Avago and Oracle among market cap stock movers on Wednesday

As traders approach another pivotal day for financial markets, Thursday, December 18, 2025, brings a series of crucial economic data releases that could significantly sway market dynamics. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) will take center stage, offering vital insights into inflation trends. Initial jobless claims will provide a snapshot of the labor market’s health, while the Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index will reveal regional business conditions. These key indicators arrive simultaneously during the morning trading session, potentially triggering volatility across financial markets.

Major Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET - Consumer Price Index (CPI) (Previous:0.3%, 3.0% y/y): This critical inflation gauge measures price changes from consumers’ perspective and serves as a key indicator for monetary policy decisions.

• 8:30 AM ET - Core CPI (Previous:0.2%, 3.0% y/y): Excluding volatile food and energy prices, this reading provides a clearer view of underlying inflation trends.

• 8:30 AM ET - Initial Jobless Claims (Previous:236K): This early economic indicator tracks first-time unemployment insurance filings, offering insights into labor market conditions.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index (Previous:-1.7): This survey of manufacturers in the Philadelphia region serves as a barometer for industrial activity and economic momentum.

Other Important Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET - Continuing Jobless Claims (Previous:1,838K): This metric tracks ongoing unemployment claims, providing a broader view of labor market health.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Employment (Previous:6.0): This component of the Philadelphia Fed survey specifically measures employment conditions in the manufacturing sector.

• 4:00 PM ET - TIC Net Long-Term Transactions (Previous:179.8B): This report measures foreign investment flows into U.S. securities, indicating international confidence in the U.S. economy.

• 5:30 PM ET - Fed’s Balance Sheet (Previous:6,539B): This weekly report details the Federal Reserve’s assets and liabilities, offering insights into monetary policy implementation.

• 5:30 PM ET - Reserve Balances with Federal Reserve Banks (Previous:2.974T): This figure shows the amount of money that depository institutions maintain at regional Federal Reserve Banks.

Other Economic Events to Watch

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Business Conditions (Previous:49.6): This forward-looking component measures expected business conditions over the next six months.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed New Orders (Previous:-8.6): This component tracks new orders received by manufacturers, a leading indicator of production.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Prices Paid (Previous:56.10): This measures input price pressures faced by manufacturers, offering early signals of inflation trends.

• 8:30 AM ET - Philly Fed Capex Index (Previous:26.70): This tracks planned capital expenditures, indicating business investment intentions.

• 8:30 AM ET - Real Earnings (Previous:-0.1%): This measures wage growth adjusted for inflation, indicating consumers’ purchasing power.

• 8:30 AM ET - Core CPI Index (Previous:330.54): The absolute index level for core consumer prices.

• 8:30 AM ET - CPI Index, s.a (Previous:324.37): The seasonally adjusted consumer price index.

• 8:30 AM ET - CPI Index, n.s.a. (Previous:324.80): The non-seasonally adjusted consumer price index.

• 8:30 AM ET - CPI, n.s.a (Previous:0.25%): The non-seasonally adjusted monthly change in consumer prices.

• 8:30 AM ET - Jobless Claims 4-Week Avg. (Previous:216.75K): The four-week moving average of initial jobless claims, which smooths weekly volatility.

• 11:00 AM ET - Cleveland CPI (Previous:0.2%): The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland’s alternative measure of consumer inflation.

• 11:30 AM ET - Natural Gas Storage (Previous:-177B): This weekly report shows changes in natural gas inventories, affecting energy markets.

• 12:00 PM ET - KC Fed Manufacturing Index (Previous:18): This survey measures manufacturing activity in the Kansas City Federal Reserve district.

• 12:00 PM ET - KC Fed Composite Index (Previous:8): This broader index captures overall economic conditions in the Kansas City Fed region.

• 12:30 PM ET - 4-Week Bill Auction (Previous:3.610%): Treasury auction results for short-term government debt.

• 12:30 PM ET - 8-Week Bill Auction (Previous:3.610%): Treasury auction results for short-term government debt.

• 5:00 PM ET - Foreign Buying, T-bonds (Previous:25.50B): This measures foreign purchases of U.S. Treasury bonds.

• 5:00 PM ET - Overall Net Capital Flow (Previous:190.10B): This comprehensive measure tracks international capital flows into and out of the U.S.

• 5:00 PM ET - TIC Net Long-Term Transactions including Swaps (Previous:179.80B): This expanded measure of capital flows includes swap transactions.

For further information and the latest updates, please refer to our Economic Calendar, here

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Earnings season continues, below we highlight companies expected to report earnings the next trading day so you can prepare for the market movements. Leading the action are some heavyweight names across various sectors, with Nike, FedEx, Accenture, Cintas, and Heico headlining Thursday’s earnings calendar, offering investors crucial insights into consumer spending, logistics, consulting services, and industrial performance.

