On this Tuesday morning, the stock market appears relatively steady after the S&P 500 experienced consecutive losses. With only a few trading days left in the year, major indices are positioned for significant gains in 2025. Investors are keenly awaiting the release of the Federal Reserve’s December meeting minutes, scheduled for 2 p.m. ET. Notably, U.S. markets will be closed on Thursday in observance of New Year’s Day.
In commodities news, copper is on track for its highest annual increase since 2009, buoyed by substantial investments in artificial intelligence, disruptions in supply chains, and a declining U.S. dollar, leading to a year-to-date price increase of over 40%.
Club holding Meta Platforms ended the year with a notable acquisition, purchasing AI agent developer Manus for over $2 billion, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal. Analysts from Rosenblatt suggest that this acquisition could prove transformative for Meta, comparable to its earlier buys of Instagram and WhatsApp.
Caterpillar has reportedly benefited from the expanding demand for power driven by the construction of data centers. Their natural gas-powered generators have contributed to the company’s fastest-growing segment. Similarly, GE Vernova, known for its heavy-duty natural gas turbines, has also seen significant stock growth, with shares up more than 100% this year.
Dan Ives from Wedbush has identified several Club holdings—Microsoft, Apple, and CrowdStrike—as key players for the anticipated AI revolution leading into 2026. He also included Palantir and Tesla in this shortlist.
In a corporate news development, Applied Digital’s stock saw an uptick following its announcement to merge its cloud unit with Ekso Bionics, a move that sent shares of Ekso skyrocketing by approximately 47% in premarket trading.
Boeing secured an $8.58 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to manufacture fighter jets for Israel’s military, part of a series of contracts that have further solidified its market position. Just within the last month, Boeing has received 164 gross aircraft orders, extending its lead over European rival Airbus.
In financial news, Raymond James has raised Aflac’s price target to $119 from $110, backing the insurer with a buy rating due to promising earnings projections for 2026 and beyond. Meanwhile, Citizens upgraded cloud communications platform Twilio’s price target to $185 from $165, following positive insights regarding voice AI solutions, which reflects a potential upside of roughly 31% based on Monday’s closing price.
On a slightly less favorable note, Raymond James has removed Shake Shack from its “Analyst Current Favorites” list, although they maintained a buy rating. The firm indicated that there are softer industry trends looming for the fast-food chain as the fourth quarter wraps up.
As always, subscribers to the CNBC Investing Club are reminded about trade alerts, offering insights before any trading decisions are made. In this context, it is advised that no guarantees or specific outcomes can be assured by the information provided.
