Let's bring in Kevin Green, senior markets correspondent, right away to help set up the action today. All right, KG, you called this one yesterday. You said when we saw some red uh I'm wearing red today.Hopefully that does not send that signal to the markets. Um but you called it. You said don't be surprised if we turn green and we did halfway through the day on the S&P 500.What was it about the construction of yesterday that made you say that. >> Well, it was the futures market. uh we obviously saw a drop ...

消费节启动超亿元汽车促销盛宴，开启"万人团购 驾享星城"汽车促消费活动，本月购车可享五重大 奖。"全域联动"打造区县特色消费场景同时，业态融合推出多元消费体验：紧抓湘超联赛热点，开 展"票根经济"，凭门票可享酒店、餐饮、景区专属折扣；联合淘宝闪购每日发放超2万份"夜宵湘当 潮"红包；携手高德地图发放1000万元高德打车消费券，并推出"烟火长沙"扫街榜、"烟火好店"扶持计 划，发放超6000万元补贴。 作为本届消费节启动仪式承办方，开福区当日在美团发布了"跃马开福"住宿餐饮促销券。从北辰荟、福 元路等繁华与活力汇聚的现代商圈，到西园北里、潮宗街等文化与潮流交融的历史街巷；从东风路文创 园创意涌动的"文旅"秀场，到四方商贸城舌尖味蕾上的热辣滚烫；从"笑嘛"脱口秀剧场为快乐买单的情 绪经济，到世界之窗"演艺+游乐"联动的票根经济，开福区消费亮点不断涌现。1—11月，该区预计完成 社会消费品零售总额709.7亿元，同比增长6.2%。 长沙晚报掌上长沙12月12日（全媒体记者 李卓 通讯员 颜静）市政府1000万元消费补贴，撬动各大平台 总额3亿元的消费让利，这个"双十二"派出大福袋，邀你新年来长沙开"福"！12日下午 ...

AI Impact on Retail Strategy - AI shopping assistants are influencing shopper inspiration, shifting focus from traditional SEO strategies centered around Google to AI agents [2][3] - Retailers face the challenge of maintaining direct customer relationships through their websites and apps as shoppers increasingly turn to platforms like ChatGPT for product discovery [4] - The integration of AI in retail is still in early stages, with mixed consumer sentiment and varying degrees of success in implementation [6][8] - Some data indicates increased conversion rates and potential for billions in revenue driven by AI shopping tools during the holiday season [6] Retail Industry Adaptation - The retail industry is perceived as lagging in technology adoption, particularly in areas like inventory management and point-of-sale systems, posing a challenge for AI integration [7] - Companies are exploring strategies to optimize their product listings for AI search, akin to AI-driven SEO, by providing detailed product information and metadata [11][12] - Walmart has partnered with OpenAI to enable instant checkout through ChatGPT, while Amazon is taking a different approach by blocking chatbots from scraping its website [10] - Brands are creating detailed content, such as blogs, to improve their visibility and ranking in AI-driven search results, leading to increased search traffic from LLMs [13][14] Future Trends - There is potential for consumer feedback from platforms like Reddit to influence product rankings, potentially leading to a focus on quality and personalization [15] - The retail industry is entering a new phase with evolving rules and boundaries regarding AI, with the long-term impact on shoppers still uncertain [14][15]

Core Viewpoint - Several stock splits may occur in 2026, which could create investment opportunities as companies often see a rise in share prices following a split announcement [1][2]. Group 1: Microsoft - Microsoft has the lowest stock price on the list at just under $500 per share and has not split its stock since 2003, making a split overdue [4]. - The company's stock price has risen due to its significant role in the artificial intelligence sector and its investment in OpenAI, which could further boost its stock if OpenAI goes public [5]. Group 2: MercadoLibre - MercadoLibre has the highest stock price on the list at about $2,000 per share and has never split its stock, raising skepticism about a potential split [7]. - The company has built a robust e-commerce network in Latin America and a payments infrastructure, showing strong growth potential despite a sluggish 2025 [8]. Group 3: Goldman Sachs - Goldman Sachs has a stock price around $850 and is a significant component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, accounting for about 11% of its total weighting [9]. - The company may face a decision on whether to split its stock to maintain its position in the index or to reduce its weight within it [11][12]. Group 4: Caterpillar - Caterpillar has a stock price of about $600 and is the second-largest component of the Dow Jones index, making up nearly 8% of its total weighting [13]. - Similar to Goldman Sachs, Caterpillar may need to consider a stock split to manage its significant influence on the index [13]. Group 5: Costco - Costco's stock is valued at about $900 per share, and it has not split its stock in 25 years, indicating it is overdue for a split [14]. - Although not a member of the Dow Jones index, a stock split could enhance its chances of inclusion, making it a strong candidate for a split in 2026 [16].

