Market Update: Easing Concerns and Stock Movements
On January 22, 2026, traders were active during BitGo’s initial public offering (IPO) at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Futures tied to the S&P 500 hovered around the same level Thursday night as major stock averages saw positive movement amid lessened geopolitical worries.
S&P 500 futures dipped slightly, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 21 points, which is, frankly, not much. The Nasdaq 100 futures also declined, roughly about 0.2%.
In after-hours trading, Intel’s shares dropped 12% after the company revealed underwhelming first-quarter projections. This was a real shocker for some investors.
Major stock averages enjoyed a rally for a second day, bolstered by positive developments regarding trade tensions and geopolitical risks. The Dow gained more than 300 points, or around 0.6%, with the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite both climbing by about 0.6% and 0.9%, respectively. Small-cap stocks in the Russell 2000 even reached a record high.
Earlier in the week, stock prices began to recover after President Trump rescinded his initial threat of imposing import tariffs on eight European nations, which were set to start on February 1. This decision followed an announcement where he and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte agreed on a “framework for a future agreement on Greenland.”
Trump mentioned in an interview that he “has an idea of an agreement” concerning Greenland. However, the Prime Minister of Greenland, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, stated that he wasn’t privy to the specifics of the proposed “framework” and emphasized the importance of respecting Greenland’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
James McCann, a senior economist at Edward Jones, pointed out that while the details of the deal remain vague, the recent progress has eased investors’ concerns after a week filled with market volatility. Interestingly, gold prices surged recently, with gold futures reaching a new record on Thursday.
“It’s worth noting that while riskier assets are bouncing back, gold has continued to hold onto its gains,” McCann explained. This is happening amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, worries about the U.S. fiscal outlook, and growing pressure on the Federal Reserve.
The gains from Wednesday and Thursday effectively erased the Dow’s earlier losses from the week. The Dow 30 gained less than 0.1% this week, while both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq saw slight declines of 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively, entering negative territory for the second consecutive week.
