"Friends don't lie." ✍️

- Eleven

SUMMARY

✅ U.S. equity markets kicked off 2026 with solid gains, capping a strong first full week of the year. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% on Friday and is now up 1.8% year-to-date, while the Russell 2000 has surged 5.8%, outperforming large caps.

✅ Greenland’s leaders united to reject President Trump’s push for U.S. control of the island, emphasizing sovereignty and overwhelming public opposition to a takeover.

✅ Netflix announced a behind-the-scenes documentary on the final season of Stranger Things, giving fans an intimate look at the making of the series’ emotional conclusion.

✅ President Trump renewed his call to cap credit card interest rates at 10% for one year, though the proposal lacks details and would require congressional approval.

✅ Facing rising customer churn, T-Mobile launched a new value-focused wireless plan with long-term price locks and bundled perks to compete with rivals and lower-cost alternatives.

✅ Nvidia unveiled its Alpamayo autonomous driving AI at CES, positioning the technology as a major leap toward human-like self-driving and a direct challenge to Tesla and Waymo.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

↗ Dow 49,504.07 + 0.48%
↗ Nasdaq 23,702.88 + 0.95%
↗ S&P 6,966.28 + 0.65%

GOVERNMENT

Greenland Leaders Reject Trump’s Push for U.S. Control: “We Want to Be Greenlanders”

Image courtesy of Globalnews.ca

Greenland’s political leaders have firmly rejected President Trump’s renewed calls for the United States to take control of the island, insisting that Greenland’s future must be decided by its own people.

“We don’t want to be Americans, we don’t want to be Danes, we want to be Greenlanders,” Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and four party leaders said in a joint statement Friday.

Trump said Friday that he wants to acquire Greenland, calling it “the easy way,” and warned that if the U.S. does not act, Russia or China could move in—an assessment disputed by Greenland and other NATO allies. He added that the U.S. could pursue a “hard way” if a deal is not reached, without explaining what that would involve. The White House later said it is considering a range of options, including military force.

Greenland’s leaders responded by emphasizing their sovereignty. “Greenland’s future must be decided by the Greenlandic people,” the statement said, adding that no other country has the right to interfere.

Officials from Greenland, Denmark, and the United States met in Washington this week and are scheduled to meet again to discuss the issue. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that a U.S. takeover of Greenland would threaten NATO unity.

Public opinion in Greenland strongly opposes the idea. According to the BBC, 85% of Greenlanders reject a U.S. takeover, though many support eventual independence from Denmark. Greenland has a population of about 57,000 and relies on Denmark for defense and financial support.

The statement was signed by leaders across Greenland’s political spectrum, underscoring rare unity in opposing U.S. pressure. As one Greenlandic official told the BBC, residents are “tired of the U.S. president” and “just want to be left alone.”

ENTERTAINMENT

Netflix Returning to the World of Stranger Things with New Documentary

Image courtesy of Netflix

Netflix is heading back to the world of Stranger Things just days after the series’ fifth and final season came to an end.

The Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi horror hit concluded on December 31 with a feature-length finale that sparked divided reactions among fans. Viewers said goodbye to Eleven and the town of Hawkins, Indiana, with even Elon Musk weighing in on the debate surrounding the ending.

Although the Duffer Brothers have other projects in development following a lucrative deal with Paramount, Netflix is not quite finished with Stranger Things. A previously announced spinoff remains in the works and is set to answer one of the lingering questions left by the finale.

In the meantime, fans won’t have to wait long for more content from the beloved series. Netflix has announced a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the making of the final season, set to arrive on the platform next week.

In a post on X, Netflix teased the release, writing: “One last time. In one week, watch the never-before-seen behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of STRANGER THINGS 5. Arriving January 12.”

Titled One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, the documentary is directed by Martina Radwan, whose 2024 film Girls State earned widespread acclaim. Radwan spent a full year on set documenting the production of the show’s final episodes.

According to the official synopsis, the film offers “a sweeping behind-the-scenes chronicle that follows the cast, creators, and crew as they bring the final season to life—and say goodbye to the show that changed them forever.”

