Morning Bid: Optics and Oracles

Group 1 - The U.S. consumer price inflation report for November is delayed and will be a key indicator for the Federal Reserve's interest rate decisions in the upcoming year [1][4] - Wall Street is closely monitoring the tech sector due to concerns over potential bubble risks linked to significant AI investments by companies like Oracle [1] - BP has appointed Meg O'Neill, the former head of Woodside Energy, as its new CEO, marking a strategic shift back to oil and gas after a focus on renewables [3] Group 2 - The October consumer price index data was not collected due to government shutdown, leading to a focus on year-on-year rates rather than the usual monthly changes [5] - Asia's imports of U.S. crude oil, coal, and liquefied natural gas are expected to decline this year, despite efforts from the U.S. government to increase shipments [3] - Discussions in U.S. economic circles are shifting from "R-star" to "U-star," indicating a potential change in focus for Federal Reserve officials regarding interest rates [3]