A Calm Week of Loud Signals 🔊

Growth got a gentle reheat, CEO confidence cooled, AI kept spending — and crypto behaved suspiciously well.

Hey there, friend! Hope you came hungry — this week's Market Munchies was quietly packed with flavour. No fireworks, no food fights… just expensive ingredients and very deliberate cooking. 🍳 On the Menu? A gentle global growth upgrade, CEO confidence cooling faster than expected, and AI quietly picking up the tab while everyone else checked the bill twice. Crypto behaved (yes, really), oil stayed sticky, and tariff chatter drifted back into the kitchen just enough to matter. Nothing exploded. Nothing collapsed. But beneath the calm plating, the signals were sharp — infrastructure over apps, discipline over drama, and selective risk over buffet-style bravado. So pull up a chair, sharpen your fork, and taste carefully. This wasn't a binge week — it was a read-the-room week. 🍷📊 - Dan Featured: Need cash fast without the hassle? Eligible Cash App users can unlock instant access to up to $500 for a simple flat fee—right when it matters most.*  HOT OFF THE GRIDDLE: What's Serving in the Market This Week  Fresh off the skillet — growth optimism, political smoke, serious AI money, and crypto quietly behaving. Let's plate up. 🍳   🌍 IMF Turns Up the Heat to 3.3% - Global growth gets a modest upgrade for 2026, powered by AI capex and steady demand. Not a boom — but the stove's still on.   🇬🇧 BoE Delays the Rate-Cut Dessert - Inflation lingered, so March replaces January on the easing menu. UK borrowers wait. Markets stay patient.   🚀 Tech "Hectocorns" Line Up for IPO Season - $100B+ private tech giants are eyeing 2026 listings. Bankers smell fees. Public markets sharpen knives.   🇺🇸 U.S. Protests Add Political Smoke - Large-scale demonstrations resurfaced, reminding investors that social tension can spill into policy — fast.   📉 CEO Confidence Slumps to a 5-Year Low - Executives are cautious. Demand feels patchy. Capex gets scrutinized. Nobody's ordering seconds mindlessly.   🪙 Galaxy Serves a $100M Crypto Fund - Institutional crypto isn't gone — it's just sober. Galaxy's new hedge fund signals long-term conviction over hype.   ⚔️ Tariff Talk Creeps Back Onto the Plate - U.S.–Europe trade friction returned to the conversation. No panic — just tighter portions and watchful eyes.   🤖 Blackstone Builds the AI Back Kitchen - Forget apps — Blackstone is betting on pipes, power, and compute. The boring infrastructure feeds the AI feast.   🏔 Davos Opens Under a Cloudy Sky - World leaders gathered amid geopolitical tension, trade anxiety, and AI governance debates. Big ideas, cautious tone.   🧊 Crypto Keeps Playing the Long Game - No fireworks. ETFs flow. Leverage stays tame. The asset class keeps inching from spectacle to structure.   🍽️ Griddle Note: Growth simmers. CEOs hesitate. AI money is real. Crypto matures. Politics hovers. Not a buffet week — but the signals were clean.  Presented by Cash App  Unlock Cash App's highest savings interest offer of up to 3.25%. Customers can qualify for Cash App Green by spending $500 in Qualifying Purchases using your Cash App Card or Cash App Pay per month, or by depositing $300 of Qualifying Deposits per month. Eligibility restrictions apply to some benefits.*         To earn the highest interest rate on your Cash App savings balance, you need to (a) have a Cash App Card, or sponsor one or more sponsored accounts, and qualify for Cash App Green or (b) have a sponsored account with sponsor approval. Customers can qualify for Cash App Green by spending $500 in Qualifying Purchases using your Cash App Card or Cash App Pay per month, or by depositing $300 in Qualifying Deposits per month. See terms and conditions for more information on how to qualify. If you are signed up to earn interest, Cash App will pass through a portion of the interest paid on your savings balance held in an account for the benefit of Cash App customers at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. Exceptions may apply. Savings yield rate is subject to change. Start saving today*  Summary of the Market's Performance from January 19–25  A curated bite of the week's boldest tickers. Served hot, flipped fast, and lightly seasoned with salt. 