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ClearShares OCIO ETF (NYSEARCA:OCIO – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 3,862 shares, an increase of 31.0% from the November 30th total of 2,948 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 793 [...]
NYLI MacKay Municipal Insured ETF (NYSEARCA:MMIN – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 33,904 shares, a drop of 25.3% from the November 30th total of 45,377 shares. Currently, 0.2% of the company’s stock are [...]
Invesco Financial Preferred ETF (NYSEARCA:PGF – Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 64,444 shares, a drop of 31.1% from the November 30th total of 93,569 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 200,290 [...]
American Century Multisector Income ETF (NYSEARCA:MUSI – Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 15,368 shares, an increase of 29.9% from the November 30th total of 11,834 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 23,414 shares, the days-to-cover ratio [...]
Invesco Food & Beverage ETF (NYSEARCA:PBJ – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 6,562 shares, a decrease of 39.1% from the November 30th total of 10,778 shares. Currently, 0.3% of the shares of the [...]
PGIM Ultra Short Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:PULS – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 279,329 shares, a decrease of 38.0% from the November 30th total of 450,343 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the company’s stock are sold short. Based [...]
TL;DR summary: OPEC+ is widely expected to reaffirm its planned pause in oil output increases at a meeting this weekend, as evidence builds of a growing global supply surplus and slowing demand growth. With crude prices under sustained pressure, the group appears inclined to prioritise market stability over further production hikes.---OPEC+ is expected to stick with its decision to pause further oil supply increases when it meets this weekend, amid rising concerns that the global market is already slipping into oversupply, according to multiple delegates familiar with the group’s discussions.Key members of the alliance, led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, are scheduled to hold a monthly video conference on January 4. The meeting will review a policy decision first taken in November to halt additional production hikes during the first quarter, following a rapid revival of output earlier this year. The group reconfirmed that stance at a gathering earlier this month and is widely expected to do so again, delegates said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the private nature of the talks.The cautious approach reflects a sharply deteriorating price environment. Crude futures have fallen more than 15% over the course of this year and are on track for their steepest annual decline since the 2020 pandemic-driven collapse. Prices have been weighed down by rising supply from both OPEC+ producers and non-OPEC competitors, while global demand growth has slowed as economic momentum softens across key consuming regions.Oversupply risks are becoming harder to ignore. Forecasters, including the International Energy Agency, are warning that the oil market could face a record surplus next year if current trends persist. Even OPEC’s own secretariat, which typically presents a more optimistic outlook, is now projecting a modest supply glut in 2026, a notable shift that underscores the challenge facing producers.For OPEC+, the decision to hold production steady reflects a delicate balancing act. On one hand, further supply restraint risks ceding market share to rival producers, particularly in the Americas. On the other, pushing ahead with output increases in the face of weakening demand could deepen price losses and strain the fiscal positions of oil-dependent economies.The planned pause also buys the group time to assess how global demand evolves into the first half of the year, particularly as monetary policy remains restrictive in many advanced economies and China’s recovery continues to disappoint. Any signs of further demand weakness or accelerating inventories are likely to reinforce the case for continued caution.As a result, markets are likely to view this weekend’s meeting less as a catalyst for immediate change and more as confirmation that OPEC+ is shifting into a defensive posture, focused on preventing a sharper downturn rather than engineering a price rebound. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.
Trump vetoes bipartisan bill to provide clean water to rural Southeastern Colorado Colorado Public RadioTrump vetoes the first two bills of this term CBS NewsTrump vetoes bill to fund Arkansas Valley Conduit in Colorado 9NewsTrump Issues First Second-Term Vetoes for Colorado Water Project and Florida Tribal Measure U.S. News & World ReportTrump issues first presidential vetoes of this term KING5.com
The owner, a large development company, argued it should be assessed at $14.7 million
The Skagit County Board of Commissioners signed agreements Monday to begin providing services at the Skagit STAR Center, a newly-built facility for voluntary mental health and addiction treatment.
A new sighting of Tesla Cybercab prototypes in Austin, Texas, is fueling the ongoing debate about the vehicle’s design. While the prototypes were spotted with steering wheels, which is standard for testing, it raises questions about whether Tesla can actually stick to its plan to launch the vehicle without them given the state of its self-driving effort. more...
