Group 1: Geopolitical Developments - Canada has secured a deal to join the European Union's €150 billion defense scheme, indicating a strategic pivot to strengthen its defense industry and reduce reliance on U.S. military procurement [3][4][9] - The partnership allows Canada to participate in the EU's joint procurement of weapons under the SAFE program, aiming to enhance its military capabilities and diversify its supply chain [3][4] - This shift is driven by concerns over U.S. reliability and aims to bolster Canada's preparedness while investing "smarter" in defense [4][9] Group 2: Corporate News - Blackstone is reportedly stepping back from its potential bid for UK self-storage firm Big Yellow Group Plc (BYG), which could impact the company's acquisition prospects and valuation [5][9] - Big Yellow Group Plc has a market capitalization of approximately £2.24 billion, making it a significant player in the self-storage market [5] Group 3: Economic Indicators - The U.S. manufacturing sector experienced a faster pace of contraction in November, with the ISM Manufacturing PMI falling to 48.2, below expectations and indicating ongoing economic headwinds [6][9] - Key sub-indices showed weakening conditions, with the Employment Index declining to 44.0 and the New Orders Index falling to 47.4, suggesting a slowdown in manufacturing jobs and demand [7] - Despite the contraction, inflationary pressures persisted, as the Prices Paid Index rose to 58.5, indicating that input costs for manufacturers continue to climb [7][9]

Core Viewpoint - BofA Securities analyst Vivek Arya identifies three top diversified semiconductor picks, indicating a near bottom for the industry with industrial semiconductors leading the recovery, followed by auto semiconductors in late 2025 [1] Group 1: Top Picks and Performance - Arya's top picks in order of recovery potential are Analog Devices, Inc (ADI) with a $280 price target, NXP Semiconductors (NXPI) at $235, and ON Semiconductor Corp (ON) at $60 [2] - Analog Devices has outperformed the PHLX Semiconductor Sector 23 out of the last 29 times the index declined over 10% since 2010, making it a strong defensive choice [3] - NXP Semiconductors has a relatively shallow sales peak-to-trough correction of -18%, indicating prudent execution and growth potential from product cycles [5] Group 2: Financial Metrics and Projections - Analog Devices' industrial sales are still 15-20% below trend based on fiscal 2018 and 2019 baselines, suggesting significant upside potential [4] - The company is expected to achieve 37% margins in fiscal 2025, significantly higher than peers' average of 17%, with potential for buybacks to double due to a new $10 billion authorization [4] - ON Semiconductor's estimates show a -15% sales decline for calendar 2025, which is below peers' range of -13% to +13%, but the stock is seen as compelling due to high leverage to improvements in Auto/EV sentiment [6] Group 3: Market Conditions and Strategic Moves - Arya acknowledges risks related to tariffs and economic contraction but notes that diversified stocks tend to outperform during significant declines in the SOX index [2] - Allegro MicroSystems, Inc's potential deal could provide 4%-7% accretion by calendar 2027, enhancing the sensor portfolio [7] - Despite current downturns, ON Semiconductor's free cash flow percentage could improve to mid-20% from 17% in calendar 2024, indicating resilience [7]