Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

Chevron stock today: CVX steadies near $152 as oil logs steepest annual drop since 2020

Chevron stock today: CVX steadies near $152 as oil logs steepest annual drop since 2020

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 15:15 ET — Market closed Chevron shares closed slightly higher on Wednesday, the final trading day of 2025, ending up 0.1% at $152.41. U.S. markets were closed on Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday. Reuters The muted move capped a year-end stretch in which oil prices fell and posted their steepest annual drop since 2020, refocusing investors on how a softer crude tape could shape energy earnings early in 2026. Reuters That matters for Chevron and other integrated oil majors because benchmark prices feed directly into upstream revenue and cash generation, while cost inflation
P&G stock ends 2025 lower as Wall Street slips — what to watch before trading resumes

P&G stock ends 2025 lower as Wall Street slips — what to watch before trading resumes

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 15:03 ET — Market closed. Shares of Procter & Gamble (PG) last closed down 0.51% at $143.31 in the final session of 2025, mirroring a broad market slide in holiday-thin trade. U.S. stock markets are closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day. FinancialContent+1 The consumer-staples bellwether heads into 2026 with investors looking for clarity on demand and pricing power after a choppy year for markets. Attention is also shifting to the company’s next earnings update later this month. P&G Investor+1 On Dec. 31, Wall Street’s major indexes ended lower as investors took profits with fewer
AST SpaceMobile stock slips into 2026 as markets shut for New Year’s Day — what ASTS investors watch next

AST SpaceMobile stock slips into 2026 as markets shut for New Year’s Day — what ASTS investors watch next

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 15:06 ET — Market closed AST SpaceMobile Inc shares ended the year lower, closing down 2.8% at $72.63 on Dec. 31, after swinging between $71.61 and $75.73 in the session. U.S. stock markets were closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day. New York Stock Exchange The pullback mattered because AST SpaceMobile has become a high-volatility proxy for the “direct-to-device” trade — satellites linking directly to ordinary smartphones without specialized hardware. The stock’s sharp moves have reflected how quickly investors reprice execution risk as the company pushes toward commercial rollout. SEC That sensitivity has grown after
PayPal stock slips toward a 52-week low as Wall Street shuts for New Year’s Day

PayPal stock slips toward a 52-week low as Wall Street shuts for New Year’s Day

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:56 ET — Market closed PayPal Holdings (PYPL.O) shares ended the last trading day of 2025 lower, closing down 1.2% on Wednesday at $58.38. With U.S. markets closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day, the move leaves PayPal starting 2026 near the bottom of its annual range as investors reset positions for Friday’s reopening. MarketWatch Why it matters now: PayPal is trading only a few dollars above its 52-week low — the lowest price in the last year — a level that can draw in both bargain hunters and momentum sellers. Investing.com The stock’s weakness
Applied Materials stock dips as new U.S. export licenses and China’s 50% tool rule reset focus for AMAT

Applied Materials stock dips as new U.S. export licenses and China’s 50% tool rule reset focus for AMAT

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:50 ET — Market closed. Applied Materials ended the last U.S. session down 1.15% at $256.99, with Wall Street shut on Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday. The stock’s next catalyst is not a product launch or an earnings pre-release. It is policy: fresh signals from Washington and Beijing that could change how chipmakers buy — and where they buy — the expensive tools used to make semiconductors. That matters for Applied because it sells wafer-fab equipment, the specialized machines used to deposit, etch and measure layers on silicon wafers. Small shifts in export
CrowdStrike stock slides after-hours as Wedbush keeps CRWD on its top AI picks list

CrowdStrike stock slides after-hours as Wedbush keeps CRWD on its top AI picks list

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:48 ET — Market closed CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. shares were last down 1.5% at $468.76 in extended trading after closing at $475.69 on Wednesday, as U.S. markets paused for the New Year’s Day holiday. New York Stock Exchange The move matters now because investors are resetting positions into the first trading day of 2026, with high-growth software and cybersecurity names still sensitive to shifts in risk appetite. CrowdStrike is a bellwether in endpoint security, and its valuation leaves little room for execution slips. Any change in expectations for subscription growth or margins can move the
GE Aerospace stock slips into 2026 as Wall Street shuts for New Year’s Day

GE Aerospace stock slips into 2026 as Wall Street shuts for New Year’s Day

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 2:46 PM ET — Market closed GE Aerospace shares ended the last trading day of 2025 lower, closing down $3.74, or 1.2%, at $308.03 on Wednesday. MarketWatch The timing matters because the stock is hovering near recent highs heading into January catalysts, while U.S. exchanges are closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day. The next major read for investors is GE’s quarterly update later this month. New York Stock Exchange With jet makers still working through production bottlenecks, investors remain focused on GE’s parts-and-services business, often called the aftermarket — revenue that comes from maintaining
MrBeast tops 2025 richest YouTubers list as Tanmay Bhat’s Moonshot reshapes Indian ads

