4:17pm: Strong finish
US stocks closed out the second trading day of 2026 on a high note, with the Dow Jones leading Wall Street higher. The index added 1.2% at 48,977 points, after surpassing 49,000 points for the first time earlier in the session. The Nasdaq was up 0.7% at 23,395 points while the S&P 500 added 0.6% at 6,902 points.
“Overall, risk sentiment is strong and events in Venezuela did not weigh on positive momentum,” XTB research director Kathleen Brooks said.
“However, this does not mean that the recent events in Venezuela have been dismissed by traders, instead they could keep upward pressure on defense stocks as investors assess who could be the next target for the US, and as Russia and China get emboldened to violate UN law to meet their own foreign policy goals.
3:45pm: Proactive news headlines
- Nextech3D.AI (CSE:NTAR, OTCQX:NEXCF) completed its $650,000 acquisition of Krafty Labs, expanding into experiential team-building and enterprise live event technology.
- American Resources Corp (NASDAQ:AREC) rare earths subsidiary ReElement Technologies secured a $200 million strategic equity facility to accelerate commercial rollout and expand its Indiana refining facility.
- 374Water Inc (NASDAQ:SCWO) added real estate veteran Bradley Freels to its board of directors to strengthen leadership expertise.
- Aftermath Silver Ltd (TSX-V:AAG, OTCQX:AAGFF) took full control of the Berenguela silver-copper-manganese project after completing final payment obligations.
- OKYO Pharma Ltd (NASDAQ:OKYO) appointed ophthalmology veteran Robert Dempsey as CEO and executive board member with immediate effect.
- Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc (NYSE-A:PLX) CEO Dror Bashan outlined 2026 priorities, focusing on advancing its clinical pipeline and growing its partnered commercial business.
- Touchstone Exploration Inc (AIM:TXP, TSX:TXP, OTC:PBEGF) shares surged ~25% after Carapal Ridge-3 well results showed 1,082 feet of net sand, including 1,000 feet of Herrera sand.
2:45pm: Market movers
- General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) ended 2025 with strong full-year sales but saw US Q4 deliveries drop 7%, with EV sales plunging 43% after federal tax credits expired.
- Bank of America upgraded Duolingo Inc to Buy, highlighting its gamified platform as a high-growth entertainment opportunity beyond education.
- Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO) launched its Wegovy pill, the first oral GLP-1 weight-loss treatment, offering a daily alternative to injectable obesity medications.
- Mobileye gained after a top US automaker selected its EyeQ6H chip and Surround ADAS system for millions of vehicles, enabling advanced hands-free highway driving.
- Shares of US energy companies rose following the removal of Venezuela’s President Maduro, with markets anticipating increased access to the country’s oil reserves.
- Endeavour Mining PLC (LSE:EDV, TSX:EDV, OTCQX:EDVMF) shares gained as gold and silver prices jumped, boosting investor demand for mining stocks as safe-haven assets.
1:30pm: Financials lead Wall Street rally
US financial stocks are driving early gains on Monday, with the sector up more than 2%, boosted by strong performances from Coinbase, Robinhood, and KKR. Bitcoin’s nearly $2,500 rally is also supporting broader financials.
Big banks are benefiting as well, with JP Morgan climbing over 3% and Bank of America up more than 2%.
“Valuation discounts, a steepening yield curve, and hopes for regulatory easing are all supporting inflows into US bank stocks,” said Kathleen Brooks, senior market analyst at XTB.
12:10pm: Dow hits record
The Dow Jones is trading at a new record high of around 45,139 points as oil companies benefit from the US's actions in Venezuela over the weekend.
"The broad-based global bull market is still in full swing, as highs for Germany and South Korea have shown, but in the Dow’s case strength in US oil companies has played a significant part," said IG's Chris Beauchamp.
"These are expected to be big winners from the turmoil in Venezuela, given the new government’s need to placate the US administration. Tech stocks have perked up after a mixed end to 2025, but the rotation trade remains in effect, with only Alphabet showing any sign of retesting recent highs.”
