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Stocks held lower one day before the inauguration of President-elect Trump. The so-called Trump rally has faded in recent days as the policies of a Trump Administration remained ambiguous. Citigroup moved lower after getting hit with a $25 million fine from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Regulators had investigated charges of spoofing U.S. Treasury futures markets from 2011 to 2012. Target was downgraded to SELL from NEUTRAL at Goldman Sachs. Analysts said the retailer was likely to see stagnant to lower earnings, which would weigh on its valuation. CSX was on its way to end the day with its best gains in more than three decades. The railroad operator surged on reports it had become a target for activist investors, led by former Canadian Pacific CEO Hunter Harrison.

U.S. stocks were slightly higher Thursday ahead of Donald Trump's closely watched inauguration on Friday. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank left key interest rates unchanged and maintained its monthly pace of asset purchases at 80 billion euros until March. The stimulus will be lowered to 60 billion euros per month starting in April. Those changes were announced back in December. Despite a rise in inflation last month, European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, in a press conference, pointed to overall inflation trends in the eurozone, which remain under the central bank's target. Netflix shares surged after topping fourth quarter estimates on Wednesday, after the markets closed. Netflix added 7.05 million subscribers, ahead of the 3.57 million added in the third quarter. Kinder Morgan shares were lower after reporting a nearly 7% drop in revenue year over year for the fourth quarter $3.39 billion as less oil flowed through its pipelines. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

General Motors is set to announce a billion dollar investment in multiple U.S. factories. The investment is part of the normal process of equipping factories to build new models and has been planned for months, according to sources. It's expected to generate 1000 jobs. Multiple factories will get part of the money. British Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to confirm in a speech that the United Kingdom will leave the single European Union Market. She is expected to detail a new and equal partnership between other EU countries. A major tobacco merger is now one step closer to creating a global tobacco giant. British American tobacco and Reynolds American have agreed to the terms of their $49 billion deal. It would create the world's largest tobacco company. International leaders and celebrities convene for the first day of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Nasdaq scored another record close for the fourth time this week as health care stocks rebounded from earlier selloffs. The S&P 500 also sported gains, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw slight losses. Crude oil ended the week with the worst losses in a month despite a welcome decline in the number of active oil-drilling rigs in the U.S. The drop was the first in 11 weeks. Infosys slumped after lowering its sales guidance for its fiscal year. The India-based IT company also warned of potential changes to the H1-B visa under a Trump administration. The visa class applies to specialized workers. Pandora rallied after reaching a total 4.3 million paid subscribers in December. The music streaming company also announced plans to cut its U.S. workforce by roughly 7%.

U.S. stocks inched higher on Friday, even as retail sales rose less than expected. December retail sales rose 0.6% month over month, missing estimates of 0.7%. Sales on motor vehicles rose 2.4%, while sales at nonstore retailers rose 1.3%. JPMorgan Chase posted fourth quarter earnings of $1.71 a share, beating estimates of $1.44. Revenue of $24.3 billion, also topped estimates of $23.95 billion. Fixed income trading revenue surged 31% amid market volatility following Donald Trump's presidential victory in November. Wells Fargo reported disappointing fourth quarter results. Earnings of $0.96 a share missed estimates of $1. Revenue of $21.58 billion fell short of estimates of $22.45 billion. The company's new CEO Tim Sloan said the bank continued to rebuild customer trust following its fake bank account scandal. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Bank of America reported 40 cents a share versus 38 cents expected. Revenue was $20 billion, which was on the light side of consensus. CEO Brian Moynihan says the bank is well-positioned to deliver for shareholders in 2017. Nintendo shares are falling in Japan over disappointment about the new Switch console. Investors fear they have priced the Switch too high. At $300 it may not be competitive with other devices especially since there are only 6 games available when it goes on sale. The Switch will be available for purchase March 3rd for $300. More automakers are being probed for cheating on emissions. Paris prosecutors opening a preliminary investigation into emissions by Renault vehicles weeks after fraud watchdogs said their research found enough material to require further investigation, sending the automakers shares sliding. Meanwhile, Fiat Chrysler shares are rebounding in Italy.

The Nasdaq pulled back from a run that saw record closes for five consecutive trading days. Tech names including Microsoft and Intel were the biggest drag, while biotech stocks remained under pressure for their second day in a row. KB Home beat profit and sales estimates over its fourth quarter. Revenue jumped 21%, while its backlog increased 11%. Boeing fell after RBC Capital rated its stock as underperform. The firm pointed to eroding profit margins in its commercial airplane units and potential protectionist policies from a Trump administration that could prove a headwind to the industry. Fiat Chrysler slumped as the EPA lobbed accusations against the automaker of using software that spewed excess diesel emissions. The software reportedly affected 100,000 vehicles.

Confirmation hearings begin today on the team that President-elect Donald Trump has chosen to help him lead the nation. Attorney General nominee Jeff Sessions is expected to generate the most controversy during the hearings. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, he once criticized Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for lobbying Congress to expand the H-1B Visa program. He's also called legal marijuana a very real danger. Also facing a hearing today is Homeland Security nominee John Kelly. There are lots of changes going on at Yahoo! . CEO Marissa Mayer will leave the company's board. Also, Yahoo will change its name to Altaba. All of these move are contingent upon the $4.8 billion buyout from Verizon to go through. Small businesses are feeling the best they have in 12 years. The National Federation of Independent Businesses said its optimism index jumped in December. The measure soared to the highest level since 2004 last month as owners overwhelmingly expect business conditions to improve under the Trump administration.

