Major Averages Close Higher, Gold Hits Record Highs
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jan 12 2026
0mins
Should l Buy GOOG?
The major averages closed broadly higher despite an escalation in political pressure on the Federal Reserve. The Trump administration threatening a criminal indictment of Fed Chair Jerome Powell has renewed concerns about the independence of the central bank. Banking stocks and credit card lenders also have taken early hits because of policy proposals such as a one-year cap on credit-card interest rates that could compress financial sector profitability.With key inflation data and the start of earnings season approaching, traders are monitoring how persistent inflation signals might influence the Fed's policy path, even as central bank independence concerns loom large.Looking to commodities, gold surged past the $4,600 threshold to hit record highs, while oil prices were also fractionally higher as traders await more news surrounding Venezuela.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Alphabetbriefly hit thethreshold as Applepicked Google's Gemini to run an AI-powered SiriMeanwhile, Google and Walmartplan to launch a new experience for shopping thatAdditionally, Walmart will become a component of theParamount Skydanceplans toto Warner Bros. Discovery'sboardAllegiantSun Country Airlinesfor $18.89 per share in cash and stock2. WALL STREET CALLS:CitiPalantirto Buy on potential 80% sales growth in 2026Morgan StanleyAkamaito Overweight from UnderweightNetflixwith a Buy at HSBCCrowdStriketo Sector Weight at KeyBancGitLabto Underweight at Barclays and Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley3. AROUND THE WEB:New York Governor Kathy Hochul is seeking to regulate Robloxamid child safety concerns, Verge reportsPresident Trump may block Exxon Mobilfrom drilling in Venezuela after the company's CEO said the country was "uninvestable" without significant commercial and legal changes, WSJ saysIn 2025, global smartphone shipments increased by 2% year-over-year, with Appleleading the market with a 20% share supported by demand in mid-sized markets and strong iPhone 17 sales, Reuters reportsThe Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, has approved Boeing'sMAX 10, the largest variant of its 737 MAX jet, to move to the second phase of flight testing, Reuters saysLast year, Volkswagenwas overtaken by Geely Autoin sales in China, Reuters reports4. MOVERS:Albemarlehigher after Scotiabankthe stock to Outperform from Sector PerformVistrarises after at least three analystson the sharesShake Shackgains after reportingCapital Onefalls after President Trump called for ainterest for one yearSoleno Therapeuticslower after reporting5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCEUsanaraised itsPetcobacked itsand FY25DexComreportedand provided guidance for FY26Alphatecraised itsand provided its outlook for Q4 and FY26Lululemonsees Q4 revenueof prior guidanceINDEXES:The Dow rose 86.13, or 0.17%, to 49,590.20, the Nasdaq gained 62.56, or 0.26%, to 23,733.90, and the S&P 500 advanced 10.99, or 0.16%, to 6,977.27.
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Analyst Views on GOOG
Wall Street analysts forecast GOOG stock price to rise
15 Analyst Rating
14 Buy
1 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 302.820
Low
255.00
Averages
336.08
High
400.00
Current: 302.820
Low
255.00
Averages
336.08
High
400.00
About GOOG
Alphabet Inc. is a holding company. The Company's segments include Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets. The Google Services segment includes products and services such as ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Google Maps, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. The Google Cloud segment includes infrastructure and platform services, collaboration tools, and other services for enterprise customers. Its Other Bets segment is engaged in the sale of healthcare-related services and Internet services. Its Google Cloud provides enterprise-ready cloud services, including Google Cloud Platform and Google Workspace. Google Cloud Platform provides access to solutions such as artificial intelligence (AI) offerings, including its AI infrastructure, Vertex AI platform, and Gemini for Google Cloud; cybersecurity, and data and analytics. Google Workspace includes cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for enterprises, such as Calendar, Gmail, Docs, Drive, and Meet.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- ROI Concerns: Despite the ongoing increase in infrastructure spending by hyperscalers, concerns about return on investment (ROI) remain a focal point, with analysts noting that the lack of clear business models could negatively impact future investment decisions.
- Technological Innovation and Competition: As AI technology rapidly evolves, companies like Nvidia are leading the market with gross margins as high as 70%, demonstrating strong pricing power and competitive advantage, which may attract more investor interest in their future growth potential.
See More
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- Existential Risks: Stuart Russell, a professor at UC Berkeley, warns that unchecked competition among tech companies could pose existential threats to humanity, particularly through job displacement and misuse for surveillance, highlighting a severe neglect of social responsibility.
- Industry Leaders' Concerns: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly acknowledged that AI could threaten human survival, while Anthropic cautioned that its chatbot models might be nudged towards supporting criminal activities like chemical weapon development, reflecting deep concerns about potential technology misuse within the industry.
- Speed of Technological Revolution: Russell compares the AI revolution to the Industrial Revolution but asserts it is ten times faster and larger, emphasizing its critical role across Google's businesses, including Search, Cloud, and Waymo, indicating a profound transformation in business models.
- Future Outlook: Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis predicts that artificial general intelligence could arrive within the next five years, potentially having ten times the impact of the Industrial Revolution within a decade, underscoring the urgency and importance of responsible AI management.
See More
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- Reduction in Major Tech Stocks: The fund decreased its stake in Alibaba (BABA) from 11.8 million shares to 5.14 million shares, alongside a 5% reduction in Alphabet (GOOG) and a 16% cut in Amazon (AMZN), reflecting a cautious stance towards these companies.
- Increased Holdings in Emerging Tech: Appaloosa raised its position in Meta (META) from 490,000 shares to 600,000 shares, in Nvidia (NVDA) from 680,000 shares to 1.7 million shares, and increased its stake in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) by over 300% to 1.13 million shares, indicating growing confidence in emerging tech sectors.
- New Investment Positions: The firm established a new position in American Airlines (AAL) worth $216.92 million and initiated investments in Whirlpool (WHR), RTX Corporation (RTX), and Micron Technology (MU), showcasing its implementation of a diversified investment strategy.
See More
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- Potential Impact of AGI: Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis stated at the India AI Impact Summit that artificial general intelligence (AGI) could reshape society at ten times the speed of the Industrial Revolution within the next decade, emphasizing its unprecedented transformative power.
- Accelerating Technological Progress: Hassabis noted that the pace of advancements in AI systems is rapidly increasing, with foundational models becoming more capable, and he anticipates that 2026 will mark a pivotal moment for AGI, potentially arriving before 2030.
- Importance of Safety Regulations: Despite his optimism about AGI's prospects, Hassabis stressed the need for careful navigation and called for the establishment of scientific regulatory frameworks to ensure that advanced AI systems serve human goals and mitigate potential risks.
- Necessity of Global Cooperation: Hassabis believes that the responsibility for shaping the future of AI should extend beyond technologists to include governments, scientists, artists, and philosophers, highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure the safe development of AI.
See More
