Wall Street’s major indexes ended mostly higher on Friday, the first trading day of 2026, thanks to gains in semiconductor names and AI-related stocks. Despite this, all three indexes posted slight declines for the week.
Source: Investing.com
The 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.7%, the benchmark fell 1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite lost 1.5% and the small-cap Russell 2000 lost 1%.
The first full trading week of the new year is expected to be eventful as monthly jobs data points to a busy start to 2026 for investors. The Street expects nonfarm payrolls to grow by 54,000 for the month, up from 67,000 in December. The unemployment rate is expected to fall from 4.6% to 4.5%. In addition, the ISM PMI indexes of the manufacturing and services sector will also be closely monitored.
Source: Investing.com
Elsewhere on the earnings agenda, only a handful of company results are expected, including Constellation Brands, Jefferies Financial Group, Albertsons and Applied Digital.
Meanwhile, investors in the technology and consumer sectors will have their eyes on the CES conference in Las Vegas. Notable companies to watch for product announcements, strategy reveals, or AI updates include Nvidia, Intel, Qualcomm, Meta Platforms, Samsung, LG, Sony, and Motorola.
Regardless of which direction the market is heading, below I highlight one stock likely to be in demand and one that could see further decline. Remember though that my deadline is just for the coming week, from Monday January 5 to Friday January 9.
Stocks to Buy: Advanced Micro Devices
AMD stands out as a compelling buy this week, with the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 serving as a major catalyst. The key event is CEO Dr. Lisa Su’s keynote speech at CES 2026, scheduled for Monday at 6:30 p.m. PT (9:30 p.m. ET).
Su is expected to outline AMD’s vision for AI solutions spanning cloud, enterprise, edge and devices, potentially unveiling new advancements in AI chips and related technologies. AMD shares tend to rebound during the week of its major product presentations. The semiconductor giant has a strong…
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