Hooters’ bankruptcy comeback: iconic uniforms change and a simpler menu rolls out

Hooters’ bankruptcy comeback: iconic uniforms change and a simpler menu rolls out

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:44 ET Hooters is rolling out a redesigned waitstaff uniform and a pared-back menu as the chicken-wing chain tries to steady the business after emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The makeover matters because Hooters is betting on a reset of its image — and tighter operations — at a time when many U.S. casual-dining brands are fighting higher costs and softer discretionary spending. For Hooters, the uniform is not a side detail. It is a signature part of the brand, and the company is leaning on a “back to basics” pitch to bring in families
1 January 2026
Shopify stock dips as year-end trading turns defensive; rates back in focus for SHOP

Shopify stock dips as year-end trading turns defensive; rates back in focus for SHOP

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:41 ET — After-hours Shopify Inc shares fell 1.7% to $160.97 on Wednesday, as investors trimmed some high-growth exposure on the final trading day of 2025. The stock traded between $160.75 and $163.83 and is about 12% below its 52-week high, according to the company’s investor relations quote. Shopify Investors The decline lands as markets head into a holiday break, with U.S. exchanges closed on Thursday for New Year’s Day and set to reopen on Friday. Thin holiday volume can amplify day-to-day moves, particularly in higher-volatility technology names. MarketWatch Shopify is often sensitive to changes
1 January 2026
Google stock caps best year since 2009 as AI bets carry Alphabet into 2026

Google stock caps best year since 2009 as AI bets carry Alphabet into 2026

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:50 ET Alphabet closed out 2025 up about 66%, its best year since 2009, as investors warmed to Google’s push into artificial intelligence. Shares rebounded from an April low of $144.70, and Wall Street has pointed to new search features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, built on its latest Gemini 3 model, as key to keeping users inside Google even as rivals such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Perplexity gain traction. Barron’s The year-end run matters because big tech has set the tone for equity performance, and investors are pressing companies to show that
Hogmanay power cut fears: Edinburgh’s Grassmarket pubs demand fixes after repeat blackouts

Hogmanay power cut fears: Edinburgh’s Grassmarket pubs demand fixes after repeat blackouts

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:52 ET Edinburgh pubs and restaurants in the Grassmarket have warned that further electricity outages could hit Hogmanay, after repeated blackouts disrupted trade during the festive period. The timing matters for the city’s hospitality industry because Hogmanay — Scotland’s New Year celebrations — is among the busiest nights of the year, with venues relying on packed bars and restaurants. Operators say the disruption goes beyond lost takings. They say repeated outages risk turning customers away, forcing cancellations and harming Edinburgh’s reputation as a New Year destination. SP Energy Networks said an intermittent fault triggered protective
1 January 2026
Disney (DIS) stock slips after-hours as DOJ child-privacy settlement and ‘Zootopia 2’ record hit headlines

Disney (DIS) stock slips after-hours as DOJ child-privacy settlement and ‘Zootopia 2’ record hit headlines

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:42 ET — After-hours Disney stock fell $1.01, or 0.9%, to $113.77 in late after-hours trading on Wednesday. After-hours is the session after the 4 p.m. ET close. The move kept the focus on a federal settlement over children’s privacy rules for Disney’s YouTube video content, alongside a fresh box-office milestone for the company’s animation studio. U.S. stocks ended the final trading day of 2025 lower, and trading was light in the holiday-shortened week, Reuters reported. “I do not expect that the last few days will have so much bearing on the performance of the
1 January 2026
Merck stock dips after hours as 2025 ends; MRK investors shift focus to Feb. 3 earnings

Merck stock dips after hours as 2025 ends; MRK investors shift focus to Feb. 3 earnings

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:34 ET — After-hours Merck & Co (MRK) shares slipped about 0.7% to $105.26 in after-hours trading on Wednesday, the electronic session after the 4 p.m. close. The stock traded between $104.97 and $106.08 and logged about 7.6 million shares in volume. The late move capped a holiday-shortened week when lighter volume can amplify small swings, especially after the year’s final closing bell. For Merck holders, the calendar matters as much as the tape. Investors are watching how the drugmaker sustains growth beyond Keytruda, its blockbuster cancer drug, as the franchise heads toward a patent
Western Digital (WDC) stock slides after-hours into year-end as traders trim storage winners

