy, staples, and select non-US assets. Crypto remains volatile, not a reliable hedge right now. Dollar weakness reflects shifting risk perceptions. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US futures point lower, led by tech, after Alphabet warned of a sharp ramp in AI spending. Investors are weighing whether massive capital expenditures signal durable growth or margin pressure, with Amazon earnings next as the key test. Alphabet (GOOGL) plans up to $185B in 2026 capital expenditures, nearly double last year and far above expectations, triggering a sell-off despite accelerating cloud and search growth. The message is demanding strength but near-term cash burn, reviving questions around AI returns. Amazon (AMZN) now carries the baton after the bell. Risk appetite also cracked elsewhere. Bitcoin fell below $70,000, down 44% from its peak, dragging crypto equities like Strategy (MSTR). Commodities weakened as silver plunged and energy names slipped, with ConocoPhillips (COP) cutting output plans. Estée Lauder (EL) slid on a cautious outlook, testing confidence in its turnaround. Trending tickers: Strategy (MSTR) as bitcoin breaks support, Estée Lauder (EL) on soft guidance, and ConocoPhillips (COP) amid oil price pressure. Takeaways: Alphabet’s AI capital expenditures reset is the day’s main market driver Amazon results will frame AI spending tolerance Crypto weakness is pressuring levered proxies Rotation into cyclicals remains intact but uneven Tech execution, not vision, decides the next leg Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. stock futures are mixed after a sharp software-driven selloff, as renewed concern over AI disruption weighs on sentiment. Investors are watching big tech earnings after the close and parsing whether the AI trade is recalibrating rather than breaking. Crypto weakness and cautious forward guidance are adding to the defensive tone. Software stocks slid as fears grew that generative AI could displace enterprise tools, despite pushback from Nvidia leadership. The move reflects valuation sensitivity more than a single catalyst, with investors reassessing near-term monetization timelines across AI-linked names. Earnings are driving dispersion. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) topped Q4 estimates but guided conservatively, highlighting heavy AI investment costs and limited China visibility. In contrast, Eli Lilly (LLY) surged after projecting up to 27% sales growth on obesity drugs, while Uber (UBER) and Chipotle (CMG) flagged softer near-term trends. Trending tickers: AMD under pressure on guidance, LLY jumps on blockbuster demand, CMG slides as comps stall. Takeaways: AI enthusiasm is colliding with valuation discipline. Earnings guidance matters more than beats. Drugmakers are outperforming tech on growth visibility. Market leadership is broadening beyond mega-cap software. Volatility likely persists through peak earnings. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US futures are mixed ahead of the open, with commodities driving volatility. Silver rebounded after a 30% rout on Friday, oil slid over 4% on signals of geopolitical deescalation, and investors are bracing for earnings and AI capital expenditures headlines. Disney (DIS) beat estimates, powered by parks and cruises, but shares fell as succession plans dominate focus. Oracle (ORCL) plans to allocate up to $50 billion in funding to AI infrastructure, raising dilution concerns but signaling sustained demand from hyperscalers. In tech, Palantir (PLTR) reports after the close as investors debate valuation versus defense-led growth. Trending tickers: Devon Energy (DVN) on an all-stock deal for Core Energy, Oracle (ORCL) on AI funding plans, crypto-linked names under pressure as bitcoin tests key support. Takeaways: Commodity volatility is spilling into broader risk sentiment Earnings beats are not enough without clear leadership roadmaps AI spending remains robust, but financing costs matter Defense exposure is reshaping select tech narratives Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves.Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. futures tilt higher as earnings season accelerates, with investor focus squarely on AI spending and rate policy. Dow and S&P futures edge up while Nasdaq lags, and gold trades above $5,500 as geopolitical and fiscal concerns persist. Markets are parsing whether massive tech investment is translating into near-term growth, with the Fed’s next move still data-dependent. Big Tech spending dominated results. Meta rallied after outlining sharply higher AI capex, reframing its push as an AI reset. Microsoft slipped despite beats, with cloud growth and capacity constraints tempering sentiment. Tesla lifted long-term stakes, betting on FSD and Optimus as it pivots away from legacy models. Macro chatter centered on infrastructure. Investors are rotating toward power, chips, and materials that enable AI buildouts, as electricity costs climb and domestic chip supply gains urgency. Trending tickers: Meta (META) strength on AI spend credibility, Microsoft (MSFT) pressured by cloud expectations, Tesla (TSLA) volatile on robotaxi and humanoid ambitions. Takeaways: Earnings hinge on AI spend translating to growth Markets reward clarity over raw capex size Infrastructure plays gain favor over hyperscalers Fed path still tied to jobs data Gold reflects persistent macro anxiety Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