11:25am: Oil stocks surge
Shares of US oil majors moved higher on Monday morning, as investors reacted to the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend and assessed potential opportunities for American energy firms in the country’s oil sector.
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX, XETRA:CHV), which is currently the only major US oil company operating in Venezuela under special authorization, drew particular attention, reflecting expectations that it is well-positioned to benefit from the political developments. Its shares were 4% higher in early trade.
Other large producers, including Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM, XETRA:XONA) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP, XETRA:YCP), as well as oilfield service firms and Gulf Coast refiners, also saw increased interest as markets priced in the possibility of new projects and expanded crude flows from Venezuela. ExxonMobil stock added 1% and ConocoPhillips was up 1.7%.
10:40am: Week ahead
Wall Street is kicking off its first full week of 2026 with a packed agenda, as traders weigh geopolitical developments, economic data, and a handful of key earnings reports.
Markets will start the week under the shadow of Venezuela, after the US moved over the weekend to capture President Nicolás Maduro. President Donald Trump said the US would “run” the country for now, with American companies investing billions to rebuild Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
“Markets are shrugging off Venezuela fears for now,” said Kathleen Brooks, research director at XTB. “The fallout from this geopolitical news is limited, and traders are more focused on economic data that will influence markets in the short to medium term.”
Oil prices will be under the microscope this week, with Brent crude holding above $60 a barrel despite another weak start to the year. Analysts note that Venezuela, which pumps less than 1 million barrels a day compared with 3.5 million at its 1998 peak, will require hundreds of billions in investment before flooding markets. “Any decline in oil prices early this week is likely to be short lived,” Brooks said.
The focus will also turn to US economic data, particularly Friday’s December jobs report. After two volatile months, Deutsche Bank expects modest gains of 50,000 in private payrolls and a slight drop in the unemployment rate to 4.5%
9:55am: Energy surge
Wall Street kicked off the first full trading week of 2026 with gains across major indexes on Monday, as investors digested a dramatic weekend in Venezuela and eyed key economic data.
The Dow Jones rose 522 points, or 1.2%, to 48,902, while the S&P 500 added 44 points, or 0.6%, to 6,902. The Nasdaq climbed 151 points, or 0.7%, to 23,386, and the Russell 2000 gained 26 points, or 1.1%, to 2,508.
US energy stocks led the charge, with Chevron (CVX) and other oil companies rallying on expectations they could benefit from a revival of Venezuela’s oil sector. Over the weekend, US forces moved to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, with President Donald Trump saying the US would temporarily "run" the country while American companies invest billions to rebuild its aging oil infrastructure.
“From a market perspective, what happened last Saturday in Venezuela means higher volatility in oil prices, risk premia creeping back into asset prices, and markets reacting to political shockwaves as investors return to their desks. But overall, the feeling is much more relaxed than that,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote.
Investors are also keeping a close eye on economic reports this week, starting Monday with the ISM manufacturing index for December at 10 am ET. The week will culminate with the December nonfarm payrolls report on Friday, which could offer further clues on the Federal Reserve’s next moves.
With the so-called Santa Claus rally period coming to a close, traders will be watching to see if the S&P 500 can hold its gains amid a week packed with geopolitical and economic catalysts.
Ahead of the bell: AI love-in resumes
Wall Street looks set to start the first full working week after the holidays firmly on the front foot.
US stock futures suggest traders will largely brush off geopolitical jitters after President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a US-led operation in Venezuela.
Instead, their focus will likely be on a fresh wave of enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, sparked by strong results from Nvidia suppliers and a bullish note on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company.
S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures climbed 0.4% and 0.75% respectively, while contracts for the Dow, representing the old economy, were up 0.7%.
Energy markets shrugged off the Venezuela turmoil, which threatens less than 1% of global oil output, with crude prices easing only slightly.
President Donald Trump said the US would temporarily oversee Venezuela during its “judicious transition,” though officials later softened the rhetoric. Meanwhile, gold and the dollar advanced on rising geopolitical tension, and 10-year Treasury yields edged lower.
Away from the geopolitical checkers game (probably not chess, given the player), investors are eyeing Friday’s US jobs data, which will offer the first clear economic signal of 2026.