Key TakeawaysAlphaValue has raised its price target for Merck KGaA (MRKGY) to €183 from €177, signaling a recalibrated positive view on the stock's fundamentals.J.P. Morgan (JPM) has revised its price target for RH (RH) downwards to $225 from $275, citing gross margin impacts and a potential "reset" by management.Asian markets experienced broad gains, mirroring a rise on Wall Street, driven by easing fears surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and optimistic expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate ...

The door to more rate cuts could open further soon, according to a Federal Reserve Bank president, but only if economic indicators remain sustainable on their current trajectories. "There was a lot to like in this [consumer price index] report, for sure," Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said in an interview on "The Claman Countdown" Thursday."If we keep getting reports like this — I realize it's just one month, and you never want to hinge too much on a single month — but that was a ...

Key Points Any further interest rate cuts could give Bitcoin's value a boost. Some analysts estimate the crypto could reach $170,000 next year. More investments from institutional firms and local governments could lift the leading digital token higher. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: BTC) has tumbled about 19% during the past year, leading some investors to wonder where the world's top cryptocurrency is headed in 2026. Is the recent plunge a sign of things to come, or is ...

Market Performance - Benchmark indices opened positively, with the Sensex rising 468.44 points (0.55%) to 84,950.25 and the Nifty gaining 133.90 points (0.52%) to 25,949.45, driven by favorable global cues following lower-than-expected US inflation data [1] - The Sensex closed at 84,481.81 and the Nifty at 25,815.55 in the previous session, indicating a continuation of gains as both indices opened higher at 84,756.79 and 25,911.50 respectively [2] Global Market Influence - Global markets showed a positive bias, led by gains in US equities after the November consumer price inflation data came in at 2.7%, lower than anticipated, which bolstered expectations for further interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve [3] - The Nasdaq surged 1.38%, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones increased by 0.79% and 0.14% respectively, reflecting a shift towards a risk-on environment [3] Sector Performance - Among the top gainers on the Nifty 50, Max Healthcare Institute led with a 1.91% increase to ₹1,068.50, followed by Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles up 1.87% to ₹352.25, and Bharat Electronics gaining 1.81% to ₹390.40 [4] - On the losing side, Shriram Finance declined by 1.20% to ₹859, while HCL Technologies fell 0.34% to ₹1,655.70 [5] Institutional Activity - Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued buying for a second consecutive session, purchasing equities worth nearly ₹600 crore, while Domestic Institutional Investors showed strong buying interest with inflows of ₹2,700 crore [6] Technical Analysis - The Nifty 50 is in a consolidation phase, trading within the 25,700–25,900 range, with immediate resistance at 25,900–26,000 and key supports at 25,700 and 25,600 [7] - The Indian rupee appreciated by 14 paise to settle at 90.24 against the US dollar, marking a second consecutive day of gains [7]

It has been a week since three Federal Reserve members bucked the group's decision to cut interest rates by 25 basis points. Newly appointed Fed Governor Steven Myron, well, he voted for a jumbo cut. He wanted 50 basis points chopped off the interest rate.But Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid and Chicago Fed President Austin Goulsby both voted for a pause in rate cuts. Goulsby specifically noting he wanted more clarity on inflation data before another cut. Well, we just got it.The November consumer pric ...

The first fresh inflation reading since the government shutdown showed prices unexpectedly eased in November, though the report may not immediately change the Fed’s outlook because of potential distortions in the data. “This looks like positive news overall, but the lack of detail and the absence of data collection during the shutdown introduce a degree of skepticism that’s hard to ignore,” said Olu Sonola, head of US economic research for Fitch Ratings. “We’ll need to wait until next month for a clearer ...

Key Takeaways Barrick advances major gold and copper projects like Goldrush, Lumwana and Reko Diq.Agnico Eagle boosts growth with Odyssey, Detour Lake, Hope Bay and Upper Beaver.B stock is up 105.2% in the past six months, while AEM has gained 36.6% amid soaring gold prices.Barrick Mining Corporation (B) and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (AEM) are two leading players in the gold mining space with global operations and diversified portfolios. With gold prices continuing the bullish momentum, driven by geopoliti ...

You can find original article here WealthManagement. Subscribe to our free daily WealthManagement newsletters. (Bloomberg) -- Deals in the wealth management space surged in the third quarter and are expected to continue climbing in the new year. Mergers and acquisitions in the sector jumped 15% compared to the prior quarter, according to a report from PwC. Wealth management deals comprised the bulk of that increase, rising 27% in the period. Reduced financing costs due to the Federal Reserve’s rat ...

The dollar index (DXY00) today is up by +0.17%.  The dollar is moving higher today due to weakness in GBP/USD after UK November consumer prices rose less than expected.  Also, weakness in the yen today is positive for the dollar as Japanese fiscal concerns weigh on the yen.  The dollar fell back from its best level on dovish comments from Fed Governor Waller, who said the Fed can keep cutting rates as interest rates are still 50-100 bp above neutral. The dollar is also under pressure as the Fed boosts li ...

Core Insights - The U.S. bond market has shown resilience and record-breaking activity in 2025, with the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index returning approximately 7.1% year to date, highlighting the importance of fixed income in investment portfolios [1][10] Bond ETF Market Performance - Bond ETFs captured about one-third of the nearly $1 trillion that flowed into all ETFs in 2025, indicating a significant increase in investor interest, particularly in passively managed ETFs [2][10] - The performance of bond ETFs was influenced by attractive starting yields due to the Federal Reserve's rate cuts totaling 175 basis points since September 2024, which left yields relatively high [6][10] - Market volatility and demand for liquidity during uncertain periods, such as tariff-driven uncertainty, enhanced the appeal of bond ETFs as they provided intraday pricing and liquidity [7] - Actively managed bond ETFs experienced explosive growth, capturing over $100 billion in flows, which accounted for 40% of all fixed income ETF flows as of September 2025 [8] - The normalization of the yield curve attracted significant capital into intermediate and long-term bond ETFs, as investors sought to lock in higher yields [9] 2026 Outlook for Bond ETFs - The outlook for bond ETFs in 2026 is cautiously optimistic, driven by expected interest rate cuts that typically boost bond prices, creating opportunities for income and diversification [11] - Persistent volatility due to inflation and uneven growth suggests that flexible, active management strategies will be favored to navigate credit risk and shifting rates [11] - A well-constructed actively managed portfolio of intermediate maturity bonds may offer capital appreciation and inflation-beating returns in 2026 [12] Recommended Bond ETFs for 2026 - Schwab Core Bond ETF (SCCR) has assets of $1.07 billion, gained 6.2% year to date, and charges 16 basis points in fees [14] - Vanguard Core Bond ETF (VCRB) has assets of $4.8 billion, gained 7.4% year to date, and charges 10 basis points in fees [15] - JPMorgan Active Bond ETF (JBND) has assets of $4.7 billion, surged 8% year to date, and charges 25 basis points in fees [16]