Major US Averages Mixed as Unemployment Rate Rises to 4.6%
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 16 2025
0mins
Should l Buy F?
The major averages had a mixed day as traders reacted to delayed jobs data that could influence the Federal Reserve's interest-rate path next year. Though November's jobs report came in better-than-expected, with an increase of 64,000 jobs for the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also reported that 105,000 jobs were shed in October, with the unemployment rate climbing to 4.6%.Record highs earlier in December have given way to a softer backdrop as investors weigh the release of the delayed nonfarm payrolls and other indicators like retail sales and CPI inflation, which were postponed by the longest U.S. government shutdown in history.Looking to commodities, gold was mostly unchanged, while oil fell sharply ahead of API crude numbers set for release this afternoon.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Fordsaid it expectsto "rationalize" U.S. EV-related assetsPfizerreiterated its guidance for FY25 and provided aPayPalhas submitted applications toApplewill expand its iPhone lineup to seven models by 2027,The U.S. Trade Representative said it will use "every tool" to2. WALL STREET CALLS:Rokuto Overweight from Underweight at Morgan StanleyLockheed Martinto Equal Weight at Morgan StanleyOktato Buy at JefferiesStubHubto Market Perform at CitizensWells FargoGapto Overweight3. AROUND THE WEB:Apollo Globalis exploring a potential sale of Atlas Air,Trump is slated to interview Fed governor Christopher Waller on Tuesday for the position of Fed chair,Oraclesigned roughly $150B of data center leases in the three months ending November 30, raising its total data center and cloud capacity commitments to $248B,Metaearned more than $18B in annual ad sales from China in 2024, making up over 10% of its global revenue, with more than $3B linked to fraudulent ads, like for scams,The U.K. government wants Apple, Google, and others to block explicit images at the OS level by default to protect kids and have adults verify their ages,4. MOVERS:Cementos Pacasmayoincreases in New York after announcingof the Hochschild Group, which controls 50.01% of the companyRezolve AIgains in New York afterannual recurring revenue view of $500M or moreAldeyrahigher after announcing thetarget action date for the reproxalap New Drug ApplicationLightwave Logicfalls after announcing anNavanlower after announcing the departure of5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Vestisreaffirmed itsVital Farmsfor FY25Organigram, with Executive Chair Peter Amirault calling fiscal 2025 "marked by purposeful growth"Humanafor FY25CSP Inc., with EPS and revenue higher year-over-yearINDEXES:The Dow fell 302.30, or 0.62%, to 48,114.26, the Nasdaq gained 54.05, or 0.23%, to 23,111.46, and the S&P 500 declined 16.25, or 0.24%, to 6,800.26.
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Analyst Views on F
Wall Street analysts forecast F stock price to fall
14 Analyst Rating
3 Buy
10 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 14.130
Low
11.00
Averages
13.65
High
16.00
Current: 14.130
Low
11.00
Averages
13.65
High
16.00
About F
Ford Motor Company is an automobile company. The Company develops and delivers Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars, and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The Company’s segments include Ford Blue, Ford Model e, Ford Pro, and Ford Credit. The Ford Blue segment primarily includes the sale of Ford and Lincoln internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles, service parts, accessories, and digital services for retail customers. The Ford Model e segment primarily includes the sale of its electric vehicles, service parts, accessories, and digital services for retail customers. The Ford Pro segment primarily includes the sale of Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, accessories, and services for commercial, government, and rental customers. The Ford Credit segment consists of the Ford Credit business on a consolidated basis, which is primarily vehicle-related financing and leasing activities. Its vehicle brands are Ford and Lincoln.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Battery Cost Control: Ford opts for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are cheaper and safer, as batteries account for over 40% of an EV's total cost; reducing battery costs is crucial for Ford to achieve profitability in its electric vehicle lineup.
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- Manufacturing Efficiency Gains: The new platform reduces total parts by 20% and cuts 40% of process workstations on the factory floor, allowing Ford to lower production costs through streamlined manufacturing processes, thereby enhancing overall profitability.
