<div id="readability-page-1"><div> OPENING CALL Stock futures rebounded after a tech selloff on Wednesday and ahead of U.S. economic data and central bank decisions. CPI and jobless claims data are due for release later in the day and are likely to provide further clues about the Federal Reserve's rate cut path. However, labor-market data appears to weigh stronger in the Fed's policy considerations currently. &#34;CPI, frankly, doesn't matter too much, with the Fed's reaction function tilting entirely towards supporting a stalling labor market at this stage,&#34; Pepperstone said. Meanwhile, jobless claims probably won't especially move the needle either. Economists project inflation likely accelerated a tad last month versus September. Those polled by The Wall Street Journal expect consumer prices rose 3.1% on the year. Fed Governor Christopher Waller said interest rates remain too high while the WSJ reports that Trump was interviewing him for the Fed Chair job. Investors also remain cautious about highly valued AI-related stocks despite strong results from chip maker Micron. The Bank of England and European Central Bank will disclose their policy rates at 1200 GMT and 1315 GMT respectively. The Bank of Japan is widely expected to hike rates tomorrow . The earnings calendar today includes results from Accenture, FedEx and Nike. Stocks to Watch Coinbase Global said it was getting into prediction markets through a tie-up with Kalshi. Shares rose roughly 2.5% before the bell. HireQuest authorized a $20 million share-buyback program. The stock rose 5%. Insmed said it would discontinue the development of its treatment for rhinosinusitis after the drug failed to meet primary and secondary endpoints. Shares slid 19%. Lululemon Athletica: Elliott Investment Management has built a stake of over $1 billion in the struggling athletic apparel retailer and wants Ralph Lauren executive Jane Nielsen to be its CEO, The Wall Street Journal reported. Shares rallied 4.5% premarket. Micron Technology said it expects growth to soar in the coming months. It raised its outlook for two key products and shared revenue guidance well above expectations. Shares jumped nearly 10% in premarket trading. MillerKnoll's third-quarter forecast was ahead of Wall Street estimates. Shares rose 8.7% after the bell. Woodside Energy CEO Meg O'Neill is stepping down to take the helm of BP . Shares in BP were little changed; Woodside shares fell 2.7% in Sydney. Watch For: CPI for November, Weekly Jobless Claims Today's Top Headlines/Must Reads: -Nike Earnings Will Test the Strength of Elliott Hill's Turnaround -All That Cheap Chinese Stuff Is Now Europe's Problem -Micron's Blowout Results Are Bad News for Anyone Buying a New Phone or PC Next Year MARKET WRAPS Forex: The dollar traded steady ahead of U.S. inflation data. The euro rose as investors waited for central bank decisions. Sterling fell. ING said the currency has limited scope to fall if the BOE cuts rates. Bonds: Treasury yields edged lower, with CPI data unlikely to be a game changer, according to Pepperstone. Ten-year Treasury yields were expected to trade in a range of 4.0%-4.5% in 2026, possibly hitting the top end in the second half of the year, iCapital said. Energy: Oil prices rose for a second straight session, supported by supply risks in Venezuela and Russia even as the broader outlook remained bearish. That said, a lingering surplus means oil prices were set to continue facing pressure next year , according to Julius Baer. It added that supply risks stemming from the U.S. ramping up pressure on Venezuela were unlikely to be material. Metals: Gold prices slipped but remained near October's record, with investors focusing on rising geopolitical tensions in Venezuela and waiting for U.S. inflation data. The yellow metal was increasingly becoming a cornerstone asset in a world defined by fragmentation, fiscal strain and geopolitical uncertainty, Saxo Bank said. Despite the strong momentum, gold was not without risks heading into next year, it added, noting that in the very near term, the most tangible risk comes from positioning and flows. Copper Copper prices fell and further interest-rate cuts would be a tailwind for the sector. &#34;Copper demand has been relatively strong, with China's imports elevated, &#34; ANZ Research said. Iron Iron ore prices rose as global iron ore shipments have increased steadily this month, Galaxy Futures said. <pre> TODAY'S TOP HEADLINES </pre> Coinbase Joins With Kalshi to Enter the Surging Prediction-Markets Business Coinbase Global is getting into prediction markets in a bid to become a one-stop exchange for Americans' trading needs, the latest sign that tech platforms offering wagers on real-world events are finding their way into every corner of Wall Street. The company has struck a partnership with prediction-markets specialist Kalshi that will allow Coinbase investors to trade on the outcomes of sports games, elections and economic indicators, using the yes-or-no bets that have come to define prediction markets. In the months to come, the exchange plans to offer contracts provided by other prediction platforms. Micron Logs Sales Jump, Sees Further Growth as AI Demand Outpaces Supply Micron Technology expects growth to soar higher in the coming months as AI developers scramble for a tight supply of memory-storage products. The Boise, Idaho, memory provider on Wednesday raised its outlook for demand growth for two of its key products and shared revenue guidance well above