Friday’s big stock stories: What’s likely to move the market in the next trading session
All eyes are on Friday's December U.S. employment report, with economists forecasting a net addition of 73,000 jobs. The data, set for release at 8:30 a.m. ET, arrives as markets show clear signs of a sector rotation, with investors moving out of technology stocks and into cyclical areas like consumer discretionary and materials.
The early 2026 trading pattern has highlighted this shift. While the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite fell 0.4% on Thursday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5%. For the week, Consumer Discretionary leads all sectors with a 4.6% gain, while Utilities and Technology are the only decliners. "Sometimes things just get out of whack with stocks at the start of the year," remarked CNBC's Jim Cramer, reflecting on the divergent performances.
Oil Executives Meet with Trump, Energy Stocks in Focus
Friday's agenda also includes a notable meeting at the White House, where President Donald Trump is set to confer with executives from major oil companies. The summit follows heightened geopolitical activity in Venezuela and recent market volatility for energy shares. Since the U.S. operation in Venezuela, Chevron has gained 2.15%, SLB has surged 10.5%, while ExxonMobil has traded flat. Brian Sullivan will provide live coverage of the meeting starting at 5 a.m. ET on "Worldwide Exchange."
Notable Corporate Developments
After the close, several key corporate stories emerged. General Motors announced it will take an additional $6 billion impairment charge related to its electric vehicle business when it reports quarterly results on January 27. Despite the news, GM's stock is trading near its highs, having gained 63% over the past six months.
Intel shares rose nearly 2% in after-hours trading, recovering from a 3.6% decline during Thursday's regular session. The move followed a post by President Trump on Truth Social praising a "great meeting" with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan. Intel's stock has soared 74% over the last six months, buoyed in part by a strategic investment from the U.S. government last August.
Fixed Income and High-Yield Landscape
In fixed income, Treasury yields were relatively stable ahead of the jobs data, with the benchmark 10-year note at 4.17%. The high-yield bond market continues to offer attractive yields, with ETFs like the iShares 0-5 Year High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (SHYG) showing a dividend yield of 7%.
Friday's session will be decisive in determining whether the early-year rotation persists or if the jobs data triggers a broader market reassessment.
