On January 9, 2026, major U.S. stock indexes showed positive momentum: the S&P 500 rose by 0.38%, the Dow Jones by 0.21%, and the Nasdaq by 0.59%. This uptick follows a mix of economic data, including a December unemployment rate drop to 4.4% from 4.5%, and an average hourly earnings increase of 3.8% year-over-year, surpassing expectations of 3.6%. However, nonfarm payrolls grew by only 50,000 in December, below the expected 70,000.
Housing data released indicates a drop in October housing starts to a 5.5-year low of 1.246 million units, while building permits rose to 1.412 million, exceeding forecasts. Additionally, the University of Michigan’s January consumer sentiment index improved to 54.0, outperforming predictions of 53.5.
In policy news, President Trump proposed that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchase $200 billion in mortgage bonds to stimulate housing demand, benefiting home builders and suppliers. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields rose, with the 10-year Treasury note yield reaching a four-week high of 4.20% amidst market reactions to the Supreme Court’s deferral on Trump’s tariffs.
