U.S. stocks lower at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.09%

Investing.com – Mexico stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Industrials, Consumer Goods & Services and Consumer Staples sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Mexico, the S&P/BMV IPC gained 1.59% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/BMV IPC were Grupo Financiero Banorte (BMV:GFNORTEO), which rose 5.13% or 8.71 points to trade at 178.55 at the close. Meanwhile, Arca Continental, S.A.B. De C.V. (BMV:AC) added 4.24% or 8.02 points to end at 196.98 and Grupo Mexico, S.A.B. De C.V. (BMV:GMEXICOB) was up 4.10% or 7.78 points to 197.36 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Controladora Vuela Compania de Aviacion SAB de CV (BMV:VOLARA), which fell 4.79% or 0.78 points to trade at 15.52 at the close. Grupo Aeroportuario Del CentroNorte (BMV:OMAB) declined 2.07% or 4.97 points to end at 235.65 and Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico SAB De CV Class B (BMV:GAPB) was down 1.15% or 5.42 points to 467.77.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Mexico Stock Exchange by 123 to 119 and 15 ended unchanged.

Shares in Grupo Mexico, S.A.B. De C.V. (BMV:GMEXICOB) rose to all time highs; up 4.10% or 7.78 to 197.36.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.67% or 30.71 to $4,629.81 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 1.19% or 0.73 to hit $60.42 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 1.12% or 0.73 to trade at $64.74 a barrel.

USD/MXN was down 0.10% to 17.81, while EUR/MXN fell 0.13% to 20.73.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.03% at 98.88.

Investing.com – Canada stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Energy, Materials and Telecoms sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite rose 0.14% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/TSX Composite were Taseko Mines Ltd (TSX:TKO), which rose 12.07% or 1.09 points to trade at 10.12 at the close. Meanwhile, Nutrien Ltd (TSX:NTR) added 7.99% or 6.80 points to end at 91.91 and Energy Fuels Inc. (TSX:EFR) was up 7.50% or 2.02 points to 28.97 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Aritzia Inc (TSX:ATZ), which fell 6.32% or 8.55 points to trade at 126.76 at the close. Shopify Inc (TSX:SHOP) declined 5.94% or 13.81 points to end at 218.61 and Constellation Software Inc. (TSX:CSU) was down 5.84% or 187.57 points to 3,022.95.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Toronto Stock Exchange by 539 to 444 and 73 ended unchanged.

Shares in Taseko Mines Ltd (TSX:TKO) rose to 5-year highs; gaining 12.07% or 1.09 to 10.12. Shares in Nutrien Ltd (TSX:NTR) rose to 52-week highs; rising 7.99% or 6.80 to 91.91. Shares in Constellation Software Inc. (TSX:CSU) fell to 52-week lows; falling 5.84% or 187.57 to 3,022.95.

The S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/TSX Composite options, was up 16.60% to 14.89 a new 1-month high.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.65% or 29.91 to $4,629.01 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 1.24% or 0.76 to hit $60.39 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 1.15% or 0.75 to trade at $64.72 a barrel.

CAD/USD was unchanged 0.05% to 0.72, while CAD/EUR unchanged 0.05% to 0.62.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.03% at 98.88.

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

At the close in Colombia, the COLCAP rose 1.12% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the COLCAP were Mineros SA (BVC:MAS), which rose 5.26% or 860.00 points to trade at 17,220.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Ecopetrol SA (BVC:ECO) added 3.48% or 70.00 points to end at 2,080.00 and Grupo Cibest SA (BVC:CIBEST) was up 2.46% or 1,840.00 points to 76,740.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Grupo Energia Bogota SA ESP (BVC:GEB), which fell 2.87% or 90.00 points to trade at 3,050.00 at the close. Interconnection Electric SA ESP (BVC:ISA) declined 2.29% or 640.00 points to end at 27,300.00 and Grupo Argos SA (BVC:ARG) was down 1.90% or 340.00 points to 17,560.00.

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

Shares in Mineros SA (BVC:MAS) rose to all time highs; rising 5.26% or 860.00 to 17,220.00. Shares in Grupo Cibest SA (BVC:CIBEST) rose to all time highs; up 2.46% or 1,840.00 to 76,740.00.

US coffee C for March delivery was down 1.26% or 4.55 to $355.70 . Elsewhere in commodities trading, US cocoa for delivery in March fell 2.79% or 146.00 to hit $5,078.00 , while the February Gold Futures contract rose 0.67% or 30.90 to trade at $4,630.00 a troy ounce.

USD/COP was down 0.41% to 3,670.00, while BRL/COP fell 0.72% to 680.57.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.02% at 98.89.

Investing.com – Russia stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Telecoms, Power and Oil & Gas sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Moscow, the MOEX Russia Index gained 0.26%.