The company hopes to become Hong Kong's first publicly listed pet hospital chain, hoping investors will overlook its weak performance metricsKey Takeaways:Ringpai has filed to list in Hong Kong, reporting cumulative losses of 450 million yuan over the past three yearsThe pet hospital operator continued to bleed red ink in the first half of this year, reporting a loss attributable to ordinary shareholders of 28.42 million yuanPet ownership has surged as a lifestyle choice among increasingly affluent Chinese in the last two decades, fueling early investor enthusiasm about the sector's big potential. But the reality has been far less to bark about, with most pet-oriented businesses offering up options that often leave investors in the financial doghouse.One of those is veterinary leader New Ruipeng, whose recent struggles included a failed attempt at a U.S. listing a couple of years ago. Now, Ruipeng's biggest rival, Ringpai Veterinary Hospital Management Holdings Co. Ltd., is hoping to find its own home in the financial markets with its filing this month for an IPO in the hot Hong Kong market.Ringpai founder Li Shoujun is certainly qualified for the job, graduating from Inner Mongolia Agricultural University in 1988 and earning a PhD in preventive veterinary medicine from China Agricultural University in 2005. He worked at Tianjin Fuyuan Food from 1988 to 1997, before striking out on his own between 1998 and 2001 to establish Ruipu (Tianjin) Biological Pharmaceutical and Ruipu (Baoding) Biological Pharmaceutical.Leveraging his extensive background in animal health and growing business savvy, Li spotted an opportunity presented by China's booming economy and rising wealth, which were fueling a new craving for pet ownership. Catering to that demand, he founded Ringpai in 2012, betting that pet healthcare would quickly become a big business.Top-tier investors have agreed with Li's vision. The company's backers include the likes of ...Full story available on Benzinga.com
MINISO Group (NYSE:MNSO – Get Free Report) and Shoe Carnival (NASDAQ:SCVL – Get Free Report) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, risk and analyst recommendations. Dividends MINISO Group pays an annual dividend of [...]
DuPont de Nemours (NYSE:DD – Get Free Report) and Geltech Solutions (OTCMKTS:GLTC – Get Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, profitability and analyst recommendations. Profitability This table compares DuPont de [...]
Shares of Lindblad Expeditions (NASDAQ:LIND – Get Free Report) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six research firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to [...]
Hippo (NYSE:HIPO – Get Free Report) and MGIC Investment (NYSE:MTG – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, valuation and dividends. Earnings and Valuation This table compares Hippo and MGIC [...]
DuPont de Nemours (NYSE:DD – Get Free Report) and Geltech Solutions (OTCMKTS:GLTC – Get Free Report) are both basic materials companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, risk, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and profitability. Analyst Ratings This is a summary [...]
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks on Wall Street are largely unchanged as trading for 2025 nudges closer to the finish line. The Dow dipped 0.3% while the S&P 500 fell 0.1% and the Nasdaq added less than 0.1% early Tuesday.
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BEIJING, Dec. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A collaboration spanning more than 16,000 kilometers and 15 years—including 38 research and field visits—has taken a team from Lanzhou University, led by Professor Xiong Youcai, from China's Loess Plateau to agricultural regions of East Africa. The...
TL;DR summary:China delivered minimal rate cuts despite expectations for aggressive easing.The PBOC has prioritised financial stability and targeted liquidity tools.Fiscal stimulus is expected to carry the bulk of policy support into 2026.China’s central bank has taken a notably restrained approach to monetary easing, defying widespread expectations for aggressive rate cuts as the economy grapples with weak domestic demand, deflationary pressure and structural imbalances. Over the past year, the People’s Bank of China trimmed its policy rate only once, by 10 basis points, the smallest annual reduction since 2021, despite forecasts from major Wall Street banks calling for easing of up to 40 basis points. Info comes via a Bloomberg report, gated. The caution has surprised markets, particularly after Beijing signalled a shift to a “moderately loose” monetary stance for the first time in 14 years as it prepared for escalating trade tensions with the US. What economists underestimated was the resilience of China’s export sector, concerns over banking-system stability, and the impact of a strong equity-market rally, all of which reduced the urgency for sweeping rate cuts.Compared with global peers, China’s stance stands out. While advanced-economy central banks have cut policy rates by an average of 1.6 percentage points over the past two years, the PBOC has delivered only a fraction of that. Adjusted for inflation, Chinese interest rates have moved back into positive territory, underscoring Beijing’s reluctance to follow the ultra-loose playbook adopted by the Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and Bank of Japan during downturns.Instead, policymakers have leaned on targeted and less conventional tools. Liquidity injections through short- and medium-term operations, selective relending programs, support for equity markets and renewed government bond purchases have kept funding conditions loose without slashing benchmark rates. These measures have pushed interbank borrowing costs, such as the seven-day repo rate, to their lowest levels since early 2023. Officials see limited scope for further cuts, with the key policy rate, the 7-day reverse repo, at 1.4% and concerns that deeper reductions could compress bank margins, weaken credit growth and fuel “Japanification” fears. As a result, fiscal policy is set to play the dominant role in 2026, with monetary policy focused on maintaining liquidity and keeping government borrowing costs low rather than driving a demand-led rebound. --- The 7-day reverse repo rate, now considered a key policy signal, was cut from 1.5% to 1.4% on May 9, 2025.The 1-year LPR was trimmed to 3.0% from 3.1%, and the 5-year LPR was lowered to 3.5% from 3.6% in May also.. This article was written by Eamonn Sheridan at investinglive.com.
T. Rowe Price Hedged Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:THEQ – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 2,125 shares, an increase of 65.9% from the November 30th total of 1,281 shares. Currently, 0.3% of the company’s stock [...]
Vanguard Energy ETF (NYSEARCA:VDE – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 93,583 shares, a drop of 35.2% from the November 30th total of 144,455 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 553,292 shares, the days-to-cover ratio [...]
Hypatia Women CEO ETF (NYSEARCA:WCEO – Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 842 shares, a drop of 37.3% from the November 30th total of 1,342 shares. Currently, 0.5% of the company’s stock are short [...]
SP Funds Dow Jones Global Sukuk ETF (NYSEARCA:SPSK – Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 10,668 shares, a decrease of 35.0% from the November 30th total of 16,414 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the shares [...]
ProShares Short 7-10 Treasury (NYSEARCA:TBX – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 114 shares, a decline of 31.7% from the November 30th total of 167 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 3,045 [...]
Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (NYSEARCA:UTES – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 124,700 shares, a decline of 37.8% from the November 30th total of 200,641 shares. Approximately 0.8% of the company’s shares are sold [...]
SPDR Portfolio Long Term Treasury ETF (NYSEARCA:SPTL – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,429,185 shares, a growth of 72.9% from the November 30th total of 826,630 shares. Based on an average trading volume [...]
ProShares Ultra FTSE Europe (NYSEARCA:UPV – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 1,789 shares, an increase of 59.7% from the November 30th total of 1,120 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 873 [...]
China plans strict AI rules to protect children and tackle suicide risks BBCChina to crack down on AI chatbots around suicide, gambling CNBCChina’s Plans for Humanlike AI Could Set the Tone for Global AI Rules Scientific AmericanChina issues draft rules to regulate AI with human-like interaction ReutersChina bans AI-powered relatives to comfort the elderly theregister.com
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Following its big rally this year, should you put Bank of Nova Scotia stock in you TFSA or RRSP?The post Is BNS Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold for 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
Got $1,000? Three quiet Canadian stocks serving essential services can start paying you now and compound for years.The post Got $1,000? These Canadian Stocks Look Like Smart Buys Right Now appeared first on The Motley Fool Canada.
InvestorsObserver Financial Analyst Sam Bourgi believes many young people could face a lifetime of renting a home instead of buying one.
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Vancouver woman warning others after retail gift card scam costs thousands CTV NewsGift card scam ruins charity's bid to help family | Hanomansing Tonight Yahoo News Canada'Never again,' says Windsor, Ont., senior after embarrassment of empty gift cards CBC
Travere Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:TVTX – Get Free Report) CAO Sandra Calvin sold 7,402 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $40.00, for a total transaction of $296,080.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief accounting officer owned 38,233 [...]
After a huge gain over the past decade, the S&P 500 trades at a historically expensive valuation.
How The AI Bubble Is Being Masked Within Big Tech Authored by Autumn Spredemann via The Epoch Times,As artificial intelligence (AI) investment ramps up, some analysts are now drawing comparisons to the early “dot com” days of the internet and the market crash that followed.It’s a deja vu moment for Wall Street: A revolutionary technology captures the imagination while capital floods in and valuations begin to put a high price on promises of a future that hasn’t arrived.Now, as AI spending accelerates and a handful of mega companies dominate returns, financial industry insiders are asking whether the AI boom has crossed the line into market bubble territory—when the price of an asset exceeds its actual value.Industries that have the most to gain—and lose—are reporting record earnings on AI. The top five companies on the S&P 500 are tech giants that are heavily invested in AI. Moreover, in the fourth quarter of 2024, 241 companies on the S&P 500 cited AI as part of their earnings—the highest number in a 10-year period, according to FactSet.Investment experts say this is a potential problem: How much of these reported returns belong to AI and how much is bundled in with other earnings?“Right now, stories about the future promise of AI are pushing stock prices higher. When those stories turn into earnings disappointments, prices will fall,” Paul Walker, author and owner of Fil Financial Corporation, told The Epoch Times.“What most investors don’t realize is just how concentrated the market has become. The so-called magnificent seven have driven roughly 60 percent or more of recent gains in the S&P 500 and Russell 1000,” he said.“In other words, people are far less diversified than they think. When those stocks stumble, panic spreads quickly, as investors dump index funds that are loaded with the same tech giants.”The “magnificent seven” companies include Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla.Some analysts believe the AI bubble will continue growing in 2026. Investing.com reported Capital Economics analyst Jonas Goltermann’s theory that the environment surrounding AI “now has many of the hallmarks of a bubble,” and includes “hyperbolic beliefs about AI’s potential within the industry and among investors.”A recent J.P. Morgan analysis noted the majority of market bubbles follow a pattern and often begin with an “investor thesis” that the world is undergoing major changes.“Believers build capacity to meet future demand. The bubble begins to form in part because credit is widely available. Decaying underwriting standards and increasing leverage cause a disconnect between economic fundamentals and market valuations. More and more investors join the crowd—until fundamentals finally prevail and the bubble bursts,” the analysis stated.Apple announces upgrades to its artificial intelligence (AI) system, “Apple Intelligence,” during the annual Apple event at the company's corporate headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., on June 9, 2025. Apple is among the top five companies on the S&P 500 that are heavily invested in AI. Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty ImagesLiving in a BubbleComparisons have been made between the current level of AI investment and the conditions leading up to the dot com bust of 2000.According to a December GIS report, Oracle’s stock price soared 36 percent in September, despite the tech giant’s reported earnings falling below expectations. The stock price shot up after Oracle announced it expected AI-driven cloud revenue to hit $144 billion by 2030. It was the biggest single-day stock increase since 1992, which added an estimated $250 billion to the company’s market share.In the late 1990s, speculation and heavy funding of internet startup companies or dot coms pushed NASDAQ’s Composite Index from 751 in January of 1995 to more than 5,048 by March of 2000. However, with many companies failing to deliver on their promised returns, the market plummeted by more than 75 percent between March 2000 and October 2002. More than $5 trillion in market value was lost during that time.“Are we in a phase where investors as a whole are overexcited about AI? My opinion is yes,” Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, told The Verge in August. “When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth.”Dan Buckley, chief analyst for DayTrading.com, said the current situation “doesn’t quite feel like 1999 yet, but it’s similar to 1998.”OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the OpenAI DevDay event in San Francisco on Nov. 6, 2023. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images“The real bubble typically forms after the technology proves that it matters, not before, as that’s what gets most investors off the sidelines,” he told The Epoch Times.Buckley believes AI has “crossed that line,” making the current market phase more dangerous.“Pricing can become even more stretched, and monetary and fiscal policy can become even more supportive of AI buildout. Governments are also getting involved, as they’re less sensitive to financial returns and see AI as a source of geopolitical power,” he said.The amount of money corporations have spent hitching their wagon to AI futures is significant. Major “hyperscaler” tech companies spent $106 billion in capital expenditures in the third quarter of 2025 alone, according to a Dec. 18 report from Goldman Sachs.Overall, large tech companies have spent an estimated $364 billion on AI this year, according to JDP Global.Goldman Sachs observed that investors are becoming more cautious about where they’re putting their money.“The past few months have seen the stock prices of AI hyperscalers diverge: Investors have rotated away from AI infrastructure companies where operating earnings growth is under pressure and where capex is being funded via debt,” the analysis said.Goldman Sachs also said investors are opting for companies that demonstrate clear evidentiary links between their AI expenditures and revenues.“There are some key similarities between AI and [the] dot com craze, both on the side of investors and corporations,” Pedro Silva, principal partner at Apex Investment Group, told The Epoch Times.A billboard advertises an artificial intelligence company in San Francisco on Sept. 16, 2025. Billboards advertising AI companies are appearing throughout the city and along Interstate 80. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images“From the investor side, people want to get in on AI just because they hear it on the news daily,” Silva said. “There is no real scrutiny of the valuations or possible future headwinds; if it says AI and it’s grown substantially, investors want to participate.”He said it’s similar from the corporate perspective. “Companies have to spend on AI, regardless of whether they see an immediate or obvious return on investment,” Silva said.“To not invest in AI as the leader of an organization seems like a dereliction of duty, but the application of the new technology is not always clear.”Thinking AheadBuckley believes most of the reported return on investment with AI is based on vision versus cash flow.“The productivity gains are genuine, even exceptional, in areas like coding, but the investment is ahead of the evidence,” he said. “There has generally been little hard disclosure on how much AI is monetized directly versus bundled into existing products or simply a matter of future promises.”He noted that any market devaluations related to AI and how it impacts individuals largely depend on how their income and savings are linked to technology.The tech sector alone now comprises 34 percent of the S&P 500, according to The Motley Fool. For the average American investor with a diversified portfolio, that means roughly one-third of their investment could be affected, for better or worse.“This [AI] buildout is based on the belief that ‘scale equals control.’ A break in that narrative is what’s likely to bust spending rather than traditional cyclical pressures like declining margins, falling stock prices, or rising interest rates,” Buckley said.“While a pullback in the AI space would reflect on [and] be felt on client statements, the bigger concern would be if it is perceived as a broader economic downturn,” he said.Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City on Nov. 19, 2025. Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesSilva warned that investors could misread a shrinkage of AI investment as something bigger and make hasty decisions.Silva emphasized that the top five tech giants are not synonymous with the U.S. economy, but their oversized representation in S&P returns could give that impression, triggering a broader equity selloff.Walker pointed out that, over longer periods, the stock market has still shown steady growth—even amid big changes. He stressed the importance of the bigger picture, because today’s market leaders can become “tomorrow’s case studies.”“Instead of trying to predict crashes or pick the next AI winner, investors should build a risk-based portfolio and rebalance it,” Walker said. “If your plan calls for 40 percent stocks, market drops mean you buy more, not panic. When markets boom, you buy less. Discipline beats prediction every time.” Tyler DurdenMon, 12/29/2025 - 09:40