MrBeast tops 2025 richest YouTubers list as Tanmay Bhat’s Moonshot reshapes Indian ads

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:42 ET Tanmay Bhat, a comedian-turned-creator and co-founder of India’s AIB comedy collective, emerged in 2025 as one of the most sought-after creative partners for brands, a year-end profile by Storyboard18 said. ( Storyboard18) The attention matters now because marketers are under pressure to deliver campaigns that travel quickly across social platforms, and creators increasingly sit at the centre of that push. It also reflects the maturation of the “creator economy” — the business built around online creators earning from advertising, sponsorships and product sales — as the biggest names turn influence into repeatable commercial
1 January 2026
IREN stock ends 2025 lower as crypto miners struggle into New Year holiday

IREN stock ends 2025 lower as crypto miners struggle into New Year holiday

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:46 ET — Market closed Shares of IREN Limited (NASDAQ: IREN) ended the last trading session of 2025 down 1.3% at $37.77. U.S. stock markets were closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day. Reuters+1 The move matters now because bitcoin-linked stocks have been sensitive to shifts in macro sentiment and equity market risk appetite. Bitcoin was on track to finish 2025 more than 6% lower — its first annual drop since 2022 — after a volatile year, Reuters reported. Reuters For miners, swings in bitcoin can quickly change the outlook for cash generation because they
Salzburg renews €100 “Energie-100er” for 2026 — who gets the extra heating aid

Salzburg renews €100 “Energie-100er” for 2026 — who gets the extra heating aid

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:43 ET The Austrian city of Salzburg will extend its “Energie-100er” support scheme into 2026, offering eligible low-income residents an extra 100 euros on top of a 250-euro provincial heating-cost grant, for total support of 350 euros, local outlet Salzburg24 reported. SALZBURG24 The decision lands as the new budget year begins and winter heating bills rise, keeping pressure on households that are already struggling with day-to-day costs. The scheme also reflects a shift toward targeted aid — money tied to eligibility rules — rather than broad-based measures that are costlier and harder to focus on
1 January 2026
Merck (MRK) stock slips into 2026 as New Year holiday shuts U.S. markets — what investors watch next

Merck (MRK) stock slips into 2026 as New Year holiday shuts U.S. markets — what investors watch next

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:30 ET — Market closed Merck & Co.’s stock ended the year’s final trading session lower and was little changed in after-hours trading — the session after the 4 p.m. close — with U.S. markets shut on Thursday for New Year’s Day. The shares closed Dec. 31 down 0.75% at $105.26 and last traded at $105.40 after hours. Investing.com+1 The holiday pause comes after Wall Street slid in thin year-end trade on Wednesday, leaving investors to reset positions for 2026 without a fresh U.S. equity session on the holiday. The S&P 500 fell 0.74% on
Home Depot stock ends 2025 lower as New Year shuts Wall Street; rates and February results in focus

Home Depot stock ends 2025 lower as New Year shuts Wall Street; rates and February results in focus

NEW YORK, January 1, 2026, 14:23 ET — Market closed. Home Depot (HD) shares ended the final regular session of 2025 down 0.6% at $344.10, with U.S. stock markets closed on Thursday for the New Year’s Day holiday. The stock traded between $343.98 and $346.69 in the session. New York Stock Exchange The late-year dip matters because Home Depot is a bellwether for U.S. home improvement demand, which often tracks housing turnover and the cost of borrowing. With 2026 beginning, investors are looking for signs that easing rates translate into bigger renovation projects and higher spending per trip. The broader

Stock Market Today

South32 share price drops 4% in ASX rout — what investors watch before results

South32 share price drops 4% in ASX rout — what investors watch before results

7 February 2026
Sydney, Feb 7, 2026, 17:39 AEDT — Market closed. South32 Ltd shares (S32.AX) closed down 4.1% at A$4.41 on Friday, hit by the same risk-off wave that pushed Australian miners sharply lower. The stock traded between A$4.37 and A$4.51 and was down 19 cents from the prior close of A$4.60. (Intelligent Investor) With markets shut for the weekend, the move leaves South32 on the watchlist going into Monday’s open as investors reassess exposure to metals and mining names. The S&P/ASX 200 ended the week down 1.81%. (Morningstar) The benchmark fell 2% on Friday and almost A$70 billion was wiped off
Wesfarmers share price: what to watch on ASX next week as results loom

Wesfarmers share price: what to watch on ASX next week as results loom

7 February 2026
Wesfarmers shares closed down 1.33% at A$85.04 on Friday, following a sharp drop in the S&P/ASX 200, which fell 2% for its steepest one-day loss in 10 months. Investors are watching for Australia’s household spending data next week and Wesfarmers’ half-year results due Feb. 19.
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