The best performers of the session on the MOEX Russia Index were Magnit PJSC (MCX:MGNT), which rose 3.47% or 103.50 points to trade at 3,083.50 at the close. Meanwhile, TATNEFT n.a. V.D. Shashin (MCX:TATN) added 1.88% or 10.30 points to end at 557.10 and Mobil’nye Telesistemy PJSC (MCX:MTSS) was up 1.84% or 3.95 points to 218.65 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were VK Company Ltd (MCX:VKCO), which fell 1.03% or 3.00 points to trade at 288.00 at the close. OZON (MCX:OZON) declined 1.02% or 45.00 points to end at 4,383.00 and OK Rusal MKPAO (MCX:RUAL) was down 0.98% or 0.37 points to 37.48.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Moscow Stock Exchange by 122 to 121 and 10 ended unchanged.

The Russian Volatility Index – RVI, which measures the implied volatility of MOEX Russia Index options, was down 1.67% to 22.34 a new 52-week low.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.73% or 33.50 to $4,632.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 1.72% or 1.05 to hit $60.10 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 1.57% or 1.03 to trade at $64.44 a barrel.

USD/RUB was down 0.31% to 78.50, while EUR/RUB fell 0.29% to 91.40.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.03% at 98.88.

Investing.com-- The S&P 500 slipped Wednesday as tech slumped and Wall Street banks failed to impress on the earnings stage.

At 2:49 p.m. ET (19:49 GMT), the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 154 points, or 0.3%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.8%, and the NASDAQ Composite slipped 1.4%.

Bank earnings in spotlight 

There are more earnings from the banking sector for investors to focus on Wednesday, with Bank of America (NYSE:BAC), Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) and Citigroup (NYSE:C) all reporting.

Bank of America’s average loans grew 8% from a year earlier, and its net interest income - or the difference between what it earns from loans and pays out in deposits - surged to a record $15.9 billion.

Citigroup’s average loans climbed 7% in the fourth quarter, driven by is markets, U.S. personal banking and services businesses, while Wells Fargo also saw the pace of loan growth pick up, with loans growing 12% for its commercial businesses in the fourth quarter.

The prints will be closely studied for more cues on the U.S. economy, as well as acting as barometers of sentiment in the opening weeks of 2026, and come after banking major JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) started the quarterly results season rolling on Tuesday.

JPMorgan Chase, the largest U.S. bank, posted a decline in fourth-quarter profit, dragged down by provisions related to its acquisition of a credit card partnership with Apple from Goldman Sachs. The lender also warned of the impact President Donald Trump’s proposed cap on credit card interest rates could have on industry returns and consumers.

Analysts were also on the lookout for any commentary around the independence of the U.S. central bank, which has become a central focus since the Trump administration launched a criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The Fed leader has said the move was motivated by a desire to influence how policymakers set interest rates.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon backed an independent Fed, saying anything that "chips away" at its ability to adjust policy free of political influence "is not a good idea."

Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) and asset manager BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) are also set to report earnings on Thursday. 

Producer inflation, retail sales data mixed; Beige Book signals tariff pressures

Beyond bank earnings, producer price index inflation data for both October and November was released earlier Wednesday.

The producer price index for final demand rose 0.1% on the month in October, after rising by a revised 0.6% in September, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said.

The bureau also released the November figures at the same time, and these showed monthly growth of 0.2% 

That said, the widely-watched ‘core’ PPI figure, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, grew a substantial 0.7% on the month in October, and 0.2% in November on a  monthly basis.

For the 12 months ended in November, prices for final demand less foods, energy, and trade services climbed 3.5%, the largest 12-month increase since rising 3.5% in March.

The print comes just a day after consumer price index inflation data read largely in line with expectations for December, while core CPI cooled slightly. 

Complicating the situation for the Federal Reserve was the news that U.S. retail sales grew by more than anticipated in November, rebounding from a contraction in the prior month, suggesting some strength in consumer spending heading into the final month of 2025.

Retail sales expanded by 0.6% on a month-on-month basis, faster than expectations for an increase of 0.5%, data from the U.S. Census Bureau showed on Wednesday. In October, the figure, which is comprised mostly of goods and is not adjusted for inflation, was revised lower to show a contraction of 0.1%.

Consumer spending is one of the major engines of the American economy, typically accounting for roughly two-thirds of total output.

The consumer, however, may be facing rising costs in the months ahead as tariff-related pressures prompt some companies to hike prices  

The U.S. economy showed a modest improvement in recent weeks, but tariff-related cost pressures are increasingly filtering through corporate balance sheets, prompting some firms to pass higher costs to consumers, the Fed said on Wednesday in its Beige Book economic report based on anecdotal information collected by the Fed’s 12 reserve banks through Jan. 5.

