US Stock Market Outlook: Indices Rise, Tesla Q4 Deliveries Soon, Baidu Soars Pre-Market.

US Stock Market Opens Strong in 2026

On the first trading day of 2026, all three major US stock index futures rose, with the Nasdaq futures up 0.96%, Dow futures up 0.38%, and S&P 500 futures up 0.57%.

Notable Tech Stocks Performance

Prominent tech stocks saw significant pre-market gains:

• ASML surged over 5%
• Micron Technology (MU) and TSMC (TSM) rose nearly 3%
• Intel (INTC) increased by 2%
• Tesla (TSLA) and AMD rose close to 2%
• Nvidia (NVDA) gained over 1%

Strong Performance of Chinese Stocks

Chinese stocks also performed well in pre-market trading:

• Baidu (BIDU) soared over 11%
• Bilibili (BILI) rose over 5%
• Alibaba (BABA) increased by over 4%
• NIO gained nearly 4%
• JD and Li Auto (LI) rose close to 3%
• Pinduoduo (PDD) increased by over 2%

Space Sector Gains

The space sector saw upward movement as well:

• Sidus Space (SIDU) jumped nearly 16%
• Redwire (RDW) rose over 4%
• AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) increased by nearly 3%
• Rocket Lab (RKLB) gained close to 2%

Precious Metals Market Continues Strong Trend

The precious metals market maintained its strong momentum from 2025:

• Silver (XAG/USD) jumped nearly 4% in a single day
• Gold (XAU/USD) surpassed $4,390
• Platinum approached $2,170 per ounce, rising over 6%
• Aluminum broke the $3,000 mark, reaching a new high since 2022

Tesla's Q4 Delivery Data

Tesla (TSLA) is set to announce its Q4 delivery numbers, with pre-market shares up nearly 2%. Bloomberg data suggests Tesla is expected to deliver about 440,900 vehicles in Q4, a year-on-year decline of 11%.

Baidu's IPO Announcement

Baidu announced that Kunlun Chip has secretly submitted an IPO application to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, leading to an 11% pre-market surge in Baidu's stock.

NIO and XPeng Performance

NIO (NIO) reported a 54.6% year-on-year increase in December deliveries, totaling 48,135 vehicles. XPeng (XPEV) also saw a 126% increase in total deliveries for 2025.

Uber's Acquisition Plans

Uber (UBER) is reportedly considering acquiring parking platform SpotHero to enhance its mobility ecosystem.

Warren Buffett Steps Down

Warren Buffett officially stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A/BRK.B) after a 60-year tenure, with Greg Abel taking over.

Global Stock Market Trends

The global stock market achieved double-digit growth for the third consecutive year in 2025, with the MSCI global index rising over 20%.

US Treasury Bonds Start Strong

On the first trading day of 2026, US Treasury bonds rose, with the 10-year yield dropping to 4.15%.

New US Remittance Tax

A new 1% tax on certain cross-border remittances took effect on January 1, 2026, impacting cash-dependent remittance users.

New US Immigration Restrictions

New immigration restrictions announced by the Trump administration took effect on January 1, 2026, affecting both immigrants and non-immigrants.

Precious Metals Outlook for 2026

Gold prices approached $4,400 per ounce, with expectations for a strong performance in 2026 due to potential interest rate cuts and a weaker dollar.

Barclays' Fed Rate Cut Predictions

Barclays economists predict the Federal Reserve will cut rates twice in 2026, in March and June, each by 25 basis points.