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Prediction Consensus: What The Experts See Coming In 2026 For the seventh straight year, Visual Capitalist sifted through the forecast landscape to bring you the Prediction Consensus, a synthesis of what analysts, thought leaders, and industry experts expect for the year ahead.This year, Nick Routley analyzed over 2,000 individual predictions from a wide variety of sources including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, the IMF, The Economist, Deloitte, Microsoft, Gartner, and dozens more.By mapping where these forecasts overlap, we’ve distilled the noise into 25 high-conviction themes displayed in our “Bingo Card” format, with the number of dabs reflecting the volume of supporting predictions.To get the full analysis of the Prediction Consensus and to see what’s ahead for 2026, become a member of VC+ or purchase the full Global Forecast Series report and package.The General Vibe of 2026If 2025 was a year of adjustment - markets recalibrating to higher rates, geopolitics reshuffling around a second Trump administration and tariffs, and AI moving from hype to deployment - then 2026 is shaping up as a year of consolidation and consequence.The consensus mood is cautiously optimistic but shot through with uncertainty. Morgan Stanley describes 2026 as “The Year of Risk Reboot,” a period where market focus shifts from macro anxieties to micro fundamentals, creating fertile ground for risk assets. The policy backdrop is unusually supportive: fiscal stimulus, continued (if slower) monetary easing, and deregulation form what analysts call a “policy triumvirate” rarely seen outside of recessions.Yet The Economist strikes a more sober tone, warning that 2026 will be defined by uncertainty as Trump’s reshaping of geopolitical norms continues to ripple worldwide. The old rules-based order is drifting further, and the line between war and peace grows ever more blurred through gray-zone provocations, cyber incursions, and an ambient rivalry between nations.In short: risk assets may thrive, but the world beneath them remains turbulent.AI: Once Again, the Big StoryFor the third consecutive year, artificial intelligence dominates the prediction landscape, but the narrative has evolved. Where 2024 forecasts centered on whether AI hype was justified and 2025 focused on deployment at scale, the 2026 conversation is about integration and consequences.From Tool to PartnerAcross industries, AI is moving beyond answering questions to actively collaborating with people and amplifying their expertise.This is the year of the agentic AI build-out. Deloitte predicts that by year-end 2026, as many as 75% of companies may be investing in agentic AI (autonomous systems that can plan, act, and adapt with limited human oversight). These AI agents are set to become “digital colleagues,” helping small teams punch above their weight. Microsoft envisions a future where a three-person marketing team can launch a global campaign in days, with AI handling data crunching and content generation while humans steer strategy.After years of anticipation, productivity gains from AI are finally expected to materialize in measurable ways. Morgan Stanley points to AI-driven efficiency as one of six key drivers of their bullish earnings outlook. Software and internet companies are expected to see generative AI revenue grow more than 20-fold over the next three years.Of course, AI will impact the job market in other ways as well. Professional and knowledge-worker classes that previously felt insulated are now beginning to feel anxiety around job security.Market Predictions: Riding the AI WaveConveniently, AI also dominates the market story. The consensus is unmistakably bullish, though tempered by valuation concerns and awareness of concentration risks.S&P 500: Double-Digit Gains ExpectedWall Street strategists are clustered in a tight range for year-end 2026 S&P 500 targets: The bull case from JPMorgan sees the index potentially topping 8,000 if the Fed eases more than expected. Morgan Stanley calls it their most bullish outlook in years, driven by returning operating leverage, AI efficiency gains, accommodative tax and regulatory policy, and contained interest rates.Importantly, analysts expect earnings to do the heavy lifting in 2026. Bank of America’s Savita Subramanian projects 14% EPS growth but notes that P/E multiples may actually contract by 10 points, meaning the market climbs a wall of valuation skepticism. Morgan Stanley forecasts S&P 500 EPS of $317 in 2026 (17% growth).Gold’s Super-Cycle ContinuesGold remains a favorite. Morgan Stanley targets $4,500 per ounce—about 9% upside from current levels. The World Gold Council notes that gold achieved over 50 all-time highs in 2025 and may post its fourth-strongest annual return since 1971.The drivers are structural: central bank buying, geopolitical hedging, and concerns about fiscal sustainability. In a “doom loop” scenario of accelerating fiscal deterioration, gold could surge 15-30% from current levels.Economic Predictions: Soft Landing, With CaveatsThe IMF projects global growth at 3.2% in 2025 and 3.1% in 2026—below the pre-pandemic average of 3.7% but not recessionary. Morgan Stanley expects similar numbers: 3.0% global growth in 2025, 3.2% in 2026 and 2027.Advanced economies are expected to grow around 1.5-1.6%, while emerging markets hold above 4%. The consensus is a soft landing: growth moderates, inflation continues its gradual descent, and central banks ease policy—but not aggressively.The “Higher for Longer” Era FadesCentral bank policy is expected to continue normalizing. Morgan Stanley’s base case has the Fed cutting to 3.0-3.25% by mid-year and then pausing for an extended period. The BoE is expected to bring rates to 2.75% before pausing. The ECB, facing below-target inflation and sluggish growth, may cut further than markets currently price.Japan remains the outlier: the only major developed market central bank potentially hiking, with the BoJ expected to reach 0.75% by December before pausing.Geopolitical & Trade Predictions: Tariffs and TensionsTariffs Become the New NormalPerhaps no theme generates more consensus than this: the tariff regime is here to stay. Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are bringing in close to $300 billion in revenue annually, and while they may face legal challenges (Barclays expects the Supreme Court to deem them illegal), the effective tariff rate has peaked at 12.1%—the highest since 1934.The economic impact is being absorbed more gracefully than many feared. UBS expects a “soft patch” in early 2026 as tariffs affect U.S. prices, followed by a broadening and strengthening of growth from Q2 onward. But the structural shift is profound: trade may reroute permanently, supply chains are diversifying, and the U.S. is explicitly using tariffs as a tool of economic leverage.China Leans on Exports and ManufacturingFacing deflation, a property crisis, and slowing domestic growth, China is pivoting to manufacturing and export dominance. The country is positioning itself as a more reliable partner, particularly in the Global South, striking trade agreements as the U.S. retreats from multilateralism.Morgan Stanley expects China’s real GDP to expand 5% in 2026, helped by front-loaded government support. But the strategy creates global tensions: industrial overcapacity could flood world markets, and tariff battles may intensify.Gray-Zone Provocations IncreaseThe Economist warns that Russia and China will test American commitment to allies through “gray-zone” provocations in northern Europe and the South China Sea. Tensions will rise in the Arctic, in orbit, on the sea floor, and in cyberspace.This “ambient rivalry” short of outright war but beyond normal peacetime friction is expected to accelerate. Great-power competition will increasingly involve space-based intelligence, drone technology, and AI-powered cyber operations.Assessing the ConsensusHistory teaches humility about forecasting. Previous years have contained unforeseen developments, and there’s no reason to expect 2026 to unfold precisely as consensus expects.What’s valuable isn’t the specific predictions, but themes where informed observers are concentrating their attention. Examples include the transition from AI experimentation to building out infrastructure to support its widespread use. Or stablecoins becoming mainstream financial instruments.Some of these themes will prove accurate; others will be derailed by events. But taken together, they sketch the landscape that institutions, investors, and policymakers are navigating as they position for the year ahead. Tyler DurdenSun, 12/28/2025 - 21:35
Non-tipped workers will receive a $10 increase over five years and tipped workers will receive $5 more over the same period, the union said.
India’s Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia outlines the country’s ambitious digital and economic roadmap, including driving progress in 6G, expanding satellite connectivity through platforms like Starlink, and completing the BharatNet project connecting every village. Scindia also says ongoing reforms, ease of doing business, and rapid growth across technologies will position India to set global trends next year.
Market Analysis by covering: Gold Futures, Gold US Dollar. Read 's Market Analysis on Investing.com CA.
St Regis Red Sea Resort, Images here Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve images here LONDON, Dec. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- From January's mindful reset to March's World Sleep Day rituals, June's wellness celebrations, and October's culinary showcases, The St. Regis Red Sea Resort and Nujuma, a...
Galaxy Digital is aggressively transitioning from digital assets to a diversified financial and AI infrastructure platform. Read why GLXY stock is a Buy.
TAIPEI and SAN DIEGO, Dec. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its recent clinical collaboration with the multinational pharmaceutical company BeOne Medicines to explore combination therapy with its marketed PD-1 inhibitor in the challenging field of cold tumor treatment, Senhwa...
Juniata Valley Financial Corp. (OTCMKTS:JUVF – Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 510 shares, a drop of 42.3% from the November 30th total of 884 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 3,643 shares, the short-interest ratio is [...]
HealthWarehouse.com Inc. (OTCMKTS:HEWA – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 7,925 shares, an increase of 60.9% from the November 30th total of 4,925 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 5,842 shares, [...]
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AB Industrivärden (publ) (OTCMKTS:IDTVF – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 125 shares, a decline of 43.2% from the November 30th total of 220 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 0 shares, [...]
American Beacon AHL Trend ETF (NYSEARCA:AHLT – Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,200 shares, a decline of 62.1% from the November 30th total of 11,091 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 11,393 shares, the [...]
Amplify Bloomberg AI Value Chain ETF (NYSEARCA:AIVC – Get Free Report) was the target of a large decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 381 shares, a decrease of 54.9% from the November 30th total of 845 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of [...]
HealthWarehouse.com Inc. (OTCMKTS:HEWA – Get Free Report) was the target of a large growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 7,925 shares, a growth of 60.9% from the November 30th total of 4,925 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold [...]
GURU Organic Energy Corp. (OTCMKTS:GUROF – Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 3,928 shares, a drop of 61.8% from the November 30th total of 10,294 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 968 shares, the short-interest [...]
VKTX remains a Buy for its cheap FY2030 EV/Sales valuations of 2.28x, the strong clinical trial results exceeding legacy players, and the potential GLP-1...
One+One S&P 500 and Bitcoin ETF (NASDAQ:OOSB – Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 161 shares, a drop of 36.6% from the November 30th total of 254 shares. Approximately 0.4% of the shares of the company are [...]
Worth Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS – Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund bought 2,296 shares of the investment management company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,828,000. The Goldman [...]
Pennon Group Plc (OTCMKTS:PEGRY – Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 17,508 shares, a drop of 37.0% from the November 30th total of 27,805 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 24,463 shares, the days-to-cover ratio [...]
Worth Asset Management LLC decreased its holdings in Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (NYSEARCA:SPMO – Free Report) by 72.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,009 shares of the company’s stock after selling 15,464 shares during the quarter. Worth [...]
iShares U.S. Oil Equipment & Services ETF (NYSEARCA:IEZ – Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 72,363 shares, a drop of 36.8% from the November 30th total of 114,521 shares. Approximately 1.2% of the company’s shares are sold [...]
