S&P lowers Karman’s secured debt rating after acquisition

Investing.com – Colombia stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Industrials, Services and Agriculture sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Colombia, the COLCAP rose 2.01% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the COLCAP were Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores SA Pref (BVC:GAA_p), which rose 0.60% or 5.00 points to trade at 845.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana SA (BVC:SIS) added 0.32% or 200.00 points to end at 63,200.00 and Bolsa De Valores De Colombia (BVC:BVC) was up 0.27% or 40.00 points to 14,740.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Ecopetrol SA (BVC:ECO), which fell 5.54% or 130.00 points to trade at 2,215.00 at the close. Bancolombia Pf (BVC:BIC_p1) declined 3.11% or 2,280.00 points to end at 70,920.00 and Grupo Argos SA (BVC:ARG) was down 2.16% or 400.00 points to 18,080.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Colombia Stock Exchange by 1 to 0.

Shares in Grupo Aval Acciones y Valores SA Pref (BVC:GAA_p) rose to 3-years highs; rising 0.60% or 5.00 to 845.00. Shares in Grupo de Inversiones Suramericana SA (BVC:SIS) rose to all time highs; up 0.32% or 200.00 to 63,200.00.

US coffee C for March delivery was up 1.08% or 3.75 to $351.45 . Elsewhere in commodities trading, US cocoa for delivery in March fell 5.77% or 258.00 to hit $4,211.00 , while the February Gold Futures contract rose 1.40% or 68.89 to trade at $4,982.29 a troy ounce.

USD/COP was up 1.03% to 3,639.00, while BRL/COP rose 1.07% to 688.36.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.91% at 97.28.

Investing.com -- The S&P 500 eked out a gain Friday, but stilled slumped to second-consecutive weekly loss Friday, as a slump Intel on disappointing earnings and week of geopolitical tensions weighed. 

At 4:00 p.m. ET (18:15 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 285 points, or 0.6%, the S&P 500 index gained 0.02%, and the NASDAQ Composite 0.3%.

The main averages on Wall Street gained on Wednesday and Thursday, rebounding after sharp losses at the start of the week, but they are still on course for their second negative week in a row.

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Greenland deal brings relief

Sentiment received a boost in the second half of the week after U.S. President Donald Trump said his administration had reached a framework trade deal over Greenland, and that he will not tariff European powers in an attempt to coerce control over the Danish territory. 

Trump also withdrew his threat to use force to take the island, a sharp reversal from his rhetoric last week. The move offered much relief to markets, after Trump’s earlier tariff threats ramped up global geopolitical tensions and sparked deep losses in Wall Street.

That said, the relationship between many European countries and the Trump administration remains fraught, and the U.S. president added to geopolitical tensions by flagged potential military action against Iran, stating the U.S. had a fleet moving towards the Middle East country as he spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One late Thursday, warning Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear efforts.

“We have an armada... heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Trump told reporters. “I’d rather not see anything happen, but we’re watching them very closely,” Trump said. 

Intel slumps on disappointing outlook 

Turning to the corporate sector, Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) stock slumped after the chipmaker reported a fourth-quarter loss and unveiled a dour outlook for the current quarter.

The company, who has recently been buoyed by fresh backing from major investors including artificial intelligence-darling Nvidia and even the U.S. government, posted a net loss of $333 million for the final three months of its fiscal year, worse than Wall Street analysts had anticipated.

Executives flagged the impact of soaring demand from data centers, which house the chips that power cutting-edge AI models. CFO David Zinsner described supply shortages as an industry-wide problem that could extend well into 2026.

There are more major earnings from the tech sector to digest next week, with Apple(NASDAQ:AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) all set to report.

Elsewhere, Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) stock rose after Bloomberg reported that Chinese authorities have told major technology companies they can prepare orders for the tech giant’s H200 AI chips, suggesting Beijing may be close to formally approving imports of these critical AI components.

Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) stock rose after the medical device maker beat Wall Street ‍estimates for fourth-quarter profit and revenue on growing demand for its ⁠surgical robots used in minimally invasive procedures.

Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE:BAH) stock rose after the advanced technology company reported third-quarter fiscal 2026 results that beat expectations despite revenue declines, with investors focusing on the company’s strong profitability metrics.

Fed to meet next week 

The economic data slate includes S&P PMI data for January later Friday, as well as the Michigan consumer sentiment index, but these releases are unlikely to change sentiment ahead of next week’s Federal Reserve meeting.

The central bank is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged, amid growing uncertainty over the U.S. economy. 

Trump confirmed Thursday that he has concluded his search for the next Federal Reserve chair after interviewing a final shortlist of candidates.

The current shortlist of potential nominees features a mix of institutional insiders and private sector veterans. Included in the final deliberations are National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, BlackRock executive Rick Rieder, current Fed Governor Christopher Waller, and former governor Kevin Warsh. 

