Category: News
Homan sugiere desescalada en Minneapolis pero solo si hay “cooperación” de funcionarios locales
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Homan sugiere desescalada en Minneapolis pero solo si hay “cooperación” de funcionarios locales.
Ex-Sangamon County deputy to be sentenced in Sonya Massey second-degree murder conviction
SPRINGFIELD — Sean Grayson, the former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy who killed Sonya Massey, is set to be sentenced on Thursday on his second-degree murder conviction in the 2024 shooting that generated national outrage, protests and calls for changes to police hiring practices.
Related Articles
Jury finds former downstate sheriff’s deputy guilty of second-degree murder in killing of Sonya Massey
As murder trial begins, prosecution argues downstate deputy fatally shot Sonya Massey after getting mad
Trial to begin for downstate deputy whose killing of Sonya Massey near Springfield drew national attention
Illinois deputy charged with murder shot Springfield woman in the face after ordering her to move pot of water
The case was defined by graphic police body camera footage shown widely across the nation of Grayson, who is white, fatally shooting Massey, a 36-year-old Black mother of two who at the time was dealing with mental health challenges, while he responded to a call at her home just outside Illinois’ capital city.
The video amplified the harsh treatment Black citizens have sometimes faced at the hands of law enforcement, attracting attention from then-President Joe Biden, who said Massey’s slaying “reminds us that all too often Black Americans face fears for their safety in ways many of the rest of us do not.”
The case also underscored law enforcement’s often-imperfect hiring practices, as Grayson had worked for five other law enforcement agencies before being hired by the Sangamon County sheriff’s office, despite some of his previous employers criticizing his performance as an officer.
The sentencing hearing for Grayson is set to begin at 9 a.m. before Judge Ryan Cadagin at the Sangamon County Courthouse in Springfield’s downtown area.
Grayson had initially been charged with first-degree murder. But the jury during his trial was allowed to consider convicting Grayson of second-degree murder, which is a lesser charge that does not carry mandatory prison time, as defendants can be sentenced to four to 20 years in prison, or even receive probation.
Massey was killed at her home after deputies responded to her 911 call about a possible prowler early on July 6, 2024.
Inside her home, as Grayson spoke to Massey, the officer allowed her to move a pot of water heating on the stove, and she set it on a counter. Moments later, Grayson yelled at Massey over the pot and pulled his 9 mm pistol. Massey put her hands in the air, declared “I’m sorry” and ducked for cover before being shot in the face.
Body camera footage from Grayson and his partner, Dawson Farley, was a central focus for Sangamon County prosecutors during Grayson’s trial in October.
Their case also centered on accusations that Grayson, now 31, repeatedly failed to follow law enforcement policies or training, damaging testimony from Farley suggesting Grayson didn’t do enough to help save Massey’s life after shooting her, and Grayson’s own testimony that shooting Massey was a way to “match” the level of her threatening actions.
Grayson’s lawyers tried to argue during the trial that their client killed Massey in self-defense.
In this image taken from body camera video released by Illinois State Police on July 22, 2024, former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson, left, points his gun at Sonya Massey, who called 911 for help, before shooting and killing her inside her home in Springfield, July 6, 2024. (Illinois State Police)
In his opening statement to the mostly white jury, which included one Black man, one of Grayson’s lawyers, Daniel Fultz, argued that someone would not reasonably think Grayson made up his mind to kill Massey when the officer went to her home. He also alluded to a point in the body camera footage when “she makes a comment along the lines of ‘don’t hurt me,’ and Grayson responds, ‘why would we hurt you?’”
From there, Fultz argued, the encounter quickly escalated into a situation in which Grayson needed to protect himself and his partner from the danger posed by the boiling water.
The trial occurred at the Peoria County Courthouse, some 75 miles from Massey’s home, amid concerns from Grayson’s defense team that he wouldn’t be able to get a fair trial in Sangamon County due to the extensive media coverage of the killing in the Springfield area. Demonstrations also occurred outside the courthouse during the trial.
After Massey’s death, Grayson got fired, the Sangamon County sheriff at the time of the shooting, Jack Campbell, resigned, and attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci helped Massey’s family secure a $10 million settlement from Sangamon County.
Gov. JB Pritzker approved a measure requiring local and state law enforcement agencies in Illinois to be more transparent about former officers’ work histories when they seek employment with another police force in the state.
A local commission was also established in Massey’s name for community leaders to examine certain issues, including societal inequalities in minority neighborhoods, in the Springfield area.
Late last year, the Massey Commission issued a report to make a series of recommendations that included structural changes in the hiring practices, training and accountability mechanisms at the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies within Springfield. It also emphasized anti-bias training.
Among other things in the report, the commission also called for a county-wide mental health board and “integrated crisis response protocols” for residents experiencing mental health episodes.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/sean-grayson-sentencing-massey-case/
Rubio Announces Start Of US-Denmark-Greenland Talks Amid Arctic Security Push
Rubio Announces Start Of US-Denmark-Greenland Talks Amid Arctic Security Push
Authored by Kimberley Hayek via The Epoch Times,
Technical discussions between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland on improving Arctic security have begun, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday.
The talks originate from a working group created earlier this month during a Washington meeting including Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and the foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland.
“It begins today and it will be a regular process,” Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “We’re going to try to do it in a way that isn’t like a media circus every time these conversations happen, because we think that creates more flexibility on both sides to arrive at a positive outcome.”
“We’ve got a little bit of work to do, but I think we’re going to wind up in a good place, and I think you’ll hear the same from our colleagues in Europe very shortly,” Rubio said.
The initiative comes after President Donald Trump has said that the United States must secure Greenland to increase national security against Russia and China. European allies have rebuked Trump’s approach.
Trump recently threatened tariffs on Denmark and other European nations opposing his Greenland overtures before brokering a preliminary framework with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last week, Trump said no military force would be used for acquiring the island, stating, “I don’t have to use force. I don’t want to use force. I won’t use force.”
Trump has portrayed the deal as providing total access to Greenland without payment or time limits, underscoring the Golden Dome missile defense system.
“There’s no end, there’s no time limit,” he said, adding, “We’re not doing a 99-year or a 10-year [deal] or anything else.”
The president assigned Rubio, Vance, and special envoy Steve Witkoff to work on the negotiations.
NATO has highlighted the framework’s goal of preventing Russia and China from establishing economic or military footholds on the island.
Alliance spokesperson Allison Hart noted discussions among Arctic member states to bolster collective security, stating that talks with Denmark and Greenland strive to deter adversaries.
“We need to defend the Arctic,” Rutte said at Davos.
Greenland lies along key missile trajectories, vast mineral resources, and emerging shipping routes.
The United States maintains Pituffik Space Force Base there, where it has situated early-warning radars.
Russia oversees extensive Arctic infrastructure, such as dozens of bases and icebreakers.
Russia’s robust Arctic infrastructure poses a direct challenge, with more than 50 revitalized Soviet-era installations, including six army bases, 10 radar stations, and more than 60 icebreakers—far outpacing the United States’ two.
“It is important to consistently strengthen Russia’s positions in the Arctic, comprehensively develop our country’s logistics capabilities, and ensure the development of a promising Arctic transport corridor from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok,” Russian President Vladimir Putin said in November 2025.