US futures are mixed heading into the open, with Nasdaq leading as investors weigh earnings strength against policy uncertainty. Corporate results are driving sentiment as markets look past tariff headlines and toward Big Tech and the Fed. Earnings season remains the anchor. General Motors boosted profit outlook and authorized $6 billion in buybacks, while Boeing posted another quarter of positive cash flow but failed to excite investors. Health insurers slid as Washington signaled flat Medicare Advantage payments next year. Macro risks persist but markets are adapting. A new EU–India trade deal underscores shifting global alliances, while investors brace for a no-cut Fed decision and guidance on rates, labor, and AI-driven productivity. Trending tickers include UnitedHealth and peers under Medicare pressure, Pinterest amid layoffs tied to AI restructuring, and Corning after a $6 billion Meta fiber deal. Takeaways: Earnings, not tariffs, are setting market direction Buybacks and cash flow support cyclicals Big Tech results will drive dispersion Fed tone matters more than the decision Policy noise is losing market impact Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. futures point lower after Intel’s weak outlook reignited tech volatility, pushing stocks toward back-to-back weekly losses. Investors are watching earnings follow-through, AI demand signals, and rate expectations as gold rallies on defensive positioning. Intel (INTC) shares are plunging after the chipmaker flagged near-term supply constraints and issued soft guidance, overshadowing an earnings beat. The miss refocused scrutiny on its foundry strategy and the timing of securing major external customers. The broader AI trade is entering a consolidation phase. Infrastructure spending remains intact, but richly valued chip and software names are facing pressure as capital rotates toward power, data centers, and cooling plays. Trending tickers include Nvidia (NVDA) on renewed China export headlines, Capital One (COF) after its $5.1B Brex deal, and airlines pressured by weather-driven cancellations. Takeaways: Intel guidance, not demand, is driving tech weakness Foundry execution remains the key Intel debate AI infrastructure outperforms amid valuation resets Gold strength signals rising risk aversion Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. stock futures are higher for a second session as markets stabilize and attention shifts back to earnings and AI. Nasdaq futures lead, while investors await the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge later this morning and the market digests a calmer geopolitical backdrop. Risk appetite is improving, but today’s data and guidance will determine whether the rebound holds. Volatility has retraced quickly, with hedging demand easing and bond yields backing off recent highs. Small- and mid-cap stocks continue to outperform, signaling broader participation beyond mega-cap tech. Strategists argue fundamentals remain supportive, with earnings momentum intact and financial conditions no longer tightening aggressively. AI remains the central pillar for sentiment. Investors are leaning back into large-cap technology as capital spending and productivity expectations stay elevated. The rotation theme is also in play, with banks and select consumer names drawing interest as investors position for a widening earnings base tied to AI adoption rather than pure infrastructure spend. Trending movers reflect this crosscurrent. GE Aerospace beat estimates but eased on slower 2026 growth expectations. Abbott Laboratories slid on weaker nutrition sales and soft guidance. Mobileye fell after cautious revenue outlook tied to automaker demand. Takeaways: Markets are calmer, with futures pointing higher. Volatility has faded as yields stabilize. AI leadership is reasserting itself. Breadth is improving beyond mega-cap tech. Guidance, not headlines, is driving moves. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. equity futures point sharply lower, with Dow futures off more than 700 points, as renewed tariff threats tied to Europe rattle risk appetite. The immediate driver is escalating trade rhetoric, while investors look ahead to earnings and watch rates for confirmation this is more than a headline-driven pullback. Trade tensions returned to center stage after President Trump floated 10% tariffs on European nations, rising to 25% later this year, with France facing the risk of a 200% levy on wine. The S&P 500 is on track to erase year-to-date gains, while gold and silver pushed to fresh highs as investors rotated into perceived safety. The message from markets is clear: tariffs still move prices even if outcomes remain uncertain. Rates remain the bigger swing factor. Strategists argue equities can absorb trade noise if inflation expectations stay anchored and the 10-year Treasury holds below 4.5%. A sustained backup in yields would pressure valuations quickly, making upcoming macro data and Fed signaling critical. Earnings add a second layer of risk. 3M beat on results but offered a softer outlook, sending shares lower premarket. After the close, Netflix reports amid scrutiny of subscriber growth and margins following its revised all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Takeaways: Tariff escalation is driving the current risk-off move. Safe havens are rallying as equities slide. Rates, not rhetoric, remain the ultimate market arbiter. Earnings reactions show little tolerance for weak outlooks. Volatility stays elevated into key data and results. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. equity futures point higher, led by Nasdaq strength, as investors lean back into technology ahead of a busy earnings stretch. Semiconductor stocks are driving early momentum after fresh trade developments, while markets weigh policy risk from Washington and the durability of a long-awaited market broadening. Tech leadership is reasserting itself as a new U.S.