The largest expense for most companies is labor, so how a company chooses, manages, and pays its workforce can be a crucial consideration when evaluating it as an investment.
March S&P 500 E-Mini futures (ESH26) are up +0.17%, and March Nasdaq 100 E-Mini futures (NQH26) are up +0.19% this morning as investors digest earnings reports from big U.S. tech companies.
Shanghai, China, January 29, 2026 -- In 2025, China’s fastener exports continued to maintain a growth trend. According to preliminary customs statistics, the total export value of Chinese fasteners for the year reached approximately USD 11.919 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of about 4.1%. Export volume totaled around 6.239 million tons, up 6.7% year-on-year, while the average export price was approximately USD 1,910 per ton, slightly decreasing by 2.4% compared to 2024.
Global markets kick off the day with a high risk and reflation tone following the Fed’s decision to hold rates steady, which reinforced expectations for a near-term pause and helped pressure the dollar.
Freight delivery company Landstar (NASDAQ:LSTR) fell short of the markets revenue expectations in Q4 CY2025, with sales falling 2.9% year on year to $1.18 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $0.75 per share was 31.3% below analysts’ consensus estimates.
Cohen & Steers’ fourth quarter results met Wall Street’s expectations for both revenue and non-GAAP earnings, but the market responded negatively due to a significant decline in operating margin. Management pointed to higher general and administrative expenses, largely driven by business development and talent acquisition, as a key reason for the margin compression. CEO Joseph Harvey highlighted continued net inflows and stable fee rates across most vehicles, while also acknowledging that U.S. REIT strategies underperformed other asset classes. CFO Michael Donohue noted, “Total expenses were higher compared to the prior quarter, primarily due to increased G&A expense.”
Independent Bank’s fourth quarter results were driven by a combination of expanding net interest margins, strong commercial loan growth, and stable deposit inflows, offsetting lower noninterest income related to mortgage servicing. CEO Brad Kessel highlighted “continued net interest margin expansion, strong loan growth, and increased noninterest income,” with performance supported by disciplined management of costs and credit quality. Management attributed the quarter’s results to growth in commercial lending, effective repricing strategies for funding costs, and ongoing efforts to optimize asset mix.
Aerospace and defense company General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) reported Q4 CY2025 results beating Wall Street’s revenue expectations, with sales up 7.8% year on year to $14.38 billion. Its non-GAAP profit of $4.17 per share was 1.3% above analysts’ consensus estimates.
Although Robinhood Markets has outpaced the broader market over the past year, Wall Street analysts maintain a cautiously optimistic outlook about the stock’s prospects.
It’s a very newsworthy day on Wall Street today, with the biggest amount of consequential earnings reports — including three of the “Mag 7” — joining the latest FOMC meeting, where the Fed decided to keep rates steady as expected.
The landscape of institutional technology procurement is undergoing significant transformation as organizations at federal, state, and local government levels, alongside private-sector enterprises, integrate advanced drone and field technology into their operational frameworks. Outland Secure has emerged as a specialized supplier addressing the unique procurement challenges these organizations face when acquiring mission-critical systems.