China, meanwhile, pursues a “Polar Silk Road” for influence through investments in infrastructure and resources, according to a 2024 RAND Corporation analysis.
Eric Cole, a former CIA officer and CEO of Secure Anchor, described Greenland as a “forward lookout post for the entire North Atlantic security architecture.”
“Greenland’s geographic position places it directly beneath the shortest flight paths between North America, Europe, and Eurasia, making it a natural vantage point for monitoring air and missile activity,” Cole told The Epoch Times.
“Sensors based in Greenland can track aircraft, space objects, and missile launches that would otherwise go undetected until much later in their trajectory. This early detection is critical for both U.S. and NATO forces, as it expands warning times and improves coordinated response options.”
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 09:00
75-year-old woman dies in Chicago Lawn fire
A 75-year-old woman was pronounced dead after she suffered burns to her body in a house fire Wednesday night in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, Chicago police said.
Around 10:15 p.m., officials were called to a fire in the 7000 block of South Bell Avenue where firefighters extinguished a blaze where a 75-year-old woman had suffered burns to her body, police said.
The woman was taken to UChicago Medicine where she was later pronounced dead.
As of Thursday morning, the woman has yet to be identified. No other injuries or displacements were reported.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/chicago-lawn-fire/
Shutdown Approaches As Schumer, White House Attempt 11th Hour Deal
Shutdown Approaches As Schumer, White House Attempt 11th Hour Deal
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House are negotiating a framework to advance five of the six remaining fiscal 2026 funding bills, alongside a short-term measure to keep the Department of Homeland Security operating, according to Punchbowl News, citing people familiar with the discussions. The talks come as Congress once again barrels toward a potential government shutdown amid a volatile political fight over immigration enforcement.
Under the emerging framework, lawmakers would pass a temporary DHS funding patch to allow negotiations to continue over new limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection as the agencies carry out President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Senate Republican leaders have urged Democrats to approve all six outstanding spending bills, a position Schumer has declined to accept.
Even if Schumer and the White House reach an agreement, a funding lapse over the weekend appears likely. The House, which is scheduled to return Monday, would still need to approve both the five-bill spending package and the DHS stopgap measure.
Senate Democrats on Wednesday rallied around a set of proposed reforms aimed at DHS and ICE operations. The proposals would tighten warrant requirements, establish a uniform code of conduct for federal officers, prohibit agents from wearing masks and require the use of body cameras.
The negotiations reflect the political pressure facing the White House after a series of violent incidents involving federal agents. Border czar Tom Homan, who was dispatched by the administration to Minnesota to take over operations from Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, held a closely watched press conference today as officials seek to defuse tensions following two fatal shootings involving federal agents in recent weeks.
Those shootings have intensified scrutiny of DHS operations and pushed Congress closer to another funding standoff. Democrats have signaled a willingness to force a shutdown if their demands are not met, marking a sharp shift from their posture during earlier funding fights.
“I don’t like shutdowns,” said Sen. Angus King (I-ME), one of three members of the Democratic caucus who opposed the previous shutdown in a comment to Punchbowl. “But it was a matter of conscience. I didn’t want to be complicit with what these guys are doing.”
To Democrats, the current confrontation carries both moral and political stakes. Party leaders see an opportunity to extract concessions as they perceive the White House to be negotiating from a position of weakness and as some Senate Republicans acknowledge the need for changes at DHS.
At the same time, Democratic unity is not assured. During a private caucus call Wednesday night, some House Democrats questioned whether Senate leaders would hold firm, according to multiple people on the call. Others raised concerns about whether the proposed reforms would meaningfully rein in ICE’s conduct.
Some progressives have pushed for more sweeping action. Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) told the outlet that Democrats should be using the moment to “defund and abolish” ICE.
The Senate is scheduled to hold its first procedural vote on the six-bill funding package at 11:30 a.m. To strip DHS funding from the broader package, Democrats would first need to provide votes to advance the legislation. Whether an agreement is reached before that vote remains uncertain.
The risks extend to both parties. House Republicans remain divided, and conservative members have warned they oppose reopening negotiations on DHS funding. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats are under pressure from their base to confront the administration forcefully, particularly following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The White House has offered alternative paths for enacting DHS reforms, including executive actions or separate legislation. Democratic leaders have rejected those options, insisting the changes be written directly into the DHS appropriations bill. Unlike previous shutdown fights, Democrats have limited their demands to reforms they believe Republicans could realistically accept.
Still, GOP resistance remains strong. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) said Republicans would not agree to provisions that impede enforcement of the administration’s immigration agenda.
“The American people wanted the president to enforce law and order,” Mullin said. “ICE is doing their job.”
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 08:50
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/shutdown-approaches-schumer-white-house-attempt-11th-hour-deal
Bajan levemente solicitudes de beneficios por desempleo en EEUU
Por MATT OTT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Las solicitudes de beneficios por desempleo en Estados Unidos disminuyeron modestamente la semana pasada, manteniéndose en niveles históricamente saludables a pesar de los recientes anuncios de despidos por parte de grandes corporaciones.
Las solicitudes de ayuda por desempleo para la semana que terminó el 24 de enero cayeron en 1.000, situándose en 209.000 desde la cifra de la semana anterior, que fue revisada al alza en 10.000, informó el jueves el Departamento de Trabajo. Los analistas encuestados por la firma de datos FactSet esperaban 205.000 nuevas solicitudes.
Las solicitudes de beneficios por desempleo se consideran representativas de los despidos y son un indicador casi en tiempo real de la salud del mercado laboral.
Una variedad de empresas de alto perfil han anunciado recortes de empleo en el último año, incluyendo UPS, Amazon y Dow solo esta semana. Eso, combinado con los propios datos laborales lentos del gobierno, ha dejado a los estadounidenses cada vez más pesimistas sobre la economía.
A principios de este mes, el gobierno informó que la contratación se mantuvo débil en diciembre, culminando un año de escasos aumentos de empleo que han frustrado a los buscadores de trabajo, aunque los despidos y el desempleo se mantuvieron bajos.
Los empleadores añadieron solo 50.000 puestos el mes pasado, casi sin cambios respecto a una cifra revisada a la baja de 56.000 en noviembre, apuntó el Departamento de Trabajo. La tasa de desempleo bajó al 4,4%, su primer descenso desde junio, desde el 4,5% en noviembre, una cifra también revisada a la baja.
El informe de empleo de enero se publicará el próximo viernes, con analistas pronosticando otro modesto aumento de 50.000 empleos.
El Departamento de Trabajo también informó recientemente que las empresas publicaron muchos menos empleos en noviembre que el mes anterior, una señal de que los empleadores aún no están aumentando la contratación, incluso cuando el crecimiento ha repuntado.
Las empresas y agencias gubernamentales publicaron 7,1 millones de empleos vacantes a finales de noviembre, por debajo de los 7,4 millones en octubre. Los despidos también disminuyeron, ya que las empresas parecen estar reteniendo a los trabajadores, aunque son reacias a añadir personal, una tendencia que los economistas denominan “ni contratamos ni despedimos”.
Los datos recientes del gobierno han revelado un mercado laboral en el que la contratación claramente se ha desacelerado, obstaculizado por la incertidumbre generada por los aranceles del presidente Donald Trump y los efectos persistentes de las altas tasas de interés que la Fed implementó en 2022 y 2023 para frenar un aumento de la inflación.