–Taiwan trade agreement underpins domestic semiconductor investment. Taiwanese chipmakers plan at least $250 billion in U.S. capacity, easing tariff pressure and reinforcing the strategic importance of AI infrastructure. At the same time, rising electricity demand from AI data centers is prompting White House discussions around emergency power auctions, underscoring how physical constraints are becoming a market variable. Earnings season is adding confidence. With just over 5% of companies reporting, results have skewed decisively positive, supporting rotation into cyclicals and smaller caps. Materials, industrials, and energy are outperforming year to date, while the Russell 2000’s move to new highs suggests broader participation beyond mega-cap tech. In individual names, PNC Financial Services jumped on stronger loan growth, BYD rallied on reported battery talks with Ford, and ImmunityBio extended a sharp 2026 surge. Meanwhile, Klarna is positioning for a potential shakeup in consumer credit as scrutiny on card rates intensifies. Takeaways: Tech is reclaiming leadership as earnings optimism builds. Semiconductor policy and AI infrastructure costs are key market drivers. Sector rotation and small-cap strength point to broader market participation. Earnings beats are outweighing valuation concerns so far. Fintech pressure on traditional banking remains a longer-term theme. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S. equity futures point higher after two straight losses, with tech leading the rebound. Sentiment is driven by strong AI-linked earnings and easing geopolitical pressure as crude oil falls more than 4%. Investors are watching earnings follow-through and whether tech leadership can reassert itself. AI confidence got a boost after Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company posted another quarter of record results and guided to higher-than-expected capital spending. The outlook reinforces that hyperscaler demand remains intact, lifting chip equipment and semiconductor names and stabilizing a trade that has driven index gains. Financials delivered solid numbers but uneven stock reactions. Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley beat expectations on trading and investment banking strength, yet shares slipped as both trade near record highs. The takeaway is valuation sensitivity rather than fundamental weakness. In asset management, BlackRock hit a new milestone with assets under management topping $14 trillion, underscoring steady inflows despite market volatility. Takeaways: Tech is regaining leadership on AI earnings momentum. TSMC capex guidance supports the durability of the AI cycle. Bank earnings are strong, but valuations cap near-term upside. Oil’s pullback is easing a key macro overhang. Dispersion favors selective positioning over broad bets. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Markets are modestly higher after December CPI showed cooling under the hood, reinforcing expectations for a patient Federal Reserve. Futures are mixed, Treasury yields edged lower, and investors are now balancing inflation data against the first wave of bank earnings and policy noise. Core CPI rose 0.2% month over month and 2.6% year over year, both softer than expected, while headline inflation held at 2.7%. Shelter remained the largest contributor, rising 0.4%, underscoring why policymakers are not rushing to cut rates. Bond markets took the report as confirmation that disinflation remains intact, keeping the Fed on an easing bias without urgency. Concerns linger around tariffs, fiscal stimulus, and measurement distortions, but upside inflation risks appear contained near term. Earnings season opened with banks sending mixed signals. JPMorgan Chase beat overall expectations, but investment banking revenue disappointed, while trading benefited from market strength. Executives across Wall Street publicly defended Federal Reserve independence, a rare and notable intervention amid political pressure. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines topped quarterly estimates but offered conservative guidance, pressuring the stock. Takeaways: Core inflation cooled, supporting a steady Fed stance. Shelter costs remain the key inflation variable. Bank earnings are uneven beneath headline beats. Fed independence is back in focus for markets. Travel demand holds, but growth is normalizing. Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Morning Brief host Julie Hyman and Yahoo Finance Markets and Data Editor Jared Blikre track several of Monday's top trending stock tickers, including Paramount Skydance (PSKY) launching a proxy battle against Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), Meta Platforms (META) hiring former Trump security advisor Dina Powell McCormick as its new president and vice chair, and Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) plummeting on its fourth quarter guidance. The US Department of Justice's (DOJ) criminal investigation launched against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell raises questions about the status of the US central bank's independence, as President Trump mulls over Powell's replacement for when his term ends in May. Truist CIO and chief market strategist Keith Lerner assesses the bond market reaction to the latest headlines and how Wall Street is shifting back into the "Sell America" trade. Keith Lerner calls the Fed investigation the second "curveball" to happen in 2026. Takeaways: The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has subpoenaed the Federal Reserve as it launches a criminal investigation into the central bank's Chair Jerome Powell US stock futures drop in Monday's premarket as Wall Street finds the "Sell America" trade to be back on, finding safe haven in precious metals like gold and silver Earnings season kicks off for major bank stocks and Delta Air Lines (DAL) this week.  Yahoo Finance's flagship show, Morning Brief, is your go-to source for smarter investing and market moves. Thoughts? Questions? Fan mail? Email us at ⁠yfpodcasts@yahooinc.com⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices