市场资讯及洞察

Expected earnings date: Wednesday, 28 January 2026 (US, after market close) / early Thursday, 29 January 2026 (AEDT)
Key areas in focus
Intelligent Cloud (Azure)
Azure remains Microsoft’s primary earnings swing factor. Markets are watching to see whether any growth reflects demand strength or capacity constraints, and how AI-related workloads are impacting margins.
Productivity and Business Processes
Microsoft 365, Office, and LinkedIn are sources of recurring revenue for Microsoft. Growth, pricing discipline, and client churn remain the key variables that markets will be watching.
Personal Computing
Windows, devices, and gaming are more cyclical. Stabilisation of PC demand and gaming engagement remain secondary sources of revenue but are still noteworthy.
Artificial intelligence
Approaches around the monetisation of Microsoft’s AI play are still developing. Trends in enrolment and infrastructure cost are expected to be key factors.
What happened last quarter
Microsoft reported results ahead of consensus, supported by steady cloud demand and resilient enterprise software revenues.
Azure and other cloud services' growth remained a central focus, alongside commentary on AI-related investment and capacity.
Last earnings key highlights:
- Revenue: US$77.7 billion
- Earnings per share (EPS): US$3.72 (GAAP) and US$4.13 (non-GAAP adjusted)
- Intelligent Cloud revenue: US$30.9 billion
- Azure and other cloud services: up 40% year on year
- Operating income: US$38.0 billion
How the market reacted last time
Microsoft shares fell in after-hours trading following the release, despite the beating of headline numbers, as investors focused on AI investment intensity, capacity constraints and related implications for future margins.
What’s expected this quarter
Bloomberg consensus points to continued revenue growth led by cloud services, alongside broadly stable margins despite elevated capex.
Bloomberg consensus reference points (January 2026):
- Revenue: about US$68 to US$69 billion
- EPS: about US$3.10 to US$3.20 (adjusted)
- Azure growth: mid-to-high 20% year on year (YoY) (constant currency)
- Operating margin: expected to remain broadly stable
- Capex: expected to remain elevated, reflecting AI and cloud build-out
*All above points observed as of 16 January 2026.
Expectations
Sentiment appears cautious. Microsoft can remain sensitive to any cloud, margin, or guidance disappointment, particularly where investors interpret investment intensity as open-ended.
Price action traded within an established range of US$472 and US$490 recently, but has moved below this in the last week.
Listed options were pricing an indicative move of around ±2% based on near-dated options expiring after 28 January and an at-the-money options-implied ‘expected move’ estimate.
Implied volatility was about 33.5% annualised into the event as observed on Barchart at 11:00 AEDT on 16th January 2026.
These are market-implied estimates and may change; actual post-earnings moves can be larger or smaller.
What this means for Australian traders
Microsoft’s earnings may influence near-term sentiment across US technology indices, particularly the Nasdaq, with potential spillover into global equity risk appetite and, in turn, the ASX.
As a major technology stock, and with Tesla (TSLA) also scheduled to report after the US close on the same day, volatility in Nasdaq-linked products may increase while futures markets remain open.
Important risk note
Immediately after the US close and into the early Asia session, Nasdaq 100 (NDX) futures and related CFD pricing can reflect thinner liquidity, wider spreads, and sharper repricing around new information.
Such an environment can increase gap risk and execution uncertainty relative to regular-hours conditions.


Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA) released first quarter of fiscal 2024 financial results before the opening bell in Wall Street on Thursday. The American healthcare, pharmacy, and retail company reported revenue of $36.707 billion for the quarter, which topped analyst estimate of $34.949 billion. Revenue was up by 10% from the same period a year prior.
Earnings per share reported at $0.66 (down by 43.1% year-over-year) vs. $0.616 per share expected. Walgreens cut its dividend by 48% from the previous quarter to $0.25 per share. Company overview Founded: 31/12/2014 Headquarters: Deerfield, Illinois, United States Number of employees: 331,000 (2023) Industry: Retail, pharmaceuticals Key people: Stefano Pessina (Executive Chairman), Tim Wentworth (CEO) CEO commentary Tim Wentworth commented on the latest results: "WBA delivered fiscal first quarter results in line with overall expectations, reflecting disciplined execution in a challenging consumer backdrop.
We are evaluating all strategic options to drive sustainable long-term shareholder value, focusing on swift actions to right-size costs and increase cash flow, with a balanced approach to capital allocation priorities. Today we are announcing a 48 percent reduction in our quarterly dividend payment, while maintaining a competitive yield. We are proud to be a trusted and independent partner of choice, delivering healthcare to millions of people.
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Global markets enter the second week of the new year in cooldown mode with risk assets taking a hit after the red-hot finish to 2023. The NASDAQ having its worst start to a year since 1999, dropping almost 4% on the week, risk sensitive currencies AUD and NZD following not far behind. FX traders have a slew of CPI reports in the coming week to look forward to, with inflation readings out of Switzerland, Australia, China and the US that have the potential to get FX markets moving.
Charts to Watch Gold – XAUUSD Gold faltered last week as higher yields and a US dollar on tear weighed on the precious metal. Attempts by the bulls to push through and hold the key 2070 level were rebuffed and saw XAUUSD drop to a low of 2025 in Fridays NFP inspired volatile session. This weeks US CPI figure will be a big test of the markets pricing of Fed rate cuts, hotter than expected and gold could take another leg down with that 2070 resistance level capping the upside.
Cooler than expected could see the bulls make another attempt to breach and hold that level as support. AUDUSD AUDUSD didn’t have a great week either, having its biggest weekly drop since November. Decembers surge higher in this pair did look like to far too fast when looking at the AU and US rate differential, AUDUSD also hit a zone of resistance between 0.68 – 0.69 where sellers managed to turn the pair around.
This week’s Aussie, Chinese and US CPI readings all set to causing some volatility in the pair. Key level to watch to the upside is the resistance starting at 0.6800, to the downside the big figure at 0.6700 has lent some short-term support to this pair. US Dollar Index - DXY The US dollar has had a resurgence to start 2024 with DXY pushing through key levels 101 and 102 with ease.
Resistance at 102.57, where upside faltered in December and August ’23, has come into play and a couple of attempts to breach were rejected last week. This level also lines up with the 61.8% Fib level measured from the July lows to October highs and will be the key level to watch coming into the US CPI reading. Full calendar of the week’s economic announcements at the link below: https://www.gomarkets.com/au/economic-calendar/