🍽️   🍟 NVIDIA (NVDA) – $184.81 (↑0.8%) AI demand remained resilient despite mid-week tariff noise. Buyers defended dips like pros guarding the grill. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Still the protein of the AI plate. Valuation's rich, but nobody's pushing it back yet.   🍏 Apple (AAPL) – $250.26 (↑1.1%) Quiet strength this week. No fireworks, no fear. The ecosystem keeps paying the bills. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Defensive tech with optional upside. Not exciting — but it rarely burns.   🪟 Microsoft (MSFT) – $451.86 (↑1.8%) Cloud + enterprise AI kept Microsoft marching higher while others chopped. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: The kitchen backbone. Less sizzle, more reliable heat.   🔌 Intel (INTC) – $54.44 (↑0.3%) Pre-earnings optimism held, with AI-focused CPUs back in the conversation. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Speculative seasoning. Execution matters more than promises now.   🧠 Arista Networks (ANET) – $138.83 (↑9.1%) One of the week's biggest winners was AI networking demand, which stole the spotlight. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Infrastructure names are quietly outperforming the hype layer.   💾 Micron Technology (MU) – $392.30 (↑0.8%) Memory stayed in favour as data-centre demand headlines rolled on. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: AI needs memory. Cyclicality still applies — but timing's improving.   ⛽ Exxon Mobil (XOM) – $133.34 (flat to slightly ↓) Recently tagged a 52-week high before pausing. Energy kept leading quietly. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Big Oil remains the inflation hedge nobody hates right now.   🛢 Chevron (CVX) – $167.42 (↑0.4%) Crude sentiment helped, but Chevron stayed measured rather than explosive. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Steady cash flow beats drama—a hold-the-line energy name.   🏦 Goldman Sachs (GS) – $960.35 (↑0.8%) Intraday strength masked a choppy week as financials wrestled with macro nerves. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Trading desks deliver — but confidence drives multiples.   🧬 Moderna (MRNA) – $52.63 (↑5.7%) Biotech caught a bid on positive clinical headlines, snapping a long slump. 🍴 Investor Takeaway: Pure catalyst play. Momentum's hot, durability still unproven.  MAIN COURSE: The Macro Stew — Growth Simmering, Confidence Cooling  This week didn't crank the heat — it held it steady. The IMF nudged global growth higher, but CEOs are eyeing the fridge like something's about to spoil, rate cuts keep getting pushed back, and tariff talk is back in the pantry. Meanwhile, AI money isn't chasing shiny new apps — it's pouring into power, compute, and infrastructure like the kitchen's gearing up for a long service. Add in a surprisingly well-mannered crypto market and a cautious Davos tone, and you've got a stew that's still cooking… even if nobody's ready to serve seconds yet. Dig in for the full article to see what's really simmering beneath the surface.   Read The Full Analysis Here  Market Mise en Place: What the Market Is Prepping Next Week  Your tasting menu for what's about to simmer, sharpen, or quietly boil over as markets return to full service. 🍽️   Next week isn't loud — but it's decisive.   🧾 Tuesday, Jan 27 – U.S. Consumer Confidence Hits the Table Fresh sentiment data from the Conference Board offers a read on whether consumers are still ordering mains or starting to split plates. 📌 Confidence Check: Strong optimism supports growth stocks. A dip reopens recession whispers.   🏦 Wednesday, Jan 28 – Central Bank Double Feature: Canada & Inflation Abroad The Bank of Canada serves its rate decision alongside key inflation data from Australia. Both will shape global rate-cut expectations beyond the Fed. 📌 Rate Watch: Hold-the-line language keeps yields firm. Any dovish drizzle moves FX fast.   📊 Thursday, Jan 29 – Japan CPI & Europe's Growth Pulse Japan's inflation print and Eurozone GDP updates arrive together, testing whether global disinflation is real — or just seasonal garnish. 📌 Macro Bite: Sticky prices complicate easing. Soft growth revives policy patience.   