La Reserva Federal, en un intento por apuntalar el mercado laboral, recortó su tasa de interés de referencia en un cuarto de punto tres veces consecutivas a finales del año pasado. Sin embargo, el miércoles, el banco central decidió dejar su tasa de interés de referencia sin cambios en medio de un panorama económico en mejora y lo que los funcionarios llamaron un mercado laboral estabilizado.
El informe del jueves del Departamento de Trabajo también mostró que el promedio de cuatro semanas de solicitudes de desempleo, que equilibra algunas de las subidas y bajadas semanales, aumentó en 2.250, alcanzando 206.250.
El número total de estadounidenses que solicitaron beneficios por desempleo para la semana anterior que terminó el 17 de enero cayó en 38.000, situándose en 1,83 millones, informó el gobierno. Es la cifra más baja desde el 21 de septiembre de 2024.
___________________________________
Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Futures Rise As Meta Jumps, Microsoft Plunges; Gold Just Won’t Stop
Futures Rise As Meta Jumps, Microsoft Plunges; Gold Just Won’t Stop
Futures are higher, led by tech, after the first batch of Mag7 earnings with gold breaking new record highs again, rising as high as $5600. As of 8:00am ET, S&P futures are up 0.2% while the Nasdaq if barely in the green; pre-mkt it’s a mixed picture with META (+7.9%) rising on higher than expected capex forecast, while MSFT (-6.6%) tumbles on… higher than expected capex forecast; TSLA is also modestly in the green, up +2.8%; AAPL reports today today then AMZN / GOOG next week. Cyclicals are trading higher led by Energy and Industrials and the AI theme also acting well as capex / fundamentals remain supportive of growth. The yield curve is twisting steeper with the USD flat. Commodities remain bid across all 3 complexes with WTI (Iranian supply fears) and precious (fiat incineration trade) the most notable. Today’s macro data focus is on jobless claims though given Powell’s comments yesterday, Friday’s PPI is more important.
In premarket trading, Mag 7 stocks are mixed: Meta (META) rises 8% after the Facebook parent gave a revenue outlook that was much stronger than expected, which helped offset the surge in projected capex; Microsoft (MSFT) falls 6% after the software giant’s report featured an underwhelming read on growth in its Azure cloud-computing business. Analysts also noted higher-than-expected expenses. Tesla (TSLA) gains 2% after the electric-vehicle giant reported adjusted earnings per share for the fourth quarter that topped the average analyst estimate. The company also announced a $2 billion investment in xAI and provided updates on its physical AI ventures (Nvidia (NVDA) -0.2%, Apple (AAPL) +0.5%, Amazon (AMZN) -0.3%, Alphabet (GOOGL) +1.7%)
Rare earth stocks fall sharply after a report from Reuters said the Trump administration is backing away from plans to guarantee a minimum price for critical minerals projects, citing multiple sources. MP Materials has since refuted the report
Celestica (CLS) falls 5% after the company reported its fourth-quarter results and gave an outlook. While the results were better than expected, analysts noted higher capex as a potential reason behind the stock’s decline.
CH Robinson (CHRW) rises 5% after the logistics company reported adjusted earnings per share that beat analyst estimates, despite macroeconomic headwinds from global trade policies.
Dow Inc. (DOW) slips 2% as the chemical company said it will terminate about 4,500 roles as part of a plan to simplify and streamline its end-to-end processes. It also reported net sales for the fourth quarter that were in-line with the average analyst estimate.
International Business Machines (IBM) gains 9% after the IT services company reported fourth-quarter results that beat expectations. Analysts highlighted software revenue and free cash flow as positive.
International Paper Co. (IP) rises 5% on plans to break up and spin off its European packaging operations.
Las Vegas Sands (LVS) drops 10% after the casino operator’s Macau properties — including The Venetian and Londoner — fell short of Wall Street’s expectations.
LendingClub (LC) falls 7% after posting fourth quarter results. BI analyst Herman Chan writes that pre-provision profit missed slightly amid higher marketing expenses and guidance looks somewhat lighter than market expectations.
ServiceNow (NOW) is down 8% after the software company reported its fourth-quarter results and gave an outlook. Analysts are broadly positive, but Bloomberg Intelligence noted that the backdrop remains uncertain.
Southwest Airlines (LUV) rises 5% after reporting results that topped analyst estimates, signaling the fruits of a turnaround. Shares are climbing 6.2%.
VSE Corp. (VSEC) rises 1% after agreeing to buy closely held Precision Aviation Group for about $2.025 billion in a cash-and-stock deal.
Whirlpool (WHR) falls 11% after the appliance maker’s ongoing earnings-per-share forecast for the full year trailed the average analyst estimate. US levies on imports have yet to give the company an edge over foreign rivals, its chief executive said.
Big tech is back in focus, with markets rewarding AI-heavy capex when it’s paired with stronger-than-expected core business growth, as seen at Meta, or punishing it when momentum disappoints, as Microsoft found out the hard way.
Meta’s stronger-than-expected revenue outlook helped cushion concerns over rising AI-related spending. The social media giant reported fourth-quarter sales of $59.9 billion, beating the $58.4 billion that Wall Street anticipated. t signaled that while spending is up, the core business supporting those investments is also growing faster than expected. If Meta hits the top-end of capex guidance for 2026, it will mean a jump of roughly 87% from 2025.
Microsoft’s record spending and slower cloud growth sent its shares down sharply amid investor concerns that it could take longer than expected for the company’s AI investments to pay off. Capex for fiscal second quarter hit $37.5 billion, up 66% from a year earlier and exceeding analyst estimates for $36.2 billion. The Azure cloud-computing unit posted a 38% revenue gain when adjusting for currency fluctuations, just meeting analyst projections.
“We’re back to the theme that we’re not seeing monolithic growth for all the tech companies,” said Rory McPherson, chief investment officer at Magnus Financial Discretionary Management. “Capex spending has increased across the board. The market is just rewarding the ability to monetize it, while placing question marks on companies that aren’t able to do that.”
Looking at earnings, out of the 119 S&P 500 companies that have reported so far in the earnings season, 77% have managed to beat analyst forecasts, while 16% have missed. Caterpillar, Dow and Honeywell International are among many companies expected to report results before the market opens. Caterpillar’s revenue is set to accelerate in 4Q, largely driven by higher volume across all segments, as momentum continues to build into 2026. Margin pressure is likely to persist in 4Q due to a step-up in tariffs (about a $725 million headwind) and manufacturing costs. Earnings from Apple, KLA and Stryker and follow later in the day.
