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Investing.com -- Fintech, payments, and crypto have entered 2026 with “major political, macro, and product catalysts,” Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev told clients in a note on Friday, outlining six themes that could shape the sector this year. 

The analyst highlighted potential volatility from President Trump’s proposed 10 percent APR cap and his support for the Credit Card Competition Act, but noted that caps “may ultimately benefit networks and BNPL players” as shifts from credit to BNPL drive incremental debit volumes.

Mizuho said lower rates form the first major theme, providing “broad relief across processors, lenders, BNPL firms, and trading platforms.” 

The firm believes FIS “screens best positioned” while lenders such as AFRM, SOFI, FIGR and UPST benefit from cheaper funding and stronger demand.

The second theme is crypto divergence. Mizuho says regulatory clarity is “accelerating the split between volatile Bitcoin and rapidly scaling USD-backed stablecoins,” adding that stablecoins “could increasingly dominate real-world usage.”

Prediction markets are the third theme and are “emerging as a meaningful growth engine,” with HOOD the early leader, followed by COIN and GEMI.

Fourth, consumer lending appears set for reacceleration as “renewed borrowing demand” and stabilized charge-offs lift fintech lenders.

Fifth, Mizuho sees value in legacy processors, calling GPN an example of an “unloved” name with strong fundamentals.

The sixth theme highlights a potential “IT services renaissance,” with rising tech spending and rating agencies poised to benefit from improving issuance trends.

Investing.com -- U.S. homebuilders sharp rally this early 2026 driven by falling mortgage rates may not last long as weak fundamentals of the sector catch up.  

Homebuilder stocks or S&P Homebuilders Select Industry Index has gained more than 11% year to date, compared with a 1% gain for the S&P 500. Homebuilders lagged the market in 2025.

The shares have risen sharply on lower mortgage rates and expectations for supportive housing policy under the Trump administration.

Though a softer employment and migration trends, persistent cost pressures and rising competition are likely to weigh on results through next year.

Builders will use 2026 to reduce speculative inventory and reset land underwriting assumptions, which could help lay the groundwork for a recovery in 2027.

While mortgage rates have fallen by more than 100 basis points over the past year to just under 6%, the lower rates alone are unlikely to revive entry-level demand meaningfully. Builders are already offering aggressive rate buydowns, and further rate declines could lift resale inventory, increasing competition for new-home sales.

On the positive side, builders have slowed starts and land purchases, balance sheets remain healthy, and lower construction costs are offering some margin relief. Higher community counts and shorter build cycles should also support deliveries, partially offsetting weaker backlogs.

Analysts at BofA expects net pricing to come under pressure as builders rely on incentives to address affordability constraints.

Land inflation remains a headwind, while both new and resale inventories are elevated across several key Sunbelt markets. Builders also enter 2026 with materially lower backlogs, and valuations are now in line with historical averages despite returns on equity sitting at the low end and trending lower.

BofA calls Toll Brothers its top pick, on buyer mix, geographic exposure, lower cost inflation and a higher capital return profile at a valuation it sees as attractive relative to peers with similar or lower ROE.

BofA downgraded Meritage Homes and Taylor Morrison to Neutral from Buy.

Investing.com -- U.S. homebuilders sharp rally this early 2026 driven by falling mortgage rates may not last long as weak fundamentals of the sector catch up.  

Homebuilder stocks or S&P Homebuilders Select Industry Index has gained more than 11% year to date, compared with a 1% gain for the S&P 500. Homebuilders lagged the market in 2025.

The shares have risen sharply on lower mortgage rates and expectations for supportive housing policy under the Trump administration.

Though a softer employment and migration trends, persistent cost pressures and rising competition are likely to weigh on results through next year.

Builders will use 2026 to reduce speculative inventory and reset land underwriting assumptions, which could help lay the groundwork for a recovery in 2027.

While mortgage rates have fallen by more than 100 basis points over the past year to just under 6%, the lower rates alone are unlikely to revive entry-level demand meaningfully. Builders are already offering aggressive rate buydowns, and further rate declines could lift resale inventory, increasing competition for new-home sales.

On the positive side, builders have slowed starts and land purchases, balance sheets remain healthy, and lower construction costs are offering some margin relief. Higher community counts and shorter build cycles should also support deliveries, partially offsetting weaker backlogs.

Analysts at BofA expects net pricing to come under pressure as builders rely on incentives to address affordability constraints.

