Weekly data-driven insights on the markets and economy
Mohammad Abouchleih, MBA, CIMA®
Investment Analyst
Oil prices bounce back
Crude oil prices rebounded on Wednesday after hitting their lowest levels since 2021, with U.S. futures rising nearly 2% to $56.30 a barrel. The recovery followed President Trump’s order to block all sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers, escalating pressure on President Nicolás Maduro. Traders had previously driven prices down on expectations that a Ukraine peace deal could bring Russian crude back to an already well-supplied market.1
Affinity exits Paramount bid
Jared Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners announced on Tuesday that it has withdrawn from Paramount Skydance’s hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), citing shifting investment dynamics. The move comes just days after Netflix unveiled its own $83 billion deal to acquire WBD’s film studio and HBO Max streaming service. Paramount’s $30-per-share offer remains supported by other investors, including Tencent and sovereign wealth funds from the Gulf states.2
Nasdaq extends trading time?
Nasdaq announced on Tuesday that it plans to expand trading hours to 23 hours a day, five days a week, starting in the second half of 2026. While the exchange argues this could boost participation, critics warn nonstop trading may worsen volatility, thin liquidity, and “gamify” markets. Some strategists also caution that listed companies and traders need breaks to digest news and reset.3
Payrolls rise
Nonfarm payrolls rose by 64,000 in November, rebounding from October’s steep 105,000 decline, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on Tuesday. Unemployment climbed to 4.6%, its highest since 2021, even as health care drove most of the job gains. Despite the modest improvement, markets see little chance of another Fed rate cut in January.4
Trump’s Tech Force
On Monday, the Trump administration launched the “U.S. Tech Force,” a 1,000‑member corps to build federal AI infrastructure. Participants will serve two‑year terms with agency leaders in partnership with major tech firms such as Amazon Web Services, Apple and Microsoft. The initiative highlights the administration’s push to bolster U.S. AI competitiveness.5
FAFSA flags colleges
The Department of Education announced last Wednesday that the FAFSA will now flag colleges where graduates historically earn no more than high school graduates. The new “lower earnings” disclosure, based on College Scorecard data, is meant to help students make informed choices before taking on debt. Officials emphasized the indicator is informational, not a judgment, but it could pressure schools with weak outcomes to improve.6
[1] Kimball, Spencer. “Oil rebounds from lowest levels since 2021 after Trump orders Venezuela oil tanker blockade.” CNBC, 17 December 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/17/crude-oil-prices-today.html. Accessed 17 December 2025.
[2] Mangan, Dan and Javers, Eamon. “Kushner’s Affinity Partners exits Paramount bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.” CNBC, 16 December 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/16/kushner-affinity-paramount-wbd-netflix.html. Accessed 17 December 2025.
[3] Li, Yun. “Nasdaq moves to make trading nearly 24 hours. Why some on Wall Street say that’s a bad idea.” CNBC, 16 December 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/16/nasdaq-moves-to-near-24-hour-trading-some-say-thats-a-bad-idea.html. Accessed 16 December 2025.
[4] Cox, Jeff. “Payrolls rose by 64,000 in November after falling by 105,000 in October, delayed jobs numbers show.” CNBC, 16 December 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/16/jobs-report-november-2025-.html. Accessed 16 December 2025.
[5] Breuninger, Kevin. “Trump admin to hire 1,000 specialists for ‘Tech Force’ to build AI, finance projects.” CNBC, 15 December 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/15/trump-ai-tech-force-amazon-apple.html. Accessed 16 December 2025.
[6] McNair, Kamaron. “The FAFSA will now tell you if you’re applying to a school with historically low earnings outcomes.” CNBC, 10 December 2025, https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/10/fafsa-will-now-tell-you-if-your-school-has-lower-earnings.html. Accessed 16 December 2025.
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