Radwan expressed her gratitude for the opportunity, saying she was “endlessly grateful to the Duffer Brothers for trusting me with a front-row seat to this incredible journey.” She described the experience as a privilege and praised the cast and crew for their openness and generosity throughout the process.

The documentary’s trailer provides an intimate look at several pivotal moments from the final season, giving fans rare insight into the emotional and creative process behind the show’s conclusion.

The Duffer Brothers also shared why the project was important to them, recalling how behind-the-scenes documentaries for The Lord of the Rings inspired their own filmmaking dreams. With such content becoming increasingly rare, they said the documentary was an effort to revive that tradition.

“If you love Stranger Things, or if you’re simply curious about how a major Hollywood production comes to life,” they said, “this one’s for you.”

ECONOMICS

Trump Calls for One-Year Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates at 10%

Image courtesy of credit.org

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday called for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%, set to begin on January 20, 2026, though he did not outline how the proposal would be implemented or enforced.

Trump reiterated a pledge he made during the 2024 presidential campaign, which he ultimately won. At the time, analysts dismissed the proposal as unlikely without congressional approval, noting that the president does not have the authority to impose such a cap unilaterally.

Concerns about rising credit card interest rates have drawn bipartisan attention in Congress. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, and lawmakers from both parties have introduced legislation aimed at limiting rates. However, none of those efforts have yet become law, and Trump did not explicitly endorse any existing bill in his statement.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Effective January 20, 2026, I, as President of the United States, am calling for a one-year cap on Credit Card Interest Rates of 10%.” He added that his administration would no longer allow consumers to be “ripped off” by credit card companies, but provided no further details.

Democratic lawmakers criticized the announcement, arguing that it lacked substance without legislative backing. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts said the proposal was meaningless unless Congress passed a bill enforcing the cap.

“Begging credit card companies to play nice is a joke,” Warren said, adding that she had previously offered to work with Trump on legislation to cap rates. She also criticized the administration’s efforts to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The White House did not respond to requests for clarification but stated on social media, without elaboration, that the president was capping credit card rates.

Major credit card issuers and banks, including American Express, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Bank of America, declined to comment.

Several banking trade groups warned that a 10% cap could have unintended consequences. In a joint statement, industry organizations said such a limit would reduce access to credit and push consumers toward less regulated and more expensive lending options.

Bipartisan interest in rate caps has surfaced before. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri previously introduced legislation to cap credit card interest rates at 10% for five years. In the House, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida have proposed similar legislation.

Not all Trump allies supported the idea. Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, who endorsed Trump in the last election, called the proposal a “mistake” in a post on X.

The move also comes amid criticism of the administration’s past actions on consumer protections. Last year, the Trump administration successfully challenged a Biden-era rule that would have capped credit card late fees at $8, after a federal judge ruled the regulation invalid.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

T-Mobile Unveils New “Better Value” Plan After Customer Losses

Image courtesy of T-Mobile

T-Mobile is changing course after rising customer losses and intensifying competition in the U.S. wireless market.

In the third quarter of 2025, T-Mobile’s postpaid phone churn rate rose to 0.89%, up from a year earlier, according to its latest earnings report. The increase followed price hikes and plan changes that triggered customer backlash, while rivals Verizon and AT&T rolled out aggressive promotions and free perks to retain subscribers. Cable providers such as Spectrum and Xfinity have also gained ground by bundling discounted mobile plans with internet and TV services.

Consumer behavior is shifting as well. A recent Oxio survey found that 90% of U.S. consumers would consider alternatives to traditional carriers, with cost cited as the top factor. Nearly half said lower prices are the main reason they would switch providers.

T-Mobile’s new strategy: the “Better Value” plan

In response, T-Mobile has launched what it calls its “most value-packed plan ever.” The new Better Value plan starts at $140 per month for three lines with autopay—about $46 per line, plus taxes and fees.

