The issue of affordability helped spur Donald Trump to victory last year, but also helped Democrats win big in off-year elections one month ago. The latest edition of NBC News deciders focus group produced by Syracuse University and the research firms Igacius and Sego. We heard from Trump voters who cast ballots for Democrats Mikey Cheryl and Abigail Spanberger in last month's New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections.Nearly all of them say they are unhappy with how the White House is handling concern ...

Market Overview - U.S. equities extended gains on December 5, 2025, driven by a cooler-than-expected inflation report and optimism for a Federal Reserve interest rate cut next week [1] - The S&P 500 closed at 6,870.40 points, up 0.2%, nearing its record high from October [2] - The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.3% to 23,578.13 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 0.2% to 47,954.99 points, reflecting broad market confidence [2] Economic Data - The core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose 2.8% year-over-year, a tenth of a percentage point slower than predictions, reinforcing expectations for a Fed rate cut [4] - Personal income increased by $94.5 billion (0.4% monthly rate), and personal consumption expenditures rose by $65.1 billion (0.3%) [5] - The University of Michigan's preliminary December consumer sentiment index improved to 52.0, contributing to positive market sentiment [5] Federal Reserve Focus - Investors are anticipating a 95% chance of a 25-basis point rate cut at the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee meeting on December 9-10, 2025 [6] - This expectation is influenced by recent inflation data and labor market signals, including a decline in private sector jobs reported by ADP [6] Corporate Highlights - Ulta Beauty's shares surged over 14% after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter earnings with an EPS of $5.14, surpassing expectations of $4.64, and revenue of $2.86 billion [8] - Netflix announced it would acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a deal valued at nearly $83 billion, impacting stock prices divergently: Netflix shares fell nearly 3%, while Warner Bros. Discovery stock jumped 6% [9] - Hewlett Packard Enterprise's stock dropped by 3.9% despite reporting stronger-than-expected profits, as revenue fell short of forecasts [10] - Salesforce and Dollar General rallied on strong third-quarter results, while Kroger's stock dipped over 4% after missing sales expectations [12] Sector Performance - Major tech stocks showed mixed results, with Broadcom rising over 2%, while Nvidia and Apple each slipped about 0.5% [11] - The market continues to navigate a complex environment, balancing economic data and corporate performances as the year ends [13]

[Music] Hello and welcome to Market Domination. I'm Josh Lipton live from our New York headquarters. There's just an hour to go until the closing bell and stocks are higher.Let's welcome in now Jared Blickery joining us to break down the headlines. Jared, what are you seeing in the markets. >> We've got some small gains and I think investors will take that.That's what's supposed to happen this time of year. Here's the Dow. This is perfect example.up 160 points or about 1/3 of a percent. Uh kind of choppy in ...

President Trump said on Tuesday that he will announce his selection for the new Fed Chair in early 2026. Bloomberg reported last week that National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett is seen as the likely choice to succeed Powell. The Fed’s independence would come into question, as Hassett supports President Trump’s approach to cutting interest rates at the Fed.The University of Michigan US Dec 1-year inflation expectations eased to 4.1%, better than expectations of no change at 4.5% and the smallest p ...

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Core Viewpoint - President Trump is expected to appoint a new Federal Reserve chair to replace Jerome Powell, with Kevin Hasset currently seen as the frontrunner for the position [1][2][18]. Group 1: Candidates for Federal Reserve Chair - The shortlist for the Federal Reserve chair includes Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, former Fed Governor Kevin Worsh, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hasset, and BlackRock's head of fixed income Rick Reer [1]. - Kevin Hasset, as National Economic Council Director, emphasizes Fed independence and sound monetary policies, advocating for interest rates to align with economic conditions [2][4]. - Kevin Worsh, previously a Fed governor, is viewed as a top candidate and has criticized the Fed's recent policy decisions, arguing for lower interest rates and a smaller Fed balance sheet [5][7][9]. - Christopher Waller, a current Fed Board member, supports cutting interest rates and believes inflation is close to the Fed's 2% goal, citing limited effects from tariffs [10][13][14]. - Michelle Bowman, also a Fed Board member, shares views with the Trump administration on the need for lower interest rates and has proposed three rate cuts for the year [24][25][28]. - Rick Reer, head of fixed income at BlackRock, believes the Fed should cut rates and has expressed concerns about labor market displacement [30][32][33]. Group 2: Perspectives on Monetary Policy - Hasset has criticized the Fed for its handling of inflation and interest rates, suggesting that the Fed's decisions have been influenced by partisan considerations [3][4]. - Worsh argues that inflation is primarily caused by excessive government spending rather than economic growth, and he believes the Fed's current policies are hindering economic progress [7][8][9]. - Waller's analysis indicates that the job market's weakness is a more pressing concern than inflation, advocating for a cautious approach to rate cuts [13][14]. - Bowman's stance on Fed independence is that it is crucial for effective monetary policy, while also advocating for transparency and accountability in the Fed's decisions [29].

