🚀 Stocks Rise Despite Geopolitical Tensions

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Market Overview
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Year To Date Performances:

1. Global equity markets have maintained a remarkable upward trajectory in early 2026, largely shrugging off a series of dramatic geopolitical maneuvers by the Trump administration that include the military capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and repeated threats of intervention in Iran and Greenland. Despite the January 3 "Operation Absolute Resolve" in Caracas and the subsequent U.S. custody of Maduro, alongside a high-stakes standoff with NATO allies over the potential annexation of Greenland, the S&P 500 has continued to hit new highs, reflecting what analysts describe as an "equity market meh." Investors appear to be prioritizing fundamental economic drivers—such as resilient corporate earnings, AI-driven growth, and the anticipation of easier monetary policy—over political volatility, viewing these conflicts as isolated events rather than systemic threats to global trade. While safe-haven assets like gold and oil initially spiked, the broader market's "callous" resilience suggests that traders have become increasingly inured to the White House's aggressive rhetoric, remaining in a reactive stance only when specific economic fundamentals or trade routes are directly impacted.

2. President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled the broad framework of "The Great Healthcare Plan," a legislative initiative designed to overhaul the U.S. insurance and pharmaceutical landscapes by pivoting toward direct-to-consumer services and radical price transparency. Central to the plan is the codification of the administration’s "most-favored-nation" pricing deals, which aim to align American drug costs with the lower rates found abroad; this effort will be spearheaded by the January launch of TrumpRx.gov, a federal platform promising discounts of up to 500% on certain medications—though economists remain skeptical of the math behind such steep reductions. As the White House calls for federal subsidies to be sent directly to individuals rather than insurance companies, the announcement has injected fresh uncertainty into delicate bipartisan Senate negotiations over the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, which expired at the start of 2026 and have already caused premiums to spike by over 100% for millions of enrollees. The proposal also mandates that all providers accepting Medicare or Medicaid post their fees in "plain English" to eliminate surprise billing, a move the administration claims will lower most common Obamacare plan premiums by 10%, even as critics argue the lack of specific eligibility criteria for direct payments leaves the most vulnerable Americans in a precarious lurch.

3. In a blistering legal challenge following Saks Global’s Chapter 11 filing on January 14, 2026, Amazon has labeled its $475 million equity investment "presumptively worthless," accusing the luxury retail giant of gross mismanagement and breaching their 2024 commercial partnership. Amazon’s attorneys argue that the proposed $1.75 billion bankruptcy financing plan, which Judge Alfredo Perez has already permitted the retailer to begin tapping, unfairly prioritizes new debt and pushes the tech giant further down the repayment hierarchy, threatening to wipe out any hope of recovering its capital. While Saks maintains that the bankruptcy is a necessary step to stabilize a business crippled by the $2.7 billion Neiman Marcus merger and a subsequent $100 million missed interest payment, Amazon has threatened "drastic remedies," including the appointment of an independent trustee, if its concerns over creditor rights and the "Saks at Amazon" exclusive storefront are not addressed. Despite the courtroom drama and the immediate appointment of Geoffroy van Raemdonck as the new CEO to replace architect Richard Baker, all Saks, Neiman Marcus, and Bergdorf Goodman locations remain open for business as the company attempts a rapid reorganization targeted for later this year.

   Headlines

   1. Venezuelan oil is selling for 30% more following the US takeover of the industry, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright.

   2. Mitsubishi is purchasing $7.5B in assets in the US oil and gas industry.