Core Insights - Nvidia is eager to sell its H200 AI chip in China after receiving approval from President Trump, which includes a 25% cut of sales to the U.S. government [2] - The Chinese government has ordered a halt on H200 orders, potentially mandating firms to purchase domestic chips instead, which poses a significant challenge to Nvidia's plans [3][4] - The Chinese market represents a potential $50 billion annual opportunity for Nvidia, which could significantly contribute to its growth, although current forecasts do not include sales from the H200 chip [5] Market Access and Political Challenges - Nvidia's access to the Chinese market is seen as a multibillion-dollar revenue opportunity, but political hurdles remain a significant barrier to realizing these sales [4] - The H20 chip, designed specifically for the Chinese market, has also faced challenges despite receiving U.S. backing, with bipartisan efforts in the U.S. to block sales [6][7] - Analysts from Morgan Stanley, Jefferies, and Bernstein acknowledge the potential upside from AI chip sales in China but remain cautious due to ongoing political uncertainties [7] Stock Performance - Nvidia's shares rose approximately 1% recently, maintaining a stable position after a nearly 40% increase last year [8]

Core Insights - Big tech stocks have seen a decline, but investor interest in momentum stocks remains strong, particularly in data storage following Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's comments on AI demand for memory and storage hardware [1][6] Group 1: Stock Performance - Sandisk (SNDK) shares surged over 27% on Tuesday, following a remarkable increase of more than 500% in 2025 and an additional 43% in the first three sessions of 2026 [2] - Western Digital (WDC) and Seagate Technology (STX) stocks, which tripled in value last year, rose 17% and 14% respectively on the same day [2] - Despite these gains, all three stocks experienced a pullback on Wednesday [2] Group 2: Market Dynamics - The AI sector has faced challenges, with concerns about an AI bubble impacting stock performance; as of Tuesday, all stocks in the Magnificent Seven, except Amazon (AMZN), were down this year [3] - Huang indicated that AI-specific storage and memory represent an unserved market, which is expected to become the largest storage market globally [4] - The demand for memory and data storage devices significantly outpaced supply last year, leading to a rise in prices; Micron's (MU) gross margins increased to 56% from 38% year-over-year [4] Group 3: Future Outlook - Companies like Sandisk, Western Digital, and Seagate are poised to benefit from the increasing data generated by AI, which is expected to double globally between 2024 and 2029 [5] - Analysts from Bank of America predict that the active data stockpile will continue to grow as organizations retain more information for AI training and analytics, forecasting 2026 as a significant year for AI inferencing [6]

Core Insights - Alaska Airlines has placed its largest order ever with Boeing, ordering 110 planes, including 105 Boeing 737-10 and five 787 Dreamliner aircraft [1][5] - The order is intended to replace older aircraft and expand the airline's fleet, securing delivery slots through 2035 [2][3] Group 1: Order Details - The order includes options for an additional 35 Boeing 737-10 planes, which can be exercised within the same delivery timeframe [3] - By 2035, Alaska Airlines expects its fleet to grow from 413 to 550 aircraft [3] Group 2: Significance of the Order - This order follows a recent incident involving a Boeing plane operated by Alaska Airlines, which experienced a door plug detachment due to missing bolts, leading to investigations and production slowdowns [2] - The new order may indicate renewed confidence in Boeing's leadership and supply chain stability [2] Group 3: Financial Context - Boeing's order backlog has increased to over 5,900 commercial airplanes, valued at $636 billion [4] - In the past year, Alaska Airlines shares have decreased by nearly 25%, while Boeing shares have increased by over 30% [5]

Core Insights - MSCI has decided not to remove companies with significant digital asset holdings, such as Strategy, from its indexes for the time being, which has positively impacted Strategy's stock price [1][6] - The decision alleviates immediate concerns for Strategy's shareholders, who have faced stock price declines in the latter half of 2025 [2][4] - Despite the temporary relief, MSCI plans to conduct a broader review of digital asset treasury companies (DATCOs), indicating that the long-term status of Strategy in the indexes remains uncertain [3][4] Company Overview - Strategy, known for its substantial bitcoin holdings, has a market capitalization of approximately $48 billion and is included in major indexes like the Nasdaq Composite and Nasdaq 100 [5] - The company asserts that it is not merely an investment fund but an operating business that actively utilizes its bitcoin holdings to generate returns for shareholders [5]

Core Insights - First-time homebuyers in 2026 will encounter a challenging housing market characterized by high prices and elevated mortgage rates, although some areas may offer more favorable conditions [1][11] Market Analysis - Cities such as Rochester, N.Y., Harrisburg, Pa., and Granite City, Ill. are identified as top markets for first-time homebuyers due to a combination of affordability, inventory, local amenities, and positive economic outlooks [2][11] - The study indicates that only slightly over one-third of U.S. housing markets are affordable for buyers aged 25 to 34, with homes requiring payments of less than 30% of median income based on a 6.25% fixed mortgage rate and a 10% down payment [5] Economic Implications - Affordable housing markets can significantly impact local economic growth, migration patterns, and future consumer spending by providing younger households with realistic entry points into the housing market [3] - The median age of first-time homebuyers has risen to 40 in 2025, the highest since tracking began in 1981, with homeownership rates for those aged 35 and younger dropping to 37.5% from pre-pandemic levels above 40% [6] Pricing Trends - The median home listing prices in the highlighted markets are significantly lower than the national median existing home sales price of $409,000, with Granite City at $119,000, Rochester at $139,900, and Harrisburg at $151,999 [8][11] - Several Florida markets have been excluded from the list, and no cities in the West were included for the second consecutive year, underscoring ongoing affordability challenges in those regions [9] Amenities and Lifestyle - The study emphasizes the importance of local amenities such as shopping, daycare, and commute times in determining housing affordability, with many recommended markets being principal cities in their metropolitan areas [12]