Land inflation remains a headwind, while both new and resale inventories are elevated across several key Sunbelt markets. Builders also enter 2026 with materially lower backlogs, and valuations are now in line with historical averages despite returns on equity sitting at the low end and trending lower.

BofA calls Toll Brothers its top pick, on buyer mix, geographic exposure, lower cost inflation and a higher capital return profile at a valuation it sees as attractive relative to peers with similar or lower ROE.

BofA downgraded Meritage Homes and Taylor Morrison to Neutral from Buy.

Investing.com – U.K. stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Industrial Metals & Mining, Fixed Line Telecommunications and Media sectors led shares lower.

At the close in London, the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 fell 0.05%.

The best performers of the session on the Investing.com United Kingdom 100 were Taylor Wimpey PLC (LON:TW), which rose 2.99% or 3.10 points to trade at 106.90 at the close. Meanwhile, Vistry Group PLC (LON:VTYV) added 2.42% or 15.40 points to end at 652.20 and BAE Systems PLC (LON:BAES) was up 2.30% or 47.00 points to 2,088.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Flutter Entertainment PLC (LON:FLTRF), which fell 4.40% or 665.00 points to trade at 14,455.00 at the close. Pearson PLC (LON:PSON) declined 4.05% or 39.60 points to end at 939.00 and Entain PLC (LON:ENT) was down 3.28% or 23.80 points to 703.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the London Stock Exchange by 910 to 836 and 550 ended unchanged.

Shares in Flutter Entertainment PLC (LON:FLTRF) fell to 52-week lows; falling 4.40% or 665.00 to 14,455.00. Shares in Pearson PLC (LON:PSON) fell to 52-week lows; losing 4.05% or 39.60 to 939.00.

Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.64% or 29.61 to $4,594.09 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 1.10% or 0.65 to hit $59.84 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 1.07% or 0.68 to trade at $64.44 a barrel.

GBP/USD was unchanged 0.05% to 1.34, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.09% to 0.87.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.04% at 99.16.

Investing.com – Spain stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Chemical, Petroleum & Plastic, Consumer Services and Building & Construction sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Madrid, the IBEX 35 added 0.20%.

The best performers of the session on the IBEX 35 were Laboratorios Farmaceuticos ROVI (BME:ROVI), which rose 3.21% or 2.25 points to trade at 72.30 at the close. Meanwhile, ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA (BME:ACS) added 2.17% or 2.05 points to end at 96.55 and Aena SME SA (BME:AENA) was up 1.55% or 0.39 points to 25.52 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Grifols SA (BME:GRLS), which fell 2.85% or 0.32 points to trade at 10.89 at the close. Acerinox (BME:ACX) declined 1.63% or 0.22 points to end at 13.25 and Amadeus IT (BME:AMA) was down 1.52% or 0.94 points to 60.72.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Madrid Stock Exchange by 102 to 87 and 21 ended unchanged.

Shares in Laboratorios Farmaceuticos ROVI (BME:ROVI) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 3.21% or 2.25 to 72.30. Shares in ACS Actividades de Construccion y Servicios SA (BME:ACS) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.17% or 2.05 to 96.55.

Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.64% or 29.45 to $4,594.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 1.15% or 0.68 to hit $59.87 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 1.10% or 0.70 to trade at $64.46 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.08% to 1.16, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.09% to 0.87.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.03% at 99.15.

Investing.com – Portugal stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Utilities, Industrials and Consumer Goods sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Lisbon, the PSI rose 0.43% to hit a new 5-year high.

The best performers of the session on the PSI were EDP Renovaveis (ELI:EDPR), which rose 2.51% or 0.32 points to trade at 13.07 at the close. Meanwhile, Ibersol SGPS (ELI:IBS) added 2.32% or 0.23 points to end at 10.15 and EDP Energias de Portugal SA (ELI:EDP) was up 1.26% or 0.05 points to 4.19 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Nos SGPS SA (ELI:NOS), which fell 2.23% or 0.10 points to trade at 4.16 at the close. Altri SGPS SA (ELI:ALSS) declined 0.77% or 0.04 points to end at 4.53 and Teixeira Duarte (ELI:TDSA) was 0.65% or 0.00 points to 0.61.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Lisbon Stock Exchange by 14 to 13 and 3 ended unchanged.

Brent oil for March delivery was up 1.18% or 0.75 to $64.51 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 1.20% or 0.71 to hit $59.90 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract fell 0.57% or 26.54 to trade at $4,597.16 a troy ounce.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.08% to 1.16, while EUR/GBP unchanged 0.09% to 0.87.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.05% at 99.17.