Western Digital (WDC) stock slides after-hours into year-end as traders trim storage winners

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:43 ET — After-hours Western Digital Corp shares fell about 2.2% to $172.27 in after-hours trading on Wednesday, after swinging between $171.28 and $177.46 earlier in the day. The late-day dip matters because Western Digital has been a high-beta proxy for data-center spending, and year-end rebalancing can amplify moves when liquidity is thinner than usual. It also comes as investors try to separate short-term flow-driven trading from the bigger question for 2026: whether demand for high-capacity drives used in AI-heavy data centers stays strong enough to support pricing and margins. U.S. stocks ended the last
CrowdStrike stock (CRWD) slips after hours as CEO pay filing and Wedbush’s $600 target hit year-end tape

CrowdStrike stock (CRWD) slips after hours as CEO pay filing and Wedbush’s $600 target hit year-end tape

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:42 ET — After-hours CrowdStrike Holdings shares slipped about 1.5% in after-hours trading on Wednesday, leaving the cybersecurity firm at $468.76. The move capped a soft finish for U.S. equities as investors closed the books on 2025, a year fueled by euphoria around AI-focused stocks, Reuters reported. Reuters CrowdStrike drew fresh attention this week after it filed an 8-K describing a new, long-term performance stock unit award for CEO George Kurtz, according to the Securities and Exchange Commission filing. SEC Performance stock units are equity awards that pay out only if targets are met. CrowdStrike
Uber stock slips after hours as New Year’s Eve trading thins out — what investors watch next

Uber stock slips after hours as New Year’s Eve trading thins out — what investors watch next

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:32 ET — After-hours Uber Technologies, Inc. shares slipped in after-hours trading on Wednesday, last down about 0.5% at $81.71 as year-end volumes stayed light. The late move mattered because New Year’s Eve trading often amplifies small order flow, and portfolio managers tend to rebalance at year-end. On Tuesday, Reuters cited thin volumes and a rotation debate around megacap-heavy growth stocks going into 2026. Reuters “The growth rates are going to converge between technology and everything else next year,” Mark Hackett, chief market strategist at Nationwide, told Reuters, describing the shift as repositioning rather than
1 January 2026
Adobe stock slips after hours as Wall Street ends 2025 lower; key dates ahead for ADBE

Adobe stock slips after hours as Wall Street ends 2025 lower; key dates ahead for ADBE

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:31 ET — After-hours Adobe Inc shares slipped in after-hours trading on Wednesday, last down about 0.7% at $349.99. Yahoo Finance The move capped a soft finish for U.S. equities on the final trading day of 2025, with the S&P 500 ending down 0.74% and the Nasdaq Composite off 0.76%. Tech stocks were among the day’s laggards, according to market data. Reuters Thin holiday liquidity amplified late moves across the tape. “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
Carvana stock slides after the bell as Wall Street ends 2025 lower — what investors watch next for CVNA

Carvana stock slides after the bell as Wall Street ends 2025 lower — what investors watch next for CVNA

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:28 ET — After-hours Carvana Co. shares slipped in after-hours trading on Wednesday, ending the final session of 2025 lower as investors wrapped up the year with light liquidity and a broad pullback in U.S. equities. The move matters now because Carvana has become a high-volatility consumer name, and year-end trading tends to magnify swings as funds rebalance and tax-driven positioning fades. Thin volumes can exaggerate price moves in stocks that have been heavily traded through the year. With U.S. markets shut on Thursday for New Year’s Day, investors are looking to Friday’s reopen for
Lumentum stock slips in year-end trade; investors look to February results for next catalyst

Lumentum stock slips in year-end trade; investors look to February results for next catalyst

NEW YORK, December 31, 2025, 19:26 ET — After-hours Lumentum Holdings Inc. shares fell 0.7% to close at $368.59 on Wednesday and edged up 0.06% in after-hours trading. Investing The late-year dip matters because Lumentum has become a high-beta way for investors to express a view on data-center networking demand, where expectations can swing quickly on budgets and supply. With thin liquidity typical into year-end, small order imbalances can drive outsized moves, especially in momentum-linked names. The next clear catalyst is timing: investors are shifting focus from tape-driven trading to the next round of quarterly results and early-January economic releases

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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