Stocks were hit hard on Friday as the rotation out of the Artificial Intelligence trade continued.
Many on Wall Street remain leery of the huge debt being piled up by technology companies.
Oracle’s missing expectations are being viewed as the potential tipping point for the AI/Data Center trade.
If you’re thinking about retiring or know someone who is, there are three quick questions causing many Americans to realize they can retire earlier than expected. take 5 minutes to learn more here
Futures are trading higher on Monday as we head into the final trading weeks of 2025. All of the major indices were hit hard on Friday as investors began a big rotation last week out of the AI stocks that have led the market higher since ChatGPT was introduced over three years ago. The miss by Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) seems like the final straw for many, as the Magnificent 7 have started to wobble in 2025, with only NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) beating the S&P 500 this year. The NASDAQ took the biggest hit on Friday, closing down a whopping 1.69% at 23,195. The Dow Jones Industrials, which had been having a solid week until Friday, closed at 48,458, down 0.51%, while the S&P 500 was last seen at 6827, down 1.07%. Investors can likely expect more volatility as we head to the end of the year, and trading volume starts to fade.
Yields were mixed across the Treasury curve on Friday, with investors buying some of the shorter maturities while sellers were active in the mid-to long-dated bonds. Traders pointed to a steeper curve as the market reacted to the Fed’s rate cut decision and digested economic data signaling a strong labor market, pushing yields higher despite expectations of future rate cuts. The 30-year long bond closed trading on Friday at 4.85% while the benchmark 10-year note was last seen at 4.19%.
Prices were lower across the energy complex on Friday, primarily due to ongoing concerns about a global oil and gas supply surplus, a broad market sell-off driven by anxiety over the artificial intelligence (AI) sector, and rising U.S. Treasury yields. Both major benchmarks were lower on the day, with Brent Crude falling 0.26% to finish at $61.12, while West Texas Intermediate closed at $57.44, down 0.28%. Despite yet another Canadian polar vortex dropping temperatures over much of the United States, Natural gas closed at $4.11 down 2.79% after recently trading as high as $5.
Gold was once again the winner on Friday, closing at $4,298, continuing a run that has been one of the top stories for 2025. The bullion continued its strong move, primarily due to expectations of more U.S. Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in 2026, which makes non-yielding gold more attractive. Add persistent geopolitical risks and a weaker dollar, even as the Fed’s rate-hiking cycle paused, amid data showing cooling labor markets. Traders are pricing in more rate cuts for 2026, and a dovish Fed outlook, alongside safe-haven demand, continues to support gold and silver prices.
Cryptocurrency trading on Friday saw Bitcoin (BTC) bounce back above $92,000 after initial dips, influenced by the Federal Reserve’s rate cuts as traders absorbed the potential for a loosened monetary policy in 2026, while Ethereum (ETH) also posted gains. However, the market displayed mixed signals and indecision between bullish potential and lingering overhead resistance. The gains were surrendered over the weekend, and as of 8 am EST on Monday, Bitcoin was quoted at $89,530. Ethereum was trading at $3,141.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports daily to identify new investment ideas for both investors and traders. Some of these daily analyst calls cover stocks to buy. Other calls cover stocks to sell or avoid. Remember that no single analyst call should ever be used as a basis to buy or sell a stock.
Here are some of the top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen on Monday, December 15, 2025.
Ashland Inc. (NYSE: ASH) BMO Capital upgraded the shares to Outperform from Market Perform and lifted the target price to $71 from $61.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Bank of America, which raised the target price for the company to $61 from $52.
KLA Corp. (NASDAQ: KLAC) was raised to Buy from Hold at Jefferies, with the target price lifted to $1,500 from $1,100.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs, which raised the price target on the shares to $80 from $64.
Marriott International Inc. (NYSE: MAR) was raised to Buy from Neutral at Goldman Sachs, which boosted the target price for the stock to $345 from $288.
McCormick & Co. (NYSE: MKC) was raised to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank with a $75 target price objective.
Teradyne Inc. (NYSE: TER) was raised to Buy from Sell at Goldman Sachs, which lifted their target price to $230 from $148.
Keurig Dr. Pepper Inc. (NYSE: KDP) was cut to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank with a $32 target price.
LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE: LYB) was downgraded to Underperform from Market Perform at BMO Capital, which cut the target price for the stock to $36 from $48.
ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE: NOW) was downgraded to Underweight from Sector Weight at KeyBanc with a $775 target price.
Texas Instruments Inc. (NYSE: TXN) was downgraded to Sell from Buy at Goldman Sachs, which slashed the target price to $156 from $200.
Zoetis Inc. (NYSE: ZTS) Bank of America cut the stock to Neutral from Buy and lowered the price to a target of $135 from $165.
Armour Residential REIT Inc. (NYSE: ARR) was initiated with a Buy rating at Compass Point with a Buy rating and an $18.50 target price.
DBV Technologies SA (NASDAQ: DBVT) was started with an Overweight rating at Cantor Fitzgerald with a $42 targte price objective.
GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE: GEV) was started with an Outperform rating at Evercore ISI with a $860 target price.
Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) was initiated with an Outperform rating at Evercore ISI, which has a $255 target price for the shares.
Klaviyo Inc. (NYSE: KVYO) was initiated with a Buy rating at BTIG with a $40 target price.
You may think retirement is about picking the best stocks or ETFs, but you’d be wrong. Even great investments can be a liability in retirement. It’s a simple difference between accumulating vs distributing, and it makes all the difference.
The good news? After answering three quick questions many Americans are reworking their portfolios and finding they can retire earlier than expected. If you’re thinking about retiring or know someone who is, take 5 minutes to learn more here.
As Exness continues to expand across Sub-Saharan Africa, the opening of its new Cape Town office highlights the company’s long-term commitment to the region....
