The floor of the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on January 22, 2025.
Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images
This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, the international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open keeps investors informed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe here.
What you need to know today
Daily record of the S&P 500 index
American markets Popped in on Wednesday. the Standard & Poor's 500 It touched a new intraday high, although it was pulled back by the closing bell. Asia-Pacific stocks were Mixed on Thursday. China's CSI 300 index advanced nearly 1%, leading gains in the region, according to authorities urge State-owned funds and insurance companies to buy shares. South Korea Cospi index Declined by 0.8% after the release of disappointing GDP numbers.
South Korea's GDP beats expectations
South Korea's economy expanded by 1.2% year-on-year In the fourth quarter, according to prior numbers. This was contrary to the 1.4% expected in a Reuters poll, and was lower than the 1.5% growth in the third quarter of 2024 for the country. However, the full-year GDP increase came in at 2%, higher than 2023's expansion of 1.4%.
SK Hynix's operating profits jump by more than 2,000%
Shares of SK Hynix, one of the world's largest memory chip manufacturers, fell by about 2.7% after the company warned that demand in 2025 is uncertain. However, the South Korean chipmaker A Record operating profit reached 8.08 trillion won ($5.6 billion) in the fourth quarter, which is 2,236% higher than in the same period last year, thanks to strong sales of high-bandwidth memory used in generative AI chips.
Dimon says the definitions are not all bad
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said the tariffs planned by US President Donald Trump could be the case Leads to positive resultsDespite fears of rising prices and trade wars. “If it's a little inflationary, but good for national security, so be it,” Dimon told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin on Wednesday in Davos, along with his remarks. “Hug(ing(it out))” with Elon Musk and The stock market is “kind of inflated“.
Musk undermines Trump Stargate
Musk refused Stargate projecta joint project between OpenAI, oracle and Softbank To invest up to $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure, which Trump announced on Tuesday. “They literally have no money,” Musk wrote Tuesday in response to an OpenAI post on X. To undermine Trump's announcement.
(PRO) Diversifying away from US stocks: Morgan Stanley
With the S&P 500 hitting a new all-time high on Wednesday, U.S. stocks remaining expensive and valuations appearing to be stretched, investors should be sure to maintain a diversified investment portfolio, according to Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. The bank advised investors to invest in it These assets Instead of focusing excessively on US stocks.
Bottom line
The S&P 500 shook out its December doldrums to hit a new intraday high of 6,100.81 on Thursday. While the broad-based index fell to 6,086.37 when the closing bell rang, it is just a hair away from its all-time high of 6,090.27.
This represents a change in gear from December, when the S&P lost 2.5%. Expectations of smaller interest rate cuts From the US Federal Reserve resonated in the market. Technology stocks were — no surprises — the main driver of the index's advance on Thursday.
Stocks like Oracle and Nvidia This idea emerged after Trump announced the Stargate deal, the massive investment deal in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Netflix It jumped 9.7% as investors cheered the streaming service Fourth quarter profits rise And paid memberships. The stock market appeared to be changing course back to its 2024 peak, when the S&P broke more than 50 closing records.
But Jamie Dimon speaks in a more cautious tone.
“Asset prices are kind of inflated, by any measure. They're in the top 10% or 15%” of historical valuations, Dimon told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin. World Economic Forum In Davos, Switzerland.
It does not necessarily indicate that the brakes will be applied or that impact is imminent, but there must be a stable support base to keep that horsepower behind the stock.
“You need fairly good results to justify those prices,” Damon said. “Having growth-supportive strategies helps achieve this, but there are downsides, and they could surprise you.”
This idea was echoed by JPMorgan's asset management division.
“The No. 1 risk we're looking at as we go into this year is valuations, which is why we feel strongly that you need that earnings support,” said Phil Camporeale, multi-asset portfolio manager at JPMorgan Asset Management. He told CNBC's “Money Movers.”
While Trump's pro-business and low-tax policies may provide the spark, ultimately companies are the engine that keeps stocks going.
— CNBC's Heo Soon, Samata Subin, Alex Haring and Sarah Min contributed to this report.