- Battery Cost Control: Ford opts for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are cheaper and safer, as batteries account for over 40% of an EV's total cost; reducing battery costs is crucial for Ford to achieve profitability in its electric vehicle lineup.
- Market Risks and Opportunities: Although EV penetration in the U.S. is only 6%-8%, Ford remains optimistic about the midsize electric pickup's market potential, believing it meets consumer demand for affordability and utility, potentially filling a market gap and driving sales growth.
See More
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- EV Business Losses: Ford has incurred over $16 billion in losses on its electric vehicle business since 2022, with a slight improvement to $4.8 billion in Q4 2023, yet it still anticipates losses of $4 billion to $4.5 billion in 2026, highlighting the high costs of its EV strategy amid an unprepared market.
- Shareholder Return Comparison: While Ford returns most value to shareholders through dividends, General Motors has initiated a $10 billion stock buyback in 2023, with an additional $6 billion authorized for both 2024 and 2025, reflecting differing capital allocation strategies between the two automakers.
- Future Outlook: Ford plans to launch a new midsize electric truck priced around $30,000 by 2027, utilizing its new
See More
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- Investor Preferences: The ten most owned stocks on Robinhood include blue-chip stocks like Amazon, Apple, and Alphabet, indicating that investors are still focused on high-growth tech plays, even as they avoid more speculative stocks.
- Google's AI Potential: Google's Gemini generative AI platform is rapidly growing, with analysts expecting revenue and EPS to grow at CAGRs of 15% and 12% from 2025 to 2028, highlighting its strong potential in the digital advertising and cloud infrastructure markets.
- Amazon's Market Advantage: As the world's largest e-commerce and cloud infrastructure company, Amazon leverages AWS profits to expand its retail business, with analysts projecting revenue and EPS growth at CAGRs of 12% and 18% from 2025 to 2028, indicating robust future growth.
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- Alphabet's Diversification: With a robust ecosystem that includes a search engine, cloud services, and a generative AI platform, Alphabet is expected to grow its revenue and EPS at CAGRs of 15% and 12% from 2025 to 2028, demonstrating its ongoing expansion capabilities in the digital advertising and cloud markets.
- Amazon's Market Leadership: As the world's largest e-commerce and cloud infrastructure company, Amazon's AWS business supports its retail operations, with projected revenue and EPS growth rates of 12% and 18% from 2025 to 2028, showcasing its potential in the rapidly growing AI market.
- Investment Value: Despite market volatility, analysts still view Alphabet and Amazon as evergreen stocks worth investing in, indicating that Robinhood investors are leaning towards stable blue-chip stocks rather than more speculative ones.
See More
Rivian Shares Surge: Another Similarity with Tesla Emerges.
Rivian's Position in the EV Market: Rivian Automotive is an electric-vehicle startup that has drawn comparisons to industry leader Tesla.
Controversy Among Analysts: The company has sparked debate and controversy among Wall Street analysts, similar to the discussions surrounding Tesla.
See More
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- Competing with China: Ford CEO Jim Farley emphasized the Universal EV Platform as crucial for countering the rising dominance of Chinese automakers, labeling it as one of the most significant innovations in the company's history aimed at enhancing Ford's competitiveness in the global market.
- Battery Production Strategy: The upcoming electric pickup truck will feature LFP batteries produced at Michigan's Blue Oval Battery Park, showcasing Ford's commitment to in-house battery technology and enhancing the market appeal of its electric vehicle offerings.
- Partnership with BYD: Ford is reportedly exploring partnerships with BYD to procure batteries for its hybrid models, indicating a strategic pivot away from all-electric mobility, especially after scrapping the production of the F-150 Lightning EV pickup, highlighting a focus on diversified power solutions.
- Market Performance Insights: Benzinga Edge rankings indicate that Ford scores well on momentum, value, and quality metrics, with favorable price trends observed in the short, medium, and long term, reflecting market confidence in its future growth prospects.
See More
