First Trading Week: "High-pressure Test" Mode?

Hello everyone! Today i want to share some macro analysis with you!

$Gold - main 2602(GCmain)$ Gold prices surged in Asian trading on Monday (January 5), breaking through the $4,400/ounce mark. US President Donald Trump issued a new warning that Venezuela's post-Maduro leadership must abide by certain conditions or face "very heavy costs."

The US launched a military strike against Venezuela early Saturday morning (January 3), detaining President Nicolás Maduro and announcing a complete US takeover of Venezuela's oil industry.

Gold reached a high of $4,421.53/ounce in Asian trading on Monday, a surge of $89 on the day. Silver prices also jumped nearly 4%.

The first full trading week of 2026 is about to begin, and the market will quickly switch from holiday low volatility to a "high-pressure test" mode: the US December non-farm payroll report (January 9th) will be the core pricing basis for the interest rate path, while the sudden escalation of the situation in Venezuela adds a new "geopolitical black swan" to risk assets. At the same time, key inflation and wage data from Japan, as well as the UK retail sales update, will be released in quick succession, and global funds will reposition themselves around "the pace of interest rate cuts, risk appetite, and energy variables." Thsi week will be a data-intensive week for the market, with the non-farm payroll report "setting the direction."

This week will quickly switch from "holiday low volatility" to a "data-intensive period." The core market variables are concentrated in:

US employment and manufacturing data (non-farm payroll, factory activity)

European manufacturing activity data

UK post-Christmas retail sales update

With inflation still close to 3%, changes in the labor force structure, and uncertainty surrounding tariffs/trade rules, the market's sensitivity to whether the economy is shifting towards a more pronounced slowdown has increased significantly.

Want to know more?

For SG users only, Welcome to open a CBA today and enjoy access to a trading limit of up to SGD 20,000 with unlimited trading on SG, HK, and US stocks, as well as ETFs.

🎉Cash Boost Account Now Supports 35,000+ Stocks & ETFs – Greater Flexibility Now

Find out more here.

Complete your first Cash Boost Account trade with a trade amount of ≥ SGD1000* to get SGD 688 stock vouchers*! The trade can be executed using any payment type available under the Cash Boost Account: Cash, CPF, SRS, or CDP.
Click to access the activity

Other helpful links:

2026 Outlook: Lock In Your Investment Goal with a Time Capsule

As we step into 2026, it’s time to pause, reflect, and look ahead. Join our Investment Time Capsule event and record your expectations for the year to come — a snapshot of your market views, convictions, and goals that you’ll revisit one year from now. Share your outlook by answering the four time capsule questions below and see how your predictions stack up when 2026 comes to a close. 1. The sector or stock I’m most optimistic about in 2026 is ____, because ____. 2. My three trading rules are ____, because ____. 3. My investment return target for 2026 is ____.

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

First Trading Week: "High-pressure Test" Mode?

Comments