The Stoxx 600 rises 0.4%, with mining, energy and industrial shares leading gains. Technology stocks underperform with Germany’s SAP plunging as much as 13% after reporting a disappointing cloud backlog. Meanwhile, miners outperform. Here are the biggest movers Thursday:
3i Group shares rise as much as 15% in London, rebounding from a recent plunge, after the investment firm’s latest results showed a better-than-expected performance for its discount retail business, Action
ABB rises as much as 9.8% after the Swiss firm predicted higher profitability this year amid a boom in data centers and also announced a $2 billion share buyback. JPMorgan describes orders in the electrical and automation divisions as “blowout”
STMicro shares rise as much as 5% after the chipmaker gave a better-than-expected 1Q revenue forecast, showing signs of cyclical recovery in demand for analog chips
EssilorLuxottica shares climb as much as 2.5%, snapping four days of declines. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on an earnings call said it’s “hard to imagine a world in several years where most glasses that people wear aren’t AI glasses”
European mining shares are the best-performers on the Stoxx 600 benchmark on Thursday after copper posted its biggest one-day gain in years to hit a record above $14,000 a ton
EasyJet shares rise as much as 3.1% after the airline reported solid first-quarter results and left its outlook for fiscal year 2026 broadly unchanged
SAP shares drop as much as 13%, the biggest intraday decline in more than five years, after the software firm reported 25% growth in current cloud backlog on constant-currency basis
H&M shares drop as much as 4.3% after the fashion retailer reported softer current trading than expected, with RBC saying 4Q sales are “a little light” vs. consensus estimates
Nokia declines as much as 7.4% after the Finnish communications group reported its latest earnings. Analysts say the backwards-looking figures in the report are strong, but 2026 guidance for Network Infrastructure is disappointing
Givaudan drops as much as 6.7% to the lowest since Oct. 2023 after the Swiss fragrance and flavor maker delivered a weak like-for-like performance in the fourth quarter
SEB falls as much as 5.7%, the most since April 2025, after the Swedish lender reported its latest earnings, which analysts describe as weak, with a large miss on profits the key disappointment, overshadowing better-than-expected dividends
Roche shares drop as much as 2.1% after the Swiss drugmaker reported results for the fourth quarter which Intron Health analysts called “soft.” The company also provided guidance for 2026, and analysts see potential for consensus expectations to be cut as a result
Interroll shares fall as much as 9.6%, the most since last April, after the Swiss industrial-equipment firm’s full-year sales undershot the average analyst estimate. Analysts see some bright spots in the report but highlight headwinds
Hilton Foods shares drop as much as 9.2%, the most in two months, after the meat producer issued a cautious outlook as inflationary pressures in beef and white fish continue
Earlier in the session, Asian equities edged higher amid mixed trading in heavyweight tech names. Shares in Indonesia pared losses. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was up 0.2%, after falling as much as 0.7%. SK Hynix and Japan’s Advantest, which surged after its earnings beat, were the biggest boosts to the gauge, while TSMC, Tokyo Electron and Samsung weighed the most. The Indonesian benchmark plunged for a second day, before trimming most of the losses, as investors continue to fret over MSCI’s warning over the market’s investability. The index tumbled as much as 10% before closing 1.1% lower as local regulators said they would double the minimum free-float requirement starting next month.
In FX, the Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is little changed having erased an earlier fall. The greenback has struggled this year as investors bet on its long-term decline, with unpredictable policymaking and ballooning deficits adding to its woes. The dollar hasn’t acted like a haven for some time as investors increasingly favor tangible alternatives such as precious metals, DoubleLine Capital Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Gundlach told CNBC.
“The risks of another major leg lower in the dollar remain elevated, even if our bias is for a short-term recovery, given the overall supporting macro and rates picture,” wrote strategists at ING Groep NV including Francesco Pesole.
In rates, treasuries are steady, with US 10-year yields near flat at 4.25%. European government bonds are also little changed.
In commodities, Brent crude futures hit $70 a barrel for the first time since September after US President Trump warned Iran to make a nuclear deal with the US or face military strikes far worse than the attack he ordered last June.
Copper surged by the most in more than 16 years, surging about 6% and earlier hitting a record above $14,000 a ton as metals extended a dramatic start to the year, fueled by a wave of intense speculative trading in China. Spot gold also crossed $5,500/oz for the first while silver briefly surpassed $120/oz, extending its year-to-date advance to around 63%.
“We still have some exposure to gold but at these prices I wouldn’t be that long on it,” said Dan Boardman-Weston, chief investment officer at BRI Wealth Management. “You need it for diversification and it’s been wonderful over the past two years, but now I’m minding my exposure to it.”
The US economic calendar includes 3Q final nonfarm productivity and unit labor costs, weekly jobless claims and November trade balance (8:30am), November factory orders and wholesale trade sales (10am)
Market Snapshot
S&P 500 mini +0.2%
Nasdaq 100 mini +0.3%
Russell 2000 mini +0.2%
Stoxx Europe 600 +0.4%
DAX -1%
CAC 40 +0.6%
10-year Treasury yield +1 basis point at 4.25%
VIX +0.1 points at 16.45
Bloomberg Dollar Index little changed at 1178.44
euro little changed at $1.1955
WTI crude +2.1% at $64.53/barrel
Top Overnight News
Talks between top Senate Democrats and the Trump administration to avert a government shutdown have moved closer to Democrats’ demands, though no deal has been reached yet, a person familiar said. Talks included restrictions on ICE agents. BBG
US Senate Majority Leader Thune sees a possibility to avoid a shutdown by week’s end after Senate Minority Leader Schumer lays out Democrats’ demands on ICE: CNN
President Trump is weighing options against Iran that include targeted strikes on security forces and leaders to inspire protesters, multiple sources said, even as Israeli and Arab officials said air power alone would not topple the clerical rulers. RTRS
Nvidia, Microsoft and Amazon may invest up to $60 billion in OpenAI’s new funding round. The Information
Nvidia Corp. hasn’t yet received any orders from Chinese customers for its H200 AI chips as Beijing is still deciding whether to allow imports of the US firm’s components, according to Jensen Huang. BBG
Cuba only has enough oil to last 15-20 days at current levels of demand and domestic production after its sole supplier Mexico appeared to cancel a shipment while the US blocked deliveries from Venezuela. FT
Chairman of a US House of Representatives committee said in a letter that NVIDIA (NVDA) helped DeepSeek hone AI models later used in China’s military: Reuters.
Gold and silver hit new records, lifting commodities as a weaker dollar and geopolitical tensions fueled demand. Copper surged on speculative trading in China. Brent hit $70 a barrel after Donald Trump renewed threats against Iran. BBG
Shares in Chinese property developers surge on news that China has done away with borrowing limits on property developers known as its “three red lines” policy, an apparent end to rules that triggered a debt crisis which continues to weigh on the world’s second-largest economy. RTRS
Indonesia’s stock market suffered its worst two-day rout since 1998, triggered by MSCI’s warning of a possible market downgrade due to transparency concerns. Regulators stepped in and announced plans to double the minimum free-float requirements. BBG
Sweden’s central bank held its key rate at a three-year low of 1.75%, as expected, and stuck with its forecast for no change until next year. BBG
Regional banks are on track to outperform the S&P 500 for a third month, the longest streak since 2022. With valuation multiples still below their long-term average and 10% of an S&P gauge set to disclose results in the next two days, the door is open to more gains if profits come in strong.