🏭 Friday, Jan 30 – U.S. Producer Prices Meet China PMI The PPI gauges upstream inflation pressure in the U.S., while China's manufacturing PMI reveals whether global factories are warming up or still stuck on low heat. 📌 Global Read: Rising costs pinch margins—weak PMI chills commodities and cyclicals.   📜 Sunday, Feb 1 – India's Union Budget Goes Live (Markets Open) India delivers its FY26–27 budget, with markets unusually open to trade the reaction in real time. Infrastructure, tech incentives, and consumption are all in focus. 📌 EM Spotlight: Pro-growth fiscal spice could lift regional risk appetite.   🤖 All Week – AI Earnings & Capex Commentary Simmer Big Tech commentary continues to circle one question: Is AI spend still strategic — or starting to strain margins? Expect tone shifts more than numbers. 📌 Tech Garnish: Confident guidance feeds optimism. Any hesitation cools multiples fast.   🪙 All Week – Crypto Watches Flows, Not Fireworks ETF inflows, leverage levels, and institutional positioning stay under scrutiny. No drama expected — which, for crypto, is the headline. 📌 Crypto Forecast: Quiet accumulation beats loud speculation this week.   🥄 Chef's Closing Note: Next week's setup is about confirmation, not surprise — confidence data, inflation checks, policy tone, and fiscal signals all on one plate. Markets won't rush the order. They'll taste everything twice before committing.  Today's Special  The 7-Day Money Reset Quietly Making People Wealthier A viral 7-day savings challenge is gaining traction for one simple reason: it forces momentum. Instead of complex budgets or long-term overhauls, it focuses on fast, high-impact moves—earning signup bonuses, boosting cash yields, cutting unnecessary fees, and redirecting money that was quietly leaking away. For investors, it's a reminder that wealth creation often starts with optimizing the basics before scaling into bigger plays. By consolidating high-interest debt, earning up to 4% APY on idle cash, and stacking small wins that free up liquidity, participants are effectively increasing their investable capital in a matter of days. It's not about shortcuts—it's about tightening the system so more dollars can be deployed where they actually compound. See the 7-day moves helping people grow their money faster  HEATMASTERS: Market Leaders Driving This Week's Momentum  From cautious growth upgrades to AI infrastructure bets and political smoke — these were the chefs turning up the heat in the global financial kitchen this week.   🌍 Kristalina Georgieva – The Macro Mood-Setter The IMF chief nudged global optimism higher by lifting the 2026 growth forecast to 3.3%, citing AI investment and resilient demand — without pretending the kitchen's risk-free. 🔥 Flavor Profile: Warm reassurance, light seasoning. Enough confidence to keep markets eating, not enough to invite reckless seconds.   🇬🇧 Andrew Bailey – The Dessert Delayer The Bank of England governor quietly pushed rate-cut expectations to March, reminding borrowers and traders alike that inflation still hasn't fully cooled. 🔥 Flavour Profile: Controlled heat, no sugar rush. Bailey's message: patience before pudding.   🤖 Stephen Schwarzman – The Infrastructure Power Chef Blackstone's boss doubled down on AI infrastructure — data centres, power, and compute — proving the smartest money isn't chasing apps, it's building kitchens. 🔥 Flavour Profile: Heavy, savoury, capital-intensive. Less hype, more steel and megawatts.   🪙 Mike Novogratz – The Crypto Slow-Burn Specialist Galaxy's founder rolled out a $100M crypto hedge fund, signalling that institutional crypto isn't gone — it's just stopped shouting. 🔥 Flavour Profile: Mature spice. No fireworks, no leverage circus — just long-term conviction simmering quietly.   This 7-day savings challenge is helping people quickly free up cash, cut fees, and boost returns—turning everyday money moves into real wealth-building opportunities.  DESSERT WATCH: Bold Flavors & Quirky Futures  The plates are cleared. Rationality loosens its tie. The dessert menu whispers, "Just one more risk." 🍰   🥮 AI Power-Grid Crème Brûlée – The sugar's torching the balance sheet. Everyone loves the crackly top, but the real weight sits underneath — power, compute, cooling, capex. Risk Level: Crunchy headline. Heavy digestion.   