From Fortune Magazine:

U.S. stock market stable
S&P 500 unchanged; Dow down 0.2%, Nasdaq up 0.3%. It’s following a report that indicates fewer workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than expected. Layoffs are a concern amid otherwise positive economic indicators. In a turnabout, good economic news is now seen as good for stocks due to increased profit potential.

Major U.S. companies report mixed earnings
The Walt Disney Co. reports stronger profits than expected; Ralph Lauren reports strong holiday sales. However, PayPal falls short of analyst expectations and reports lower expected profits for 2024. Major “arms length” semiconductor company, Arm Holdings, also posts strong financials.

Banks falter among otherwise stable performance
New York Community Bancorp drops following loss last week; analysts say problems range specific to it. There’s increased concern about global weakness in commercial real estate and its impact on the banking industry. The KBW Nasdaq Regional Banking index fell 0.5%.

Federal Reserve warnings impacts stock market
Stock traders are adjusting expectations for interest rate cuts in response to news from Federal Reserve. While stocks rose across much of Asia and Europe, China has been facing an uphill battle to protect its stock market.



Read more: Stocks record highs: S&P 500 near 5,000