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Happy Tuesday. It’s not even a week into the new year, but I’m already starting to tell myself that my resolution to read more might include checking out drafts of this newsletter.
Stock futures were little changed this morning. The market is winning.
Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.
1. President Maduro’s plea
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are escorted to the Downtown Manhattan Helipad in New York City, USA, for their first appearance at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan US Courthouse in Manhattan to face federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking and money laundering, on January 5, 2026, in New York City, USA.
Adam Gray | Reuters
Investor attention yesterday focused on the US attack on Venezuela over the weekend. Ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges in a New York City court yesterday, saying he was “kidnapped” and a “prisoner of war.”
Market reactions to military operations include:
2. Bank teller
Neel Kashkari, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, speaks at the Milken Conference 2024 Global Conference Session at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, USA, May 7, 2024.
David Swanson | Reuters
Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari told CNBC yesterday that there may not be a need to lower interest rates further.
“I think we’re pretty close to neutrality right now,” Kashkari said on “Squawk Box.” He said inflation remained too high and that monetary policy did not seem to have been tightened enough in recent years.
On the labor front, Kashkari said that while artificial intelligence is causing a hiring slowdown in large companies, it is also bringing productivity gains. His comments come ahead of tomorrow’s ADP jobs report and November job openings and turnover data, with the all-important non-farm employment report released on Friday.
3. Mileage may vary
Camp Jeep Outdoor Terrain at New York International Auto Show on April 16, 2025.
Daniel DeVries | CNBC
general motors reported yesterday that its U.S. sales in 2025 will increase by 5.5% annually. As CNBC’s Michael Weiland points out, this should make the company a top performer. Cox Automotive expects the broader sector to rise only about 2%.
Meanwhile, Chrysler’s parent company Stellantis Sales decreased by 3.3%. But it wasn’t all bad. The automaker’s Jeep brand posted its first sales increase since 2018.
electric car manufacturers clearMeanwhile, it said vehicle deliveries jumped 55% in 2025, driven by a 70% annual increase in the fourth quarter. Lucid is ramping up production of its Gravity SUV despite supply chain disruptions.
4. AI in AV
Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang speaks at Nvidia Live at CES 2026, ahead of the annual Consumer Electronics Show on January 5, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Images
Nvidia We’re testing the robotaxi waters. The company announced yesterday that it is working with carriers to use Nvidia’s AI chips and software in self-driving vehicles as early as next year.
As CNBC’s Kif Lesswing points out, this is the AI giant’s latest foray into the automotive space. Nvidia announces partnership with robotaxi Uber last year. The company also said last month that Mercedes-Benz models launching later this year should be able to use its software to navigate cities like San Francisco.
5. “Secret sauce”
Exterior view of the new JPMorgan Chase global headquarters building at 270 Park Avenue, New York City, November 13, 2025.
Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images
JP Morgan yesterday launched a new initiative to provide some customers with insight into the bank’s approach to key topics. In other words, the new “special advisory services” will provide part of JPMorgan’s “secret sauce” recipe.
Liz Meyers, the bank’s global chairman of investment banking, is leading the effort. Myers told CNBC’s Leslie Picker that JPMorgan’s capabilities are “on par or better” than those offered by some specialized consulting firms.
JPMorgan provides insights on a variety of topics, including investor relations and real estate selection. Initially, the bank will not charge fees for these services, but said it may create a fee structure for customers who need help with longer-term or more time-consuming projects.
daily dividend
Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose, California, denounced the so-called billionaire tax that has become a hot topic in Silicon Valley. It was a notable statement from Representative Ro Khanna, a fellow Democrat who has come under fire from tech elites over his support for the ballot measure.
While forcing billionaires out of the state may be good in the short term, workers will (almost always) fall prey to this political maneuver.
matt mahan
Mayor of San Jose, California, with X
CNBC’s Dan Mangan, Spencer Kimball, Hugh Leask, Sean Conlon, Jeff Cox, Ashley Caputo, Michael Weiland, Kiff Lesswing, Leslie Picker and Jordan Nove contributed to this report. Josephine Rozelle edited this version.
