CME raises gold and silver margins; Amazon drops over 11% post-market; Hong Kong listings today.

US Job Openings Drop to Lowest Level Since 2020

The number of job openings in the US unexpectedly fell to its lowest level since 2020 in December, with a slight increase in layoffs, indicating weak demand for labor. According to the Labor Department, job openings decreased from a revised 6.93 million in November to 6.54 million, below market expectations. The decline was primarily seen in professional and business services as well as retail, while layoffs increased notably in the transportation and warehousing sectors.

Data shows that hiring has risen, but overall remains low, suggesting that companies are cautious about recruitment as they assess their workforce needs and economic outlook. This data reinforces the Federal Reserve's view that wage growth is not a source of inflationary pressure. The report indicated that there were 0.9 job openings for every unemployed person in December, a key metric closely monitored by the Fed, which peaked at 2:1 in 2022.

Bessent: Trump to Decide on Lawsuit Against Fed Nominee

US Treasury Secretary Bessent stated that President Trump will decide whether to sue Fed nominee Waller over interest rate issues. Following Trump's mockery of Waller, Bessent clarified that it was merely a joke. Trump had previously suggested he might sue Waller for lowering interest rates after announcing Waller's nomination.

White House: Diplomacy First in Iran Nuclear Talks

On February 5, White House Press Secretary Levitt emphasized that President Trump views diplomacy as the primary option in international affairs, particularly regarding the upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks. Levitt reiterated Trump's firm stance that Iran must achieve "zero nuclear capability."

Trump on New Arms Treaty

President Trump stated that rather than extending the New START treaty, the US should create a new, modernized treaty that would last longer. He highlighted the US's military strength and the need for a more effective arms control agreement.

CME Raises Margin Requirements for Gold and Silver Futures

The Chicago Mercantile Exchange announced an increase in margin requirements for certain futures contracts, including gold and silver. The new margin for gold will be set at 9%, while silver will be raised to 18%, effective after the market closes on February 6.

Silver Prices Continue to Plummet

Following a nearly 20% drop in the previous trading session, silver prices continued to decline, falling nearly 5%. The market has seen significant sell-offs, with silver prices dropping over 40% from their January 29 peak.

Trump Supports Japan's Upcoming Legislative Election

President Trump expressed his support for Japan's Prime Minister Kishi, stating that the upcoming legislative election on February 8 is crucial for Japan's future. He praised Kishi's leadership and emphasized the importance of US-Japan cooperation.

TrumpRX Pharmacy Website Launch

President Trump plans to launch a pharmacy website called "TrumpRX" to allow consumers to purchase prescription drugs directly from manufacturers at discounted prices. The official launch date has not been disclosed.

Canada Announces New EV Strategy with China

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a new electric vehicle strategy, including the revival of purchase subsidies and collaboration with China to boost domestic production and export of EVs.

OpenAI Releases GPT-5.3-Codex

OpenAI founder Altman announced the release of GPT-5.3-Codex, which boasts improved coding performance and efficiency, requiring fewer tokens for the same tasks.

Major Indices Decline Amid Weak Employment Data

The three major US indices fell collectively, with the Nasdaq dropping over 1% for three consecutive days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.20%, the Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.59%, and the S&P 500 declined 1.23%.

Amazon's Post-Market Drop

Amazon's stock fell over 11% in after-hours trading after reporting fourth-quarter net sales of $213.39 billion, slightly above analyst expectations. The company anticipates capital expenditures of around $200 billion for the year.

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly Stocks Drop

Novo Nordisk's stock fell over 8% after Hims launched a generic version of its weight loss drug at a significantly lower price. Novo Nordisk plans to take legal action against Hims.

Musk Denies Development of Starlink Phone

Elon Musk clarified that SpaceX is not developing a dedicated Starlink phone, refuting a Reuters report that suggested otherwise.

Netflix's Acquisition Deal

President Trump stated he would not intervene in Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, despite receiving requests from both parties.

Estée Lauder's Stock Plummets

Estée Lauder's stock dropped over 19% after the company provided a disappointing earnings forecast for the year.

NIO Reports First Quarterly Profit

NIO announced it expects to report adjusted operating profits for Q4 2025, marking its first quarterly profit, driven by increased sales and cost-cutting measures.

Qualcomm's Weak Forecast

Qualcomm's stock fell over 8% after the company provided a weak revenue forecast for the current quarter, raising concerns about supply chain issues affecting demand.

Nvidia Delays New Gaming Chip Release

Nvidia will not release a new gaming graphics chip this year due to a global shortage of memory chips, marking a significant delay in its product lineup.

Anthropic Launches AI Model

Anthropic launched its AI model Claude Opus4.6, which specializes in financial research, leading to a drop in stock prices for financial information services.

Roblox Reports Strong Q4 Growth

Roblox reported a 43% year-over-year increase in Q4 revenue, with daily active users rising by 69%.

Hong Kong Stock Market Activity

On February 5, southbound funds net bought nearly 25 billion HKD in Hong Kong stocks, with significant purchases in Tencent and Alibaba.

Upcoming Economic Data

The US will release non-farm payroll and unemployment rate data at 21:30, along with the preliminary Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index at 23:00.