Key features include:

Five-year price-lock guarantee on talk, text, and data

Unlimited premium 5G data

Unlimited hotspot use, including 250GB of high-speed data per month

30GB of high-speed international data in over 215 countries

Satellite connectivity for text and data via supported apps

Free Netflix and Hulu, Apple TV for $3/month, and two-year device upgrades

T-Mobile says families could save more than $1,000 compared with similar plans from Verizon and AT&T. Existing customers upgrading from Essentials plans with three or more lines could save over $50 per month on included benefits.

Verizon currently charges roughly $100 to $175 per month for three unlimited lines, while AT&T charges $138 to $183, depending on plan tier—both before taxes and fees.

T-Mobile is also pushing easier switching with its new “15 Minutes to Better” initiative, which allows customers to move from another carrier in 15 minutes using its app or website.

Despite the challenges, T-Mobile holds 20.8% market share, close behind Verizon at 23.8% and ahead of AT&T at 19.4%, according to IBISWorld. The company also faces growing pressure from mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which offer lower-cost plans and score higher on customer satisfaction.

As competition tightens and consumers prioritize value, T-Mobile is betting that aggressive pricing, bundled perks, and simpler switching will help stem customer losses.

AUTOMOTIVE

Nvidia Takes on Tesla with What Jensen Huang Calls the “ChatGPT Moment” for Self-Driving

Image courtesy of Nvidia

Nvidia says autonomous driving has reached its “ChatGPT moment,” marking a breakthrough in how machines understand and act in the real world.

That was the message from Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at CES in Las Vegas, where the company unveiled Alpamayo, a new “thinking” AI model designed for self-driving cars and robotaxis.

Alpamayo is a reasoning-based vision-language-action model that combines perception, language, and decision-making into a single autonomous driving system. Nvidia says the technology allows vehicles to behave more like human drivers by understanding context, planning actions, and executing them in real time.

During his keynote, Huang showed video of a test vehicle powered by Alpamayo navigating San Francisco streets without human intervention, handling complex urban driving scenarios.

Challenging Tesla and Waymo

The debut raises a critical question: Can Nvidia outperform Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system and match Alphabet’s Waymo, the current leader in robotaxis?

Tesla’s approach relies on a closed neural-network system that is still classified as Level 2 autonomy, requiring human supervision. Nvidia’s current DRIVE Hyperion platform is also Level 2, but Alpamayo is designed to reach Level 4 autonomy, where vehicles can fully drive themselves within defined areas.

Waymo is currently the only major player operating Level 4 robotaxis in select markets.

Roadmap and partnerships

Huang said Nvidia expects the upcoming Mercedes-Benz CLA EV to be the first vehicle to launch with its full self-driving stack, including Alpamayo, in early 2026. He also said Nvidia plans to deploy fully autonomous robotaxis by 2027, working with partners such as Uber and Lucid.

Huang predicts a future with up to one billion autonomous vehicles and has called physical AI a “multitrillion-dollar opportunity.”

Cautious optimism from experts

While experts say Nvidia’s progress is impressive, some urge restraint. University of Illinois engineering professor Katie Driggs-Campbell noted that autonomous driving announcements often run ahead of real-world readiness, even as the technology advances rapidly.

On paper, Alpamayo appears to go beyond Tesla’s current FSD system, but both companies remain at Level 2 autonomy today. The real test will be whether Nvidia can deliver Level 4 capability safely, reliably, and at scale.

Bottom line: Nvidia is positioning Alpamayo as a major leap forward in autonomous driving—one that could reshape the race with Tesla and bring it closer to Waymo’s robotaxi lead.

📉 ON THE MOVE AND NOTABLES 📈

✔️ President Trump has signed an executive order meant to protect the money from Venezuelan oil.

✔️ Short-term Treasury yields rose after December’s payrolls report showed little sign of labor-market stress, prompting investors to hedge against near-term Fed rate cuts.

✔️ Longer-dated bonds rallied, supported by President Trump’s directive for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase $200 billion in mortgage-backed securities.

✔️ The U.S. dollar continued to strengthen, rising 0.8% year-to-date against a trade-weighted basket.

