Benzinga

12/24/2025

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) pushed back against President Donald Trump’s dismissive tone on Americans cutting back on their holiday spending amid rising prices resulting from his administration’s trade, tariff, and healthcare policies.

On Tuesday, in a post on X, Warren slammed Trump’s “don’t be dramatic” response when questioned about Americans pulling back on their holiday presents amid an expected rise in health insurance premiums, during his interview on Politico’s The Conversation.

“If you notice you’re paying more for holiday gifts this year, just remember, Donald Trump's message to you is: ‘don't be dramatic,'” Warren said.

In an earlier post, Warren highlighted that 46% of Americans were spending less during peak shopping season this year, due to higher prices. “Families are paying the price for Donald Trump's chaotic tariffs.”

12/24/2025

Tech giant Apple Inc.’s CEO, Tim Cook, has just made a notable personal investment in Oregon-based sneaker giant, Nike Inc.

Cook, who has served on Nike’s board since 2005, has acquired 50,000 shares in the company at an average price of $58.97 per share, in a transaction valued at $2.95 million, according to filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday.

His total position in the popular apparel retailer now stands at 105,480 shares following the purchase, valued at $6.04 million, based on the stock’s closing price on Tuesday, at $57.34 per share.

While Cook has received stock awards to the tune of $179,453 during his two-decade-long stint on Nike’s board, this marks his first-ever open market purchase.

Cook’s purchase comes on the heels of another significant insider purchase from Nike Director and former Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC), Robert Swan, who acquired 8,691 shares in the company, at an average price of $57.54 per share on Monday.

Insider purchases such as these, especially following a period of depressed sentiments surrounding a stock, often indicate a potential turnaround and help instill confidence in the markets, with executives actively vying for more skin in the game.

12/24/2025

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed further improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Greed” zone on Tuesday.

U.S. stocks settled higher on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 settling at a record level during the session amid a surge in artificial intelligence names.

The New York Stock Exchange will close at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday and will be closed on Thursday for Christmas Day.

Gross domestic product expanded at a 4.3% annualized pace in the third quarter, beating estimates near 3.3% and marking the fastest growth rate in two years.

That strength prompted traders to scale back expectations for near-term Federal Reserve easing. Markets now price roughly a 15% probability of a 25-basis-point cut in late January, down from 20% a day earlier. Expectations have narrowed to two cuts in 2026, with June and September seen as the most likely windows.

On the other economic data front, U.S. industrial production increased 0.1% per month across October and November. U.S. durable goods orders declined by 2.2% month-over-month to $307.4 billion in October, compared to a revised 0.7% growth from September, versus market estimates of a 1.5% decline.

12/24/2025

Mexican Stocks Hammer Wall Street As Peso Notches Best Year Since 1993

https://vist.ly/4jmt3

Mexican stocks and the peso posted historic gains, crushing Wall Street benchmarks as rate cuts fueled a rally—despite a weakening domestic economy.

12/24/2025

UiPath, Ramaco Resources And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Wednesday

12/24/2025

After A 4.3% GDP Boom, Traders Bet US Economy Cools Next

https://vist.ly/4jmhz

After Q3 GDP surged 4.3%, traders are already betting on a slowdown. Prediction markets price weaker Q4 growth.

12/24/2025

📊 PreMarket Movers – December 24, 2025

📈 Gainers:
⬆️ $INDP +56.92%
⬆️ $DVAX +38.09%
⬆️ $TNMG +18.18%

📉 Losers:
🔻 $INTC -3.06%
🔻 $BMNR -0.78%
🔻 $NVDA -0.39%

Biotech names are leading the premarket rally, while semiconductors and crypto-linked stocks see modest pressure ahead of the open ⚡

📺 Catch the full breakdown here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/bY9L9na6Kws?si=c7FZvyVi36LIZEqp

12/24/2025

With U.S. stock futures trading slightly lower this morning on Wednesday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows

12/24/2025

Intelligence agencies from two NATO countries are raising alarms about a possible Russian effort to develop an anti-satellite weapon aimed at disrupting Elon Musk’s Starlink network. The concern is that such a system could threaten not only commercial satellites but broader Western space infrastructure.

According to reports, the suspected weapon would use a so called zone effect strategy. It would release hundreds of thousands of dense pellets into specific orbital paths, potentially damaging or disabling multiple satellites at once. Analysts warn this approach could create massive collateral damage across low Earth orbit.

