Company and Industry Insights - Nvidia and AMD are expected to generate significant attention at CES, with Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang likely to discuss the company's AI strategy, focusing on datacenters, physical AI, and robotics, along with updates on the Cosmos foundation model and autonomous technology for 2026 [3][4] - AMD's CEO Lisa Su will deliver the opening keynote at CES, where she is anticipated to announce major updates to the Ryzen CPU line and showcase developments in AI PCs, gaming, datacenters, and automotive computing [5] - Versant Media Group is set to begin trading following its spinoff from Comcast, positioning itself as a hybrid cable-digital media company with a focus on expanding beyond traditional media [7][8] - The U.S. government plans to invest in Venezuela's oil infrastructure, which has the world's largest proven crude reserves of over 303 billion barrels, indicating potential opportunities for U.S. oil majors [9]

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes that those who are optimistic about the labor market in 2026 are ignoring significant signs of a decline in the labor market, as highlighted by David Rosenberg [1] Group 1: Labor Market Analysis - David Rosenberg points out that there are clear indicators of a labor market in sharp decline, contradicting the optimistic outlook for 2026 [1] - The article suggests that the current labor market trends may not support the positive projections being made for the future [1]

Silver exceeded $72 an ounce on Wednesday, even as platinum surged past $2,350. Palladium shed its gains, while gold hovered near $4,500 an ounce after topping the mark in early trade.The precious metals complex gained further as escalating tensions over Venezuela added to the market worries, apart from fears of further US Fed rate cuts and lack of confidence in the dollar. US President Donald Trump announced that Washington will impose a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. Th ...

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Mortgage rates are unlikely to plunge after this week's Federal Reserve meeting, but borrowers could see a slow, uneven drift lower rather than an immediate break, economists and housing forecasters say. Fed Rate Cut Largely Priced Into Markets The Fed is widely expected to deliver a quarter-point cut at its Dec. 9-10 meeting, with futures markets putting the odds near 90% according to Reuters, which woul ...

Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the importance of establishing a personal investment system rather than making impulsive decisions based on market feelings. It advocates for a structured approach to entering and exiting the market, focusing on observing market trends and waiting for the right conditions to invest [1]. Group 1: Market Conditions - The stock market showed strong performance, influenced by expectations of a 25 basis point (BP) reduction in the Loan Prime Rate (LPR) and strong buying power from funds. Interest rates are experiencing a downward trend [5]. - The overnight U.S. non-farm payrolls exceeded expectations, while the unemployment rate reached a four-year high, slightly increasing the market's anticipation of a rate cut by the Federal Reserve in January [5]. - The central bank conducted a 468 billion yuan reverse repurchase operation, with 1,898 billion yuan maturing, resulting in a net withdrawal of 1,430 billion yuan. The funding environment remains balanced and slightly loose, with stable funding rates [3][5]. Group 2: Interest Rate Trends - The weighted average rates for various repurchase agreements remained stable, with R001 at 1.34% and R007 at 1.50%. The transaction volume for R001 was 77,020.14 million yuan, reflecting a slight increase [4]. - Long-term interest rates have decreased significantly, with the 10-year government bond yield dropping to approximately 1.836% [6][9]. - The article notes that the market for short-selling long-term bonds has become crowded, indicating potential risks for those engaged in such trades [6].

Market Overview - Wall Street experienced mixed performance last week, with the S&P 500 down 0.6%, the Dow Jones up 1.1%, and the Nasdaq down approximately 1.6% [1] - Tech stocks faced significant pressure, impacting the Nasdaq-100 and S&P 500, with Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS) down 1.7% and State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) down 2.5% [1] Tech Sector Performance - Oracle's shares fell 14% due to revenue misses, negatively affecting related AI companies like NVIDIA and Micron [2] - Broadcom's stock dropped about 11% despite strong earnings, raising concerns over high capital expenditures and delayed AI revenue [2] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve implemented its final rate cut of the year, lowering the benchmark federal funds rate to a range of 3.5% to 3.75% [3] - The Fed's outlook for 2026 appears more restrained, with only one rate cut projected for next year [4] ETFs Performance - AdvisorShares MSOS Daily Leveraged ETF (MSOX) surged 94.1% due to optimism surrounding potential federal marijuana regulation changes [5] - Defiance Daily Target 2X Long RKLB ETF (RKLX) increased by 53.0%, driven by Rocket Lab Corp's 22.8% stock surge and positive developments in the space economy [6] - ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas (KOLD) rose 52.7% as U.S. natural gas futures fell to a six-week low amid strong supply and mild weather [7] Sector-Specific Developments - Cannabis leveraged ETFs gained significantly on optimism regarding U.S. marijuana reclassification [9] - Space and defense-linked leveraged ETFs benefited from contracts and IPO-related excitement [9] - Voyager (VOYG) stock increased by 10.6% following a $21 million contract win from the U.S. Air Force for AI-enabled ISR systems [10] - Carvana Co. (CVNA) stock rose about 5.4% after being announced for inclusion in the S&P 500 index, reflecting strong investor interest in its scalable business model [11]

Group 1: Stock Performances - EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ:SATS) gained 24.70% after Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raised its price target from $82 to $110 [1] - Rocket Lab Corporation (NASDAQ:RKLB) rose 22.78% due to advancing a South Korean Earth-imaging mission into its next available launch window [2] - Pan American Silver Corp. (PAAS) increased 11.18% amid higher trading of precious metal companies, driven by investor optimism of a Fed rate cut [3] - Core & Main, Inc. (NYSE:CNM) gained 11.19% after reporting better-than-expected Q3 adjusted EPS, with multiple analysts raising their price forecast [3] - Flex Ltd. (NASDAQ:FLEX) increased 4.70% after Goldman Sachs maintained a Buy rating and raised its price forecast from $67 to $74 [4] Group 2: Acquisitions and Analyst Upgrades - Confluent, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFLT) increased 0.64% following IBM's agreement to acquire the company for $31 per share, with multiple analysts raising their price forecast [1][2] - Carvana Co. (NYSE:CVNA) rose 5.35% after announcing it will join the S&P 500 on December 22, 2025, along with multiple analysts raising their price forecast [2]

Group 1 - Caterpillar Inc. is highlighted as a strong investment opportunity following the Fed rate cut, with industrials expected to benefit from lower rates [1] - The company is recognized for its significant role in data center construction, which has contributed to its strong market performance [2] - An analyst meeting is scheduled, and there is speculation about the sustainability of Caterpillar's recent performance over multiple years [2] Group 2 - Caterpillar provides a range of products including heavy machinery, engines, turbines, and rail equipment, along with power systems and support services [2] - The company is currently at its all-time highs, reflecting investor confidence in its alignment with current market conditions [1]

Core Viewpoint - Toll Brothers, Inc. is viewed positively in light of recent Federal Reserve rate cuts, which are expected to benefit the housing market and related stocks [1][2]. Group 1: Company Overview - Toll Brothers, Inc. specializes in building luxury homes and communities, including single-family houses, condos, and apartments, often featuring various amenities [2]. Group 2: Market Context - The recent discussion highlighted that the Federal Reserve's actions are favorable for the stock market, with lower long-term rates following the rate cut [2]. - The sentiment is that lower interest rates will enhance the performance of home builders and retailers associated with them, making Toll Brothers a recommended buy [2]. Group 3: Financial Performance - Toll Brothers recently reported a strong quarterly performance, although the forecast raised some concerns about future growth [2].

The central bank delivered another quarter-point rate cut on Wednesday. Why that decision "could look reckless†come January, according to one investment manager. ...