aslysun / Shutterstock.com Quick Read BTC rangebound trading continues Big macro week could create catalyst If you’re thinking about retiring or know someone who is, there are three quick questions causing many Americans to realize they can retire earlier than expected. take 5 minutes to learn more here As we hit the halfway mark in December, crypto continues its rangebound trading, disappointing many who expected a Santa Rally going into the end of the year. Leading crypto BTC has repeatedly tes ...

The case for holding ( IGEB ) is based on the positive narrative of rate cuts, liquidity injections, and an economy that is already doing well. If financial conditions are going to be looser rather than tighterAnalyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from ...

Micron Technology - Wedbush has raised its price target for Micron to 300, indicating further upside potential from its current price just below 250 [2][3] - Micron's shares have increased by over 3% following this positive outlook, with expectations for fiscal Q2 to benefit from sharper-than-expected increases in memory pricing [3][6] - Forecasts suggest DRAM prices will rise at least 30% and NAND prices at least 20% in the current quarter, with Micron's own guidance potentially being understated [4][5] Texas Instruments - Goldman Sachs has downgraded Texas Instruments from a buy to a sell, slashing its price target from 200 to 156 [8][9] - The downgrade is part of Goldman's broader outlook for the semiconductor sector, indicating that Texas Instruments may not benefit from increasing hyperscale or AI spending [9] - Texas Instruments has experienced a 6% decline in shares year-to-date, reflecting lackluster performance [10] Intel - Intel is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire AI chip startup Samba Nova, which could enhance its competitive positioning against Nvidia [12][13] - Despite the acquisition news, Intel's shares are moving higher, indicating market confidence in the deal [12][13] - Samba Nova specializes in custom AI chips and was founded in 2017, presenting a strategic opportunity for Intel to strengthen its AI platform [13]

Market Overview - US stock futures advanced as investors moved past a challenging week, anticipating key economic data to shape interest rate expectations for 2026 [1] - Contracts on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 gained 0.4%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average contracts also rose by 0.4% [1] Sector Rotation - Concerns over inflated AI expectations have led investors to shift from tech stocks to value stocks, impacting the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500, while the Dow remained relatively insulated due to fewer tech components [2] - Many strategists view this sector rotation positively, indicating a broadening support for stocks beyond just tech leadership [2] Economic Data and Federal Reserve Outlook - The final full week of trading for the year is marked by optimism for stocks, with expectations of monetary and fiscal stimulus from the reshaped Federal Reserve under President Trump's influence [3] - Key economic data releases this week include the November jobs report, an inflation reading, and an update on October retail sales, all critical for assessing the Fed's future rate decisions [4] Federal Reserve Leadership Changes - The future direction of the Federal Reserve is under scrutiny as Chair Jerome Powell's term ends in May, with Kevin Hassett and Kevin Warsh as potential successors [5] - Hassett indicated he would consider Trump's policy views if appointed, but emphasized that the Fed's rate decisions would remain independent [5]

The inflation rate has not been great. We after a couple of years of progress, it's still the case that we've been four and a half years above the 2% target. We were making progress over much of 2020 for the last six months.Plus we've made no progress and it's inch the wrong way. And right before the lights went out. If you looked at services, inflation was was 3% for the first half of the year.And the the the last three months before the lights went out, it was three and a half percent. That's not ideal be ...

The Federal Reserve’s early reappointment of its regional bank presidents took markets by surprise and eased concerns the central bank would soon lose its independence as President Donald Trump continues demanding steeper rate cuts. On Thursday, the Fed announced 11 out its 12 bank presidents were re-upped, leaving out the Atlanta Fed chief role as Raphael Bostic had announced previously that he’s stepping down. The presidents’ five-year terms were due to end in February, and prior reappointments have t ...

Correspondent Products, STRATMOR on Borrower Psychology; Lender Tools; DSCR Appraisal Issues in Baltimore “What happened with the DSCR appraisal issue in Baltimore earlier this year?” Good question. Baltimore is not alone: This week we have investors either pricing themselves out of, or ceasing loans from, the Philly market for certain non-owner loans.) The whole Baltimore thing seems to have quieted down, and up until recently the last news coming in October although this week along came, “Baltimore is st ...

Market Overview - The stock market has shown mixed performance, with the Dow rising by 646 points while the NASDAQ, which is heavily tech-focused, declined [1] - Major tech stocks like Apple, Meta, and Tesla have increased approximately 10% year-to-date, indicating a strong performance despite recent market fluctuations [2] Impact of Federal Reserve Rate Cuts - Following the Federal Reserve's decision to cut rates, money managers shifted their investments towards stocks that would benefit from these cuts, leading to a sell-off in tech stocks [2] - Lower interest rates are expected to boost consumer spending, which positively impacts consumer discretionary stocks, including cruise lines [3][4] Home Improvement Sector - The home improvement sector, particularly Home Depot, is anticipated to benefit from lower rates, which encourage home building, buying, and improvement financed through home equity loans [4][5] - Despite recent underperformance, Home Depot's management has indicated that the company will improve with the rate cuts, suggesting a potential recovery in stock performance [5][6]

Treasuries rose for a second session as traders maintained wagers on additional rate cuts next year after a Federal Reserve meeting that proved less hawkish than anticipated. Yields fell across most tenors, with the rate on benchmark 10-year notes touching the lowest level in nearly a week before closing little changed. It was an extension of gains that started Wednesday after Fed Chair Jerome Powell downplayed dissenting votes on a quarter-point interest-rate cut, and officials said they would start buyi ...

over at Goldman's 36th annual financial services conference underway in New York City. You've seen great content from there over the past day or so. Leslie Picker is there now joined exclusively by Blackstone President and COO Jonathan Gray.Perfect timing as we're about to hear from the Fed. Leslie, over to you. >> Perfect timing indeed.Kelly. John, thank you so much for joining us. As Kelly mentioned, it's a great day to have you and get your perspective really on the macro.I'm just curious what you're see ...