Khadija Saeed

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

Wells Fargo stock ends 2025 lower as banks slip; WFC earnings and key US data ahead

Wells Fargo stock ends 2025 lower as banks slip; WFC earnings and key US data ahead

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 21:18 ET — Market closed. Shares of Wells Fargo & Co (WFC) fell 1.18% to close at $93.20 on Wednesday, extending a four-session slide into the last trading day of 2025. Volume was light at about 7.6 million shares, and the stock finished about 2.8% below its 52-week high of $95.85. MarketWatch The year-end dip matters because investors are resetting exposure to rate-sensitive bank stocks heading into 2026, with the path of interest rates and growth likely to set the tone. Bank investors focus on net interest income — what a lender earns on loans
KLA stock slides 2% in year-end trade as chip-equipment names fade; what investors watch next

KLA stock slides 2% in year-end trade as chip-equipment names fade; what investors watch next

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 21:12 ET — Market closed. KLA Corp shares (KLAC) fell 2.3% to $1,215.08 on Wednesday, tracking a pullback in semiconductor equipment stocks in thin year-end trading. The move matters because KLA is widely watched as a read-through on chipmakers’ spending, and the sector has been sensitive to interest-rate swings. Higher yields can pressure long-duration growth stocks — companies whose valuations lean heavily on future earnings. Reuters Treasury yields moved higher after new U.S. jobless claims unexpectedly fell, reinforcing a “higher-for-longer” rates debate heading into 2026. Initial claims dropped by 16,000 to 199,000 for the week
1 January 2026
Applied Materials stock drops again as China’s “50% local tools” push weighs on AMAT

Applied Materials stock drops again as China’s “50% local tools” push weighs on AMAT

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 21:07 ET — Market closed Applied Materials shares fell 1.1% to $256.99 on Wednesday, extending a two-day slide into the year’s final session as chip-equipment stocks tracked policy-driven headlines out of China. China is requiring chipmakers to use at least 50% domestically made equipment for any new semiconductor manufacturing capacity, Reuters reported, a step that would steer orders toward local suppliers and away from foreign toolmakers. The policy is not publicly documented and is being enforced through state approval processes and procurement tenders, with officials pushing for levels above 50% and an eventual goal of
Oklo stock ends 2025 near $72: what’s driving OKLO and what investors watch next

Oklo stock ends 2025 near $72: what’s driving OKLO and what investors watch next

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 21:05 ET — Market closed Oklo Inc. shares were last up about 0.2% at $71.76 on Wednesday after the U.S. market close, capping a muted year-end session for the nuclear start-up. The near-flat finish matters because Oklo’s stock has been driven less by current earnings and more by expectations for when it can license and deploy its first reactors. That puts investors’ attention on regulatory timelines and how the company funds its buildout. Oklo+1 Oklo is developing what it calls the Aurora “powerhouse,” part of a wave of so-called small modular reactors (SMRs) — smaller
Marvell (MRVL) stock drops 2% into year-end close as chip trade cools — what’s next

Marvell (MRVL) stock drops 2% into year-end close as chip trade cools — what’s next

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 21:09 ET — Market closed Marvell Technology (MRVL.O) fell $1.78, or about 2.1%, to $84.98 on Wednesday. Trading volume was about 7.2 million shares. The decline came as Wall Street ended 2025’s final session lower in holiday-thin trade, with the Nasdaq down 0.76% and the S&P 500 off 0.74%, Reuters reported. “It’s perfectly fine in any bull market to have moments of cost,” said Giuseppe Sette, co-founder and president of Reflexivity, pointing to profit-taking when liquidity was low. Reuters The year-end drift matters because the market’s gains have been driven by the artificial intelligence trade,
Caterpillar stock ends 2025 lower — what investors are watching for CAT in January

Caterpillar stock ends 2025 lower — what investors are watching for CAT in January

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 21:11 ET — Market closed Caterpillar Inc shares slipped about 0.8% on Wednesday to close at $572.87, as U.S. stocks ended the year’s final session lower. MarketWatch+1 The move matters because Caterpillar is widely treated as a read-through on capital spending, from construction equipment to mining and energy projects. With 2026 starting amid shifting rate expectations and trade uncertainty, investors are using late-year price action as a quick gauge of risk appetite. Reuters Caterpillar is also coming off a strong 2025 run, leaving the stock more sensitive to profit-taking and any reset in expectations around
1 January 2026
Citigroup stock ends 2025 lower after $1.2 billion Russia-exit loss disclosure — what investors watch next

Citigroup stock ends 2025 lower after $1.2 billion Russia-exit loss disclosure — what investors watch next

