What You Need to Know for Trading Next Week: 🔹Meta Faces EU Antitrust Investigation Over WhatsApp AI Policies The European Commission has launched a new investigation into Meta Platforms (META), as the EU's enforcement arm continues its recent trend of investigating big tech companies. The Commission will evaluate whether Meta's new policy blocking AI companies from being able to reach users directly through the app violates EU competition law. Currently, users can communicate with several AI companies that offer their chatbot services through WhatsApp, but as of Jan. 15, 2026, those companies may be blocked from talking to users thanks to a new Meta policy. 🔹Salesforce Tops Earnings Estimates as AI Drives Growth Salesforce (CRM) topped profit estimates in its latest earnings report and lifted its outlook for the full year, citing momentum from its AI offerings. The customer relationship management software leader late Wednesday reported revenue that came in roughly in line with estimates, while adjusted earnings per share of $3.25 was about 40 cents higher than analysts had projected. 🔹Stocks Little Changed as Major Indexes Back Near Record Highs Stock futures are hovering near unchanged this morning after the major indexes gained for the seventh time in the last eight trading sessions on Wednesday. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the benchmark S&P 500 were up 0.1% recently, while those linked to the tech-heavy Nasdaq were fractionally lower. The Dow and S&P 500 enter today's session less than 1% away from new record closing highs. Stocks have rallied as investors have grown increasingly confident that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates at its policy meeting next week. 🔹Paramount, Netflix Continue Sweetening Bids for Warner Bros. Discovery Shares of Paramount Skydance (PSKY) and Netflix (NFLX) have stabilized this morning after sliding yesterday amid reports that the companies had sweetened their respective bids to acquire Warner Bros. 🔹Discount Retailers Report Strong Earnings as Consumers Seek Value Shares of Dollar Tree (DLTR), Five Below (FIVE) and Dollar General (DG) are all rising this morning as investors digest strong earnings reports from the discount retailers. Dollar Tree, which released its better-than-exepected results yesterday morning, said it continues to see "value-seeking behavior" from consumers and that it gained market share with higher-income households. Stock futures are holding steady Thursday as investors await more economic data that could influence the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates next week; Meta is facing a new antitrust investigation over its artificial intelligence policies in WhatsApp; Salesforce earnings topped estimates after the bell Wednesday; Paramount Skydance and Netflix are reportedly continuing to modify their bids for Warner Bros. Learn more about the future of financial technology at daoti.io.