Bonds Bite Back as Chips Wobble and Costco Reports

Macro: Yields Steal the Show

US long-term borrowing costs hit their highest level since 2004 today. Treasury yields surged — the biggest single-session move since April's "liberation day" tariff shock. The OECD flagged growing alarm over government debt interest bills. The Federal Reserve is now facing fresh bets on rate rises as data points to an overheating economy. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed lower, dragged by chip stocks failing to hold a rebound.

AI Policy: White House Locks Out UK

The White House asked MSFT-backed OpenAI and Anthropic to hold new AI models back from UK testers pending a US government review. Washington is seeking first-mover access to model testing. The move puts pressure on GOOGL and AMZN, whose cloud arms have deep UK AI partnerships. European stocks slid, though defense stocks rallied after Ukraine ratified a $105 billion EU loan deal.

Earnings: Costco in Focus

COST reports Q4 2026 results today after the close. With a $399 billion market cap and just 1.7% short interest, bears are not the story here. Bulls want confirmation that consumer spending is holding up despite rising rates. Data center demand remains intact — SNX said today that it sees no cracks.

Semis: Options Bears Circle

Short sellers keep WOLF at 80% SI of free float with zero shares left to borrow. Options bears are circling MU and SNDK — up 284% and 695% respectively in 2026. TSLA faces scrutiny in Europe after its FSD system exceeded speed limits in 55% of Brussels road tests ahead of an EU approval vote. That finding could complicate regulatory clearance across the bloc.

Sector Watch: Materials Cut, Energy in Focus

Analysts trimmed targets on MLM, VMC, and CRH on Wednesday. European diesel prices climbed on fears of a US export ban — a potential knock to industrial supply chains.