Top 10 Stocks to Watch: January 2026

Market Update: S&P 500 E-Mini Futures up 1.36% year-to-date 

Price action through the first half of December 2025 was choppy, immediately followed by a quick selloff toward $6,756.50 level we indicated in last month's article. Price then rallied to new all-time highs through December 26th. 

Since then, moving toward and through the new year, price action made a measured move back down, followed by another rally to new all-time highs. On January 7th, 2026, the S&P E-Mini Futures surpassed the $7,000 price level. 

Historically, price action tends to bounce off and around big round number price levels. So, it would not be unreasonable to expect price action to dance around the $7,000 price level this month. 

If sellers do take control from the current price level, look for them to target the $6,950 level, followed by the $6,850 level. 

A note on earnings trades 

To capture the bulk of the volatility of earnings announcements, earnings trades are often executed either the day before or on the day of the earnings announcement. However, earnings trades can also be placed days or weeks before an earnings event, which could lead to early profit taking.  

Alternatively, placing a trade shortly after an earnings announcement can be a strategic choice to circumvent the binary nature of the event. Evaluate each trade in a way that allows you to execute the position that matches your strategy.   

If you're considering a trade going into an earnings event, one approach is to initiate the position in the monthly options contract that follows the earnings event. This strategy offers flexibility. Should you need to defend your position – perhaps due to unexpected market movements – you have the choice to 'roll' it out to the subsequent monthly options. Rolling out the position in this way allows you to extend its duration and potentially collect more premium, providing a buffer against market volatility. 

Top 5 stocks to watch in January 2026:

1. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) – January 13, Before the open
2. Citigroup Inc. (C) – January 14, Before the open
3. 3M Company (MMM) – January 20
4. Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) – January 20, After the close
5. United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) – January 20
6. Alcoa Corporation (AA) – January 22, After the close
7. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) – January 28, After the close
8. Intel Corporation (INTC) – January 29
9. Apple Inc. (AAPL) – January 29
10. SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI) – January 30, Before the open

1. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) – Operates a global airline providing passenger and cargo transportation services. DAL is currently up 0.6% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 21.3, with January IVx at 60, February IVx at 43.8, and its liquidity is rated 2 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
2. Citigroup Inc. (C) – Provides banking, investment, and financial services worldwide. C is currently up 5.2% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 21.3, with January IVx at 38.9, February IVx at 32.6, and its liquidity is rated 4 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
3. 3M Company (MMM) – Manufactures industrial, safety, and consumer products across multiple sectors. MMM is currently up 2.15% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 20.2, with January IVx at 27.6, February IVx at 30.6, and its liquidity is rated 3 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
4. Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) – Offers streaming entertainment services and produces original content. NFLX is currently down 2.84% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 37.6, with January IVx at 31, February IVx at 40.8, and its liquidity is rated 4 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
5. United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (UAL) – Operates an airline offering domestic and international passenger flights. UAL is currently up 2.03% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 19.1, with January IVx at 54.9, February IVx at 50.1, and its liquidity is rated 2 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
6. Alcoa Corporation (AA) – Produces aluminum and related products for industrial applications. AA is currently up 13.53% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 32.9, with January IVx at 59.6, February IVx at 54.9, and its liquidity is rated 3 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
7. International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) – Provides enterprise IT services, software, and hardware solutions. IBM is currently down 0.87% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 31, with January IVx at 27.8, February IVx at 33.6, and its liquidity is rated 3 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
8. Intel Corporation (INTC) – Designs and manufactures microprocessors and semiconductor products. INTC is currently up 4.24% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 32.4, with January IVx at 59.9, February IVx at 60.8, and its liquidity is rated 4 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
9. Apple Inc. (AAPL) – Develops consumer electronics, software, and digital services. AAPL is currently down 1.83% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 132, with January IVx at 22.1, February IVx at 25.2, and its liquidity is rated 4 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.
10. SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SOFI) – Offers digital financial services including lending, investing, and banking. SOFI is currently up 9.83% year-to-date. Its current IVR is 17.9, with January IVx at 58.4, February IVx at 66.7, and its liquidity is rated 4 out of 4 on the tastytrade platform.

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