S&P 500 – 6,827.41 (-1.07%)

Dow Jones – 48,458.05 (-0.51%)

NASDAQ – 23,195.17 (-1.69%)

• Equities retreat from record highs: Major U.S. indexes pulled back as selling pressure in mega-cap tech stocks weighed on the Nasdaq.
• Bond yields rise as Treasuries retreat: Bond prices fell this week, with the 10-year Treasury yield climbing to 4.19% amid broad gains in U.S. Treasury yields.
• Fed cuts rate, signals one more cut in 2026: The Federal Reserve lowered its benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 3.5%–3.75%, marking the third consecutive cut. Officials remain divided on the long-term outlook but project one additional reduction in 2026 and another in 2027. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee noted that inflation progress has stalled, though rates could eventually move lower.
• Mega-cap tech stocks pull back: The “Magnificent Seven” fell this week following post-earnings declines in Oracle and Broadcom.
• Bitcoin and crypto stocks see slight gains: Bitcoin edged up 0.7% early Friday, boosting crypto-related stocks marginally. Futures hovered just above $90,000, above November’s low of $80,000 but well below October’s $127,000 peak. The OCC also announced guidance allowing banks to act as intermediaries on crypto exchanges.
• Broadcom shares drop despite strong earnings: Broadcom (AVGO) beat expectations but fell 11% Friday due to concerns about AI-driven growth sustainability after a roughly 70% rally earlier this year.
• U.S. oil prices slide to mid-October lows: Crude futures fell more than 4% for the week, trading near $57.40 amid global supply glut concerns. Year-to-date, oil is down about 9%.
• Silver prices hit record levels: Spot silver briefly reached $65 per ounce on Friday. At $62, silver is up 115% year to date.
• Job openings exceed expectations: October job openings rose to 7.67 million, above the 7.12 million forecast and surpassing pre-pandemic levels, signaling a tight labor market.
• Small business optimism rises slightly: The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index increased 0.8 points to 99.0 in November. The net percent of business owners raising average selling prices jumped 13 points to 34%, the highest since March 2023, while optimism for better conditions fell 5 points to 15%.
• Jobless claims jump: Initial U.S. jobless claims rose 44,000 to 236,000, exceeding the expected 220,000.
• Lululemon surges on strong earnings: Lululemon (LULU) beat Wall Street expectations in both earnings and revenue. CEO Calvin McDonald announced he will step down at the end of next month.
• Nvidia considers H200 production boost: Nvidia (NVDA) rose after reports it may increase production of its H200 chip amid strong demand from China.
• Alphabet slips as OpenAI launches new AI model: Alphabet (GOOGL) fell following OpenAI’s announcement of a new enterprise-focused AI model that could challenge Google’s Gemini 3 and the broader employee productivity software market.
• OpenAI CEO signals potential revenue disclosure: Sam Altman indicated that OpenAI may eventually release revenue figures, potentially easing investor concerns.
• Tesla sales hit four-year low: Tesla (TSLA) declined after U.S. vehicle sales in November reached their lowest level in nearly four years.
• RH beats revenue estimates, guidance misses: RH (RH) reported stronger-than-expected quarterly revenue, though earnings per share and forward guidance fell short of expectations.
• Costco reports solid earnings: Costco (COST) posted better-than-expected revenue and earnings, with comparable sales up 8.2% year-over-year.
• Cannabis stocks surge on potential reclassification: Tilray Brands (TLRY) jumped, along with Cronos Group (CRON), after reports that President Trump plans to reclassify marijuana as a Schedule III drug.
• Sweden’s Sobi to acquire Arthrosi for $1.5B: Sobi plans to acquire U.S.-based Arthrosi Therapeutics for up to $1.5 billion to strengthen its gout treatment pipeline.
• Target unveils trendy SoHo concept store: Target aims to revive its cultural appeal with a design-focused concept store in New York’s SoHo neighborhood, highlighting fashion, beauty, and designer collaborations.
• Dick Van Dyke turns 100, credits daily routine: The Hollywood legend celebrates his centennial by emphasizing music, movement, and love as keys to his longevity.
• Financial Times names Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang person of the year 2025: Huang is recognized for his central role in the global AI boom and Nvidia’s rise to a $4 trillion market valuation.
• MacKenzie Scott donates $7.1 billion in 2025: Scott’s latest round of giving brings her lifetime donations to $26.3 billion, supporting a range of causes from HBCUs to climate change initiatives.

