Here are the takeaways from today's morning briefing, you can Sign up Receive in your inbox every morning:
I consider annual coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to be a competitive sport.
In fact, I started training for an intense week in the summer, and several of my closest friends knew about it (yes, they all made fun of me). The prep phase gradually increased the number of workouts per week so that I could comfortably sprint up and down the two-mile promenade with my backpack on to get in as many meetings as possible (yes, that’s what I did).
I had one cheat meal per week which I now replaced with a green drink and an extra dose of vitamins to make sure I didn't get sick. I meditate twice a day and carefully choose clothes that I know will help me perform at my highest level. Look good, feel good, and good things will happen.
For me, this is the closest thing I’ll ever get to Michael Jordan in the playoffs — and I’m lucky enough to be there.
This year it's going to be even crazier as the elite come together on private jets to poetically explore the world's biggest issues.
Read more: Here are the world’s biggest risks in 2025
The meeting began unofficially on Trump's inauguration day. Some CEOs I know are usually in Davos all week, but after attending the inauguration, they leave midweek. By Tuesday, the incoming president is likely to issue a series of executive orders that could impact the businesses of top local CEOs. Of course, there will also be an impact on global markets.
That's why this year's World Economic Forum is more important than usual for average investors. As CEOs seek to challenge Trump or side with him, the headlines will be hot. They'll also be looking to talk about their businesses before earnings season begins, and the market has become a little volatile lately.
Here's what you and our very own Jennifer Schonberger will be watching wearing five layers of clothing this week. Be sure to bookmark the Live Now section on Yahoo Finance to watch all of our market-moving interviews live. Or tune in where you usually watch us, whether that's on a Samsung TV or our nifty app.
Unlike our previous trips to Davos over the past decade, I will be on hand to record several special episodes of the Bid Opening Podcast. I could tell you who those guests would be, but where’s the fun in that? Better to be surprised!
Now, onto the guide...
Big Bank CEO: Big names in banking, such as JPMorgan Chase (JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon, Bank of America (BAC) CEO Brian Moynihan, Goldman Sachs (GS) CEO Officer David Solomon, Citigroup (C) CEO Jane Fraser and Morgan Stanley (MS) CEO Ted Peake will attend. While these individuals will all be asked about Trump's policies, their views on interest rates will be the most critical factor in market sentiment. Most have not spoken publicly since the Fed signaled last month it might stop cutting interest rates, and they hope to have their voices heard ahead of the central bank's Jan. 28-29 policy meeting.
Tariff CEO: The retail industry will have a big presence at Davos, with CEOs from Polo Ralph Lauren (RL), Williams Sonoma (WSM) and Gap (GAP) (their CEOs attending Davos for the first time). These companies are in the middle of the tariff debate. I'm interested in how they prepare for Trump tariffs from a supply chain perspective. I'm also interested in how much higher prices can rise after tariffs - which could provide valuable insights into the 2025 inflation outlook and Fed policy.
Read more: How do tariffs work and who actually pays them?
The race to catch up with Nvidia: This will be another year of artificial intelligence discussions in the halls of Davos. This time, I think the discussion will take two forms. First, unlike last year when the AI discussion was primarily about potential, investors want to see clear lines between revenue and profit. So I encourage AI CEOs to bring it with them. Second, we'll likely hear more about how big tech companies like Microsoft (MSFT) and Alphabet (GOOGL) are working on developing their own high-performance AI chips to catch up to Nvidia (NVDA), or at least make them good enough to achieve diversification. Leaders from OpenAI and Anthropic will also be in attendance, and their ideas for chips could be key. I'll be keeping a close eye on Nvidia stock this week, and so should you.
Crypto Delegation: The cryptocurrency industry has gained a strong presence at Davos over the past five years. This year, the industry is expected to explode in full force, with the appearance of Coinbase (COIN) CEO Brian Armstrong making headlines. I'll have a good look at what the crypto community is saying about Bitcoin's latest volatility, MicroStrategy's (MSTR) Bitcoin buying frenzy, what they're hearing from the pro-crypto Trump administration, and what to expect from Paul Atkins ( Paul Atkins may become the next SEC early evaluation chairman.
And, of course, there’s the new Trump coin that debuted to much fanfare (and market cap) on Friday.
The token quickly rose to a market capitalization of $73 billion in about 48 hours, surpassing DOGE to become the largest meme token to date.
According to CoinMarketCap, the cryptocurrency’s market capitalization has fallen to $12 billion since its launch.
in stock: As I reported, stocks are starting to look top-heavy (especially Magnificent 7). I'd be interested to hear from market experts like JPMorgan's Mary Erdoes and economic experts like Nouriel Roubini to see if they see any red flags coming . Any calls they make at Davos are likely to have greater impact given more volatile market conditions and increased uncertainty about Trump's policies.
Political variables: As of this writing, contacts tell me that President-elect Donald Trump plans to send representatives to Davos. Who exactly gets the nod is unknown. (I think this would be potential Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who has been a fixture on the Davos party scene for years. Elon has long hated Davos, so it’s hard to see him showing up). Trump himself is scheduled to speak remotely on Thursday, a source told Yahoo Finance.
But who ends up in Trump’s orbit — and what they say once they get there — could immediately set the tone for U.S. international relations. If a representative arrives in Davos just days after Trump takes actions that could affect foreign economic growth and then aims to explain those actions, it's best to believe that the inevitable headlines may not be so market-friendly.
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Brian Sozzi is the executive editor of Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on X @bryansozzi, Instagramand about LinkedIn. Tips for the story? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com. Sozzi hosts insightful conversations with luminaries in business and markets three times a week on Yahoo Finance Bid opening podcast. Find more episodes on our website Video Center. watch your Preferred streaming services. Or listen and subscribe Apple Podcasts, Spotifyor wherever you find your favorite podcasts.
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