Notable earnings
Tesla Inc. (TSLA) Q4 2025 (USD): Adj. EPS 0.50 (exp. 0.45), Revenue 24.9bln (exp. 24.77bln). Gross margin 20.1% (exp. 17.1%). Operating income 1.41bln (exp. 1.32bln). Free cash flow 1.42bln (exp. 1.59bln). In Q1 of this year, we plan to unveil the Gen 3 version of Optimus. Plan to begin megapack 3 and megablock production at megafactory Houston in 2026. On Jan 16, agreed to invest ~2B to acquire shares of Series E Preferred stock of xAI. Shares +3% pre-market
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Q2 2025 (USD): EPS 5.16 (exp. 3.92), Revenue 81.3bln (exp. 80.28bln). said net gains from OpenAI investments totaled USD 7.6bln, which resulted in an increase in diluted earnings per share of USD 1.02/shr. Operating income 38.3bln (exp. 32.9bln). SEGMENTS:. Q2 Azure and other Cloud services revenue increased 39% (exp. 38.8%). Productivity and Business +16% at USD 34.1bln (exp. 33.5bln). More Personal Computing: USD 14.3bln (exp. 14.33bln). Cloud revenue +26% to USD 51.5bln. Intelligent cloud revenue USD 32.9bln. Commercial RPO +110% to USD 625bln. Shares -6.4% pre-market
Meta Platforms Inc (META) Q4 2025 (USD) EPS 8.88 (exp. 8.19), Revenue 59.9bln (exp. 58.38bln). Sees Q1 rev. USD 53.5bln-56.5bln (exp. 51.3bln). Sees 2026 capex USD 115bln-135bln (exp. 110.6bln). Shares +7.9% pre-market
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) Q4 (USD) Adj. EPS 4.52 (exp. 4.33), Revenue 19.7bln (exp. 19.21bln). Sees FY constant currency rev. growth of over 5%. Sees FY2026 revenue USD 70.14bln (exp. 70.16bln). Sees FY free cash flow to increase by about USD 1bln. Shares +8.2% pre-market
SAP (SAP GY) Q4 2025 (EUR): Adj. oper. profit 2.83bln (exp. 2.75bln), Revenue 9.68bln (exp. 9.74bln), Cloud Revenue 5.61bln (exp. 5.64bln), Cloud/Software Revenue 8.62bln (exp. 8.68bln); announced up to EUR 10bln buyback, to start Feb 2026. Shares -14%
Trade/Tariffs
China’s MOFCOM spokesperson, when asked about a potential round of US-China trade talks, said China is willing to work with the US side to jointly uphold and implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, Global Times reported.
Chinese President Xi said they are willing to consider implementing a unilateral visa-free system for British nationals
Central Banks
Riksbank leaves its policy rate unchanged at 1.75% as expected; reiterates that the policy rate is expected to remain at this level for some time to come, in line with the forecast in December.
BoK said uncertainty surrounding US monetary policy is likely to persist and it reiterated it will closely monitor financial markets.
HKMA maintains its base rate at 4.00%, as expected.
Monetary Authority of Singapore kept the prevailing rate of appreciation of the SGD NEER policy band, as well as made no change to the width and level the band is centred, as expected. said:. Output gap will be positive for the year as a whole. Growth this year is expected to remain resilient. Expects 2026 GDP growth to ease Y/Y.
Brazilian BCB Policy Announcement 15% vs. Exp. 15.00% (Prev. 15.00%); said it will start cutting rates next meeting.
A more detailed look at global markets courtesy of Newsquawk
APAC stocks were mostly subdued with sentiment in the region clouded following a lack of fireworks at the FOMC, where the Fed kept rates unchanged at 3.50%-3.75%, as expected, while top- and bottom-line earnings beats from the likes of Meta, Microsoft and Tesla also failed to spur the broader risk appetite. ASX 200 marginally declined amid underperformance in telecoms and miners, while a surge in exports and import prices added to the inflationary risks and the case for an RBA rate hike next week. Nikkei 225 swung between gains and losses amid currency-related headwinds and earnings results. KOSPI saw two-way price action amid fluctuations in tech heavyweights Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix despite both companies posting stellar earnings results. Hang Seng and Shanghai Comp were mixed with price action relatively flat amid a lack of fresh pertinent macro catalysts for China, although property names were supported after reports that several developers are no longer required to submit the monthly “three red lines” indicators, which are debt metrics introduced in 2021 to curb builders’ financial leverage.
Top Asian News
India’s Economic Survey has FY27 growth in a 6.8-7.2% range. Weaker INR causes investors to pause.
China market liquidity will remain ample in February, according to analysts cited by China Securities Times.
Google (GOOG) took action against a Chinese company linked to a massive cyber weapon.
European bourses (STOXX 600 +0.4%) are broadly firmer, but with clear underperformance in the DAX 40 (-1.2%), which has been dragged down by post-earnings losses in SAP (-14%). The software giant disappointed on cloud revenue and poor cloud backlog metrics. European sectors are mixed; Basic Resources is the clear outperformer, boosted by continued strength in underlying metals prices and following Glencore (+3%) and Antofagasta (+6%) releasing their FY26 copper production guidance, with both companies indicating strong production throughout the year. Among underperformers, Chemicals has been pressured by Givaudan (-6%) post-earnings, followed closely by Tech, dragged lower by losses in SAP.
Top European News
Germany’s Chancellor Merz said they are now seeing the first signs of recovery in the German economy.
French Finance Minister Lescure said recent FX moves reflect fundamentals.
Chinese President Xi said to UK PM Starmer that the UK-China relationship in recent years had seen “twists and turns that did not serve the interests of our countries”. said:. China stands ready to develop with the UK a long-term and consistent strategic partnership . More dialogue between the UK and China was “imperative”.
FX
DXY resides in a current 96.01–96.35 range, well within yesterday’s 95.859–96.787 parameter, with little movement seen following the FOMC decision and press conference yesterday. There was a lack of major surprises or fireworks from the meeting and presser, although Powell noted that rates are at the higher end of the neutral range, and that if the tariff effect on goods pricing is seen to peak this year, it would signal to the Fed that it can loosen policy. Looking ahead stateside, US initial jobless claims for the week of 24 January are expected at 205k (prev. 200k), while continuing claims (week of 17 January, coinciding with the BLS’ traditional survey window for the January jobs report) are seen at 1.86mln (prev. 1.849mln). The Chicago Fed’s Labour Market Indicators are also due today. Final Q3 unit labour costs data are also scheduled, alongside US trade data for November and factory orders for November.
EUR/USD remains sub-1.2000 after finding some resistance at 1.1996 overnight, while still remaining within yesterday’s 1.1896–1.2045 range. There has been little of note for the EUR as participants gear up for next week’s ECB meeting, with some focus on Governing Council commentary. Aside from that, price action this morning has been largely USD-driven. GBP/USD found resistance near yesterday’s high (1.3846) before waning, with the pair remaining within yesterday’s parameter.
USD/JPY is softer and back below its 100-DMA (153.71), trading within a 152.76–153.46 band, with price action largely in tandem with the USD in the absence of fresh macro drivers. Traders will be keeping an eye on the geopolitical landscape amid further punchy rhetoric from both Iran and the US. Domestically, a Nikkei poll showed that Japanese PM Takaichi’s party is expected to gain a Lower House majority.
Antipodeans outperform, with AUD outpacing peers as the commodity-linked currency benefits from the surge in spot gold and copper prices, despite a lack of obvious drivers for the magnitude of gains seen. Data from Australia also showed firmer export and import prices.