Citigroup stock ends 2025 lower after $1.2 billion Russia-exit loss disclosure — what investors watch next NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 20:50 ET — Market closed Citigroup shares ended 0.4% lower on Wednesday after the bank disclosed that the planned sale of its remaining Russia business would trigger about $1.2 billion in pre-tax losses. Reuters The move matters heading into mid-January bank earnings because the loss will weigh on Citi’s fourth-quarter headline results at a time investors are focused on whether the lender’s multi-year overhaul is lifting returns and simplifying the balance sheet. Citi said the loss is largely tied
1 January 2026
GE Aerospace stock slips into year-end close — what investors watch next

GE Aerospace stock slips into year-end close — what investors watch next

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 20:50 ET — Market closed GE Aerospace shares closed down 1.2% on Wednesday at $308.03, trimming year-end gains after a strong run through 2025. The stock still ended the year up about 85%, based on its Dec. 31, 2024 close of $166.79. Chase ID Center The late-year dip matters because GE has been one of the market’s standout industrial winners, leaving less room for disappointment as investors reset portfolios for 2026. Traders are using the last prints of the year to gauge whether aerospace leaders can hold premium valuations into a January stretch packed with
Lam Research stock slips into year-end close — what traders watch next for LRCX

Lam Research stock slips into year-end close — what traders watch next for LRCX

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 20:53 ET — Market closed Lam Research Corp shares fell 1.5% to $171.18 on Wednesday, extending a three-session slide as the chip equipment maker closed out the final trading day of 2025. MarketWatch The decline came as Wall Street finished the year with modest losses in thin holiday trading, with the S&P 500 down 0.74% and the Nasdaq off 0.76%, Reuters reported. Reuters That matters now because Lam is a bellwether for wafer fabrication equipment — the costly chipmaking tools used to build semiconductors — and positioning into 2026 is being driven by expectations for
1 January 2026
Mastercard stock ends 2025 lower as Wall Street slips — what’s next for MA shares

Mastercard stock ends 2025 lower as Wall Street slips — what’s next for MA shares

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 20:52 ET — Market closed Mastercard Incorporated shares fell 1.13% on Wednesday to close at $570.88, after trading between $570.79 and $578.00. The late-year dip matters because investors often treat card networks like Mastercard as read-throughs on consumer and business spending, especially into the first data-heavy weeks of a new year. It also lands at a moment when portfolio managers are resetting risk after a strong 2025, with interest-rate expectations and economic momentum likely to steer early-2026 positioning. Wall Street’s main indexes ended 2025 lower in holiday-thin trading, with the S&P 500 down 0.74%, and
1 January 2026
Nebius Group (NBIS) stock falls as insider sale filings surface ahead of Jan. 2 trading restart

Nebius Group (NBIS) stock falls as insider sale filings surface ahead of Jan. 2 trading restart

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 20:44 ET — Market closed Nebius Group N.V. shares ended down 1.7% at $83.71 on Wednesday, after U.S. filings showed several insiders planned sales of the company’s Class A ordinary shares in early January. The stock traded between $82.94 and $86.41, with about 7.1 million shares changing hands. The disclosure matters because Nebius has been a high-beta proxy for the AI infrastructure buildout, where sentiment can swing quickly on any sign of incremental supply. Investors in the group have also been focused on dilution risk and funding needs as the company ramps capacity. Timing adds
1 January 2026
Qualcomm stock slides in thin year-end trade; QCOM turns to Feb. 4 earnings next

Qualcomm stock slides in thin year-end trade; QCOM turns to Feb. 4 earnings next

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 20:43 ET — Market closed QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) ended Wednesday down 1.5% at $171.05, giving back ground in the final U.S. trading session of 2025. MarketWatch The stock fell as Wall Street closed the year modestly lower, with the S&P 500 down 0.74% and the Nasdaq off 0.76%, Reuters reported. Reuters That matters now because year-end trading is often thin, and small orders can move prices more than usual. Traders pointed to profit-taking — selling to lock in gains — when liquidity is low, meaning fewer buyers and sellers are active. Reuters “It’s perfectly fine

Stock Market Today

Broadcom Stock Gets a Google AI Spend Lift as Jefferies Sees 60% Upside

Broadcom Stock Gets a Google AI Spend Lift as Jefferies Sees 60% Upside

7 February 2026
Google raised its 2026 capital expenditure forecast to $175 billion–$185 billion, with most spending expected on data-center chips. Broadcom shares rose about 2% after the announcement, while Nvidia and AMD slipped. Jefferies reiterated a buy rating on Broadcom, maintaining a $500 price target, implying a 62% upside from Wednesday’s close.
No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

No $2,000 IRS stimulus check is coming in February 2026 — but Trump’s tariff-check talk keeps the rumors alive

7 February 2026
The IRS has not announced new federal stimulus payments for February 2026, and Congress has not approved fresh checks. Trump told NBC he is considering $2,000 tariff rebate checks but has not committed, saying any payout would likely come later in 2026. The IRS warns taxpayers to ignore texts and emails about “stimulus payments” and verify notices through official channels.
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