When you walk around Costco, there's one thing you can't help but notice. And it's not just the fact that many of the items are supersized. Costco's prices, even for non-bulk items, are among the most competitive in retail. And that's incredibly important at a time when so many consumers are struggling. In November, prices for common consumer goods and services were up 2.7% broadly, according to last month's Consumer Price Index. Food costs rose 2.6%, electricity was up 6.9%, and piped gas service was u ...

Central Bank Insights - Central banks, including the Federal Reserve, ECB, and Bank of England, are experiencing significant internal disagreements regarding monetary policy due to a lack of visibility on economic conditions [3][10]. - The Bank of England has shown a notable split in decision-making, while the ECB appears more optimistic about growth and the resilience of the European economy [4][5]. Economic Indicators - The U.S. jobs report indicates a mixed picture, with the U6 underemployment rate at 8.7%, the highest since August 2021, suggesting challenges in the labor market [7]. - The Consumer Price Index (CPI) data is influenced heavily by shelter costs, raising questions about its reliability due to missing data from previous months [8][9]. Market Dynamics - There is a notable rebound in technology stocks, particularly driven by Micron, despite recent pullbacks and concerns about valuations in the AI sector [12][13]. - Companies are facing escalating expenditures and are increasingly borrowing, which may indicate signs of a bubble in the market, although it is suggested that the bubble may not burst until later than 2026 [14][16]. Investment Sentiment - Current market conditions reflect a lack of visibility and trust among investors, with concerns about potential profit-taking and rotation into different market segments [13][14]. - The overall investment landscape is still under control, with leverage not posing significant danger at this stage of the market evolution [16].

Consumer Spending and Market Dynamics - The recent consumer spending data indicates a potential beginning of a Santa Claus rally, with the Dow advancing 66 points and the NASDAQ surging 1.38% [2] - Consumer spending, which constitutes two-thirds of the economy, has shown signs of improvement, particularly as inflation rates decline [4][8] - Retail performance has been mixed, with Walmart performing well due to its strategy of keeping prices low, while other retailers like Nike are struggling [3][11] Inflation Trends - The core Consumer Price Index (CPI) has fallen to a four-year low, suggesting that inflation may have peaked and is starting to decline positively [8][9] - Various costs, including gasoline and used car prices, are decreasing, which could enhance consumer spending power [9][10] - Home prices are also reportedly coming down, with some average selling prices now below 2019 levels [10] Technology Sector Insights - The technology sector has faced skepticism regarding unlimited data spending, particularly with Oracle raising $18 billion for data center buildouts [5][6] - OpenAI is attempting to raise $100 billion at an increased valuation of $830 billion, which could support aggressive data center expansion and positively impact stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom [6][7] - The market has shown a broadening rally beyond tech, with significant gains in financials and autos, indicating a shift in investor sentiment [16][22] Retail Sector Performance - Retail stocks have seen positive movements, with companies like Darden, Texas Roadhouse, and Target reporting gains [12] - Amazon's e-commerce platform remains a significant contributor to its overall performance, despite the focus on Amazon Web Services [13] - The overall retail sector is poised for growth, coinciding with the holiday season and improving consumer sentiment [16]

Hey, I'm Kramer. Welcome to Mad Money. Welcome to Crane America.Other people make friends. I'm just trying to make you a little bit of money here. My job is not just to entertain, but to explain.So, call me at 1800743 CNNBC. Tweet me at Jim Kramer. The Consumer Calvary got here just in time to give us what looks to be the beginning of a SANTA CLAUS RALLY.THAT'S the only way to describe what worked today. Everything involving consumer spending couldn't come as a better time because tech's been faltered. We n ...

Core Viewpoint - Palantir Technologies' stock experienced a rebound due to a softer-than-expected inflation report, which raised market expectations for potential interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve [1][2]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Palantir's shares rose by 4.73%, closing at $8.38, recovering most of the previous day's decline [1][2]. - The overall market also saw gains, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite increasing by 0.7% and 1.3%, respectively [1]. Group 2: Inflation Impact - The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an annual inflation rate of 2.7%, which was below the anticipated 3.1%, positively affecting speculative stocks like Palantir [2]. - The lower inflation figures increased the likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates, encouraging investors to take on more risk [2]. Group 3: Valuation Concerns - Palantir's valuation is considered a significant concern, with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio exceeding 400 and a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio over 115, indicating extremely high valuations [4]. - Despite the company's successful business growth, there are doubts about whether it can justify its current valuation levels [5].

Group 1: Oracle Developments - Oracle shares experienced a 6% gain on December 18, reflecting renewed investor confidence following positive project updates and technical buying, which countered previous concerns over AI-related spending and data center financing [2][3] - Michigan regulators have approved utility support for Oracle's planned $10 billion data center, reducing project execution risk and indicating progress in the project [3] - Oracle's involvement in a U.S. TikTok deal as a strategic minority investor reinforces its position in large-scale tech transactions and may enhance market confidence in the company [3] Group 2: Bank of Japan Interest Rate Hike - The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates to a three-decade high of 0.75% on December 19, marking a quarter percentage point increase from the current 0.5% [6][7] - This anticipated rate hike is the second tightening move of the year, driven by sustained inflation above the central bank's 2% target, with core consumer prices rising 3.0% in November [6][7]

🚨 INSIGHT: $BTC briefly approached $90K after softer U.S. inflation data but failed to hold momentum as key on-chain and macro signals still limit a sustained breakout. https://t.co/ku2mYnx1t1 ...

Prices are down. Prices on electricity and everything else will fall dramatically. >> When the president says he's going to bring down prices, have prices ever fallen in history without a recession happening.>> The whole discussion around inflation and prices like individual prices like gas prices are are something that we see go up and down, right. For a lot of goods and services, particularly services, we don't tend to see big price declines outside of recessions. You know, think about what's what's behin ...

Economists warned a big drop in November inflation had more to do with data challenges caused by the government shutdown than with actual changes in the economy https://t.co/dvnIpqc0Gd ...

Japan’s key inflation gauge stayed at 3% for a second month, signaling sustained price pressure hours before the Bank of Japan is widely expected to boost borrowing costs for the first time since January https://t.co/DdJRsM7dw1 ...