🍧 Crypto Sorbet Learns Manners – Quiet flows, no tantrums ETFs drip in, leverage behaves, and nobody's flipping tables. That's when crypto gets dangerous again. Risk Level: Calm surface. Slippery underneath.   🥧 IPO Soufflé Teased, Not Served – Hectocorns sniff the oven. Big private tech names flirted with listings, then stepped back to "check conditions." Risk Level: Airy promise. Timing is everything.   🍬 Energy Toffee Refuses to Melt – Sticky, slow, and smug. Oil didn't spike. Didn't crash. Just sat there chewing on geopolitics and discipline. Risk Level: Hard candy. Boring until it breaks teeth.   🍫 CEO Confidence Lava Cake – Warm outside, leaking doubt. Growth forecasts rose. Boardrooms still flinched. Cut it open, and uncertainty spills fast. Risk Level: Confidence cracks before numbers do.   🍡 Volatility Mochi Balls – Soft now, spring-loaded later. Tariffs, politics, data surprises — everything compressed, nothing resolved. Risk Level: One bite away from snapping.   👉 Dessert Summary: AI got heavier. Crypto behaved suspiciously well. IPOs flirted. Oil stayed sticky. Confidence wobbled quietly. The market didn't binge — but it absolutely licked the spoon. 🍮  WRAP-UP: One Last Sip Before We Settle the Bill  🥡Turn a Week into Wealth: The 7-Day Savings Challenge: In just seven days, you can free up cash, cut unnecessary fees, and start putting your money to work smarter. Small, strategic moves now can multiply your investable capital faster than you think. Start the 7-day challenge today   📈 Growth Got a Gentle Reheat – The IMF turned the knob up to 3.3%, but nobody mistook it for a boil.   📉 Confidence went on Ice – CEOs flinched, boards hesitated, and capex plates got smaller.   🤖 AI Paid the Bill – Infrastructure money showed up with a serious credit card. Less demo, more megawatts.   ⚔️ Tariff Smoke Drifted Back – No flames yet, just enough haze to keep supply chains cautious.   🪙 Crypto Behaved Suspiciously Well – ETFs flowed, leverage behaved, and volatility took a nap.   🛢 Energy Stayed Sticky – No spike, no spill—just steady chew, supported by discipline and geopolitics.   👉 The verdict? - A week of restraint over revelry. Signals over spectacle. Confidence tested, growth intact, and risk selectively plated. 🥡Earn Up to 3.25% Interest with Cash App: Maximize your savings with Cash App Green by meeting simple monthly activity requirements — spend $500 on purchases or deposit $300 to qualify. Enjoy one of the highest interest rates available on your Cash App balance, backed by Wells Fargo, N.A., FDIC-insured. Start Saving Today*   🧑‍🍳 That's a wrap from this week's Market Munchies kitchen.   Growth simmered without celebration, confidence hesitated without cracking, and AI kept spending as it had already seen the forecast and from Blackstone's infrastructure push to a surprisingly well-mannered crypto market, this week proved that the most interesting shifts don't always shout.   The takeaway? When markets calm down without switching off, it's rarely boredom — it's positioning.   So don't mistake restraint for weakness. Quiet weeks are where the next loud moves get planned.   Until next week: Stay curious. Stay disciplined. And always check who's still eating confidently. 🍴📈  Where Did We Get This?  🔗 IMF sees steady global growth in 2026 as AI boom offsets trade headwinds – Reuters 🔗 Wall St extends gains on tariff relief, upbeat data – Reuters 🔗 New trade map takes shape in Davos as world adjusts to Trump tariffs – Reuters 🔗 Davos 2026: Trade tensions and tariff escalation warnings – Economic Times 🔗 Galaxy Digital planning institutional crypto hedge fund – Techmeme/FT 🔗 IMF upgrades outlook for surprisingly resilient world economy to 3.3% growth this year – AP News 🔗 World Economic Outlook Update, January 2026 – IMF 🔗 IMF sees mixed global inflation picture amid higher tariffs – Reuters 🔗 IMF's growth forecasts show resilience to global trade shocks – Reuters 🔗 IMF raises global forecast due to AI boom and changing customs policy – UNN *See terms https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/tos) for more details.  Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. 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