📈 Crypto dive turns into stocks slide - read the full breakdown

In partnership with

Good morning - as December begins, markets are showing signs of volatility and caution. Investors are wrestling with macroeconomic uncertainty, crypto turbulence, and shifting sentiment on rate cuts. But with year-end positioning underway, there’s plenty of opportunity for strategic positioning.

Let’s get into it!

Invest right from your couch

Have you always been kind of interested in investing but found it too intimidating (or just plain boring)? Yeah, we get it. Luckily, today’s brokers are a little less Wall Street and much more accessible. Online stockbrokers provide a much more user-friendly experience to buy and sell stocks—right from your couch. Money.com put together a list of the Best Online Stock Brokers to help you open your first account. Check it out!

Start investing

📈Market News

Markets open December on a weak note
On the first trading day of the month, U.S. stocks dropped: the S&P 500 fell about 0.6%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite slid 0.8%.

 Crypto slump drags risk assets
A more than 6% overnight drop in Bitcoin is pressuring markets broadly. Some crypto-linked equities are down, amplifying risk-off sentiment.

Eyes on the Fed - December policy meeting looms
Investors are calibrating expectations ahead of the Federal Reserve’s December 9–10 meeting. While many expect a 25-basis-point cut, macro data from the week could sway those odds.

Rising bond yields weigh on equities
Yields on U.S. Treasuries climbed as global bond yields rose after hawkish signals from the Bank of Japan. That’s making fixed income more attractive than volatile equities.

Institutional caution grows amid mixed signals
Some large-cap tech names remain under pressure as investors rethink valuations and growth assumptions - particularly in sectors tied to AI and crypto

💻Tech & Innovation

AI and geopolitical themes drive 2025 tech posture
According to a recent thematic-investing analysis, AI and shifting geopolitical risk remain central forces shaping where capital flows in technology, defense, and infrastructure.

Tech’s role in modern investing is redefining strategies
A recent report notes that what used to be manual, slow-moving investment decisions are increasingly automated and data-driven - transforming how both institutions and retail investors allocate capital.

Concentration risk looms as mega-cap tech dominates gains
Even as tech powers much of the market advance, some analysts warn that high valuations and narrow leadership (the largest companies driving the most gains) may leave portfolios vulnerable to a broader slump.

Opportunities beyond “the usual suspects” in tech investing
As the AI arms race heats up, sub-sectors like infrastructure, cloud, data-center hardware, and cybersecurity may offer attractive entry points for long-term investors.

📊Investing & Strategies

Prepare for a 2026 driven by rate cuts — according to Bank of America
BofA now expects the Fed to cut rates 25 bps in December and deliver two more cuts in mid-2026, with a terminal range of 3.00–3.25%. That could reshape sector rotation and asset-class returns next year.

2025’s defining themes: AI, deglobalization, longevity, energy
As macro shifts accelerate globally, thematic investing may reward those who anticipate structural changes - not just short-term earnings plays.

Earnings-driven returns may broaden beyond mega caps
While large tech firms have dominated growth recently, 2025 could see profits across a broader set of companies, including those in defensive sectors or with stable cash flows.

Adopt data-driven, tech-enabled investing frameworks
Emerging research suggests AI-powered portfolio construction - combining price data, news sentiment, and relational stock graphs - may outperform traditional mean-variance methods

💡What to Watch This Week

Key economic data releases: ISM manufacturing, ADP payrolls, employment - all ahead of the Fed meeting.

Bond-yield moves globally - especially in Japan and Germany - which may influence global capital flows.

Crypto markets and retail-investor sentiment - given their outsized impact on risk appetite.

Earnings updates from major tech firms - any signs of margin pressure or demand softening could ripple broadly.

Developments around AI infrastructure spending - as new data-center buildouts and cloud investments could reshuffle valuations.

🔮Looking Ahead: Strategy Thoughts

As we enter December, the coming weeks may define market direction into 2026. A dovish Fed move, combined with stabilization in crypto and yields, could spark a late-year rally - especially in cyclical and under-owned sectors. At the same time, tech remains central, but breadth and diversification may become increasingly important. Consider blending thematic AI exposure with resilient, value-oriented names and keep liquidity ready for tactical shifts.