Core Viewpoint - The price of computing products, particularly GPUs, is set to rise significantly in early 2026 due to a surge in memory prices, impacting both consumer and data center markets [4][5]. Group 1: Price Increases - Nvidia and AMD are expected to implement phased price increases for various GPUs starting in early 2026, with AMD potentially raising prices as early as January and Nvidia around February [4]. - The flagship RTX 5090 GPU is projected to see a substantial price increase, potentially reaching $5000, compared to its initial suggested retail price of $1999 [4]. - The increase in GPU prices is attributed to a doubling of memory prices over the past six months, which has raised manufacturing costs for graphics cards by 80% [5]. Group 2: Market Impact - The price surge is anticipated to affect the latest generation of GPUs, including the RTX 50 Blackwell series and AMD's RX 9000 series [4]. - Market research firm Counterpoint predicts that memory prices will rise by an additional 40% before the second quarter of 2026, further exacerbating the situation [5]. - The AI industry is impacting consumer-grade GPUs, leading to shortages of certain models as chip manufacturers stockpile memory for gaming GPUs to be used in AI applications [5].

Market Performance - The US stock market continued its post-Christmas pullback, with all three major indices closing lower, marking a subdued end to 2025. The S&P 500 index fell by 0.74% to 6845.5 points, the Nasdaq Composite dropped by 0.76% to 23241.99 points, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 0.63% to 48063.29 points [1]. - For the year, the S&P 500 recorded an annual increase of 16.39%, while the Nasdaq managed a 20.36% rise, achieving over 20% growth for three consecutive years. The Dow Jones also rose by 12.97%, marking a similar performance for the third year in a row [3]. Individual Stock Performance - Among the top performers in the S&P 500, four storage giants—SanDisk, Western Digital, Micron Technology, and Seagate Technology—led the annual gains. Semiconductor stocks like Lam Research, AI application leader Palantir, and Comfort Systems, which provides HVAC solutions for data centers, also featured prominently [3]. - In the tech sector, only Google and Nvidia among the "Big Seven" tech companies outperformed the benchmark index in 2025 [8]. Commodity and Sector Movements - US silver futures experienced a significant drop of 9% due to a second margin increase by the CME Group within a week, negatively impacting the mining sector. Companies like Endeavour Silver and Silvercorp Metals saw declines of over 4% and 2.8%, respectively [11]. Chinese Stocks - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index closed down 1.13% but recorded an annual increase of 11.33%. Notable Chinese stocks included Alibaba, which rose over 75%, and Netease, which increased by 58.28% [12]. Corporate News - Warren Buffett officially retired as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway on December 31, 2025, after a long tenure, although he will remain as chairman of the board [13]. - Tesla achieved a milestone with a driver completing a coast-to-coast journey using full self-driving technology, marking a significant advancement in autonomous vehicle capabilities [15]. - Nvidia and AMD are expected to enter a "year-long price increase cycle" for GPUs, driven by rising memory costs, with flagship models potentially reaching prices as high as $5000 [16]. - Trump Media & Technology Group announced plans to issue a new cryptocurrency to shareholders, despite a significant annual decline in stock value [17]. - Brookfield Asset Management is launching a cloud computing business to challenge tech giants like Amazon, aiming to reduce AI development costs [18]. - Uber is in talks to acquire the parking app SpotHero, which could create synergies between ride-hailing and parking services [19].