Stock Futures Jump on Strong January Jobs Report

Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and Nasdaq-100 Index (NDX) are up triple digits after an upbeat January jobs report, while S&P 500 Index (SPX) futures sit firmly higher as well. The previously delayed nonfarm payrolls report showed job growth of 130,000, much higher than analysts' anticipated 55,000 gain as well as the previous month's reading of 48,000. The unemployment rate came in at 4.3%, just below the expected 4.4%. 

• The chance of a pullback is increasing, per this sentiment signal.
• Applovin stock boasts a post-earnings win streak ahead of today's results.
• Plus, Moderna aces FDA hurdle; Kraft Heinz pauses split; and MAT downgraded. 

5 Things You Need to Know Today

1. The Cboe Options Exchange saw over 1.6 million call contracts and more than 1.2 million put contracts traded on Tuesday. The single-session equity put/call ratio came in at 0.60, while the 21-day moving average remained at 0.58. 
2. Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) stock is down 9.9% premarket, after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) declined to review the pharma giant's application for an experimental flu shot, mRNA-1010. The security has fallen sharply since its Jan. 22,  52-week high, but is still heading into today with a 42.4% lead in 2026. 
3. Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) shares are off 6.8% before the bell, after the company announced it was pausing its planned split, with CEO Steve Cahillane saying the issues are "fixable and within our control.” The firm also announced mixed fourth-quarter results and posted a disappointing full-year forecast. 
4. Mattel Inc (NASDAQ:MAT) stock is plummeting in electronic trading, down 29.3% at last glance, after fourth-quarter earnings and revenue missed estimates, while the company's full-year earnings forecast also came in below expectations. In response, Citigroup downgraded the stock to "neutral," while J.P. Morgan Securities lowered its rating to "underweight." 
5. More on the earnings reports and economic data due out this week. 

China Posts Soft Inflation Data

Asian markets settled higher on Wednesday, brushing off soft inflation data. Despite a smaller-than-expected 0.2% rise in China’s consumer price index (CPI) for January compared to the 0.4% estimate, the Shanghai Composite settled slightly above breakeven with a 0.1% gain. The South Korean Kospi and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 1% and 0.3%, respectively, the former netting a third-straight win. Elsewhere, Japan’s Nikkei was closed for a holiday.

Stocks are mostly lower in Europe, as investors unpack another batch of earnings reports. Most notably, German-based Siemens Energy’s net quarterly profit almost tripled to $889 million, while Dutch-based Heineken announced it would cut 5,000-6,000 jobs amid “challenging market conditions,” slowing beer sales, and plans to boost productivity through AI. At last glance, London’s FTSE 100 is 0.8% higher, while the German DAX is down 0.3%, and France’s CAC 40 is 0.2% lower.