Nasdaq Declines as Target Faces Investor Pressure
The post-Christmas session has seen stocks fluctuate near all-time highs. While the S&P 500 was little changed near midday, it remains headed toward its best week in a month.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Nvidialicensing technology of AI chip startup Groq and hiring top executives, including its CEO, in deal reported to beTargetfacing pressure from activist investor Toms Capital,Biohavenannounced on Christmas Eve that its Phase 2 proof-of-conceptfor the treatment of major depressive disorder did not meet its primary endpointWALL STREET CALLS:Inhibikase Therapeuticswith a Buy at H.C. WainwrightCarter Bankshareswith a Buy at Freedom CapitalMDU Resourceswith a Hold at Freedom CapitalWalmartwith an Outperform at CICC3. AROUND THE WEB:Hyattis developing collaborations with Chinese state-owned companies for joint-venture brands amid a slowdown in the region and an effort to expand outside Greater China to double properties in Asia,A federal judge denied Masmo'srequest to block Apple Watchimports as part of its lawsuit related to patents covering blood-oxygen sensors,Following the Trump administration's approval of a weapons sale to Taiwan, the Chinese government imposed sanctions on 20 U.S. defense companies and 10 of their executives, with targets including Northrop Grummanand Boeing'sdefense unit,JPMorgan Chasein recent months has frozen accounts used by at least two fast-growing stablecoin startups,4. MOVERS:Coupangup afterthe company identified a former employee responsible for a recent data leakTargetgains afterthe company is facing pressure from an activist investorNike (NKE) higher after UBS said its recent sportswear survey isCoinbaselower despite Clear Street naming the company one of itsfor 2026INDEXES:Near midday, the Dow was down 0.18%, or 89.50, to 48,641.66, the Nasdaq was down 0.03%, or 6.64, to 23,606.67, and the S&P 500 was down 0.08%, or 5.65, to 6,926.40.
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- Earnings Performance: Nvidia was expected to continue its decline following disappointing earnings results.
- New Product Potential: The introduction of a new artificial-intelligence processor may generate renewed interest and excitement for the company.
- Earnings Beat: Nvidia's fourth-quarter earnings exceeded market expectations, although specific figures were not disclosed, analysts believe this reflects the company's strong performance in the artificial intelligence sector, potentially attracting more investor interest.
- Significant Stock Drop: Despite the positive earnings report, Nvidia's stock experienced its largest drop in 10 months during Friday's trading, likely due to market concerns about the overall economic outlook and a reassessment of high valuations by investors.
- Impact of Dollar Weakness: As the US dollar weakens, investors are increasingly looking at the attractiveness of foreign stocks, with analysts suggesting opportunities outside of Nvidia in the AI sector to diversify investment risks and capture potential gains.
- Market Analysis Discussion: Main Street Research's Chief Investment Officer James Demmert discussed with Morning Brief host Julie Hyman how to effectively invest in the current market environment, emphasizing the importance of continued focus on the AI industry and diversified investment strategies.
- Export Limitation Policy: U.S. officials are considering caps on the number of AI accelerators Nvidia can export to Chinese companies, which could further hinder the chipmaker's ability to re-enter this crucial market.
- Specific Restriction Measures: The Trump administration has discussed limiting Chinese firms to purchasing 75,000 Nvidia H200 chips annually, which would directly impact Nvidia's sales and competitiveness in the Chinese market.
- Market Response Delayed: Although the Trump administration approved the sale of limited numbers of Nvidia H200 chips to China earlier this year, sales have reportedly stalled due to restrictions from the Chinese government, affecting Nvidia's market strategy.
- Widespread Industry Impact: Shipments of AMD's MI325 chips will also count toward a customer's cap, indicating that the entire AI accelerator supply chain may be affected, further intensifying competition and uncertainty in the tech sector.
- Funding Negotiations: Reflection AI is in funding talks that could value it at over $20 billion, more than doubling its previous valuation of $8 billion from October, indicating strong market interest in its open AI models and a shift away from Chinese competitors.
- Capital Requirements: The company aims to raise at least $2 billion in a new funding round, although no specific target has been set, which will further solidify its market position in the rapidly evolving AI sector.
- Team Expertise: Founded by former Google DeepMind researchers, Reflection AI is hiring experts who have worked on leading AI models like OpenAI's GPT-5 and Google's Gemini, aiming to create a vibrant open-source large language model ecosystem in the U.S.
- Policy Support: Michael Kratsios, the White House chief of science and technology policy, highlighted Reflection AI's significant contributions in Congress, emphasizing the government's support and expectations for the company in advancing the U.S. open AI model ecosystem.
- Capital Expenditure Forecast: Amazon's forecast of $200 billion in capital expenditures for 2023, significantly higher than its 'Magnificent Seven' peers, has raised investor concerns about future cash flow, leading to a stock price decline.
- Earnings Report Performance: Despite reporting a solid fourth-quarter revenue increase of 14% to $213.4 billion and operating income rising from $21.2 billion to $25 billion, the market's reaction to the high capex forecast caused the stock to remain down post-report.
- Market Environment Impact: The stock had already fallen 6% prior to the earnings report amidst a broader sell-off in tech stocks, reflecting investor fears regarding potential disruptions from AI technologies, even though Amazon, as an industry leader, is not directly exposed to these risks.
- Future Competitive Pressure: Amazon's aggressive investment in AI is necessary to maintain competitiveness; however, the $200 billion expenditure may not yield the expected profits, increasing uncertainty around future earnings.
- Dividend Increase: American Express raised its quarterly dividend by 16% to $0.95 per share, resulting in a dividend yield of 1.2%, which highlights its appeal as a dividend stock despite a 17% year-to-date decline in share price, indicating resilience amid market pressures.
- Strong Performance: In Q4 2025, American Express reported a 10% year-over-year revenue increase to $19 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) rising 16% to $3.53, showcasing strong operational leverage and a solid foundation for future growth.
- Future Outlook: Management's guidance for 2026 EPS between $17.30 and $17.90 implies a robust year-over-year growth rate of approximately 14.4%, with a low payout ratio of 21.6% providing ample room for future dividend increases, enhancing investor confidence in sustained returns.
- Capital Return: In 2025, American Express returned $7.6 billion to shareholders, including $2.3 billion in dividends and $5.3 billion in share repurchases, reflecting an aggressive capital return strategy, with a 7% reduction in share count since 2022, further supporting stock value.










