For: January 27, 2026
>>Ahead Of The Bell
(New York, NY) -- The opening bell rings this morning after stocks closed higher yesterday to kick off the trading week. Tech stocks led the advance with Apple, Meta Platforms and Microsoft all rising ahead of their upcoming earnings reports. Investors are also keeping an eye on a potential government shutdown over Homeland Security funding after a VA nurse was shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 313 points to 49-412. The S&P 500 added 34 points to 69-50. The Nasdaq rose 100 points to 23-601.
>>Fed Rate Decision Coming Wednesday
(New York, NY) -- The Federal Reserve is widely expected to announce interest rates will remain unchanged this week. The central bank is holding its first two-day policy meeting for 2026 and will announce its decision on rates on Wednesday. In December, the Fed cut interest rates by a quarter-percentage point. Credit card rates are at their lowest level since April of 2023.
>>TikTok Deletions Up
(Los Angeles, CA) -- More TikTok users are deleting the app since the company came under majority-U.S. ownership last week. Deletions of the video app are up 150-percent over the past fews days, according to market intelligence firm Sensor Tower. The app was required to separate its U.S. operations from majority Chinese ownership or face a shutdown in this country. The app was also plagued by glitches shortly after the new deal went through, something the company blames on a power outage at a data center. Some users have complained about having to sign a new privacy policy to use the app.
>>Google Settles Privacy Suit For $68M
(Mountain View, CA) -- Google will pay a 68-million-dollar settlement over accusations its voice assistant listened in when it shouldn't have. The lawsuit argued that the assistant would start listening when it misheard words that sounded like the words used to wake the system up. It then allegedly used info in those conversations to deliver targeted ads. Google is denying any wrongdoing.
>>Gold Goes Above $5,100
(Undated) -- Gold prices are above 51-hundred dollars an ounce for the first time ever. The milestone was crossed on Monday as investors look to the asset as geopolitical uncertainties mount. The price went up 64 percent in 2025.
>>Southwest Prepares For Official End To Seating Policy
(Dallas, TX) -- Southwest Airlines is officially marking the end of its longstanding open-seating policy. The airline first announced plans to end the policy in July 2024 as a way to "meet changing customer preferences." According to Southwest Airlines, customers booking flights are now instructed to select from three seating options and the type of seat a passenger purchases will determine when they board, or whether they're eligible for other perks. It could also mean changes for larger passengers who need an extra seat. Those customers are being asked to buy the extra seat in advance with a possible refund later. They can also request one for free at the airport, but if the flight is fully booked, they will be moved to a different flight.
>>Budweiser Releases Super Bowl Ad
(St. Louis, MO) -- The Super Bowl is still about two weeks away, but Budweiser is already giving fans a look at their ad that will air during the big game. The beer company released its 60-second Super Bowl commercial online Monday. It features a Clydesdale and a bald eagle as Lynyrd Syknyrd's "Free Bird" plays in the background. The company said it knew it had to rise to the occasion with this year's spot with the celebration of Budweiser's 150th anniversary and America's 250th birthday. NBC announced back in September that it sold out its inventory of Super Bowl ad spots earlier than ever.
