Hello Capitalists,

Here is everything you should be following today:

• Gold and Silver start 2026 the way they finished 2025, soaring

• Aluminum hits $3000 for the first time in 3 years

• AI Roars in to 2026 like nothing’s changed

• DeSantis and Bernie Sanders team up to temper AI’s effects

• America’s most insane pick up is back from the dead under Trump

Today’s markets + assets:

• ✅ DOW: 48186.58 (⬆️ 0.26%)

• ✅ S&P: 6845.73 (⬆️ 0.00%)

• 🔴 NASDAQ: 23214.29 (⬇️ 0.12%)

• ⚠️✅CBOE VIX Volatility Index: 14.74 (⬆️ 1.54%)

• 🔴 Gold: $4340.70 (⬇️ 0.03%)

• ✅ Silver: $71.99 (⬆️ 1.95%)

• ✅ Bitcoin: $90493.00 (⬆️ 2.60%)

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Gold surges higher as 2026 opens, Goldman sees even higher prices

Gold and silver launced into 2026 with strong gains, extending their best annual performances since 1979 as bullion climbed toward $4,400 an ounce amid expectations of further U.S. interest-rate cuts and a weaker dollar.

• Bullish 2026 Outlook: Goldman Sachs projects gold reaching $4,900 an ounce in its base case, supported by anticipated rate reductions and potential Fed leadership changes.

• Best Performance Since 1979: Precious metals delivered ferocious rallies in 2025, with gold and silver posting their strongest yearly gains in decades despite late-December volatility from profit-taking.

• Near-Term Selling Pressure: Index re-balancing could trigger sales, with TD Securities forecasting 13% of Comex silver open interest sold soon, potentially amplified by thin post-holiday liquidity.

• Key 2025 Rally Drivers: Central-bank purchases, Fed policy easing, dollar weakness, geopolitical tensions, and U.S. trade frictions fueled record highs for both metals.

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Aluminum surges past $3,000 milestone

Aluminum prices soared above $3,000 per metric ton Friday for the first time since 2022, fueled by mounting supply concerns from production caps in China and Europe alongside bullish long-term demand from construction and renewable energy sectors.

• Supply constraints tighten grip: Chinese smelting capacity limits and high European electricity costs have steadily eroded global inventories.

• Strongest rally since 2021: Aluminum futures jumped 17% last year, marking the metal’s best annual performance in four years.

• Other metals join surge: Copper posted its biggest yearly gain since 2009, while nickel climbed amid Indonesian mining disruptions.

• Demand outlook remains robust: Construction and renewable energy sectors drive optimistic bets on future aluminum consumption.

AI dominance roars into 2026

The stock market kicked off 2026 mirroring 2025’s playbook, with tech giants leading gains on the first trading day as AI-driven enthusiasm defied calls for a broader rotation and valuation concerns.

• Winners continue winning streak: Investment chief Nancy Tengler advises focusing on tech for another year, planning to buy dips in names like AMD and CrowdStrike.

• S&P faces tempered gains: Wall Street’s 2026 survey predicts an 11% rise for the S&P 500, below recent years’ advances amid high valuations.

• Valuation risks spark caution: Bank of America’s Savita Subramanian warns of abundant risks, with one of the lowest S&P targets at 7,100.

• Optimism breeds market nerves: Trivariate Research’s Adam Parker expresses concern over bullish consensus relying on unlikely strong earnings growth.

Bipartisan backlash threatens AI boom

In a rare cross-aisle alliance, progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders and conservative Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are blasting the unchecked explosion of AI data centers, warning of soaring electricity bills, grid instability, and voter anger that could derail the industry’s growth ahead of 2026 midterms.

• Grid Faces Shortfall PJM Interconnection projects a 6 gigawatt power shortage by 2027, heightening blackout risks and adding $23 billion in capacity costs largely passed to consumers.

• Prices Keep Rising Residential electricity rates are forecast to increase 4% nationwide in 2026 following a 5% hike in 2025, fueled by data center demand.

• Political Moves Emerge DeSantis proposed an AI bill of rights empowering locals to block data centers, while Sanders urged a national moratorium to address job losses and oligarch influence.

• Industry Adapts Quickly Data center developers plan shift to onsite power generation in 2026, though this raises ethical concerns about reducing grid availability for others.

Ram brings Monster V8 TRX back from the dead as gas prices tumble

Stellantis is bringing back the supercharged 777-horsepower Ram 1500 TRX pickup for 2027, pricing the high-performance V-8 beast at nearly $103,000 amid eased federal emissions rules under the Trump administration and a push to revive slumping U.S. sales.

• Regulatory Rollback Enables: New fuel economy standards remove previous barriers, allowing Stellantis to resurrect gas-guzzling V-8 models without heavy penalties.

• Halo Vehicle Strategy: The low-volume TRX serves as a brand booster, drawing attention and potentially lifting sales of more mainstream Ram trucks.

• Price Surge Reflects: Starting at $99,995 plus fees, the new model costs significantly more than the original 2021 version’s $71,690 debut price.

• Broader Turnaround Plan: Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis drives over 25 product announcements, including Hemi V-8 returns and canceling a promised battery-electric Ram 1500.

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