U.S. markets have been fairly calm so far in 2026, but that hasn't stopped the Cboe Volatility Index, better known as the VIX or the stock market's "fear gauge," from creeping higher.
The number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell in early January to a 1½-month low and dropped below the key 200,000 threshold for only the second time in a year, possibly a sign of improvement in a frail U.S. labor market.
Trading desks across Wall Street have benefited in the last year as Trump's policies have roiled markets for bonds, currencies, commodities and stocks.