Fixed Income
USTs are, once again, near enough flat, holding off lows in the 111-16+ to 111-26 range. Post-FOMC updates have been light. In brief, the Fed held policy in a decision that saw two dovish dissenters (Miran and Waller), while the statement outlined a more optimistic outlook on the economy and labour market. Overall, the statement and presser left the Fed narrative largely unchanged, although the omission of the line referring to “downside risks to employment” lent a slight hawkish tint to the statement—a point reflected at the time in upside pressure at the short end of the yield curve. This morning, yields are bid across the curve, which is marginally steeper, with the 10yr back above 4.25%, though still shy of last week’s JGB-induced 4.31% YTD peak.
EGBs were flat this morning, but have gradually edged higher to a peak around the 128.13 area, with gains of up to 10 ticks. Earnings are once again dominating the European newsflow, with the DAX 40 underperforming on account of SAP, though Bunds themselves do not appear to be reacting.
Gilts gapped lower by just over 10 ticks before slipping to a 90.48 trough, catching up with the modest pressure seen in peers overnight. In the UK, the PM’s meeting with Chinese President Xi generated mixed commentary. A 2028 tender auction attracted strong demand, but had little impact on UK paper.
Italy sold EUR 6.5bln vs exp. EUR 6-6.5bln 2.85% 2031, 3.45% 2036 BTP & EUR 2.0bln vs exp. EUR 1.5-2.0bln 1.468% 2035 CCTeu.
UK sold GBP 1.25bln 0.125% 2028 Gilt auction via Tender: b/c 3.77x (prev. 3.84x), average yield 3.443% (prev. 3.783%).
Commodities
Crude benchmarks have steadily moved higher and reached new four-month highs, with Brent Apr’26 climbing above USD 69/bbl as the probability of a US strike on Iran rises. CNN reported late on Wednesday, citing sources, that US President Trump is considering a new large-scale attack on Iran due to a lack of progress on a nuclear deal. More recently, Kpler’s Bakr reported that Trump is not looking for a war, but instead wants a diplomatic win or an “organic” internal uprising.
Worries over oil and gas production due to the Arctic storm have subsided for now, with Henry Hub futures consolidating below USD 4/MMBtu after peaking at USD 7.43/MMBtu earlier in the week.
Precious metals continue their surge higher, with spot XAU topping out just shy of USD 5,600/oz, aided by a weaker dollar following the FOMC policy announcement. Alongside gold, spot silver also peaked at a new ATH of USD 120.43/oz but is currently underperforming the yellow metal. This runs contrary to recent trends, where spot silver has typically led gains. UBS notes that reduced inflows into ETFs and net speculative futures positioning on the US COMEX exchange hint at a possible end to the rally in XAG.
Copper prices surged at the start of Asia-Pac trade, with 3M LME copper breaking its prior ATH of USD 13.41k/t to reach a new peak of USD 14.12k/t. Despite the lack of a clear near-term driver, expectations for stronger US growth and increased build-out of AI infrastructure remain key supports for the red metal. This move also comes ahead of China’s Lunar New Year holiday, prompting the usual front-loading of copper and other metals ahead of the festive period.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent said increased Venezuelan crude oil supply means lower fuel prices and proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan oil will return to Venezuelans.
US is handing over a seized oil tanker to Venezuela, according to US officials.
Geopolitics: Ukraine
Russian Kremlin spokesperson Peskov does not comment on reported of a energy infrastructure ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Russia’s Kremlin said they’re still waiting for the US response on Putin’s offer to extend limits in expiring nuclear treaty.
Geopolitics: Middle East
Kpler’s Bakr, on Iran, writes “What I’m hearing: Trump isn’t looking for war. He wants a diplomatic win, or an “organic” internal uprising that forces change from within.”.
Sources from Arab TV report that disputes are still ongoing between Egypt and Israel regarding the number of people crossing through the Rafah in both direction on a daily basis.
EU’s top diplomat said the EU will likely agree on placing sanctions on Iran’s IRGC, AP’s Gambrell reported.
Iran’s representative to the UN said Iran informs the Council it faces a clear US threat to use force against it, while the Iranian envoy said Washington will bear responsibility for any uncontrolled consequences resulting from any acts of aggression.
CNN sources say US President Trump is considering a new large-scale strike on Iran as no progress has been made in nuclear talks, although he has not yet made a final decision on a new major military strike against Iran. Trump’s military options include airstrikes and targeting of Iranian leaders and security officials.
BofA card spending, week to January 24th: +6.6% Y/Y (prev. 4.6% Y/Y). Spending growth grew in groceries and general merchandise, indicative of stockpiling before the Winter storm.
Turkey said it has foiled an Iranian intelligence plot at US’ Incirlik base.
Geopolitics: Others
Sources from Arab TV report that disputes are still ongoing between Egypt and Israel regarding the number of people crossing through the Rafah in both direction on a daily basis.
Denmark’s Foreign Minister after his meeting in Washington said he’s more optimistic on Greenland compared to a week ago. Plan to hold further meetings. Back on track with the US on Greenland.
US Event Calendar
8:30 am: United States Jan 24 Initial Jobless Claims, est. 205k, prior 200k
8:30 am: United States Jan 17 Continuing Claims, est. 1850k, prior 1849k
8:30 am: United States Nov Trade Balance, est. -44b, prior -29.4b
10:00 am: United States Nov Factory Orders, est. 1.6%, prior -1.3%
10:00 am: United States Nov F Durable Goods Orders, prior 5.3%
10:00 am: United States Nov F Durables Ex Transportation, prior 0.5%
10:00 am: United States Nov F Wholesale Inventories MoM, est. 0.2%, prior 0.2%
DB’s Jim Reid concludes the overnight wrap
Yesterday was a rare occasion when both the latest Fed decision and a slew of Mag-7 results failed to materially move markets, with a pause by the FOMC leaving bonds and equities little changed while mixed results from Microsoft and Meta have left equity futures with marginal gains overnight. Precious metals continued to deliver the most eye-catching moves, with gold (+4.86%) yesterday posting its best day since the early weeks of the Covid pandemic and moving up another 2.41% overnight and above $5,500/oz as I type. Elsewhere Polymarket’s probability of a US government shutdown has sunk to 44% in the last couple of hours from a peak of 80% yesterday as the NYT has reported overnight that a deal between Democrats and Republican has been potentially sketched out. We will wait to see how that develops.
Starting with the Fed, and as widely expected the FOMC kept rates on hold at 3.50-3.75%. Governors Miran and Waller dissented in favor of a 25bps cut but there was “broad support” for keeping rates steady according to Chair Powell, who said the Committee was “well positioned” after delivering 75bps of rate cuts in late 2025. The pause came amid a more upbeat tone on the economy, with the statement noting the “solid pace” of economic activity and “some signs of stabilization” in the unemployment rate. Powell emphasised the “clear improvement” in the economic outlook since the last meeting, but any hawkish read-across was offset by a more sanguine tone on inflation. The Chair suggested that services disinflation was continuing, with most of the current inflation overshoot coming due to tariffs, the effect of which is expected to peak around the “middle quarters of the year”.