Experts who reviewed the claims note that the idea carries serious risks. A large debris field could spiral out of control, harming satellites owned by many nations and companies, including Russia and China. Space operations that support communications, navigation, and economic activity could be disrupted for years.

The report adds to an already tense history between Russia and Starlink. Russian forces have previously been linked to efforts to jam Starlink signals during the war in Ukraine, viewing the network as a strategic advantage for Ukrainian communications. Those attempts highlighted how central satellite internet has become in modern conflict.

At the same time, SpaceX has continued to expand Starlink’s capabilities. Ukraine has tested newer direct-to-cell technology, which aims to connect smartphones directly to satellites without ground infrastructure. That expansion has only increased Starlink’s strategic importance.

The situation is complicated by mixed signals from Moscow. Russian leadership has at times praised Musk’s achievements in space, drawing comparisons to historic Soviet engineers. These new allegations underline how quickly admiration can shift to confrontation when geopolitical interests are at stake.

If proven true, the development would mark a dangerous escalation in the militarization of space. It would also reinforce concerns that future conflicts may increasingly extend beyond Earth’s atmosphere.

12/23/2025

Kevin O’Leary is pushing back hard against the idea of sending $2,000 checks through proposed Trump Accounts, warning it could undo years of progress on inflation. The longtime investor compared the plan to pandemic era stimulus, calling it helicopter money that risks sending prices sharply higher again.

O’Leary argued that the U.S. economy is still dealing with the aftershocks of COVID era cash injections. He said families continue to feel the impact through elevated prices for groceries, protein, and other daily necessities. In his view, the priority should be getting inflation closer to the Federal Reserve’s 2% target, not adding more cash into the system.

He also criticized how the payments would be funded. O’Leary questioned tariffs on goods the U.S. does not produce, such as bananas and pineapples, saying they only raise costs for consumers without protecting domestic industries. He warned that affordability and healthcare could become dominant political issues if prices spike again.

The debate is unfolding alongside broader scrutiny of the Invest America Act and Trump Accounts. While major donors like Michael Dell have pledged billions to seed the program, critics say the structure could create unintended consequences for everyday families.

Tax professionals have also flagged a technical issue. Because of how the accounts are written into law, parents who contribute their own money may trigger complex IRS gift tax filings, potentially forcing families to deal with paperwork typically reserved for wealthy households.

Other voices have weighed in from different angles. Elon Musk has dismissed concerns entirely, arguing that future advances in AI and robotics could make scarcity irrelevant. That idea has been widely mocked by skeptics who note that markets and money still matter today.

For O’Leary, the warning is straightforward. Injecting cash into the economy may feel helpful in the short term, but he believes it risks reigniting inflation and making life more expensive for the very families it aims to support.

12/23/2025

Warren Buffetts Fix For Low Pay

12/23/2025

The U.S. electric vehicle market is facing a rare turning point, with sales projected to decline for the first time since 2019. After years of steady growth, 2025 may mark a pause driven less by consumer interest and more by policy shifts.

Automakers posted record EV deliveries in the third quarter as buyers rushed to lock in the federal tax credit before it expired. That surge pulled demand forward, leaving a sharp drop expected in the fourth quarter and beyond. Analysts now expect the full year to end weaker than previously forecast.

According to estimates from Cox Automotive, U.S. EV sales could fall to about 1.275 million units in 2025. That would be a modest decline from 2024, but symbolically important as the first annual drop in six years. Overall U.S. vehicle sales are still expected to grow, highlighting how concentrated the slowdown is in EVs.

The main driver appears to be the expiration of the federal EV tax credit after the third quarter. The incentive had helped offset higher upfront costs, and its removal created a sudden reset in demand. Buyers who planned to go electric accelerated purchases, leaving fewer shoppers afterward.

Legacy automakers are already adjusting. Ford Motor Company and General Motors Company have slowed or reworked EV expansion plans, reflecting a more cautious outlook. Even leaders like Tesla Inc. benefited from the pre-expiration rush.

Industry analysts stress this does not signal the end of EV adoption. Instead, it suggests a longer, less linear transition shaped heavily by policy decisions. Sales are expected to stabilize and rebound in the following year, but on a more measured timeline than once expected.