Group 1 - In January 2023, U.S. companies announced layoffs totaling 108,000, a year-on-year increase of 118%, marking the highest level for the same month since the severe economic recession in 2009 [2] - Major companies affected by the layoffs include Amazon, which plans to cut 16,000 jobs, and UPS, which announced layoffs of up to 30,000 employees [2] - The primary reasons for these layoffs include contract losses and poor economic conditions, indicating a lack of optimism among employers regarding the economic outlook for 2026 [2] Group 2 - A recent survey by the Pew Research Center indicates that 72% of Americans view the current economic situation as "fair" or "poor," with 38% fearing that the economic situation will worsen in the next year [3] - 52% of respondents believe that the current U.S. government's policies have led to a deterioration of the economic situation, and 60% disapprove of the government's tariff policies [3] - Commentary from German media suggests that the U.S. government's tariff policies are pushing the global economy towards recession, highlighting a perceived lack of capability to maintain prosperity and peace [3]

Market Overview - U.S. equities faced a challenging day on February 5, 2026, with significant sell-offs in technology stocks and negative job market reports impacting investor sentiment [1] - The S&P 500 fell 1.2% to close at 6,798.40, marking its sixth decline in seven trading days since reaching an all-time high [2] - The Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.6% to 22,540.59, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 1.2% to 48,908.72 [2] - Bitcoin prices fell below $64,000, reaching their lowest level since October 2024, further exacerbating the downturn [2] Major Market Movers and Corporate News - Alphabet (GOOGL) saw a decline of 0.8% despite stronger-than-expected sales, as investors were concerned about projected capital expenditures for AI infrastructure, estimated at $175 billion to $185 billion for 2026, nearly double the $91.45 billion spent in 2025 [3] - Qualcomm (QCOM) experienced an 8.5% drop due to a disappointing outlook, citing a tightening global memory shortage affecting the smartphone market [4] - Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) fell sharply by 17.3% on a weak outlook, contributing to the semiconductor sector's struggles [4] - Uber Technologies (UBER) declined by 5.2% after missing earnings expectations, while Amgen (AMGN) surged 8.2% on positive earnings results [5] - Eli Lilly (LLY) jumped 10.3% due to strong sales of its drugs, and McKesson (MCK) soared 16.5% after exceeding profit and revenue expectations [5] - Peloton Interactive (PTON) plummeted 28% after reporting weaker-than-expected results, while Estee Lauder (EL) and Snap (SNAP) retreated by 19% and 12%, respectively [6] Job Market Developments - Amazon (AMZN) announced plans to cut approximately 16,000 corporate roles, while UPS revealed 30,000 job cuts [7] - Dow (DOW) reduced its workforce by 4,500 jobs, with Home Depot (HD) and Nike (NKE) also making cuts [7] Economic Indicators - Initial jobless claims for the week ending January 31 rose to 231,000, exceeding economists' estimates [9] - U.S. employers announced over 108,000 layoffs in January, the highest for that month since 2009, with job openings falling to 6.5 million in December, the lowest since 2020 [9] - The Consumer Price Index rose 2.7% over the year in December, indicating persistent inflation despite potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [10] Upcoming Market Events - Investors are awaiting the release of January U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls, Unemployment Rate, and Average Hourly Earnings data on February 6, which will provide further insights into the labor market [8]

Core Insights - News Corp will host an Investor Briefing for Dow Jones on March 16, 2026, in New York City [1] - Presentations will begin at 4:00 PM EDT, which corresponds to March 17 at 7:00 AM AEDT in Sydney [1] - Key executives participating include News Corp Chair Lachlan Murdoch, CEO Robert Thomson, and Dow Jones CEO Almar Latour [1] Company Overview - The briefing aims to showcase the transformation of the Dow Jones business [1] - The leadership team from Dow Jones will also be present during the presentations [1]

Group 1 - The number of planned layoffs by U.S. employers in January surged to the highest level for this time of year since the global financial crisis, with 108,435 layoffs announced, marking a 118% increase year-over-year and a 205% increase compared to December 2025 [1] - New hiring plans in January were only 5,306, the lowest figure recorded for January since 2009, indicating a significant decline in recruitment intentions [1] - The data suggests that the labor market may be deteriorating, contradicting previous assumptions of a "no hiring, no layoffs" stagnation [1] Group 2 - Despite the increase in layoffs, this trend has not yet fully reflected in official government data, with initial jobless claims reaching 231,000, the highest since early December, potentially influenced by severe winter storms [2] - Major companies like Amazon, UPS, and Dow Inc. have announced significant layoffs, with the transportation sector experiencing the most layoffs, primarily due to UPS's plan to cut over 30,000 jobs [2] - The recruitment numbers in January fell by 13% compared to January 2025 and plummeted by 49% compared to December 2025, indicating a weak hiring environment [3]

