Investment Review №336. Choosing a direction

03.01.2026 — 5868

• Reports of the abduction of Maduro by U.S. forces sparked a wave of optimism around Venezuela’s oil and gas sector. However, with oil prices low and the market facing an oversupply, investment in the sector still appears economically unjustified.

 

07.01.2026 — ▲6920

• Eli Lilly announced the acquisition of Ventyx Biosciences in an all-cash deal valued at $1.2 billion ($14 per share). The transaction gives LLY access to a portfolio of oral anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Jefferies Financial Group (JEF) reported mixed quarterly results versus market expectations. Total revenue came in at $2.07 billion (+5.7% YoY), while EPS reached $0.87.

 

08.01.2026 — ▲6921

• Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) officially entered into a voluntary agreement with the Trump administration to lower drug prices in exchange for an exemption from import tariffs.

 

09.01.2026 — ▲6966

• Nonfarm payroll growth in December amounted to just 50k, below the 70k consensus forecast. At the same time, the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell from 4.56% to 4.38%, driven by a decline of 278k in the number of unemployed.
• CES highlighted the ongoing transformation of the tech industry driven by three major trends: the shift toward edge AI, the evolution of AI into an autonomous background system, and the rapid expansion of “physical AI.”