Stocks were mostly higher, though unsettled trading made gains uncertain. Wall Street processed a jump in wage growth that raised the chances of a Fed more hawkish in its assessment of the economy. Factory orders in November reversed gains seen in October as the road to recovery in the manufacturing sector proved a choppy one. Orders in the U.S. declined by 2.4%. Walmart dragged on the Dow Jones Industrial Average after a C-suite switch-up at its Sam's Club chain. The current chief merchandising officer at the members-only retailer will resume the position of CEO effective February 1. Gap climbed after reporting positive comparable-store sales over its holiday season. Sales growth was a welcome departure from the disappointing performances of other retailers such as Kohl's and Macy's .

Samsung is predicting its biggest profit in 3 years, just months after the massive recall of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphone. The company's guidance indicates the costly recall of its Note 7 phone was only a temporary blip rather than a lingering hit to consumer confidence. It appears its major financial repercussions of the recall may have been confined to the 3rd quarter of 2016. Gap ( ) stock is jumping as much as 12% on a surprisingly good month of sales. It reported companywide comparable sales rose 4$ in December, a strong finish to a very competitive holiday season. The clothing retailer has been struggling for the last 2 years to adjust to changing fashion tastes. The Chinese currency jumped overnight by the most since 2005. The government guided the yuan higher against the U.S. dollar. Markets are waiting on the December payroll numbers, which will be the final major economic report of the Obama presidency.

U.S. stocks were mixed on Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average retreating from the closely watched 20,000 level. The ADP Employment Report showed private payrolls rose by 153,000 in December, missing estimates of 170,000. The report typically foreshadows Friday's official jobs numbers from the government. Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance were in focus after reporting adjusted first quarter earnings of $1.10 a share, beating estimates by a penny. Revenue dropped 1.8% year over year to $28.5 billion, missing forecasts of $29.2 billion. Walgreens is in the process of acquiring Rite Aid RAD for $9.5 billion. Shares declined 0.5% on Thursday. Constellation Brands shares rose after reporting adjusted third quarter earnings of $1.96 a share, topping estimates of $1.72. Revenue rose 10% year over year to $1.8 billion, matching estimates. Beer sales rose 16%, topping the 5% increase in wine sales. The stock is up 2.3% over the past 12 months. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

Macy's ( ) says it will close 68 stores, part of the 100 already announced. The store closing are across the nation. 10,000 jobs will be affected by the closing. Macy's CEO Terry Lundgren said he is pleased with double digit gains online and will use the money saved shuttering the stores on e-commerce. Kohls ( ) also warned that its earnings per share guidance won't be as expected. The U.S. labor department is trying to ban Google ( ) from doing business with the federal government unless it turns over confidential information about thousands of its employees. It alleges that Google has repeatedly refused to provide the department with employee compensation records and other information to ensure the company isn't discriminating against workers based on gender or race. The Consumer Electronics Show kicks off today in Las Vegas. Robots, self driving cars and even smart belt buckles will be featured.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average moved within 100 points of its 20,000 milestone again, though struggled to build momentum to cross that threshold. Consumer goods stocks drove the bulk of gains, while energy lagged. U.S. auto sales for December were generally positive with General Motors and Ford both posting sales growth last month. Fiat Chrysler reported a drop in sales, though at a slower pace than forecast. Delta Air Lines moved higher after reporting positive traffic trends in December. Revenue passenger miles and capacity both increased, while its load factor increased by 90 basis points. The airline anticipates fourth-quarter unit revenue to decline. Panera Bread rose after Oppenheimer upped its rating to OUTPERFORM from PERFORM. The firm said the fast-casual chain has an attractive setup and could achieve higher than 20% earnings growth in 2018.

U.S. stocks rose Wednesday in the second trading session of 2017, though the Dow Jones Industrial Average has yet to hit the critical 20,000 level. Investors awaited the minutes of the Federal Reserve's December meeting, which are released in the afternoon. Analysts expect commentary on the path of interest rates in 2017 and the central bank's take on the recent strengthening of the U.S. dollar. Amazon shares were in focus after deliveries for third party outlets rose 50% to over 2 billion items in 2016. This part of Amazon's business falls under its Fulfillment by Amazon division, where outside retailers pay Amazon to package and ship items. Tesla shares moved lower after missing 2016 delivery estimates. The automaker delivered 76,230 vehicles for the year, missing estimates of a range between 80,000 and 90,000. TheStreet's Scott Gamm reports from Wall Street.

The global Brent crude contract reached a fresh 18-month high but has backed down on the strong U.S. dollars. An expected drop in oil inventories released later today is sending oil prices higher today. There are also signs that the production cut announced by oil producing nations will stick. Tesla ( ) shares are under pressure this morning as deliveries missed forecasts. Production delays continue to plague the automaker. Tesla says it delivered about 22,200 vehicles in the final 3 months of the year. The total trailed the automaker's projection for 25,000 units and brought its full year tally to 76,230 vehicle, below the 80,000 expected. A Wall Street lawyer is emerging as President elect Donald Trump's top choice for Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Reuters reports that Jay Clayton has worked on high profile initial public offerings such as Alibaba ( ) Group. Also Secretary of State nominee Rex Tillerson has agreed to cut ties with Exxon Mobil ( ).