Vanguard Health Care ETF (NYSEARCA:VHT – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 194,847 shares, a drop of 36.5% from the November 30th total of 306,979 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 278,405 [...]
Hypatia Women CEO ETF (NYSEARCA:WCEO – Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 842 shares, a decrease of 37.3% from the November 30th total of 1,342 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 396 shares, the days-to-cover [...]
Brighthouse Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:BHFAM – Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,204 shares, a drop of 36.5% from the November 30th total of 6,616 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 51,347 shares, [...]
Bridgeline Digital, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLIN – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 66,106 shares, a decrease of 36.7% from the November 30th total of 104,422 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 114,337 shares, [...]
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Loomis AB (OTCMKTS:LOIMF – Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 22,371 shares, a decrease of 36.7% from the November 30th total of 35,340 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 5 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 4,474.2 days. [...]
Identiv, Inc. (NASDAQ:INVE – Get Free Report) saw a significant drop in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 159,959 shares, a drop of 36.9% from the November 30th total of 253,459 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 38,026 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 4.2 [...]
iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (NYSEARCA:EZA – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 750,877 shares, a decrease of 36.6% from the November 30th total of 1,183,529 shares. Currently, 9.5% of the shares of the stock are short [...]
Ryohin Keikaku Co. Ltd. (OTCMKTS:RYKKY – Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 4,532 shares, a decrease of 37.0% from the November 30th total of 7,193 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the shares of the stock are sold short. [...]
Megacable Holdings, S. A. B. de C. V. (OTCMKTS:MHSDF – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant decline in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 287,556 shares, a decline of 37.1% from the November 30th total of 457,407 shares. Based on an average [...]
AB US Low Volatility Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:LOWV – Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 3,004 shares, a decrease of 36.6% from the November 30th total of 4,736 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the stock are [...]
ProShares UltraShort Russell 2000 (NYSEARCA:TWM – Get Free Report) saw a significant decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 76,603 shares, a decline of 36.5% from the November 30th total of 120,682 shares. Approximately 6.1% of the company’s shares are short sold. Based on [...]
Moolec Science SA (NASDAQ:MLEC – Get Free Report) saw a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 36,041 shares, a decline of 37.2% from the November 30th total of 57,349 shares. Approximately 1.1% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based [...]
Worth Asset Management LLC decreased its position in shares of Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF (NYSEARCA:SPMO – Free Report) by 72.0% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 6,009 shares of the company’s stock after selling 15,464 shares during the quarter. [...]
North Carolina residents are breathing their cleanest air in decades.
North Korea Unveils First 'Nuclear-Powered' Sub As Kim Tells Putin Their Nations Are "Sharing Blood, Life & Death In Same Trench" One big geopolitical trend of the last year and beyond connected with the Ukraine war has been just how open North Korea and Russia have been about their deepening defense relations.At the start, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un taking the high risk and controversial step of sending thousands of his DPRK troops to assist Russia was initially kept a secret, with little details made public.Soon, international press reported at least 10,000 North Korean troops helping Russia, mostly in the Kursk border area.But the last year saw North Korea go so far as to publish footage of North Koreans coming home from the Ukraine war in flag-draped coffins.Pool, Getty ImagesKim Jong Un said Saturday that his country and Russia had bonded through "blood, life and death" during the war in Ukraine, as he delivered New Year's greetings to Russian President Vladimir Putin.In his message released by the state-run KCNA news agency, Kim described 2025 as a "really meaningful year" for the partnership between the two countries, saying their alliance had been strengthened by “sharing blood, life and death in the same trench."It was only last April that North Korea publicly acknowledged for the first time it had deployed troops to assist Russia’s military operations in Ukraine and confirmed that some of its soldiers had died in combat. However, this had been an 'open secret' for much of the year even prior to that.Earlier this month, Pyongyang also admitted it had sent personnel to remove land mines in Russia's Kursk region in August 2025. Kim said at least nine members of an engineering regiment were killed during the 120-day mission, speaking at a Dec. 12 ceremony marking the unit’s return home.Putin too has praised the North Korean soldiers for being especially instrumental in pushing back the short-lived Ukrainian occupation of southern Kurks oblast, in a brazen cross-border operation which lasted for months.Kim’s New Year's message to Putin came a day after he ordered officials to ramp up missile production. The world can expect more provocative missile tests from Pyongyang this year.Putin's travel in 2025 focused on non-Western and BRICS and non-aligned countries, some of which the West would call 'rogue states'. But it also crucially included the Alaska Summit with President Donald Trump - the single biggest and most surprising trip since the Ukraine war's start...🤝Hands Russian President Putin shook in 2025This year saw truly historic meetings between Putin and global leaders, including:🇺🇸 Donald Trump🇨🇳 Xi Jinping🇰🇵 Kim Jong-un🇮🇳 Narendra Modi🇮🇷 Masoud Pezeshkian...and many more. Watch to find out! pic.twitter.com/bRLgFogyiC— Sputnik (@SputnikInt) December 26, 2025In addition to troop deployments, North Korea has also supplied Russia with artillery shells, missiles, and long-range rocket systems. Moscow has in turn provided its growing ally with with financial support, military technology, and supplies of food and energy.Additionally, CNN reports that North Korea released images of what it claims is its first nuclear-powered submarine, which is designed as a challenge to American naval dominance in the region.The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Dec. 25 showed North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in the company of senior officials and his daughter, inspecting the new vessel, which was first revealed in March at an indoor construction facility.Kim first discussed building a nuclear-powered submarine as part of a five-year military expansion plan at a party conference in 2021, and called the construction of the vessel one of the cornerstones of his regime's defense policy.“We regard the super-powerful offensive capability as the best shield for national security in developing the armed forces,” Kim was recorded as saying.The North Korean dictator also listed several high-priority weapons systems at the conference, including solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missiles carrying multiple warheads, hypersonic weapons, two new guided-missile destroyers, and advanced spy satellites.Kim called the naval construction program, while inspecting the new sub, “a leap forward in bolstering up the combat capabilities of our fleets,” according to KCNA.However, as PJMedia.com's Bryan Jung notes, one of the new destroyers capsized on launch earlier this year, to Pyongyang's embarrassment, but was subsequently refloated and repaired. Tyler DurdenSat, 12/27/2025 - 21:35
Young people in Britain will soon be offered the chance of a “gap year” through a new paid program in the armed forces, the government announced Saturday.