✔️ WTI oil prices jumped 2% amid renewed geopolitical tensions involving Iran, while gold climbed above $4,500 per ounce.

✔️ December payrolls increased by a modest 50,000, and job gains from the prior two months were revised down by 76,000. Hiring has slowed sharply: payrolls rose just 584,000 in 2025, compared with 2 million in 2024. Cuts of 277,000 federal jobs explain part of the slowdown, but not all of it.

✔️ Unemployment rate fell to 4.4%, suggesting the labor market is stabilizing rather than deteriorating. While job growth remains sluggish, there are few signs of broad-based stress.

✔️ The Federal Reserve has cut rates at its last three meetings but has signaled it may pause in January.

✔️ General Motors (GM) fell after announcing $7.1 billion in fourth-quarter charges, tied to weaker EV demand and restructuring efforts in China.

✔️ Oklo (OKLO) surged and Vistra (VST) gained after Meta (META) said it would back nuclear projects with both companies to help power AI data centers.

✔️ Housing-related stocks jumped after President Trump said he wants “representatives” to purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds to improve housing affordability, though details remain unclear.

✔️ Intel (INTC) advanced after receiving public praise from President Trump following a meeting with its CEO.

✔️ Constellation Energy (CEG) jumped after TD Cowen initiated coverage with a buy rating.

✔️ Mining and rare earth stocks moved higher after reports that Rio Tinto and Glencore are in talks to form the world’s largest mining company.

✔️ Bitcoin slipped but remained above $90,000, while crypto-related stocks traded mixed.

✔️ The Atlanta Fed’s GDPNow estimate for fourth-quarter GDP jumped to 5.4%, while the New York Fed’s Survey of Consumer Expectations showed one-year inflation expectations rising to 3.4%, with longer-term expectations unchanged.

✔️ The University of Michigan’s gauge of consumer sentiment rose to 54 in a preliminary January reading from 52.9 in the prior month. This is the second straight gain and the highest level of sentiment since September.

✔️ Bank of America (BofA) announced a significant shift in their stance on Bitcoin and spot Bitcoin ETFs/funds. BofA said they will now allow their advisors across Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge to proactively recommend the top four most liquid spot Bitcoin ETFs to their clients.

💲What to Watch Next Week💲

Q4 earnings season kicks off this week. This is the primary focus for investors. Major financial institutions, including JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Citigroup, are scheduled to report their results.

🟢 Economic:

Monday (Jan. 12): no reports

Tuesday (Jan. 13): CPI, New Home Sales, Treasury Budget

Wednesday (Jan. 14): PPI, Current Account Balance, EIA Crude Oil, Existing Home Sales, MBA Mortgage Applications Index, New Home Sales, Retail Sales

Thursday (Jan. 15): Continuing Claims, EIA Natural Gas Inventories, Empire State Manufacturing, Export Price, Import Prices, Initial Claims, Net Long-Term TIC Flows, Philadelphia Fed Index

Friday (Jan. 16): Capacity Utilization, Industrial Production, NAHB Housing Market Index

🟢 Earnings:

Monday (Jan. 12): Sify Technologies Ltd. (SIFY), Sono-Tek Corp. (SOTK), Wealthfront Corp. (WLTH)

Tuesday (Jan. 13): Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK), Concentrix Corp. (CNXC), Delta Airlines Inc. (DAL), JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Phoenix Education Partners Inc. (PXED)

Wednesday (Jan. 14): Bank of America Corp. (BAC), Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (BMNR), Citigroup Inc. (C), H. B. Fuller Company (FUL), Home BancShares Inc. (HOMB), Infosys Ltd. (INFY), Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC),

Thursday (Jan. 15): BlackRock Inc. (BLK), First Horizon Corp. (FHN), Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), J.G. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT), Morgan Stanley (MS),

Friday (Jan. 16): M&T Bank Corp. (MTB), PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (PNC), State Street Corp. (STT), Regions Financial Corp. (RF), Wipro Ltd. (WIT)

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