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Major indices were jittery as trade tensions and geopolitics drove flows: S&P 500 teetered near flat, Nasdaq lagged on tech profit-taking, and the Dow showed mixed gains led by banks. Volatility rose as safe-haven assets rallied, financials and AI-related chips moved the most, and oil and metals reacted to supply concerns and macro headlines.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell signaled the Fed may stop shrinking its balance sheet as labor-market softness raises concerns. Markets are parsing whether quantitative tightening is ending and if rate cuts will follow.
127,271 BTC (~$15B) – Size of DOJ’s largest-ever bitcoin seizure tied to a global ‘pig butchering’ fraud.
The government shutdown is escalating into broad workforce disruption as the White House signals more reductions in force. Federal agencies are bracing for sustained layoffs and operational strain.
A US-brokered ceasefire led to the release of remaining living hostages and large prisoner swaps, creating a fragile pause in Gaza fighting. Diplomats now face the task of translating the truce into a stable political outcome.
Wells Fargo Earnings Surprise: Shares Surge on Raised Targets
Wells Fargo beat Q3 expectations, lifted return targets and saw its stock jump, signaling renewed investor confidence in regional banks and easing sector concerns.
More on cnbc.com
President Trump hosted Argentina’s Javier Milei as the U.S. approved a multi-billion dollar lifeline. The meetings put economic support and trade talks at the center of U.S.-Argentina ties ahead of Argentine elections.
Trade tensions flared as U.S. officials floated sweeping tariffs while China rolled out reciprocal measures. New port fees and tariff threats threaten supply chains and raise market volatility.
First Brands CEO Quits as Accounting Scrutiny Sparks Bankruptcy
First Brands’ CEO stepped down amid bankruptcy proceedings and accounting questions, amplifying scrutiny of private-credit deals and rattling auto-supply credit markets.
More on nytimes.com
Wall Street’s big banks beat expectations as dealmaking and trading rebounded. Strong results are lifting sector sentiment even as executives warn of elevated uncertainty ahead.
BlackRock rode a market rally to record assets under management and upbeat earnings, underscoring demand for ETFs and active fee businesses. Asset managers are benefiting from higher markets and fee growth.
New tariffs on lumber, cabinets and furniture took effect; the Fed signalled the end of balance-sheet runoff is near; OpenAI will allow age-verified erotica while California enacted stricter AI-chatbot safety rules.
The Justice Department executed a historic crypto forfeiture, adding a vast bitcoin cache to U.S. holdings and intensifying scrutiny of illicit crypto networks. Markets and regulators are watching implications for asset flows.
Broadcom’s blockbuster deals with AI players have sent its market value sharply higher as chipmakers race to supply data-center AI demand. The firm readies new networking silicon to capitalize on the boom.
“When you see one cockroach, there’s probably more.”
— Jamie Dimon
Walmart doubled down on AI commerce, integrating shopping and payments into ChatGPT to speed checkout and capture e-commerce customers. The move signals retail’s next battleground is agent-driven buying.
Google committed massive capital to India to build an AI data-center hub, accelerating cloud and AI deployments in Asia. The investment aims to secure market share and localize AI infrastructure at scale.
General Motors will take a multibillion-dollar charge as federal EV tax incentives are rolled back and emission rules shift, forcing a rethink of EV strategy and near-term profitability.
European authorities moved against China-linked chip assets amid rising tech conflict, with the Dutch seizure of a Chinese-owned firm and EU threats to force tech transfers shaping the geopolitics of semiconductors.
Oil markets are under pressure as inventories swell and trade tensions weigh on demand forecasts. Prices fell on reports of a growing surplus and heightened macro uncertainty.
SpaceX completed another successful Starship test as the firm shifts from V2 to V3 development, underscoring rapid iteration in heavy-lift rockets and commercial launch ambitions.
Precious metals surged as traders chased safe havens and squeezed shorts, with silver and gold hitting fresh records amid dollar weakness and market jitters.
The IMF warned markets of a potential disorderly correction even as it highlighted AI investment as a cushion for the U.S. economy, leaving policymakers to balance growth risks and financial stability.
OpenAI moved to bolster safety with an expert council while simultaneously easing content rules for age-verified adults, raising regulatory and ethical questions as AI platforms expand services.
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