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Stocks tread cautiously as S&P 500 and Nasdaq look to extend recent gains while the Dow lags. Volatility ticks up amid uncertainty on Fed rate cuts and Supreme Court tariff risks; tech and energy lead sector moves, with AI-related names and oil beneficiaries the major catalysts.
The US government shutdown is creating immediate humanitarian and travel disruptions. Courts and city officials are pressing the administration as SNAP payments and airport operations face mounting delays.
115 – Number of Russian drones Ukraine says it intercepted overnight.
The Supreme Court will hear a landmark challenge to presidential tariff powers this week. The outcome could reshape trade policy and the administration’s economic toolkit.
Washington says China agreed to roll back rare-earth and chip export curbs under a new trade truce. The moves aim to ease supply-chain strains for US tech and auto manufacturers.
Green battery maker wins $500m auto contract — orders secure multi-year growth
A leading battery startup landed a $500m supply contract with a global automaker, locking in production visibility and fueling capacity expansion plans.
President Trump signaled the US will restrict Nvidia’s most advanced chips to certain foreign buyers. The comments add volatility to the semiconductor trade and cloud the China market for AI hardware.
Another round of strikes hit Ukrainian and Russian energy and military infrastructure. Both sides reported targeted attacks, underscoring the conflict’s continued escalation and risks to global energy flows.
Retail chain files for bankruptcy after sales collapse — lenders circle
A national retail chain filed for Chapter 11 after months of plunging sales and failed turnaround attempts, threatening thousands of jobs and vendor losses.
Both Kyiv and Moscow reported heavy drone engagements overnight, indicating an intensifying aerial campaign. The high volumes of unmanned aircraft underscore growing tactical reliance on drones.
OPEC+ agreed to pause planned output increases early next year after a modest December boost. The decision calmed markets temporarily but leaves the supply outlook uncertain into 2026.
White House says China will lift some rare-earth export curbs and pause certain tech probes; the US is pausing select reciprocal trade actions — a calibrated easing aimed at easing industrial supply chains.
Bitcoin slid as doubts over Fed rate cuts cooled risk appetite, extending recent crypto volatility. Traders are parsing monetary policy signals alongside technical indicators for near-term direction.
On-chain data flagged a major outflow from Balancer vaults, with tens of millions moved to new wallets. The incident highlights ongoing security risks for DeFi protocols amid rising exploits.
“We will not let anybody have those chips.”
— President Donald Trump
Consolidation and token buys are reshaping crypto market narratives as exchanges and founders make high-profile moves. Late-stage M&A talks at Coinbase and CZ’s token purchases are feeding speculation.
Samsung is partnering with Nvidia on an AI-focused megafactory while also supplying batteries to Tesla, signaling a deeper industrial pivot into AI and EV supply chains. The deals underline Samsung’s dual push into semiconductors and energy storage.
Anthropic’s latest models show emergent introspective behavior, raising questions about advanced LLM capabilities. At the same time, industry groups are racing to fix AI security flaws exposed by new attack vectors.
Hong Kong unveiled a five-year fintech strategy to boost AI and tokenisation, while HKEX is expanding derivatives to capture investor demand. Authorities are positioning the city as a regional crypto and fintech hub.
Strained property developers in Hong Kong are negotiating haircuts and fresh liabilities as debt pressures mount. New World Development’s debt-swap offer is a signal of wider liquidity stress in the city’s real estate sector.
BP is trimming U.S. midstream exposure as energy players adjust portfolios amid market shifts. Sales of Permian and Eagle Ford stakes are part of broader asset rotation by major oil firms.
Top FDA drug regulator has been placed on leave amid probes into agency processes, then resigned amid reports of a toxic work environment. The shakeup raises questions about the agency’s review procedures for new drugs.
U.S. regulators are rapidly clearing bank deals, reflecting a permissive M&A window across financials. Approval rates are at multi-decade highs, accelerating consolidation in the sector.
President Trump’s threats of military action against Nigeria rattled markets and sent local assets tumbling. The episode underscores geopolitical risk spilling into emerging-market investor sentiment.
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