Good Morning Investors!!! Markets walked into Monday like they had their confidence back, with tech leading the bounce (Nasdaq rose 0.9%) and the Dow logging another record close. Today is all about fresh clues on the shopper and on wages, with retail sales and the Employment Cost Index (a key compensation-growth tracker) out at 8:30 AM ET. Then we get the delayed January jobs report on Wednesday, plus the Consumer Price Index on Friday, which helps shape the next moves from the Federal Reserve. We are also shining a light on the “internet networks” trade in fifth generation and data-center networking gear. And yes, we are covering why Hims & Hers took a hit after a patent lawsuit tied to weight-loss copycats.
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Key Market Drivers
Tech bounce tests the AI story: US stocks started the week in a better mood. By Monday’s close, the Dow was up a hair, the S&P 500 gained 0.5%, and the Nasdaq rose 0.9% as big tech steadied after last week’s artificial intelligence (AI) scare. Investors are still chewing on capital expenditures (capex) plans from mega tech, because higher spend can mean lower near-term profit. When tech leads, the whole market often follows, for better or worse. If the rebound holds, risk-taking can return fast. This week’s data is the boss: Now the market’s eyes are on two US reports: the jobs report on Wednesday (delayed by the shutdown) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI – a key inflation report) on Friday. Bonds stayed calm, with the 10-year Treasury yield near 4.19%. These numbers help set the path for the Federal Reserve (Fed) (US central bank), which can cut rates or keep them high. Lower rates can boost stock prices, but hot inflation can bring the opposite. 
10 Year Treasury Yield
Japan’s post-election pop goes global: Japan was the loudest voice overnight. The Nikkei jumped 2.3% to a record 57,650 after voters handed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a big win, and the yen strengthened too. In Europe, stocks were mixed early Tuesday, with insurance names sliding. Why you should care from the US – Japan is a big pool of money, so policy shifts can pull cash in or out of stocks and bonds. A stronger yen can also nudge the US dollar lower. Add talk that China may trim Treasury holdings, and rates can get jumpy. Oil prices carry a “fear fee”: Oil cooled a touch, but the Middle East kept the market on edge. Brent crude was near $68.80 a barrel and US oil was around $64, after fresh warnings about ships in the Strait of Hormuz. When traders fear supply trouble, they bake in a risk premium. Higher oil can lift energy stocks, but it can also hit consumers and increase expenses for many other companies. That feeds into inflation and the Fed. |
TUE Feb 10, 2026 — 8:30 AM ET
Retail Sales (Dec. 2025 advance + Nov. 2025 monthly retail trade, both rescheduled): A big read on holiday spending and the health of the US shopper.
TUE Feb 10, 2026 — 8:30 AM ET
Employment Cost Index (ECI) + Import and Export Price Indexes: A wages check for Q4, and a report the market treats like a smoke alarm.
TUE Feb 10, 2026 — 1:00 PM ET
US Treasury auctions: 3-year note today, plus a 10-year note auction on WED Feb 11 at 1:00 PM ET (bond demand can move yields).
TUE Feb 10, 2026
Before open | Coca-Cola (KO); After close 4:05 PM ET | Ford (F): Two big earnings prints that can hint at everyday spending and big-ticket demand.
WED Feb 11, 2026 — 8:30 AM ET
Jobs report (Employment Situation): The main event, with many forecasts near 70,000–75,000 jobs and 4.4% unemployment.
WED Feb 11, 2026 — 5:00 PM ET
Federal Reserve (Fed) Governor Stephen Miran: A live talk that could add color on rate plans after the jobs data.
Thoughts from InvestorsGrow:
For today’s 8:30 AM ET double feature, retail sales tell us if shoppers were still ringing the register in the holiday stretch, while ECI tells us if pay is still running hot. If both come in strong, bond yields can jump, since “the economy is fine” often means “rates stay higher for longer.”