Group 1 - U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs in January 2026, marking a 118% increase from January 2025 and a 205% increase from December 2025, the highest January total since 2009 [2][5] - Companies reported only 5,306 new hires in January 2026, the lowest figure for January since 2009, indicating a significant decline in hiring intentions [2][5] - The transportation sector experienced the highest level of layoffs, primarily due to UPS's plan to cut over 30,000 jobs, while Amazon announced a reduction of 16,000 jobs, mainly at the corporate level [5] Group 2 - The data from Challenger, Gray & Christmas suggests a shift in the labor market towards increased layoffs, with many plans likely set at the end of 2025, reflecting a pessimistic outlook for 2026 [3][5] - Initial jobless claims for the week ending January 24 were reported at 209,000, with a longer-term trend near its lowest level in two years, contrasting with the layoff announcements [4] - Over 100 companies have notified the Labor Department of significant layoffs under Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification regulations, indicating a broader trend of job cuts [6]

Group 1 - U.S. employers announced 108,435 layoffs in January 2026, marking a 118% increase from January 2025 and a 205% increase from December 2025, the highest January total since 2009 [2][5] - Companies reported only 5,306 new hires in January 2026, the lowest figure for that month since 2009, indicating a significant decline in hiring intentions [2][5] - The transportation sector experienced the highest level of layoffs, primarily due to UPS's plan to cut over 30,000 jobs, while Amazon announced a reduction of 16,000 jobs, mainly at the corporate level [5] Group 2 - The Challenger data suggests a shift in the labor market, with increased layoffs indicating that employers are less optimistic about the economic outlook for 2026 [3] - Initial jobless claims for the week ending January 24 were reported at 209,000, with a longer-term trend near its lowest level in two years, contrasting with the layoff announcements [4] - Over 100 companies have notified the Labor Department of significant layoffs under Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification regulations, highlighting the scale of job cuts [6]

Labor Market Overview - The labor market is facing challenges as major companies announce significant layoffs, with Amazon planning to cut about 16,000 corporate roles and UPS announcing 30,000 job cuts [1][8] - Dow has reduced its workforce by approximately 4,500 jobs, representing about 12% of its total employees, while Home Depot and Nike have also made smaller cuts [1] AI and Employment Concerns - A Reuters/Ipsos poll indicates that 71% of Americans are concerned that artificial intelligence could permanently replace their jobs [2] - Despite the fears surrounding AI, researchers suggest that the majority of layoffs are driven by federal workforce cuts, economic conditions, and company closures rather than AI [3][5] Layoff Statistics - In 2025, there were 1.2 million layoffs, with AI being blamed for fewer than 55,000 of those, which is about 4.5% [7] - Economic conditions accounted for 253,000 layoffs, while company closures led to another 191,000 job losses [7] AI's Role in the Workplace - Research indicates that when AI is implemented in jobs, it is often used as a tool rather than a replacement for human workers [9] - The success rate of AI-assisted tasks declines significantly for complex work, highlighting the need for human oversight [9] AI-Washing Phenomenon - Analysts suggest that some companies may be "AI-washing" layoffs, using AI as a scapegoat to divert attention from deeper organizational issues [10][11] - The term "AI-washing" refers to the practice of rebranding layoffs as part of an AI strategy to present a more favorable narrative [10] Long-Term Impact of AI - The Yale Budget Lab posits that the transformative effects of AI on the labor market may take years, similar to the historical impacts of computers and the internet [12]

Key Takeaways The Dow Easily Outpaced Tech-Heavy Indexes TodayAlphabet Posted Huge Q4 Numbers, ELF Crushes EstimatesServices PMI Gained in JanuaryWednesday, February 4th, 2026Stock market rotation out of software and tech in general was on clear display today, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq and Nasdaq-exposed S&P 500 hitting the closing bell lower by -1.51% and -0.51%, respectively. The small-cap Russell 2000 fell -0.67% on the day. The Dow is up +0.9% over the past five trading days; the other three indexes ar ...

Group 1 - The packaging industry is experiencing significant layoffs, particularly among manufacturers specializing in plastics, but other material handlers are also affected [1] - International Paper plans to close at least seven facilities in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, resulting in a reduction of at least 700 employees by 2026 [2] - Dow is laying off 4,500 employees, approximately 13% of its workforce, as part of a cost-cutting initiative, with a noted 11% year-over-year decline in packaging and specialty plastics sales volumes in Q4 2025 [2] - Sealed Air is permanently closing a facility in City of Industry, California, affecting 51 employees, with separations occurring in phases starting around April 30 [2] - Tekni-Plex is closing a facility in Milwaukee, impacting 39 employees, with separations scheduled from March 27 through April 30 [2] - Waddington North America, a Novolex company, is permanently closing a plant in Bremen, Georgia, affecting 49 employees, with separation dates from March 31 to May 29 [2]

We came across a bullish thesis on Dow Inc. on r/valueinvesting by ValueContrarian101. In this article, we will summarize the bulls’ thesis on DOW. Dow Inc.'s share was trading at $27.16 as of January 28th. DOW’s trailing and forward P/E were 32.65 and 13.61 respectively according to Yahoo Finance. ASP Isotopes (ISP) Loses 5% as Exec Unloads Stake Syda Productions/Shutterstock.com DOW Inc., a leading global chemical company with production facilities and customers worldwide, is trading at multiyear lows ...