Global Headlines | US stocks close higher across the board, Federal Reserve officials emphasize maintaining tightening policy

【U.S. Stock Indices】

On Thursday, January 15, Eastern Time, the three major U.S. stock indices all closed higher, with the S&P 500 up 0.26% at 6944.47 points; the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.60% at 49442.44 points; and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.25% at 23530.02 points.

【U.S. Treasury Bonds】

On January 15, the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield was 4.17%, and the 2-year Treasury yield, most sensitive to Federal Reserve policy rates, was 3.56%.

【Popular U.S. Stocks】

Among popular stocks, Nvidia rose 2.10%, Google Class C fell 0.94%, Google Class A fell 0.91%, Apple declined 0.67%, Microsoft dropped 0.59%, Amazon increased 0.65%, TSMC rose 4.47%, Meta gained 0.86%, Tesla fell 0.14%, Seagate Technology increased 1.93%, and Intel declined 0.85%.

【Global Indices】

【China Indices】

On January 15, the overnight Hang Seng Tech Index futures fell 1.17%, the Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index declined 0.60%, and the FTSE China A50 Index rose 0.04%.

【Chinese Concept Stocks】

In popular Chinese concept stocks, Tencent Holdings (HK) fell 1.74%, Alibaba rose 0.62%, Pinduoduo declined 0.40%, NetEase dropped 2.09%, Baidu fell 0.73%, Ctrip declined 2.36%, XPeng Motors rose 1.48%, Li Auto increased 1.11%, and NIO gained 1.65%.

【Forex and Commodities】

【Global News】

IMF Chief Emphasizes Central Bank Independence, Publicly Supports Fed Chair Powell

On January 15, local time, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva stated that central bank independence is crucial for economic operation and publicly supported Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who is under investigation by the Trump administration. Georgieva pointed out that there is ample evidence showing that central bank independence and decision-making based on facts and data align with the interests of businesses and households and contribute to overall economic stability. She mentioned having worked with Powell and highly recognizing his professionalism, noting his high reputation among international central bank peers. (CCTV News)

Fed Official Schemes: Rate Cuts May Worsen Inflation and Have Limited Help for Employment

Federal Reserve official Michelle Bowman said that rate cuts could worsen inflation and have limited benefits for employment. She favors maintaining a moderately tight monetary policy. (Cailian Press)

OpenAI Reportedly Seeks U.S. Suppliers for Robot and AI Device Projects

OpenAI is reportedly seeking U.S. suppliers to support its planned robot technology and artificial intelligence device projects. (Cailian Press)

Boeing Stock Hits Two-Year High

Boeing’s stock price reached a two-year high, with an increase of 2.4%.

Fed’s Bostic: Tightening Needed Due to Excessive Inflation

Federal Reserve’s Bostic stated that tightening is necessary because inflation remains too high.

Elon Musk: Starship Launches to Exceed Once Per Hour in Three Years, Produces 10,000 Ships Annually

Elon Musk announced on social media that within three years, Starship launches will exceed once per hour, with SpaceX’s ultimate goal to produce 10,000 Starship spacecraft annually. (Cailian Press)

Following Tesla, Xiaomi YU7 Officially Launches 7-Year Low-Interest Car Purchase Policy

On the evening of January 15, in response to Tesla China’s 7-year low-interest car purchase plan, Xiaomi Chairman and CEO Lei Jun announced during a live broadcast that the company is urgently launching a full-line 7-year low-interest policy for YU7. From 0:00 on January 16 to the end of February, orders can be placed with a down payment starting at 49,900 yuan, and monthly payments as low as 2,593 yuan. During the promotion, all Xiaomi YU7 models will be equipped with dual-zero gravity seats. (Sina Finance)

JPMorgan Reduces Bullish Position in Alibaba-W to 7.95%

According to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, JPMorgan’s long position in Alibaba Group Holding Limited - W decreased from 8.07% to 7.95% as of January 9, 2026.

U.S. Government Approves Sale of H200 AI Chips to China, Foreign Ministry Responds

On January 15, spokesperson Mao Ning held a routine press conference. A reporter from AFP asked whether the U.S. government would approve the sale of H200 AI chips to China, as recently stated by President Trump. Mao Ning responded that China has repeatedly expressed its stance on U.S. chip exports and tariffs. (Global Times)

U.S. Treasury Yields Steady; Fed Officials to Speak

During Asian midday trading, U.S. Treasury yields remained largely unchanged, with data, geopolitical risks, and monetary policy expectations still the main influences. Potential drivers for Thursday include weekly initial jobless claims and speeches by Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic and Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Shapiro. Michael Brown of Pepperstone noted in a report: “To some extent, policy uncertainty has increased overall, leading to cautious sentiment, driven by factors such as Trump’s ongoing efforts to weaken Fed independence, rising Middle East geopolitical risks, and ongoing trade disputes.” According to Tradeweb, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose 0.4 basis points to 4.143%.