Lululemon will struggle to find a new CEO who can address the athleisure retailer's long list of issues, writes @AndreaFelsted (via @opinion) https://t.co/AEURjMJiaa ...

Core Insights - The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has released its 2025/26 Christmas FAQs, providing retailers with insights on key issues affecting the festive trading period [1] Retail Sales Trends and Evolving Festive Spending Patterns - Retail sales have shown significant performance over the past year, with December being the most crucial month for retailers due to increased Christmas shopping [2] - Consumer confidence is affected by tighter household budgets, leading to earlier spending patterns influenced by events like Black Friday [3] - Consumers are spreading their purchases over several weeks, resulting in a competitive but less concentrated trading window [3] Supply Chain Pressures, Crime Risks, and Operational Planning - Supply chain disruptions remain a major concern, prompting retailers to secure stock and finalize logistics plans earlier to avoid delivery issues [4] - Clear communication regarding delivery cut-off dates is essential to ensure timely festive orders [4] - Retail crime incidents typically increase during peak trading periods, necessitating measures to protect staff, stores, and online platforms [5] Cost-of-Living Pressures and Sustainability Expectations - Rising living costs are making consumers more price-sensitive, particularly in essential categories like food, influencing shopping behavior during Christmas [6] - Retailers are advised to adjust pricing strategies and enhance customer support services to help shoppers manage tighter budgets [6] - Sustainability expectations are growing, with demand for recyclable packaging and responsibly sourced goods increasing among consumers [7] - Retailers are encouraged to incorporate sustainability into merchandising and operational decisions as they prepare for the festive season [7]

Market Overview - Three of the four major indexes reached new closing highs, with the Dow gaining +646 points (+1.34%), S&P 500 increasing +14 points (+0.21%), and Russell 2000 rising +31 points (+1.21%) [1] - The tech-heavy Nasdaq experienced a slight dip of -60 points (-0.25%) due to concerns over Oracle's recent performance, indicating potential challenges in the AI sector [2] Company Earnings Reports - Broadcom (AVGO) reported fiscal Q4 earnings of $1.95 per share, exceeding the Zacks consensus of $1.87, with revenues of $18.02 billion surpassing the $17.50 billion estimate. AI semiconductor revenue grew +74% year over year [3] - Broadcom raised its fiscal Q1 revenue guidance to $19.1 billion, with AI semiconductor business expected to generate $8.2 billion next year, doubling from the previous year [4] - Costco (COST) reported mixed fiscal Q1 results, with earnings of $4.50 per share exceeding the $4.26 consensus, but sales of $65.98 billion fell short of the $67.33 billion estimate, leading to a marginal decline in shares [5] - Lululemon (LULU) shares rose over +10% following a strong Q3 earnings report, with earnings of $2.39 per share and revenues of $2.6 billion, surpassing analyst expectations of $2.48 billion [6]

Market Overview - The stock market experienced a significant rally with the Dow rising by 646 points and the S&P 500 advancing by 1%, while the NASDAQ, heavily weighted with tech stocks, declined by 26 points [2] - Following a recent Federal Reserve rate cut, money managers shifted their investments towards stocks that would benefit from lower rates, leading to a sell-off in tech stocks [3] Impact of Rate Cuts - Lower interest rates are expected to boost consumer spending, particularly benefiting discretionary sectors such as cruise lines and retail [4] - Home improvement and construction sectors are also anticipated to thrive due to lower financing costs, with companies like Home Depot seeing positive movement [5][6] - Industrial stocks typically respond favorably to rate cuts, with companies like 3M, DuPont, and Dover showing gains [8] Sector Performance - Transportation stocks, including JB Hunt and FedEx, are expected to perform well in the days following a rate cut, with FedEx potentially experiencing a breakout quarter [9] - Banks are shifting focus from net interest income to lending potential, with Wells Fargo and Capital One highlighted as favorable options [10][11] Company-Specific Insights - Apple, Meta, and Tesla, which have only seen a 10% increase this year, are not expected to benefit significantly from lower rates, with Apple viewed as an underperformer in the current market [14][17][19] - Meta's stock performance is described as listless, with the company needing to communicate its value proposition more effectively [18] - Tesla is transitioning from an auto manufacturer to a tech leader, with its stock performance becoming less correlated with traditional auto industry metrics [19] Investment Strategy - The current market environment favors stocks that are direct beneficiaries of rate cuts, leading to a general decline in tech stocks as money managers focus on sectors like industrials and banks [21][22] - Investors are advised to follow the flow of capital in the market, as hedge funds tend to move in unison, impacting stock performance [23][30]

Luxury furniture retailer RH soared after it reported higher growth than rivals as the industry contends with pressure from tariffs and a sluggish housing market https://t.co/qVK6L6m9s4 ...

CEO departure adds another wrinkle to Lululemon's attempts to return to glory days. ...