Wall Street estimates. Chief Executive Sanjay Mehrotra said that supply isn't keeping up with high levels of demand, and that dynamic shows no signs of slowing. BP Turns to Outsider as Next CEO BP said Chief Executive Murray Auchincloss is stepping down after less than two years at the helm of the oil major and named an outsider as his successor. The London-based company is turning to Meg O'Neill, who is resigning from her role leading Woodside Energy, as its next CEO. She will take the position April 1. With O'Neill's appointment, BP is breaking with its longstanding tradition to promote CEOs from within its own ranks. Elliott Builds Over $1 Billion Stake in Lululemon Activist Elliott Investment Management has built a stake of over $1 billion in Lululemon Athletica and is bringing a potential CEO candidate to the struggling athletic apparel retailer it wants to help turn around, according to people familiar with the matter. The stake makes Elliott among the biggest investors in Lululemon, which has a market value of around $25 billion. Trump Says U.S. Poised For Economic Boom. The Numbers Tell a Different Story. President Donald Trump addressed the nation on Wednesday night, extolling his economic record to date and promising a bright economic future for the U.S. in the year ahead. But the economic data don't paint a rosy picture. &#34;We are making America great again tonight,&#34; Trump said in a roughly 20-minute address. &#34;Our border is secure. Inflation has stopped. Wages are up. Prices are down. Our nation is strong. America is respected, and our country is back stronger than ever before. We're poised for an economic boom the likes of which the world has never seen.&#34; The $8 Billion Black Market for Venezuelan Oil Is Suddenly Closing Down Venezuela has long used the same playbook as Russia and Iran to get around crippling American sanctions on its oil industry, tapping a shadowy fleet of aging vessels to carry crude to customers. President Trump's partial oil blockade threatens to devastate this black market, which U.S. officials say lines Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro's pockets and props up the impoverished country's fragile economy. U.S. inflation was rising before the shutdown. Tardy CPI to show if prices have gotten worse. The U.S. jobs market isn't so hot, investors learned this week, but inflation is hotter than anyone would like. Just how much? We'll find out Thursday. The consumer-price index for November will give Wall Street and the Federal Reserve a glimpse into the latest trends in inflation toward the end of the year. Several European Central Banks Make Interest-Rate Decisions Today. Only One Is Expected to Cut. Several European central banks are likely to keep interest rates steady on Thursday-with one exception, the Bank of England. Traders are expecting the European Central Bank and the Czech National Bank to hold borrowing costs at their current level. Sweden's Riksbank and Norway's Norges Bank kept rates unchanged early Thursday. U.S. Approves $11 Billion in Arms Sales to Taiwan, Angering Beijing TAIPEI-The U.S. said it had approved $11.1 billion in arms-sales packages for Taiwan, a show of support from Washington as President Trump focuses on trade deals and displays a softer U.S. stance toward China. The approved weapons sales, announced in the U.S. late Wednesday, are intended to support Taipei's efforts to &#34;modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability,&#34; the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said. U.S. Accepts Fault for Reagan Airport Collision That Killed 67 People The U.S. government accepted fault for a midair collision earlier this year that killed 67 people near Washington, D.C., saying it is willing to pay damages to the families in connection with the incident. The Justice Department's filing in federal court Wednesday was in response to a lawsuit filed by Rachel Crafton, the wife of one of the deceased passengers. The September lawsuit accused the Federal Aviation Administration, the Army, American Airlines and its subsidiary PSA Airlines of &#34;systemic failures&#34; that contributed to the crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Trump Defends Handling of Economy, Announces Military Dividend (MORE TO FOLLOW) Dow Jones Newswires December 18, 2025 06:13 ET (11:13 GMT)Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones &amp; Company, Inc.</div></div>

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Stock futures rebounded after a tech selloff, with investors awaiting U.S. CPI and jobless claims data for clues on the Fed's rate cut path. Economists expect a slight rise in inflation. Fed Governor Waller stated rates remain high. Key earnings include Accenture, FedEx, and Nike. Notable stock movements: Coinbase (+2.5%), HireQuest (+5%), Insmed (-19%), Lululemon (+4.5%), Micron (+10%), MillerKnoll (+8.7%), Woodside (-2.7%). Oil prices rose, gold slipped, and copper demand remains strong.

- Stock futures rebounded following a tech selloff, with investors anticipating U.S. economic data including CPI and jobless claims.  
- Economists expect inflation to increase slightly, while labor-market data remains crucial for the Federal Reserve's decision-making.  
- Noteworthy developments include Micron's optimistic growth outlook, Coinbase's entry into prediction markets, and significant moves in stocks like Lululemon and Insmed.

North American Morning Briefing: Stock Futures Rise as Investors Await Inflation Data