U.S. Jobs Miss, AI Memory Crisis, Retail Closures & Healthcare Breakout Earnings!

Money Masters' Market Kickoff Week 3

January 12, 2026

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Dear Money Master,

This week starts with the U.S. economy sending mixed signals while markets are paying attention. Job growth just slowed again, missing expectations, yet wages refuse to cool, keeping inflation worries alive. At the same time, retail America is splitting in two: legacy giants like Macy’s are shrinking their footprints, while Bob’s Discount Furniture heads to the public markets to fund aggressive expansion.

Meanwhile, AI is becoming both a growth engine and a bottleneck. A global memory shortage is driving costs sharply higher, forcing tech giants and retailers to rethink pricing and margins. Walmart and Google are betting that AI shopping agents are the future of commerce, while healthcare innovators post explosive revenue growth that’s defying broader economic uncertainty. 🌍💼

📰 Your Daily Financial Digest - January 12th, 2026

🌍 Economics, Finance, & Retail:

  1. U.S. Job Growth Misses Expectations as Labor Market Cools 📉
    Hiring momentum slowed again with payrolls rising just 50,000, extending a downtrend from prior months. Softer job creation contrasts with steady wage growth, reinforcing the view that the labor market is cooling without collapsing. Read More

  2. Unemployment Rate Falls Even as Hiring Slows 👷
    The jobless rate declined to 4.4%, while broader underemployment also eased. Wage growth remained resilient at 3.8% annually, keeping inflation concerns alive for policymakers despite weaker headline job gains. Read More

  3. Macy’s Accelerates Store Closures in Turnaround Push 🏬
    Fourteen additional locations will shut in early 2026 as management continues a multi-year restructuring. The strategy prioritizes profitability and digital sales over maintaining a large physical footprint. Read More

  4. Bob’s Discount Furniture Files for IPO to Tackle Debt 🪑
    The retailer aims to go public on the NYSE under “BOBS” after generating $2 billion in revenue. Expansion plans target more than doubling its store count by 2035 despite a leveraged balance sheet. Read More

💻 Technology:

  1. AI Memory Shortage Set to Drive Sharp Price Increases 🤖
    Global demand for high-bandwidth memory is outpacing supply as AI chips consume far more RAM. Prices are projected to jump over 50% quarter-over-quarter, pressuring margins across consumer electronics. Read More

  2. Walmart Teams Up With Google Gemini to Power AI Shopping 🛒
    The retailer is expanding AI-driven discovery tools to meet changing consumer behavior. The move follows a similar partnership with ChatGPT, signaling an aggressive push into conversational commerce. Read More

  3. Google Launches Universal Commerce Protocol for AI Agents 🌐
    The company introduced a standardized framework allowing AI shopping agents to interact seamlessly with retailers. The goal is to scale AI commerce while simplifying integration across platforms. Read More

💹Earnings:

  1. Veracyte Posts Double-Digit Revenue Growth in 2025 🧬
    Sales climbed roughly 16% as testing volumes surged, with strong growth in Decipher and Afirma diagnostics. Management expects adjusted EBITDA margins above 25% for the full year. Read More

  2. Guardant Health Revenue Jumps 33% Despite Cash Burn 🧪
    Oncology testing volumes expanded sharply, pushing revenue near $1 billion. Free cash flow remained negative, though the company ended the year with a sizable $1.3 billion liquidity cushion. Read More

  3. Tempus Delivers Explosive 83% Revenue Growth 🚀
    Diagnostics revenue more than doubled, driven by oncology and hereditary testing demand. Rapid expansion in data and applications highlights the company’s growing AI-powered healthcare platform. Read More

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