Group 1 - U.S. stocks experienced a decline, with the Nasdaq Composite dropping over 100 points on Monday [1] - DigitalBridge Group Inc announced its acquisition by SoftBank Group for an enterprise value of approximately $4.0 billion, resulting in a 9.9% increase in its shares to $15.30 [1] Group 2 - Eightco Holdings Inc shares surged 29.1% to $2.15 following the announcement of a share buyback program for up to $125 million [2] - Palisade Bio Inc saw an 18.6% increase to $2.55 after Piper Sandler initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and a price target of $25 [2] - Regencell Bioscience Holdings Ltd gained 16.3% to $24.60 [2] - Praxis Precision Medicines Inc surged 13% to $304.00 after receiving Breakthrough Therapy Designation from the FDA for ulixacaltamide [2] - Zura Bio Ltd increased by 13% to $5.26 [2] - Precigen Inc rose 8.6% to $4.52 [2] - Autolus Therapeutics PLC jumped 7.8% to $1.80, with Needham analyst raising the price target from $10 to $11 [2] - LightPath Technologies Inc gained 6.6% to $9.62 [2] - NGL Energy Partners LP surged 6.3% to $9.98 [2] - Six Flags Entertainment Corp increased by 5% to $15.64 [2]

Market Overview - U.S. equity markets began the final trading week of 2025 on a subdued note, with major indexes opening lower after a strong year and a recent five-session winning streak [1][2] - The S&P 500 has risen nearly 18% year-to-date, the Dow gained 14.5%, and the Nasdaq Composite increased by 22.2% [1] Market Indexes Performance - On December 29, 2025, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 74.3 points (0.15%) to 48,636.63, the S&P 500 dropped 26.3 points (0.38%) to 6,903.6, and the Nasdaq Composite decreased by 178.4 points (0.76%) to 23,414.679 [2] - This decline followed a Friday session where all three indexes closed slightly lower, ending a five-day winning streak, but still posted weekly gains of over 1% [2] Market Sentiment - Current market sentiment reflects profit-taking and repositioning as institutional investors finalize portfolios for year-end [3] - The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) increased by 1% to 13.60, indicating a slight uptick in market apprehension [3] Upcoming Economic Events - The Federal Reserve's December meeting minutes will be released on December 30, 2025, providing insights into policy decisions and potential rate cuts [4] - Futures traders are currently pricing in two 0.25% rate cuts for 2026, possibly starting as early as March [4] Economic Data Releases - On December 29, U.S. economic data included Pending Home Sales (MoM) for November and the Dallas Fed Manufacturing Business Index for December [5] - Initial jobless claims data will also be released later in the week, contributing to the broader economic picture [5] Company News and Stock Movements - Nvidia (NVDA) shares fell about 2% in early trading despite a 1% rise after licensing AI chip technology from startup Groq, highlighting volatility in the AI sector [6] - Target Corporation (TGT) shares rose by 3.1% after news of hedge fund Toms Capital Investment Management building a significant stake [7] - Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) shares jumped 6.5% after resolving a recent cyber issue with minimal impact [7] - American Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) shares fell 1.5% due to winter storm risks affecting operations [8] - DigitalBridge Group Inc. (DBRG) shares surged 10% after SoftBank acquired the firm for $4 billion, indicating strong interest in digital infrastructure [9] - Tesla (TSLA) stock was down almost 2.5%, while Apple (AAPL) shares saw a slight increase [9] Commodity Market Activity - Gold and silver prices retreated from recent highs, while U.S. crude oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) surged over 2% to $58 per barrel amid U.S.-Venezuela tensions [10] - The 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.12%, and Bitcoin was trading around $87,500, down from an overnight high [10]

Group 1 - SoftBank Group will acquire DigitalBridge Group for $4 billion to enhance its AI-related portfolio and expand its digital infrastructure exposure [1][2] - DigitalBridge focuses on digital infrastructure sectors, including datacenters, cell towers, fiber networks, and edge infrastructure, managing approximately $108 billion in assets as of September 30 [2][3] - The acquisition aligns with SoftBank's strategy to capitalize on the increasing demand for computing capacity essential for AI applications [2][4] Group 2 - SoftBank is investing significantly in AI, participating in the Stargate project alongside OpenAI, Oracle, and MGX, which aims to support advanced AI development [4] - The Stargate project includes plans to build five new computing sites across Texas, New Mexico, and Ohio, with a combined power capacity of about 7GW [5]

Group 1 - SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc., valuing the data center investment company at $4 billion, including debt [2][4] - The acquisition will be at a cash price of $16 per share for the publicly listed DigitalBridge, part of SoftBank's strategy to invest in digital infrastructure supporting the AI boom [2][4] - Founder Masayoshi Son aims to capitalize on the surge in demand for digital infrastructure driven by the AI trend, with a wave of multi-billion dollar transactions occurring in the past year focused on data centers and the computing power needed to build and operate this technology [2][4] Group 2 - DigitalBridge is one of the largest investment firms focused on digital infrastructure, managing approximately $108 billion in assets as of the end of September [2][4] - As of the report, DigitalBridge's stock price increased by 9.7% to $15.28, slightly below the acquisition price, with the transaction representing a 15% premium over the closing price on December 26 [2][4] - The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026 [2][4]