Labor Market - The U.S. job market is expected to show slow expansion, with an addition of 73,000 jobs in December and a decrease in the unemployment rate to 4.5% from 4.6% in the previous month [2] - Job growth in December is slightly higher than the 64,000 jobs added in November, which had the highest unemployment rate since 2021 [2] - Over the past months, tariffs have negatively impacted hiring, with an average addition of only 17,000 jobs per month from May to November, compared to 147,000 jobs per month in the year leading up to April 2025 [3] - Some experts believe the Bureau of Labor Statistics may be overestimating job growth, with Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell suggesting an average loss of 20,000 jobs per month since April [4] Albertsons - Albertsons Cos. reported weaker-than-expected Q3 net sales of $19.12 billion, slightly below the $19.16 billion consensus, leading to a 6% drop in shares [5][6] - Identical sales growth for Q3 was 2.4%, missing estimates due to delayed SNAP funding, which impacted sales by 10 to 20 basis points [6] - The company has lowered its full-year identical sales growth forecast to a range of 2.2% to 2.5%, down from 2.2% to 2.75%, citing impacts from the Inflation Reduction Act's Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program [6] Apogee Enterprises - Apogee Enterprises has cut its fiscal 2026 outlook again, resulting in an 11% drop in stock price after lowering its full-year net sales and profit forecasts for the second consecutive quarter [16][17] - The company now expects fiscal 2026 net sales of $1.39 billion and adjusted earnings per share of $3.40 to $3.50, down from previous guidance of $1.39 billion to $1.42 billion and adjusted EPS of $3.60 to $3.90 [17] - CFO Matthew Osberg has resigned, and Mark Augdahl has been named interim CFO, following a recent change in CEO [18]

U.S. employers had 7.1 million job openings in November, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said Wednesday. That was a decrease from 7.4 million in October, the fewest since September 2024, and below the 7.6 million openings forecasters had expected, according to a survey of economists by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal. There was less than one job for every unemployed worker, with the ratio slipping to 0.9 from 1:1 in September. It was the lowest ratio since 2021. Related Education Understandin ...

Core Insights - The U.S. job market is expected to show slow expansion in December, with an addition of 73,000 jobs and a decrease in the unemployment rate to 4.5% from 4.6% in November [2][3][11] Job Growth and Unemployment - The anticipated job growth in December is slightly higher than the 64,000 jobs added in November, which marked the highest unemployment rate since 2021 [3][11] - The average job addition from May to November was only 17,000 per month, significantly lower than the 147,000 per month in the year leading up to April 2025 [4] Economic Factors Influencing Job Market - Tariffs, reduced immigration, and the adoption of artificial intelligence have negatively impacted job growth since mid-2022 [11] - Employers have been hesitant to hire due to uncertainties surrounding trade policies and the effects of tariffs on consumer behavior [8] Federal Reserve Response - Labor market concerns have led the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates multiple times to stimulate hiring and reduce unemployment [6][7] - The upcoming report is crucial for the Fed as it considers further rate cuts, especially after recent sluggish hiring trends [7] Data Sources and Predictions - The December job data is expected to be less distorted by previous government shutdowns, providing a clearer picture of the job market [9][11] - Private-sector data indicated that 41,000 jobs were added in December, which was below expectations but an improvement from November's decline of 29,000 jobs [12]

Core Insights - Gold and silver prices have surged following the ousting of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, with gold increasing approximately 4% this week and silver rising over 10% [1][6] - The geopolitical uncertainty stemming from Maduro's capture has reignited interest in precious metals as safe-haven investments [3][6] Price Movements - Gold is nearing its record-high spot price of around $4,540 per troy ounce, while silver has surpassed the $80-per-ounce mark [1][6] - The previous week saw a decline in gold and silver prices due to increased margin requirements by CME Group, but the current geopolitical events have reversed this trend [2] Geopolitical Context - The U.S. government's role in stabilizing Venezuela remains uncertain, with President Trump indicating intentions to manage the country until a transition occurs [4] - The geopolitical landscape has been further complicated by threats directed at Colombian President Gustavo Petro and discussions regarding military options for acquiring Greenland [5] Market Reactions - Despite the geopolitical turmoil, U.S. stock indices like the S&P 500 and Dow Jones reached record highs, indicating a divergence in market sentiment between equities and precious metals [5]

Core Insights - Starting in 2023, approximately 6 million additional individuals with disabilities became eligible for ABLE accounts, expanding eligibility to those who become disabled before age 46 [1][8] - ABLE accounts allow tax-free growth and withdrawals for qualified disability expenses, including transportation, food, education, and healthcare [2][8] - Contributions to ABLE accounts are capped annually, with a limit of $20,000 for 2026, and additional contributions allowed for working individuals without access to employer retirement plans [5][8] Eligibility and Benefits - To qualify for an ABLE account, individuals must have experienced their disability before age 46, and eligibility includes those receiving SSI or disability insurance benefits [6][8] - Assets in an ABLE account up to $100,000 do not affect eligibility for Supplemental Social Security Income (SSI) or other programs like Medicaid and SNAP [4][5] - Nearly all states offer ABLE accounts, with exceptions being Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin [7]