Powell offered little near-term guidance but suggested the next move is likely to be a cut, noting that “it isn’t anybody’s base case right now the next move will be a rate hike”. Our economists see the Powell-led Fed as having now delivered its last rate cut and, more broadly, they think risks around their expectation of one rate cut this year in September have become more balanced. See their full reaction here. Away from policy, Powell mostly deflected questions on the Lisa Cook hearing and whether he’d stay on as Governor after his term ends in May, while reiterating that he was “strongly committed to (Fed independence) and so are my colleagues”.
Bonds and equities saw muted post-FOMC reactions. Both 2yr (-0.2bps at 3.57%) and 10yr (-0.1bps at 4.24%) Treasury yields were little changed by the close, having been just over a basis point higher pre-FOMC. 10yr and 30yr US yields are +2.4bps and +3.2bps higher this morning though. Fed funds futures continue to price 47bps of easing by December (+0.2bps on the day). The S&P 500 (-0.01%) was also essentially unchanged at 6,978, after reaching the 7,000 level intra-day for the first time earlier in the session. The NASDAQ (+0.02%) and the Mag-7 (+0.04%) were steady as well, while the small cap Russell 2000 (-0.49%) retreated.
After the market close, we then received a mixed set of Mag-7 releases from Microsoft, Meta and Tesla. Microsoft’s shares slumped by around -6% after-hours despite a modest earnings beat, as the software giant only just met elevated cloud revenue growth expectations (at +38%) and saw higher-than-expected quarterly CAPEX outlays ($37.5bn vs $36.2bn est.). By contrast, Meta surged by more than +6% after-hours as it projected stronger ad-driven sales for the current quarter ($53.5-$56.5bn vs $51.3bn est.) and guided for stronger CAPEX in 2026 as a whole ($115-135bn vs $110.6bn est.). Meanwhile, Tesla’s shares gained about +2% in post-market trading after delivering a decent earnings beat and laying out plans to invest $20bn this year to streamline its EV lineup and expand work on robotics and AI. Those results have largely offset each other as far as equity futures are concerned with those tied to the S&P 500 (+0.11%) and NASDAQ 100 (+0.26%) trading slightly higher. We next have Apple reporting after the close today. While we won’t get Nvidia’s earnings until late-February, multiple outlets reported that Beijing had approved purchases of its H200 chips for several Chinese companies including Alibaba. So that helped boost Nvidia’s share price, which rose +1.59%.
Before the Fed decision, the dollar also began to stabilise after Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reiterated the “strong dollar policy” a day after Trump had seemed more relaxed about its direction. That came in a CNBC appearance, where he said that the US “always has a strong dollar policy, but a strong dollar policy means setting the right fundamentals”. He also commented that the US was “absolutely not” intervening in FX markets, which helped drive a dollar rebound against several other currencies. The dollar did give up some of its rebound later on, in part after Powell said that questions on the recent weakening in the dollar were in the purview of the Treasury not the Fed. Still, the euro was down -0.72% to $1.1954 by the close, with the Japanese yen weakening -0.78% to 153.41 per dollar. Both are back up around a third of a percent higher this morning.
Otherwise, oil prices saw further gains after Trump posted that a “massive Armada” was heading to Iran, and that time was “running out” for Iran to make a deal with the US. Moreover, he said the next US attack would be “far worse” than the strikes last June if Iran did not reach a deal. In response, Iran’s country mission to the UN said that it was ready to correspond with the US, but “if pushed” it would “defend itself and respond like never before.” And yesterday evening, CNN reported that Trump is considering a major strike on Iran but had not yet made a final decision. So fears of tensions escalating between the two countries caused oil prices to rise, with Brent (+1.23%) up to its highest since late-September and trading another +1.62% higher this morning at $69.51/bbl. There were even stronger gains for precious metals, with gold (+4.86%) posting its best day since March 2020 and having now seen its largest 8-day gain since the GFC. Gold is up another +2.41% to $5,550/oz as I type. Meanwhile, silver (+4.12%) also closed at a new high of $116.70/oz and is up just over a percent in Asia.
In Europe, there was a risk off tone yesterday, alongside sovereign bonds rallying as speculation mounted about a potential ECB rate cut this year. That followed comments before the open from the ECB’s Kocher, who said they might have to react if the euro kept appreciating, and overnight index swaps are now pricing in a 26% chance of a rate cut by the September meeting, from 16% before the comments. That helped to push yields lower across the continent, with those on 10yr bunds (-1.7bps), OATs (-0.9bps) and BTPs (-0.4bps) all falling back. Moreover, front-end yields led the declines as investors priced in a growing chance of a rate cut, with the 2yr German yield down -2.2bps.
Elsewhere in Europe, equities largely reversed their gains from the first two days of the week, with the STOXX 600 down -0.75%. Luxury goods were a big underperformer, led by a steep fall in LVMH (-7.89%) after the company’s earnings disappointed the previous evening, which meant the CAC 40 (-1.06%) saw one of the biggest falls.
Finally, the Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% yesterday, as expected. Governor Macklem kept their options open, saying that “elevated uncertainty makes it difficult to predict the timing or direction of the next change in the policy rate.” But markets are still pricing in a rate hike as most likely by year-end, which is priced in as a 42% probability.
In Asia, the KOSPI (+1.32%) is leading the way again, followed by the Hang Seng (+0.57%) and the Nikkei (+0.31%). Other markets are fairly close to flat.
To the day ahead, data releases include the US November trade balance, factory orders and initial jobless claims, Italy’s November industrial sales, the Euro Area’s January economic confidence. Central bank events include the Riksbank decision, and the ECB’s Cipollone will be speaking today. Finally, Apple, Visa, Mastercard and Blackstone are among those reporting today.
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 08:49
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/futures-rise-meta-jumps-microsoft-plunges-gold-just-wont-stop
Nurses union stages candlelight vigil outside Chicago VA to honor Alex Pretti: ‘Our job is to protect other people’
Four days after federal immigration agents shot and killed intensive care unit nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, some 150 people gathered outside the Jesse Brown Department of Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Chicago Wednesday evening to mourn his death and demand the end of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Despite the evening’s bitter cold, attendees huddled together on patches of days-old snow as speakers, from local nurses to elected officials, paid tribute to Pretti and denounced the weekend’s shooting.
The vigil, organized by National Nurses United, was the second held outside the local VA center in as many days, with dozens convening at the South Damen Avenue facility Tuesday as uproar over Pretti’s death — the second at the hands of federal immigration officers in Minneapolis this month — mounts.
Standing at the outskirts of the crowd Wednesday, emergency room nurse Megan Calcagna said turning out to show support for Pretti and his family was the least she could do. When the 33-year-old Naperville resident, who’s worked as an ER nurse for the past eight years, saw what had happened to Pretti, she was horrified.
Moments before the shooting, 37-year-old Pretti can be seen on video presumably trying to help a woman after a federal immigration agent pushed her to the ground.
“As nurses,” Calcagna said, “our job is to protect other people.”
Two federal agents fired at Pretti on Saturday during the ongoing large-scale immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Prett’s death came on the heels of the Jan. 7 fatal ICE shooting of Renee Good. They were both U.S. citizens.
Hours after Saturday’s shooting, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Pretti “approached” a group of lawmen with a firearm while they were conducting a targeted operation and “violently resisted,” prompting “defensive shots” from Border Patrol. Several published analyses of bystander videos — in which Pretti can be seen with only a phone in his hand — contradict the federal narrative, echoing a familiar pattern by the government, from claims made after Good’s death weeks ago to the two federal agent shootings in Chicago during Operation Midway Blitz.