Peter Nurse, Amber Warrick contributed to this article

Shares of Qiagen NV (NYSE:QGEN) surged 16% this week after a Bloomberg report on Tuesday said the company was exploring a potential sale amid renewed interest from several global strategic buyers. The news sparked an immediate rally in the stock, as investors priced in a long-awaited consolidation.

Analysts across Wall Street weighed in on the potential sale of the mid-cap diagnostics firm, following years of speculation about its future.

Following the news, JPMorgan analyst Casey Woodring noted that "QGEN’s profile shares similarities with HOLX’s," referencing Hologic Inc (NASDAQ:HOLX), a women’s health specialist that recently agreed to a private equity buyout. That deal carried a 46% premium over Hologic’s unaffected share price, highlighting the high value placed on diagnostic platforms with stable, recurring cash flows

Woodring suggested that Danaher Corporation (NYSE:DHR) and Agilent Technologies Inc (NYSE:A) screen as the most likely suitors due to their flexibility in pursuing large-scale transactions. 

Elsewhere, Wolfe Research analyst Doug Schenkel indicated that a deal now seems more feasible as the company is "in the midst of a CEO change." The departure of Thierry Bernard is viewed by many as the removal of a primary roadblock to a successful transaction.

A leadership transition is particularly notable given the company’s history, specifically the failed 2020 takeover attempt by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (NYSE:TMO). That $11.5 billion deal collapsed after activist investors argued the bid significantly undervalued Qiagen’s long-term growth potential during the pandemic.

In its Tuesday article, Bloomberg reported that the company is working with advisers as its supervisory board fields preliminary interest from suitors, including several U.S. strategics. Jefferies analyst Tycho Peterson highlighted the company’s differentiated portfolio in digital PCR and latent TB testing as a driver for a premium valuation.

Peterson noted that his sum-of-the-parts analysis finds support for a "takeout price around $60/share," representing roughly 16x EBITDA. He further suggested that if multiple bidders emerge, a deal in the "low- to mid-60s (17x EBITDA) is not off the table."

Despite the jump in share price, some analysts remain skeptical about the likelihood of a transaction successfully crossing the finish line. UBS analyst Dan Leonard maintained a Neutral rating, citing a valuation spread between European peers and U.S.-listed companies as a primary hurdle.

"Assessing the odds that this latest report materializes into something is challenging," Leonard commented, pointing to the gap between growth aspirations and performance. Investors remain focused on whether a formal offer will materialize or if this will be another unfulfilled round of speculation.

The company has a track record of exploring combinations, including past discussions with French rival BioMerieux that ultimately failed to produce a merger. These repeated cycles of interest have left some traders wary of "deal fatigue" surrounding the German diagnostics firm.

Furthermore, the competitive landscape is shifting as major players like Roche prepare to enter the latent tuberculosis testing market. This looming competition may increase the pressure on Qiagen’s board to secure a favorable exit while it still maintains a dominant market share.

Investing.com -- Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) has increased Chief Executive Officer David Solomon’s pay to $47 million for 2025, marking a 21% rise from his 2024 compensation package of $39 million.

The pay package, disclosed in a filing Friday, consists of a $2 million base salary and $45 million in bonuses delivered through shares, cash, and carried interest. This compensation exceeds the $43 million awarded to JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon for the same year.

The pay increase follows a year of strong performance for Goldman Sachs, which posted record revenue in its banking and markets division and record management fees in its asset-management business under Solomon’s leadership.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Live Nation Entertainment (NYSE:LYV) stock rose 6.5% Friday after the U.S. Justice Department presented arguments in federal court for breaking up the entertainment giant due to alleged monopolistic practices.

The DOJ told a federal judge in Manhattan that Live Nation maintains a stranglehold over the live events industry, partly by punishing venues that don’t use its Ticketmaster subsidiary. According to government lawyers, venues that switched from Ticketmaster to rival ticketing services lost approximately five concerts per year promoted by Live Nation, resulting in revenue losses of about $1.5 million combined, or more than $300,000 per event.

Justice Department lawyer Bonny Sweeney specifically cited New York’s Barclays Center as a venue that "lost concerts as a result of switching from Ticketmaster to a rival ticketer." She also noted that many venues claim Ticketmaster’s services are inferior to competitors.

Live Nation, which merged with Ticketmaster in 2010, has denied operating an illegal monopoly and has asked U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian to dismiss the government’s lawsuit or rule without a trial. The case is scheduled for trial on March 2.

The entertainment company controls more than 265 concert venues in North America and manages over 400 musical artists. According to the DOJ, Live Nation dominates approximately 87% of the concert ticketing market through Ticketmaster and more than 65% of the concert promotion market.

Andrew Gass, representing Live Nation, argued that despite years of investigation, the government identified only eight instances over 15 years where Live Nation allegedly threatened to withhold concerts from venues that switched ticketing services.

The case is being heard in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.