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market closed mixed on December 5th, 2025, with investors reacting to new inflation data and a significant corporate acquisition while anticipating the upcoming Federal Reserve meeting [1] - Major indexes showed resilience, with the S&P 500 gaining 0.3% to 6870 points, the Nasdaq Composite up 0.4%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by approximately 100 points or 0.3% [2] Economic Data - The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price index rose 2.9% year-over-year as of September, aligning with expectations, while core inflation increased by 2.8%, slightly below forecasts [3] - Initial jobless claims fell to 191,000, the lowest since September 2022, indicating a tightening labor market [4] - The University of Michigan consumer sentiment report showed improvement for the first time in five months, with moderating inflation expectations [4] Corporate News - Netflix announced plans to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for approximately $83 billion, leading to a mixed market reaction; Netflix shares fell over 2%, while Warner Bros. Discovery's stock surged more than 5% [5] - Ulta Beauty's stock jumped 11% after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings and raising its full-year forecast [6] - Victoria's Secret & Co. saw a 14.4% increase in stock price following a smaller-than-expected loss and an upward revision of its sales outlook [6] - Hewlett Packard Enterprise's stock dropped 3.9% after quarterly revenue fell short of analyst expectations [6] Technology Sector Performance - Broadcom rose over 2%, and Meta Platforms advanced 1% due to cost-cutting reports, while other major tech companies like Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, and Tesla saw marginal gains [7] - Nvidia and Apple experienced slight declines of less than 1% [7] Upcoming Earnings Reports - Several companies, including Freight Technologies, NovaBridge Biosciences, and Oracle, are expected to release earnings reports soon, which will provide further insights into corporate performance and market trends [9]

Bloomberg Treasuries closed out their worst week in eight months as conflicting economic data challenged expectations for how much the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates next year. US 10- and 30-year yields rose four basis points on Friday to finish a week in which they spiked the most since April, when havoc erupted in global financial markets after the US administration rolled out its tariffs agenda. Most Read from Bloomberg While traders widely expect the Fed to cut interest rates next week, j ...

But our next guest says based on the data the Fed should not cut rates next week. Torson SLock is the chief economist over Apollo Global Management. Torston, thanks for being with us right now.Take us through the case as to why the Fed needs to hold steady. >> Well, if you look at the incoming data, for example, we had a lot of discussions here now about a month ago of course of Triricolor and First Brands and whether the credit cycle was about to get worse. But if you look at the actual numbers for default ...

Core Insights - Inflation has significantly increased, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 3% in September, up from 2.3% in April, indicating a persistent upward trend in prices [2][3] - The effective tariff rate has reached 16.8%, the highest since 1935, contributing to increased import prices and overall inflation [6] - Popular brands and retailers have responded to rising costs by reducing promotions and selectively increasing prices, leading to consumers paying higher prices for goods [7] Economic Context - Many Americans are facing tough spending choices due to rising prices, leading to delays in discretionary purchases to prioritize essentials [2] - The job market is weakening, contrasting with the inflationary pressures, which complicates the economic landscape [2] - The upcoming Bureau of Labor Statistics' November CPI report is highly anticipated, as it may indicate whether inflation is slowing down [3][5] Retail and Brand Impact - Major retailers like Walmart and AutoZone have adjusted their pricing strategies, resulting in consumers often paying full or higher prices for products [7] - Harvard's Pricing Lab reports that average prices are currently 6.68% higher than they would have been without the impact of tariffs, highlighting the significant effect of tariffs on consumer pricing [8]