Tomorrow’s jobs report is the market’s mood ring. A solid beat can push yields up and make stocks jittery, since higher yields can weigh on rich stock prices. A miss can calm yields, but if it is too weak, it can wake up the “slowdown” chatter. Also, watch revisions, since they can change the whole story after the headline has its five minutes of fame.
8:30 AM Report: The 8:30 AM ET data gave markets a small cold splash. December retail and food sales were flat versus consensus of +0.4%, and the “core” slice (excludes cars, gas, and a few other big swings) fell 0.1%, which can trim GDP math. The Employment Cost Index (ECI) rose 0.7% in Q4 versus a 0.8% forecast, hinting pay pressure is easing a bit. That combo can push bond yields down and keep stocks twitchy, since softer spending can hit profits even if rate cuts feel a bit closer. Watch retailers, restaurants, and card lenders for demand clues, plus homebuilders and other rate-sensitive groups that tend to like lower yields.
Next-gen networks (5G + data-center networking)
Fifth generation (5G) and data-center networking gear move data from your phone to the cloud and back. When traffic jumps, firms buy faster switches, routers, and fiber links. That spend can lift the companies that sell the gear.
A simple yardstick is the First Trust Indxx NextG ETF (NXTG). It gained about 2.2% from the Feb. 2 close to the Feb. 9 close. One driver has been AI, which is pushing data centers to upgrade networks so servers can talk fast.
Cisco Systems (CSCO):
Cisco sells networking gear and security software used across offices, data centers, and service providers. Its edge is a huge installed base, so many customers upgrade with Cisco to avoid painful swaps. It reports quarterly results after the close on Feb. 11, and demand commentary is the key line.
Arista Networks (ANET):
Arista makes high-speed switches used inside large data centers, including many cloud and AI builds. It stands out with a software-first approach that helps customers automate and scale networks. It reports fourth-quarter results after the close on Feb. 12, with cloud spend as the main focus.
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (ERIC):
Ericsson sells wireless network gear that powers many carrier 5G rollouts around the world. It competes on scale, long carrier ties, and a deep patent base. Recent cash-return plans helped sentiment, but slow carrier spending is still the big risk.
InvestorsGrow Takeaway:
This group can swing with interest rates, so keep an eye on the 10-year Treasury yield. Two key performance indicators matter most: carrier capital expenditures (capex) and order backlog; a big red flag is price pressure that squeezes margins. Watchlist: if yields rise while backlog and capex cool, expect network stocks to feel the pressure.
Hims & Hers Health (HIMS)
Hims & Hers Health (HIMS) sells telehealth visits and ships meds to your door. Think of it as an online front desk plus a pharmacy window for needs like hair loss, skin care, and anxiety.
Novo Nordisk sued Hims on Monday, saying it sold unapproved “compounded” versions (mixed by a pharmacy, not FDA-approved) tied to Wegovy and Ozempic. Hims also backed off a $49-a-month pill offer after pressure from the Food and Drug Administration. Shares fell about 16% to $19.33.
HIMS has been a wild ride. HIMS is down about 56% over the past year and about 74% from its February 2025 peak near $73, and it closed Monday at $19.33.
Cheap copycats were a growth hook when branded supply was tight. Now, big drug makers like Novo and Eli Lilly are pressing patent rights, and regulators are stepping in. A $49 plan sounds great, but it also sticks out versus branded prices that can run well over $100 a month.
Hims runs on scale. It said subscribers were almost 2.5 million last quarter, up about 21% from a year ago, and that base helps drive repeat orders.
Next, Hims reports results after the close on Monday, Feb. 23. Watch updates on weight-loss products, the court case, and whether subscriber growth slows. If it can shift demand to approved meds and other lines, then growth can steady; if not, customer drop-off can hurt.
InvestorsGrow Takeaway:
This is a growth story running into the fine print. Upside is that a strong brand and big subscriber base can power other categories, even if weight-loss copies vanish. Risk is that lawsuits, tighter rules, and higher ad spend squeeze profits. If subscriber growth holds while weight-loss sales fade, expect bumps; if both slip, the market may stay grumpy.
