Get ready for a data deluge: Some of the economic reports...
Get ready for a data deluge: Some of the economic reports delayed by the government shutdown are finally coming out this week. The November jobs report will be released on Tuesday, along with US retail sales from October. Then, consumer price index data will offer up some inflation insight on Thursday. The Federal Reserve will keep an eye on all of it, as it considers whether to cut interest rates a fourth consecutive time when it meets in January.
Jimmy Lai, the Hong Kong pro-democracy activist and businessman, was found guilty of sedition and collusion with foreign countries by a Hong Kong court.
The shooter who ambushed US and Syrian troops, killing two soldiers and one civilian interpreter, might have been an Islamic State supporter who infiltrated a local security force, according to the Associated Press.
A JetBlue flight near Venezuela halted its ascent to avoid a “midair collision” with a US Air Force refueling tanker on Friday, according to the plane’s pilot.
Ella McCayhanded Disney one of its worst box-office debuts ever, bringing in $2.1 million domestically this weekend. However, Disney’s smash hit, Zootopia 2, returned to the top of the box office with $69.6 million in its third weekend.
John Cena, the actor and wrestler, fought his final WWE match ever on Saturday night.
The North America Rotary Rig Count for the week ending December 12, 2025, showed a slight decline in the United States rig count, while Canada saw a small increase, leaving the overall North America count unchanged. Oil rigs added 1 rig to 414, while gas rigs lost 2 rigs, to 127.
The total US rig count is down 41 rigs (or 6.9%) compared to the same week a year ago. The oil-to-gas ratio stands at approximately 76% oil, 23% gas, and 1% miscellaneous.
Drilling Method Breakdown (U.S.)
The split in drilling type showed a shift toward Vertical drilling:
🔲 Horizontal Rigs: Increased by 2 to 478. 🔲 Vertical Rigs: Increased by 1 to 16. 🔲 Directional Rigs: Decreased by 4 to 54.
Executive order targets state AI laws. President Trump ...
Executive order targets state AI laws. President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that seeks to block AI regulation by individual states, saying it would create a single federal regulatory framework and keep the US at the forefront of the tech. The order authorizes the attorney general to sue over state AI restrictions and tells federal regulators to withhold funds for projects like broadband from states with such laws. The move was controversial, as Republicans had opted against including clauses barring state-level AI rules in recent legislation. And it may not even deter states from moving ahead with their rules, especially because the order is likely to face a court challenge.
New photographs from the estate of the late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein were released by House Democrats yesterday, including some that feature President Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew).
A historic preservation group sued President Trump, claiming that the demolition of the East Wing of the White House required Congressional review and any construction should be halted.
Iran arrested Nobel Peace Laureate Narges Mohammadi, her supporters said. The activist had been on medical furlough from prison.
The UK’s King Charles III said his cancer treatments would be reduced next year thanks to effective treatment and early diagnosis.
Republican state lawmakers in Indiana rejected a redistricting plan backed by President Trump on Thursday, making it the first red state to buck the president’s push for new electoral maps that favor the GOP.
Bank of America has finally bounced back from the 2008 financial crisis—the bank’s stock rose above its 2006 high yesterday, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Stock Market Closing Report - Friday, December 12, 2025
U.S. stocks pulled back sharply on Friday as a rotation...
U.S. stocks pulled back sharply on Friday as a rotation out of high-flying technology stocks accelerated, with investors reassessing AI valuations following disappointing earnings from Broadcom and continued weakness from Oracle.
🔴 Dow Jones Industrial Average: slipped 0.5%.
🔴 S&P 500: dropped roughly 1%, one day after surging above the 6,900 level for the first time.
🔴 Nasdaq Composite: fell 1.6%, continuing a tech slump.
Weekly Performance: Friday's moves cemented a brutal week for tech stocks in particular, with the Nasdaq down 1.6% and the S&P 500 down 1% for the week. The Dow bucked the trend, rising 1% for the week.
Market Drivers: The selloff was driven by growing concerns about AI overvaluation and margin compression. Broadcom dropped 11%, even after the company beat fourth-quarter expectations and gave a strong forecast, saying artificial intelligence chip sales look to double. Analysts attributed the decline to concerns about margin compression.
Oracle was on track for a 12% drop, extending Thursday's losses as investors continued to worry about aggressive AI spending that hasn't yet translated to clear returns.