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank Group Corp. has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge Group Inc. for $4 billion, including debt, as part of its strategy to invest in digital infrastructure driven by the AI boom [1][2]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition involves a cash payment of $16 per share for DigitalBridge, confirming earlier reports [1]. - The deal represents a 15% premium over DigitalBridge's closing share price on December 26 [4]. - The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals [4]. Group 2: Market Context - There has been a surge in demand for digital infrastructure, leading to significant transactions in the sector, including BlackRock's $40 billion purchase of Aligned Data Centers and Oracle's agreement to supply OpenAI with computing power valued at up to $300 billion [3]. - DigitalBridge is one of the largest investment firms in digital infrastructure, managing approximately $108 billion in assets as of the end of September [3]. Group 3: Market Reaction - DigitalBridge shares rose over 9.7% shortly after the acquisition announcement, trading slightly below the sale price [4]. - Prior to the announcement, shares of DigitalBridge had increased by 45% on December 5, when acquisition talks were first reported, with a market value of about $2.5 billion [5]. Group 4: Strategic Implications - The acquisition will enhance SoftBank's relationships with investors interested in the data center industry [6]. - DigitalBridge's portfolio includes several digital infrastructure operators, such as AIMS, AtlasEdge, DataBank, Switch Inc., Vantage Data Centers, and Yondr Group [6]. - SoftBank is also exploring a potential acquisition of Switch, which is valued at around $50 billion, including debt [7].

Market Overview - The three major U.S. stock indices opened lower, with the Dow Jones down 0.19%, the S&P 500 down 0.45%, and the Nasdaq down 0.72% [1] Company News - Amazon has decided to suspend its drone delivery program in Italy due to broader commercial regulatory issues, despite having made good progress in aviation regulation [2] - Lululemon's founder Chip Wilson has initiated a proxy fight to push for changes in the company's board following the departure of CEO Calvin McDonald [3] - Intel announced the completion of a sale of common stock to Nvidia, totaling $5 billion for 214,776,632 shares at a price of $23.28 per share [4] - Samsung's P4 factory construction is accelerating, with equipment installation and testing expected to be completed 2-3 months ahead of schedule, focusing on 10nm sixth-generation DRAM production [5] - SoftBank is reportedly in deep discussions to acquire DigitalBridge, a private equity firm primarily investing in data center assets [6] - Woodside Energy has signed a long-term LNG supply agreement with Turkey's Botas, committing to supply approximately 5.8 billion cubic meters of gas equivalent starting in 2030 for up to 9 years [7]

Group 1 - SoftBank announced a cash acquisition of DigitalBridge at a price of $16 per share, expected to be completed in the second half of 2026 [1] - Following the announcement, DigitalBridge's stock rose over 31% in pre-market trading [1]

Group 1 - SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge for $16 per share in cash, representing a premium of approximately 15% over DigitalBridge's closing price on December 26 [1] - The acquisition is part of SoftBank's strategy to enhance its digital infrastructure investments in response to the growing demand for data centers and computing power driven by the AI wave [1] - DigitalBridge is a leading institution focused on digital infrastructure investments, with assets under management totaling approximately $108 billion as of the end of September [1] Group 2 - The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approval [1]

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire DigitalBridge for $16 per share in cash, marking a significant move to enhance its digital infrastructure portfolio amid the AI wave [1] Group 1: Acquisition Details - DigitalBridge's stock price rose over 9.7% to $15.29 ahead of the announcement [1] - The acquisition price represents a premium of approximately 15% over DigitalBridge's closing price on December 26 [1] - The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026, pending regulatory approval [1] Group 2: Company Overview - DigitalBridge is a leading institution focused on digital infrastructure investments [1] - As of the end of September, DigitalBridge had approximately $108 billion in assets under management [1]

Core Viewpoint - SoftBank announced the acquisition of DigitalBridge for $16 per share, totaling approximately $4 billion including debt, indicating a strategic move to consolidate AI infrastructure assets amid growing demand for computing capacity in the AI sector [1]. Group 1: Acquisition Details - The acquisition price of $16 per share reflects a significant discount compared to DigitalBridge's asset base, which manages around $108 billion in digital infrastructure assets, while the company's equity value stands at only $2.54 billion [5]. - DigitalBridge's stock surged over 50% in premarket trading, jumping from $13.62 to $20.10, driven by investor enthusiasm for digital infrastructure and the anticipated acceleration of AI infrastructure development [2][3]. - Analysts had previously set price targets for DigitalBridge, with RBC Capital raising its target to $23 shortly before the announcement, indicating that SoftBank's offer was in line with market expectations [4]. Group 2: Strategic Importance - The acquisition aligns with SoftBank's AI strategy, as it seeks to control essential physical assets necessary for AI operations, including power and cooling infrastructure, which are critical bottlenecks in scaling AI [7][8]. - DigitalBridge's portfolio includes key operators like Vantage Data Centers and Switch, providing SoftBank with prime locations for deploying AI workloads and enhancing its operational capabilities [8][11]. - By taking DigitalBridge private, SoftBank can streamline decision-making and capital allocation towards AI-related projects without the constraints of public market reporting [9][10]. Group 3: Future Prospects - The integration of DigitalBridge with SoftBank's Stargate initiative, which aims to build 10 gigawatts of AI compute capacity, unlocks significant growth potential and operational efficiency in AI infrastructure expansion [10][11]. - DigitalBridge's global footprint and partnerships, such as with KT Corporation for AI-grade data centers, position it well for future growth in the AI sector [9].