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Silver is gold in pale.” — John Milton

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Notable Stocks

• Tesla (TSLA)
• Nvidia (NVDA)
• Broadcom (AVGO)
• Costco (COST)
• Alphabet (GOOGL)

Weekly Notables

Financial Times Names Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Person of the Year for 2025

The Financial Times has named Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang its Person of the Year 2025, citing his central role in the “AI mania sweeping through the business and financial worlds.” Under Huang’s leadership, Nvidia became the world’s most valuable company this year, surpassing a $4 trillion market capitalization as demand for its AI chips surged.

Sweden’s Sobi to Acquire U.S. Biotech Arthrosi for Up to $1.5 Billion to Expand Gout Pipeline

Swedish drugmaker Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (Sobi) announced Saturday that it will acquire U.S.-based Arthrosi Therapeutics for up to $1.5 billion to strengthen its gout treatment portfolio. Sobi will pay $950 million upfront in cash, with an additional $550 million contingent on clinical, regulatory, and sales milestones. San Diego-based Arthrosi is developing an experimental gout therapy that has shown promise in mid-stage trials, effectively reducing serum uric acid with a favorable safety profile. Two late-stage trials are currently underway, with results expected in 2026.

Earnings Spotlight

Earnings Spotlight: Fedex (FDX)

The market expects FedEx (FDX) to deliver flat earnings compared to the year-ago quarter on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended November 2025. The earnings report is expected to be released on December 18.

What's Ahead

Attention may shift this coming week to delayed CPI and employment data for October and November. The labor market report scheduled for release Tuesday will be atypical, as a recent government shutdown delayed its publication by 11 days. The report will combine employment data for October and November, while the unemployment rate will be reported only for November, since the household survey used to calculate joblessness was not conducted in October.

Economic:

• Monday (12/15): Empire State Manufacturing, NAHB Housing Market Index
• Tuesday (12/16): Average Workweek, Average Hourly Earnings, Building Permits, Business Inventories, Capacity Utilization, Housing Starts, Industrial Production, Nonfarm Payrolls, Retail Sales, Unemployment Rate
• Wednesday (12/17): Business Inventories, EIA Crude Oil Inventories, MBA Mortgage Applications Index, Retail Sales
• Thursday (12/18): Continuing Claims, Consumer Price Index (CPI), EIA Natural Gas Inventories, Initial Claims, Leading Inventories, Net Long-Term TIC Flows, Philadelphia Fed Index
• Bank of Japan (BOJ) Monetary Policy Meeting (December 18-19th)
• Friday (12/19): Existing Home Sales, Q3 GDP – Third Estimate, PCE Prices, Personal Income, Personal Spending, University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment - Final

Earnings:

• Monday (12/15): MindWalk Holdings Corp. (HYFT), Navan Inc. (NAVN), US Gold Corp. (USAU)
• Tuesday (12/16): Duluth Holdings Inc. (DLTH), Lennar Corp. (LEN), Waldencast PLC (WALD), Worthington Enterprises Inc. (WOR)
• Wednesday (12/17): ABM Industries Inc. (ABM), Enerpac Tool Group Corp. (EPAC), General Mills Inc. (GIS), Jabil Inc. (JBL), Micron Technology Inc. (MU), Toro Co. (TTC)
• Thursday (12/18): Accenture PLC (ACN), Birkenstock Holding PLC (BIRK), CarMax Inc. (KMX), Cintas Corp. (CTAS), Darden Restaurants Inc. (DRI), FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS), FedEx Corp. (FDX), HEICO Corp. (HEI), KB Homs (KBH)Nike Inc. (NKE)
• Friday (12/19): Carnival Corp. (CCL), Conagra Brands Inc. (CAG), Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. (LW), Paychex Inc. (PAYX), Winnebago Industries Inc. (WGO)