Banks Ride Deal Wave: MS +5%, GS +4% 01/15/26
Shares of investment banking powerhouse Goldman Sachs, trading under GS, climbed over four percent in Thursday morning trading. This impressive move came after the firm posted fourth-quarter profits that significantly beat Wall Street’s expectations. The strong performance was largely driven by a surge in dealmaking, with Goldman topping global M&A rankings in 2025, advising on massive transactions including the $56 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts and Alphabet’s $32 billion acquisition of cloud security firm Wiz. Stronger trading revenues in a volatile market also contributed to the beat, and the bank also increased its quarterly dividend. Investors will be watching if this M&A momentum continues into the new year. Read moreTurning our attention to another Wall Street giant, Morgan Stanley, whose shares, ticker MS, added more than five percent on Thursday, also following a robust fourth-quarter earnings beat. The firm, a key player in global finance, saw its investment banking revenue advance a significant 47% in the fourth quarter, contributing to record total revenue for all of 2025. Morgan Stanley also boosted its quarterly dividend, signaling confidence. Both Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are well-positioned to capitalize on a potentially rebounded IPO market, with major players like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic eyeing potential listings this year. However, Morgan Stanley CEO Ted Pick did caution about geopolitical risks and a “complicated” macroeconomic backdrop for 2026. Read moreMoving to the manufacturing sector, shares of glass and electronic component manufacturer Corning, trading as GLW, jumped 3.8% in afternoon trading. This boost came after analysts at BofA raised their price target on the company’s shares to $110 from $95, while maintaining a coveted Buy rating. Corning, widely known for its Gorilla Glass technology used in smartphones and other devices, appears to be gaining renewed confidence from institutional analysts, suggesting a potential upside for investors in the coming period. This analyst upgrade could signal a positive outlook for the company’s product lines and overall market position. Read moreKeywords: Alphabet, BofA, Buy rating, Corning, Electronic Arts, GLW, GS, Goldman Sachs, IPO market, M&A, MS, Morgan Stanley, OpenAI, Q4 earnings, SpaceX, analyst upgrade, dividend, electronic components, geopolitical risks, glass manufacturing, investment banking, investment banking revenue, macroeconomic backdrop, price target, trading revenue
The post Banks Ride Deal Wave: MS +5%, GS +4% 01/15/26 first appeared on Rapid Money Radio.
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