Stocks

On January 26, US President Donald Trump said on X he would raise tariffs on South Korean imports to around 25%, citing Seoul’s legislature for not honoring a trade deal. The plan, covering sectors like cars, lumber and pharmaceuticals, contrasts with a current 15% rate and, analysts warned, could hit major firms.

On January 23, 2026, ARK Invest executed its first crypto-linked equity trades of the year, purchasing Coinbase (COIN), Circle (CRCL), and Bullish (BLSH) shares for a total of $21.88 million. The firm acquired 42,179 COIN, 129,446 CRCL, and 88,533 BLSH, signaling continued conviction in crypto-exposed equities amid market volatility.

On Monday, CoreWeave's stock surged 15% after Nvidia agreed to invest $2 billion by purchasing Class A shares at $87.20 each, below the prior $92.98 close. The fresh capital is intended to accelerate CoreWeave's plan to deploy 5 gigawatts of AI data center capacity by 2030 and reduce dependence on any single customer. CoreWeave has also lined up $42.9 billion in contracts with partners including Meta, OpenAI and Nvidia, underscoring its aggressive expansion in AI infrastructure.

As markets approach the January 28 FOMC meeting, futures pricing indicates around a 97% chance the Federal Reserve will keep the federal funds rate at 3.75%. Inflation near 3.0%, robust fourth-quarter growth and only modest labor market cooling support expectations for a pause, while rising political pressure and a 2026 leadership horizon add uncertainty to the longer-term rate path.

On 26 January 2026, Binance announced it will introduce a Tesla-linked TSLAUSDT perpetual futures contract, scheduled to go live on 28 January 2026 at 14:30 UTC. The instrument will mirror Tesla's Nasdaq share price, trade 24/7 with up to 5x leverage, settle in USDT and offer a minimum position size of 0.01 TSLA with a notional starting from 5 USDT.

As of January 26 2026, BlackRock's Global Fixed Income CIO Rick Rieder has moved into pole position on Polymarket and Kalshi for the role of Federal Reserve Chair, ahead of Jerome Powell's term ending in May. Rieder's probability has climbed sharply, overtaking former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh, as traders respond to his recent meeting with Donald Trump and favorable public comments from the former president and economic advisor Kevin Hassett.

On Monday, the American Federation of Teachers asked the Senate to withdraw the crypto market structure bill, warning it poses profound risks to pensions and the broader economy. The 1.8 million‑member union said the Responsible Financial Innovation Act lacks adequate safeguards for crypto assets and stablecoins and could open retirement plans to unsafe holdings. The measure was first introduced in 2022 and updated in September.

SK Hynix said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday that it is considering a New York listing via ADRs to narrow a valuation gap with U.S. chip rivals and plans to provide an update within a month. Multiple banks have proposed listing about 17.4 million shares, or 2.4% of outstanding, as depositary receipts, The Korea Economic Daily reported Tuesday. The stock has risen almost 240% this year.

Senator Cynthia Lummis called on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to expedite its open banking regulation, warning that major banks have restricted account access for political reasons, including blocking digital asset firms. The rule, finalized on October 22, 2024, allows consumers to share financial data with third-party applications through APIs. Industry groups and crypto advocates have urged the CFPB to ensure Americans retain ownership of their financial data.