The NFL is known to print money, and here they go again
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Gas prices were still moving in a downward trajectory Saturday with reported lows hovering just above $2.
Nineteen Ulta Beauty thefts by the suspects started back in July, until the most recent on Dec. 15.
A beloved bar and restaurant on Hertel Avenue will open its doors for the last time on Sunday morning.
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Three periods didn’t decide the result for the Greenfield hockey team on Saturday. Five minutes of overtime couldn’t produce a winning outcome, either. The Green Wave ended up skating to a 1-1 tie against West Springfield at Olympia Ice Arena in Berry Division play. “We put the effort in,” Greenfield coach Adam [...]
Hannover Ruck SE (OTCMKTS:HVRRY – Get Free Report) saw a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 21,166 shares, an increase of 92.6% from the November 30th total of 10,989 shares. Currently, 0.0% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an [...]
Mayr-Melnhof Karton AG (OTCMKTS:MNHFF – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 361 shares, a growth of 139.1% from the November 30th total of 151 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 0 shares, the days-to-cover [...]
Itochu Corp. (OTCMKTS:ITOCY – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 9,671 shares, a decrease of 67.7% from the November 30th total of 29,951 shares. Approximately 0.0% of the shares of the company are sold [...]
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. Sponsored GDR (OTCMKTS:HNHPF – Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 16,372 shares, an increase of 91.8% from the November 30th total of 8,534 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 53,369 shares, the [...]
Koninklijke KPN NV (OTCMKTS:KKPNF – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant increase in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 11,901,727 shares, an increase of 90.2% from the November 30th total of 6,257,362 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 62,375 shares, [...]
Permanent TSB Group Holdings plc (OTCMKTS:ILPMF – Get Free Report) was the target of a large drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 14,299 shares, a drop of 67.9% from the November 30th total of 44,563 shares. Based on an average daily volume of [...]
Melexis NV (OTCMKTS:MLXSF – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 99,846 shares, a decrease of 71.1% from the November 30th total of 345,183 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 5,084 shares, [...]
Vermont's new Climate Superfund Act seeks to hold major oil companies accountable for the cost of cleaning up their pollution.
Rectitude Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:RECT – Get Free Report) saw a significant decrease in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 16,159 shares, a decrease of 52.0% from the November 30th total of 33,694 shares. Approximately 0.1% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based [...]
ProShares UltraShort Top QQQ (NASDAQ:QQDN – Get Free Report) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 3,656 shares, a growth of 226.1% from the November 30th total of 1,121 shares. Currently, 3.3% of the company’s shares are short sold. Based on [...]
Inhibikase Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:IKT – Get Free Report) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the five brokerages that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and three have given a strong buy rating to the [...]
Invesco Dorsey Wright Healthcare Momentum ETF (NASDAQ:PTH – Get Free Report) saw a large decrease in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 7,128 shares, a decrease of 80.0% from the November 30th total of 35,694 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 19,339 shares, the short-interest ratio [...]
iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (NASDAQ:RING – Get Free Report) was the target of a significant drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 414,519 shares, a drop of 54.4% from the November 30th total of 909,432 shares. Based on an average trading volume [...]
Reliance Global Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:RELI – Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest during the month of December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 366,923 shares, a drop of 66.9% from the November 30th total of 1,107,667 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 325,244 shares, the [...]
Rising Dragon Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ:RDAC – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 9,118 shares, an increase of 104.3% from the November 30th total of 4,464 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 42,500 shares, the short-interest [...]
Global X NASDAQ 100 Collar 95-110 ETF (NASDAQ:QCLR – Get Free Report) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totaling 228 shares, a drop of 65.2% from the November 30th total of 656 shares. Currently, 0.2% of the company’s stock are short [...]