Core Insights - December's inflation report indicated that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.7% year-over-year, remaining unchanged from the previous month, which markets viewed as "good enough" but too high for an immediate Federal Reserve rate cut [1] - The Federal Reserve is expected to maintain interest rates at its January 28 meeting, with a 97.2% likelihood of no changes according to CME Group's FedWatch tool [4] Inflation Trends - Core services inflation, excluding housing, known as "super core," softened to 2.76% from previous highs, but the monthly rate is still considered "a bit too hot" [1] - Eric Teal, Chief Investment Officer for Comerica Wealth Management, anticipates inflation will remain between 2.2% and 2.7% [2] Federal Reserve's Position - The Federal Reserve is likely to pause rate adjustments this month, with potential for a cut by April as economic risks shift towards a weakening labor market [2] - Charlie Bilello, Chief Market Strategist at Creative Planning, defends the Fed's decision to keep rates unchanged, emphasizing that rates should be determined by the free market rather than political pressure [3] Political Pressure and Market Dynamics - Bilello warns against political interference in setting interest rates, labeling it as "price fixing," which can lead to misallocated capital and economic instability [4] - The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (QQQ) both closed lower, reflecting market reactions to the Fed's stance and inflation data [5]

Mergers and Acquisitions - Netflix's planned $83 billion deal for Warner Brothers faces potential regulatory scrutiny, with the President planning direct involvement in the approval process [1][2] - IBM is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Confluent for approximately $11 billion, a premium over Confluent's market cap of $8 billion on Friday [4] - Microsoft is reportedly in discussions to shift its custom chip business from Marvell to Broadcom [5] Regulatory and Policy - President Trump expresses concerns about Netflix's deal for Warner Brothers due to market share considerations [1][2] - The Department of Justice and the FTC are ordered to investigate the US food supply chain for potential price fixing and anti-competitive practices [3] - A $12 billion farm aid package is expected to be unveiled, including up to $11 billion in one-time payments [4] Market Indices - Carvana CR and Comfort Systems USA will be added to the S&P 500, effective December 22nd [5]

President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the US food supply chain for potential price fixing https://t.co/e1DrICwXSv ...

Market Regulation - The Justice Department has been requested to launch an investigation into meatpacking companies [1] - The investigation aims to determine if meatpacking companies are colluding to inflate beef prices [1]

Market Concerns - The Justice Department was asked to investigate the meatpacking industry for potentially driving up beef prices through "Illicit Collusion, Price Fixing, and Price Manipulation" [1]

Regulatory Action - Eni 和 Exxon 的一个部门等炼油商和燃料分销商在意大利被处以约 10 亿美元的罚款，原因是涉嫌操纵价格 [1]