In this week’s US market wrap, President Trump lauded Japan’s leader as “great” during a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. The two leaders also inked a rare earths deal, highlighting the growing importance of strategic partnerships in the global economy. Meanwhile, Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet to discuss lowering tariffs for the purpose of cracking down on the illegal drug fentanyl.

In other news, US consumer confidence took a slight hit due to concerns over the economy and job market. Despite this, ADP rolled out weekly US payrolls after suspending data to the Federal Reserve. In Germany, consumer sentiment returned to a worsening trend, while Goldman Sachs predicted that the yen will reach 100 against the dollar over the next decade as monetary policy normalizes.

Nvidia made headlines with its massive AI push, announcing major partnerships across multiple industries. Microsoft secured a 27% stake in OpenAI and access to the company’s AI models until 2032. Apple reached a market capitalization of $4 trillion for the first time, while Amazon cut 14,000 corporate jobs. UnitedHealth saw growth in 2026 and topped earnings expectations, while UPS stunned Wall Street with strong profits and 48,000 job cuts. PayPal posted an earnings beat and unveiled a partnership with OpenAI. BNP was hurt by rising bad loans as clients turned cautious, while HSBC lifted its full-year outlook despite a hit from the Madoff case.

Overall, this week’s US market wrap highlighted the ongoing importance of strategic partnerships and the impact of economic trends on corporate performance. As always, stay tuned for the latest developments in the global economy.