Tech falls as chip stocks swing lower on China H200 import restrictions

A slew of chip stocks including NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO) fell sharply dragging the broader tech sector lower after Reuters reported, citing unnamed sources, that Beijing had imposed import restrictions on Nvidia’s H200 chips.

Crypto-related stocks follow bitcoin higher

Crypto-related stocks including Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ:COIN), Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT), and Strategy Inc (NASDAQ:MSTR) following Bitcoin (BitfinexUSD) higher amid optimism over U.S. crypto legislation expected to advanced this week. 

A day earlier, Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott floated a draft of the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act - key legislation that many expect to provide clear rules for digital assets.

Peter Nurse, Ambar Warrick contributed to this article

Investing.com - Canada’s main stock exchange was higher on Wednesday, with U.S. bank earnings and surge in gold prices to new all-time highs.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 46 points or 0.14% at 32,916.47.

Index slipped marginally by 0.01% to end at 32,870.36 in the prior session, pulling back from a record high logged on Monday.

Safe-haven demand for gold helped give lift to resource stocks in the commodity-heavy index and offset a drop in financial sector names, which were weighed down by a warning from JPMorgan Chase that U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed cap on credit-card interest rates could dent banking industry returns and consumers alike.

U.S. stocks lower

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 154 points, or 0.3%, the S&P 500 index fell 0.8%, and the NASDAQ Composite slipped 1.4%.

The main averages declined on Tuesday, with the blue chip Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping almost 400 points, or 0.8%, the S&P 500 falling 0.2% and the Nasdaq Composite shedding 0.1%.

On the earnings front, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and Citigroup are all set to report before the market opens.

The prints will be closely watched for more cues on the U.S. economy, as well as acting as barometers of sentiment in the opening weeks of 2026. Banking major JPMorgan Chase started the quarterly results season rolling on Tuesday.

JPMorgan, the largest U.S. bank, posted a decline in fourth-quarter profit, dragged down by provisions related to its acquisition of a credit card partnership with Apple from Goldman Sachs. The lender also warned of the impact President Donald Trump’s proposed cap on credit card interest rates could have on industry returns and consumers.

This warning weighed on broader financial stocks.

Analysts may be on the lookout for any commentary around the independence of the U.S. central bank, which has become a central focus since the Trump administration launched a criminal investigation into Fed Chair Jerome Powell. The Fed leader has said the move was motivated by a desire to influence how policymakers set interest rates.

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon backed an independent Fed, saying anything that "chips away" at its ability to adjust policy free of political influence "is not a good idea."

Producer inflation data due

Beyond bank earnings, producer price index inflation data for December is also due on Wednesday.

The print comes just a day after consumer price index inflation data read largely in line with expectations for December, while core CPI cooled slightly.

The CPI print did little to shift expectations that the Fed will keep interest rates steady in January. Traders are pricing in a 95.4% chance the Fed leaves rates between 3.50% and 3.75% in its end-January meeting, CME FedWatch showed.

Gold jumps

Elsewhere, gold prices scaled fresh record highs as the U.S. inflation data cemented expectations for Fed rate cuts later this year and geopolitical tensions in Iran underpinned safe-haven demand.

Spot gold had risen by 0.9% to $4,628.45, inching down a record high notched earlier in the session. U.S. Gold Futures advanced 0.9% to $4,639.05/oz.

So-called core U.S. consumer prices, stripping out volatile items like food and fuel, rose 0.2% in December and 2.6% year-on-year, below forecasts, reinforcing bets for future rate reductions. Markets now price in roughly two rate drawdowns in 2026.

Lower rates tend to benefit non-yielding assets such as gold by reducing their opportunity cost.

Geopolitical risks also remained firmly in focus. Iran has been gripped by intensifying anti-government protests that have reportedly killed around 2,000 people, raising fears of wider instability in the Middle East.

Concerns over the independence of the Federal Reserve following the opening of a criminal investigation into Chair Jerome Powell further supported bullion.

Oil rebounds

Oil prices bounced after a decline earlier in the session, as developments in Iran remained in focus.

Brent futures were last up 1.3% at $66.30 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures had jumped 1.3% to $61.92 a barrel.

Both contracts surged more than 2.5% on Tuesday, pushing Brent to an 11-week high and WTI to a 10-week peak, extending strong gains over four consecutive sessions.

Crude stocks in the U.S., the world’s biggest oil consumer, rose by 5.23 million barrels in the week ended January 9, the American Petroleum Institute reported on Tuesday. Official stockpile data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration will be released later on Wednesday.

The mounting protests in Iran have increased fears of supply disruptions from the fourth-largest OPEC producer.