Bonds & Stocks
A fresh burst of optimism around artificial intelligence sent stocks off to a strong start in 2026 on a day that also saw precious metals pushing higher. Nasdaq 100 futures advanced 0.9% on a flurry of AI news out of Asia that also drove the regional benchmark to the best open of a year since 2012. Nvidia Corp. rose 1.4% in premarket trading to lead gains among the Magnificent Seven. Europe’s Stoxx 600 hit an all-time high while the S&P 500 was set to climb 0.5% at the open. In the UK, the FTSE 100 briefly rose past 10,000 for the first time.
Economy
Oil declined on the first trading day of 2026 as expectations for a swelling supply surplus offset geopolitical risks to production in several OPEC+ nations. Brent crude futures traded near $60 a barrel, after capping an 18% slump last year — the biggest loss since 2020 — while West Texas Intermediate was at about $57. Middle Eastern markets, including derivatives like the regional Dubai benchmark, faltered amid heavy selling pressure on a key trading window in Asian trading hours, traders familiar with the matter said.
World
The Saudi Arabia-led coalition in Yemen carried out airstrikes against a rival group supported by the United Arab Emirates as the rift between the two Gulf powerhouses deepens over the conflict in the neighboring country. Hostilities erupted after the Saudi-backed National Shield Forces said Friday it would “peacefully” take over bases from the Southern Transitional Council, or STC, in Hadramout, Yemen’s largest province near the border with Saudi Arabia.