Nvidia stock slumps on Google's AI chip growth news, how to prepare your portfolio for December

Market Trends & Dynamics - Alphabet's shares increased by 2% due to Meta's purchase of TPUs from Google, leading to a market capitalization watch of $4 trillion [1] - Nvidia's shares decreased by 6% following a report of Meta buying TPUs from Alphabet, impacting the semiconductor sector with ARM down nearly 5% and AMD down by 8% [1] - Consumer confidence in the US for November came in lower than estimated at 88.7%, against an estimate of 93.3% [1] - Mastercard's spending pulse report anticipates a 3.6% increase in holiday shopping in 2025, with deals and value being crucial for consumers [2] - Deloitte's annual holiday travel survey indicates that 54% of Americans plan to travel, but are cutting back on overall vacation spending by 18% on average [32][33] Retail Sector Performance - Kohl's shares rose by 34% after announcing a permanent CEO and releasing earnings, while Abercrombie shares increased by 22% [1] - Dick's Sporting Goods' comparable sales were up 5.7%, but the stock is under pressure due to concerns about charges from the Foot Locker acquisition [1] - Best Buy reported better same-store sales, up by 2.7%, driven by product cycles in computing and gaming [2] - The toy industry is impacted by tariffs, with consumers expected to see price increases, such as the Tonka mighty dump truck increasing from $25 pre-COVID to $35-$40 online [7][8] Consumer Behavior & Spending - Consumers are prioritizing value and seeking deals, with 70% looking to get a bigger bang for their buck in both goods and experiences [38] - There's a divergence in retail stocks, with some companies like Walmart, Dicks, Best Buy, and Kohl's beating sales and earnings estimates, while others like Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's missed [2] - Consumer spending plans for services and amusement parks are declining, indicating caution in discretionary spending [4] - Consumers are cutting back on holiday toy budgets, with 143% expecting to spend much less and more than 26% expecting to spend somewhat less [39][7] Travel Industry Insights - Delta Airlines is celebrating 100 years in business, highlighting the challenges and disruptions caused by government shutdowns and staffing shortages [5] - The TSA expects to screen nearly 18 million people between today and next Tuesday for the holiday travel season [5] - 57% of travelers are planning to drive, up 10% from last year, as a way to save money [35]