Stocks

Intel's shares rose 86% in 2025 amid $9 billion from the US government via the CHIPS Act, plus $5 billion from Nvidia and $2 billion from SoftBank, alongside Lip‑Bu Tan's appointment as CEO in March 2025. Entering 2026, the foundry remained loss‑making and lacked a major outside customer, with analysts warning Intel has 12–18 months to secure a 14A client.

On December 21, 2025, Bank of America, Bernstein and Jefferies reaffirmed buy ratings on Nvidia, citing a $500 billion outlook across Blackwell, Rubin and networking through 2026. BofA and Bernstein kept $275 targets, Jefferies set $250. Analysts highlighted early‑2026 Blackwell‑based LLMs, valuation metrics, and pending H200 export licenses to China.

Bitwise Chief Investment Officer Matt Hougan anticipates Bitcoin will set new all-time highs in 2026, even as the current market appears bearish. He argues that the traditional four-year cycle is weakening, while institutional adoption, lower volatility, and reduced correlation with equities are reshaping BTC's market profile.

On December 21, 2025, Cleveland Fed President Elizabeth Hammack said rates should remain unchanged for months after three meetings cut a total of 0.75 percentage points. She cited inflation risks, noting the 2.7 percent CPI may be closer to 2.9 percent to 3.0 percent, and pointed to tariffs and higher input costs that could lift prices in early 2025.

On Dec. 11, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said one company holding about 50% of the US EV market is unhealthy, as he unveiled Rivian’s Autonomy and AI stack. He detailed in‑house chips, expanded Universal Hands‑Free, a 2026 point‑to‑point mode, and a path to personal Level 4. The article was updated on December 21, 2025.

Nvidia has confirmed plans to build a new campus in Kiryat Tivon, Israel, designed to host around 10,000 employees and potentially double its current local workforce. The site will span 22.5 acres with 160,000 square meters of buildings, with construction expected to start in 2027 and first occupancy targeted for 2031. The project involves several billion dollars in investment and could make Nvidia the largest private employer in the country while raising infrastructure concerns in the surrounding area.

On December 19, 2025, BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) ranked sixth among U.S. ETFs by 2025 net inflows, drawing more than $25 billion. Despite a roughly -9.6% YTD return, IBIT's inflows exceeded GLD's, underscoring unusually steady demand for spot Bitcoin exposure.

On December 21 2025, Elon Musk’s wealth climbed to $769 billion after Delaware’s Supreme Court reinstated his disputed $56 billion Tesla compensation plan. At the same time, SpaceX is reportedly preparing an insider share sale valuing the firm at $800 billion and exploring a potential IPO, while investor Bill Ackman floated a SPARC-based listing structure that would offer Tesla shareholders special acquisition rights. Tesla’s share price has rallied, supported by growing market expectations around SpaceX and its possible public debut.

Masayoshi Son is pushing SoftBank to lock in the remaining $22.5 billion for OpenAI by year-end, reportedly using asset disposals and borrowing. The group has sold its $5.8 billion Nvidia stake, pared $4.8 billion in T-Mobile US, and expanded Arm-backed margin loans to lift unused capacity to $11.5 billion.

Bitcoin advocate and market analyst Matthew Kratter argues that BTC’s monetary traits make it a superior long‑term store of value to gold. He cautions holders against selling Bitcoin to buy gold even if the metal rises above $4,000 per ounce, and, according to TradingView, 2025 charts show a sharp divergence between BTC and gold.