In all three cases, the feds alleged the agents who fired at Good, Marimar Martinez and Silverio Villegas-González had been acting in self-defense. Earlier this month, a Chicago-based law firm was hired by Good’s family to investigate her killing. Meanwhile, citing the recent “executions” of Good and Pretti by immigration agents, Martinez’ lawyer asked a judge on Monday to make public bodycam footage and other evidence from when a Border Patrol shot at her five times in Brighton Park last fall.
“Alex is the most recent … (but) he’s not the only one,” Carla Vassilos, 44, said at Wednesday’s vigil, which she attended with her husband and their 6-year-old twin sons.
Before heading out to the VA center, Vassilos and her husband spoke with their young sons about Constitutional rights over dinner, she said. It’s been important for them to keep their sons informed, Vassilos went on, adding that they didn’t allow their sons to watch the videos of Saturday’s shooting but explained to them what had happened.
“It’s a delicate balance,” Vassilos said, “because you want them to continue to feel safe in our world, in our country … (but) also I really want them to know the reality of what’s occurring.”
Wednesday’s candlelight vigil was one of a series of actions organized by National Nurses United across the country this week in honor of Pretti, who worked at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. Actions are spanning 15 states, from California to Maine.
“ICE messed with the wrong profession.” National Nurses United wrote on its website. “We nurses will fight to abolish ICE and bring about a vision for a healthy society based on nurses’ values of caring, compassion, and community.”
An image of Alex Pretti is is displayed during a vigil outside the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago on Jan. 28, 2026. Federal immigration officers shot and killed Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, in Minneapolis last week. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Kiley Thompson, a nursing student at Rush University, said Pretti was a testament to “who I want to be as a person.”
“That’s why,” the 22-year-old said, “I think so many people go into this career, because we so much want to be helpful to everybody.”
It felt right, she said, to come together and celebrate him.
Alongside commemoration came pleas for change and justice.
Speakers called Pretti’s death a “stain on our democracy,” implored that his and other deaths through the course of the Trump administration’s intense immigration enforcement campaign not be in vain and called for the abolition of ICE.
Mayor Brandon Johnson on Saturday put out his own calls for abolishing ICE, while Gov. JB Pritzker called upon Democrats to halt funding for the agency but stopped short of saying it should be dissolved. Democratic senators this week vowed to oppose a funding bill for DHS, a move that could prompt a partial government shutdown by the end of the week should the senators fail to act by midnight Friday.
Pritzker, at an unrelated press conference downtown Wednesday, encouraged continued vigilance when asked about advice on filming immigration agents given Pretti’s death.
“You can see how important it is that people got out there and filmed what happened, because they were attacking people before they had their phones out, recording, right?” Pritzker said.
Gov. JB Pritzker pays his respects after leaving flowers at a memorial, Jan. 28, 2026, for Alex Pretti outside the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center in Chicago. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
The governor pointed to the Villegas-González shooting, when agents shot and killed the 38-year-old Mexican citizen and single father during a Sept. 12 traffic stop in west suburban Franklin Park. Despite government officials alleging that Villegas-González critically injured an ICE agent while trying to flee from officers, body camera footage from local police showed that agents described their injuries as “nothing major” just minutes after the shooting.
“I think that it’s even more important today,” Pritzker said of recording enforcement activity. “I’ve been saying it, as you know, since the very beginning: Pull out your phone, video everything.”
As Wednesday’s vigil drew to a close, organizers ended the night with “The Nightingale Tribute,” a traditional send off for nurses. Line by line, organizers read the testimony as a call-and-response.
“When a silent glance could uplift a patient, family member or friend,” organizers read aloud.
People light candles at a memorial during a vigil for Alex Pretti outside the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago on Jan. 28, 2026. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
“Alex was there,” attendees shouted back.
“At those times, when the unexplainable needed to be explained,” organizers continued.
“Alex,” the crowd repeated, “was there.”
The Tribune’s Olivia Olander and The Associated Press contributed.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/29/alex-pretti-vigil-chicago-nurse-ice-immigration-shooting/
‘No Hire, No Fire’ Economy Exposed As Continuing Jobless Claims At Lowest Since Sept 2024
‘No Hire, No Fire’ Economy Exposed As Continuing Jobless Claims At Lowest Since Sept 2024
The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the first time decline from 210k (upwardly revised from 200k) to 209k (slightly above the 205k exp), but remaining near those multi-decade lows and showing no signs of labor market stress. Unadjusted claims plunged as the seasonal pain ebbed away…
Source: Bloomberg
Even more impressively, continuing jobless claims tumbled to 1.827 million Americans – the lowest since Sept 2024…
Source: Bloomberg
All of which confirms Powell’s labor market “stabilization” view.
Under the hood, we note that despite the improvement in overall continuing claims, the ‘Deep Tristate’ is seeing the jobless-benefit-receiving population starting to accelerate again (and this is before a potential shutdown)…
Source: Bloomberg
So with jobless claims data showing a ‘strong and improving’ labor market, while The Conference Board showing a labor market signals ‘jobs are hard to get’…
Source: Bloomberg
…is this a classic indicator of the ‘no fire, no hire’ economy?
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 08:40
US Heating Bills Expected To Spike Nationwide As Gas, Electricity Costs Continue To March Higher
US Heating Bills Expected To Spike Nationwide As Gas, Electricity Costs Continue To March Higher
As Americans brave a brutal cold snap, households are facing higher heating bills this summer.
According to a report released last week by the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA), heating prices are expected to rise by 9.2% in the 2025-2026 winter vs. one year ago.
According to the NEADA analysis, electricity costs are expected to rise $12.2%, or $133 this winter, while gas prices are projected to rise 8.4% or $54. Heating oil costs are expected to remain flat, while propane should be down 1.4%, or $18 this winter.
Several factors are at play pushing retail electricity prices higher.
“Higher interest rates have increased the cost of financing power plants and transmission projects. Rising natural gas prices are pushing up electricity generation costs. At the same time, electricity demand is growing rapidly, driven in part by the expansion of data centers,” reads the report cited by Fox Business.
“Aging grid infrastructure and regional capacity constraints are adding further system costs,” the report continues. “In addition, reduced federal incentives for renewable energy have slowed new clean energy investment.”
NEADA notes that more than 210 electric and natural gas utilities have either raise rates or proposed to do so within the next two years, which amounts to roughly $85.5 billion – and continues a trend seen in recent years of average monthly residential electricity bills rising faster than average inflation.
Low and moderate-income households are of course hit the worst, as they spend between 6% and 10% of their income on energy, roughly 3-5x what higher-income households pay.
Additionally, about one-in-six households are behind on utility bills, with Americans collectively owing about $23 billion to electric and gas utilities. NEADA estimates that up to 4 million households faced utility disconnections last year, an increase of about 500,000 from 2024. -Fox Business
According to the NEADA report, “Even modest rate increases can force families to choose between paying utility bills and covering essentials such as food, rent or medicine.”
h/t Capital.news
Tyler Durden
Thu, 01/29/2026 – 08:20
