Stocks

TSMC shares rose 2.74% in premarket trading to $312.25 at 7:16 AM EST on January 2, 2026, after the U.S. Department of Commerce granted an annual license to import chipmaking equipment for its Nanjing facility. The decision follows the expiration of TSMC's validated end-user status on December 31, 2025 and ensures continued operations.

At 13:04 London time on Friday, the FTSE 100 crossed 10,000, touching 10,046.25 after a 1.2% intraday rise. The UK benchmark climbed 22% in 2025, its strongest annual performance since 2009, led by banks and miners, and it outpaced the Stoxx 600 and the S&P 500. European indices started 2026 higher, while sterling traded near $1.3447.

Tesla’s European performance deteriorated in December 2025, with France deliveries at 1,942 (-66%) and Sweden down 71%. Norway bucked the trend with 5,679 registrations, up nearly 90%, while analysts see Q4 global deliveries declining 11–15%. Across the first eleven months, battery‑electric registrations rose 27% as Tesla’s fell 28%.

On December 30, Grayscale Investments filed a Form S-1 to convert its over-the-counter Bittensor Trust into a spot ETF on NYSE Arca under ticker GTAO. As of December 31, the trust held $7.97 million in digital assets, traded on OTCQX with 1.88 million shares, a 2.5% fee, and 0.0192 TAO per share.

Bitcoin miner Cango secured a fresh $10.5 million commitment from Enduring Wealth Capital Limited and saw its shares up more than 3% in pre‑market ahead of its first full trading day. The deal supports Cango's 50 EH/s operations and 2026 AI/HPC expansion, with analysts assigning $3–$4 targets and citing significant undervaluation.

Coinbase plans to emphasize stablecoins, Base and an 'everything exchange' through 2026, per CEO Brian Armstrong. In a New Year's post he reaffirmed the vision, and in December the firm launched stock trading and prediction markets while rebranding its wallet as an 'everything app'.

Shanghai Biren Technology surged 82% in its Hong Kong debut, closing at HK$34.46 after pricing at HK$19.60 and raising $717 million, with retail orders subscribed more than 2,300 times. On January 1, Baidu's AI chip unit Kunlunxin confidentially filed for a Hong Kong IPO following fundraising that valued the unit at 21 billion yuan.

On January 2, 2026, Samsung said it is prioritizing its HBM4 memory and highlighted ongoing talks with Nvidia to narrow the gap with SK Hynix. The company also referenced a $16.5 billion Tesla chip agreement signed last July. SK Hynix's CEO warned 2026 could be tougher despite holding a 53% HBM market share in Q3 2025.

As of January 2, Bitcoin trades just below $90,000 while Ethereum nears $3,000 amid heightened on‑chain activity. Ethereum daily transactions recently reached 2.2 million, and Q4 saw Bitcoin down more than 23% with Ethereum losing over 28%, as gold and silver rose 64% and 120% last year.

On January 2, 2026, Bank of America chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan said the US economy’s prospects remain solid, supported by strong employment and rising wages. He noted the bank has lifted its 2026 growth forecast to 2.4% on expectations of tax cuts and increased business investment, while warning that weaker consumer spending or global conflicts could still threaten the outlook.