Market Overview - US stock indices opened slightly higher but turned negative, with the Dow Jones down 0.24%, S&P 500 down 0.22%, and Nasdaq down 0.24% [1] - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell by 0.98% [2] Economic Indicators - Initial jobless claims in the US dropped to 199,000, the lowest level this year, against an economist median estimate of 218,000 [2] - The recent data fluctuations align with typical holiday patterns, including Christmas and newly announced federal holidays [2] Federal Reserve Insights - The Federal Reserve lowered the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.5%-3.75%, with a notable dissent of 3 votes, the highest since 2019 [3] - Most officials believe further rate cuts may be appropriate if inflation decreases as expected, while some argue rates should remain unchanged for a period [3] - Following the December meeting minutes, traders adjusted their expectations to two rate cuts in 2026, down from three [3] Stock Predictions - UBS strategists forecast a 10% year-over-year increase in S&P 500 earnings, predicting the index will rise to 7,700 by the end of next year [5] - Sanctuary Wealth's chief investment strategist anticipates technology stocks will lead the market until 2030, with the S&P 500 potentially reaching between 10,000 and 13,000 by then [5] - GMO's co-head of asset allocation warns that due to high concentration in expensive AI stocks, future returns for the S&P 500 may be disappointing, with a potential negative return in 2026 [5] Company-Specific Developments - Trump Media Technology Group saw its stock rise over 7% before narrowing gains, with a current price of $13.110, reflecting a 4.30% increase [6][7] - The company announced plans to distribute new digital tokens to shareholders, with each shareholder receiving one token per share of DJT stock, potentially offering benefits related to its products [7] - Trump Media Technology Group launched five ETFs focused on "America First" themes, investing in sectors like commercial real estate, energy, defense, and technology [8] - Trump Mobile delayed the delivery of its gold smartphone due to recent government shutdowns, indicating potential supply chain issues [8]

Group 1 - The U.S. stock market opened slightly higher but turned negative, with the Dow Jones down 0.24%, S&P 500 down 0.22%, and Nasdaq down 0.24% as of the report [1] - Initial jobless claims in the U.S. fell to one of the lowest levels of the year, with a decrease of 16,000 to 199,000, compared to an economist median estimate of 218,000 [1] Group 2 - The Federal Reserve's December meeting minutes revealed significant internal disagreements, with a 9-3 vote to lower the benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to a range of 3.5%-3.75% [2] - Most officials believe further rate cuts will be appropriate if inflation decreases as expected, while some argue that rates should remain unchanged for a period [2] - Traders are maintaining bets on two rate cuts in 2026, down from an earlier expectation of three [2] Group 3 - UBS strategists predict a 10% year-over-year increase in S&P 500 earnings, with the index expected to rise to 7,700 points by the end of next year [3] - Sanctuary Wealth's chief investment strategist forecasts that technology stocks will continue to lead the market until 2030, with the S&P 500 potentially reaching between 10,000 and 13,000 points by then [3] - Wilmington Trust anticipates a slight increase in market volatility next year [3] Group 4 - Trump Media Technology Group's stock rose over 7% in early trading, later narrowing its gains, as the company announced plans to distribute new digital tokens to shareholders [4] - The company also launched five exchange-traded funds (ETFs) focused on "America First" themes, investing in sectors like commercial real estate, energy, defense, and technology [4] - Trump Mobile has delayed the delivery of its gold smartphone due to a recent government shutdown, indicating that shipments may not occur this month [4] Group 5 - Most popular Chinese concept stocks declined, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index down nearly 1%, and individual stocks like NIO down nearly 8% and XPeng down over 5% [4]

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent movements in the U.S. stock market, particularly focusing on the performance of major indices and the implications of economic data and Federal Reserve decisions on market expectations for 2026. Group 1: Market Performance - On December 31, U.S. stock indices opened slightly higher but turned to losses, with the Dow Jones down 0.24%, S&P 500 down 0.22%, and Nasdaq down 0.24% [2][3]. - The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell by 0.98% [3]. Group 2: Economic Data - The number of initial jobless claims in the U.S. dropped to 199,000, the lowest level this year, against an economist's median estimate of 218,000 [2][3]. Group 3: Federal Reserve Insights - The Federal Reserve's December meeting minutes revealed significant internal disagreements, with a recent rate cut of 25 basis points, lowering the benchmark rate to a range of 3.5% to 3.75% [4]. - Most officials anticipate further rate cuts in 2026 if inflation decreases as expected, while some believe rates should remain unchanged for a period [4][5]. Group 4: Market Predictions - Wall Street generally expects the bull market to continue, with UBS strategists predicting a 10% year-over-year increase in S&P 500 earnings, targeting 7,700 points by the end of next year [6][7]. - Sanctuary Wealth's chief investment strategist forecasts the S&P 500 could reach between 10,000 and 13,000 points by 2030, driven by technology stocks [7]. - Conversely, GMO's co-head of asset allocation warns of potentially disappointing future returns due to high concentration in expensive AI stocks, predicting negative returns by 2026 [7]. Group 5: Company-Specific Developments - Trump Media Technology Group's stock saw a rise of over 7% before narrowing, with plans to distribute new digital tokens to shareholders [9][10]. - The company also launched five ETFs focused on "America First" themes, investing in sectors like commercial real estate, energy, defense, and technology [11]. - Trump Mobile has delayed the delivery of its gold smartphone due to government shutdown impacts [11].

Group 1: Market Overview - The US stock market opened slightly higher on December 31, with the Dow Jones up 0.03%, the S&P 500 up 0.05%, and the Nasdaq up 0.08% [1] Group 2: Company News - Tesla has significantly reduced the prices of its electric vehicles in South Korea, with the highest reduction reaching 6,490 USD (approximately 9.4 million KRW) for the Model 3 and Model Y [2] - SoftBank has completed an additional investment of 22.5 billion USD in OpenAI, raising its total stake to approximately 11% [3] - Trump Mobile has postponed the delivery of its gold smartphone, originally scheduled for the end of this year, due to delays caused by a recent government shutdown [4] - Meta has been sued by the Attorney General of the U.S. Virgin Islands for allegedly profiting from fraudulent advertisements and failing to ensure the safety of children on its platforms [5]

Group 1 - Trump Mobile has postponed the release of its gold smartphone originally scheduled for this year due to delivery delays caused by the U.S. government shutdown [1][2] - A U.S. judge has halted the Trump administration's plan to terminate temporary protection for South Sudanese nationals facing deportation [2] - A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must apply for funding for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), stating that the administration's claims about legal obstacles to CFPB funding are an attempt to undermine the agency's transparency efforts [2] - Ukrainian President Zelensky denied claims of a breakdown in U.S.-Ukraine negotiations, confirming ongoing discussions with President Trump regarding the potential deployment of U.S. troops to Ukraine as part of security assurances [2] - A U.S. appeals court has allowed the Trump administration to implement a law that deprives family planning organizations of medical assistance funding in 22 states [2]

Core Viewpoint - Trump Mobile, launched by the Trump Organization, has postponed the release of its gold smartphone originally scheduled for the end of this year due to delays caused by the U.S. government shutdown [1] Group 1: Product Launch and Delays - The company initially promised to release a U.S.-made smartphone priced at $499 to compete with mainstream devices like Apple and Samsung [1] - The customer service team indicated that the device is "highly likely" to not be shipped this month [1] Group 2: Strategic Context - The T1 device and the monthly plan priced at $47.45 were part of several initiatives launched by the Trump family business in light of Trump's return to the political scene [1]