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The new trading year kicked off with a dip in equities with Big Tech leading losses in Tuesday’s session, AAPL being the big loser after a downgrade from Barclays citing concern in iPhone demand. Yields and the USD ripped higher, the US Dollar Index having its biggest daily gain since March 2023. Crude oil capped off an interesting session with a pump and dump rollercoaster ride.
Charts To Watch: Apple - AAPL Apple stock fell 3.6% during Tuesdays New York session, it’s worst day since August. The dump came after Barclays downgraded the iPhone maker and lowered its price target on concerns of slowing iPhone sales, particularly in China. This saw the stock price gap down, erasing all of December’s gains and hitting a low of 183.89 before finding some bids and rebounding modestly.
US Dollar Index – DXY DXY surged on the first trading day of 2024, having its biggest up day since March 2023, there was little in the way of newsflow behind the move but more a result of a jump in yields and some oversold technicals that were amplified by a low volume session. DXY retaking the 200-day SMA and 102 handle, hitting a high of 102.22, the next test to the upside being the resistance around 102.57. Crude Oil – USOUSD The most interesting move today was in Crude Oil, initially surging in the APAC session amid growing Middle East tensions, only to dump at the start of the US session with no obvious catalyst.
Some souring of risk sentiment and a stronger USD seemingly the only drivers. USOUSD finishing the session just above 70 USD a barrel, with the major support at 67 the next level to watch to the downside.


Global markets chopped about in Tuesday’s session with no key data released with traders seemingly waiting on the sidelines for US CPI and a slew of bank earnings later in the week. Gold – XAUUSD XAUUSD rallied in Tuesdays APAC session testing the 2040 USD an ounce resistance level before a sharp drop as Europe opened saw drop to a low of 2026. This will be a key level to watch for the gold bulls with 2040 now establishing itself as a cap to further price increase.
AUDUSD The Aussie dollar took a hit on mixed risk sentiment, reversing modest gains made in the APAC session on a surprise beat in building approvals and above-forecast retail sales. AUDUSD losing the 0.67 handle and holding around 2024 lows. Ahead today AUDUSD traders will a CPI reading to navigate, with Year on year inflation expected to drop to 4.4% from last months reading of 4.9%.
Crude Oil – USOUSD Crude oil pared some of Mondays’ steep losses with Mid-East tensions continuing stoking supply concerns. USOUSD continuing to trade in its 2024 range of 70 support to the downside and 74 resistance to the upside. Geopolitical events currently being the main driver of crudes price action.
Ahead today with have Aussie CPI in the APAC session and BOE Governor Bailey speaking in the UK session.

USD was ultimately flat in a choppy session on Thursday after hotter-than-expected US CPI data. The US Dollar Index (DXY) hitting briefly breeching the resistance at 102.63 to hit a high of 102.76. This proved to be another false breakout of this level with DXY gradually retracing for the rest of the session to unchanged levels.
JPY outperformed, after an initial spike higher in USDJPY above 146 after the CPI reading, the retracement was more profound in this pair with it ultimately trading just above the psychological 145 level. A report did hit the newswires that said the BoJ is considering lowering its price outlook for FY2024 to the middle 2% range, though with dovish BoJ expectations being priced in it didn’t deter the Yen bulls. Risk sensitive currencies GBP and AUD had a mixed reaction.
GBPUSD making gains ahead of the UK GDP reading today. AUDUSD posting losses despite better than expected trade data that seemed to be interpreted as more evidence of a slowing Aussie economy. Gold again tested the 2040 USD an ounce resistance before a spike in the USD post CPI saw a steep decline to a low of 2013.
Early in the APAC session the Gold bulls look keen to test this level again with XAUUSD rebounding to around 2035. This will be a key level to watch for Gold traders.