Earnings Before the Open:

• Accenture Ltd (ACN): EPS estimate of $3.74 on revenue of $18.51B

• Cintas Corp (CTAS): EPS estimate of $1.2 on revenue of $2.77B

• Dardem Rest (DRI): EPS estimate of $2.11 on revenue of $3.07B

• CarMax Inc (KMX): EPS estimate of $0.3652 on revenue of $5.69B

• FactSet Research Systems Inc (FDS): EPS estimate of $4.35 on revenue of $599.98M

• Innovative Soluti (ISSC): EPS estimate of $0.09 on revenue of $18.11M

Earnings After the Close:

• Nike (NKE): EPS estimate of $0.3741 on revenue of $12.2B

• FedEx Corp (FDX): EPS estimate of $4.11 on revenue of $22.78B

• Heico Corp (HEI): EPS estimate of $1.21 on revenue of $1.17B

• Heico Corp A (HEIa): EPS estimate of $1.21 on revenue of $1.17B

• KB Home (KBH): EPS estimate of $1.79 on revenue of $1.66B

• Research In Motion Ltd (BB): EPS estimate of $0.035 on revenue of $135.6M

• Mission Produce Inc (AVO): EPS estimate of $0.195 on revenue of $314.65M

• Scholastic Corp (SCHL): EPS estimate of $2.07 on revenue of $556.72M

• Nano Nuclear Energy (NNE): EPS estimate of -$0.29 on revenue not available

• Bridgeline Digita (BLIN): EPS estimate of -$0.04 on revenue of $3.94M

Be sure to check back daily for updates and insights into the earnings season and access real-time results at Investing.com’s Earnings Calendar and Headlines section. Do you want to trade the earnings of the biggest companies like a pro? Then get InvestingPro now and access over 1000 metrics that will give you a significant advantage in the shark tank that is Wall Street. Click here.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

Investing.com -- Morgan Stanley analysts see weight-loss drugs known as GLP-1s becoming one of the more important cross-sector debates for markets in the coming year, with implications that stretch well beyond pharmaceuticals.

The core question is not that whether these drugs work. That debate has largely been settled by strong demand and growing prescriptions. Instead, investors are now focused on how widely GLP-1s are adopted and how durable their impact on consumer behavior turns out to be.

Morgan Stanley flags healthcare and biopharma as the most direct beneficiaries, particularly companies involved in manufacturing, distribution and long-term treatment.

But the bigger uncertainty lies outside healthcare. As usage increases, analysts see potential ripple effects across food producers, restaurants and food retail, where changes in eating habits could slowly alter demand patterns.

The pace of that shift remains contested. One side of the debate argues that GLP-1 users will meaningfully cut calorie intake, leading to pressure on certain packaged food and fast-food categories. The other view is that the impact will be gradual and uneven, with consumers adapting what they eat rather than how much they spend overall.

Cost and access are another open question. Wider adoption depends on insurance coverage, pricing and how healthcare systems respond over time.

These factors will likely determine whether GLP-1s remain a niche product for some consumers or become a mainstream treatment with economy-wide effects.

For investors, the takeaway is that GLP-1s are evolving from a single-sector growth story into a broader structural theme.

The full impact may take years to show up, but expectations around food demand, consumer staples and healthcare spending are already starting to shift as the debate deepens.

Investing.com -- Medical supply giant Medline Inc (NASDAQ:MDLN) made a strong return to public markets Wednesday, with shares opening at $35.00, marking a 20.7% increase from its initial public offering price of $29.00.

The Northfield, Illinois-based company raised approximately $6.26 billion in the largest U.S. IPO since Rivian Automotive’s 2021 listing and the biggest global offering of 2025.

Medline offered 216,034,482 shares of Class A common stock in its upsized IPO, with underwriters granted a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 32,405,172 shares. The offering is expected to close Thursday, subject to customary conditions.

The company plans to use proceeds from 179 million shares to repay outstanding debt under its senior secured term loan facilities, with the remainder allocated for general corporate purposes and offering expenses. Proceeds from the additional 37 million shares and any shares from the underwriters’ option will be used to purchase or redeem equity interests from pre-IPO owners.

Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, BofA Securities, and J.P. Morgan are serving as global coordinators and lead bookrunning managers for the offering.

Medline, founded in 1966, describes itself as the largest provider of medical-surgical products and supply chain solutions across all points of care. The company offers approximately 335,000 medical-surgical products through its two segments: Medline Brand and Supply Chain Solutions.

The company was briefly public in the 1970s before going private in 1977. In 2021, a private equity partnership comprising funds managed by Blackstone, Carlyle, and Hellman & Friedman acquired Medline from its founding family in a deal reportedly valued at more than $30 billion.

Medline operates 69 global distribution facilities spanning over 29 million square feet and maintains a fleet of more than 2,000 trucks, enabling next-day delivery to 95% of its U.S. customers. The company employs over 43,000 people worldwide and operates in more than 100 countries.

For the nine months ended September 27, 2025, Medline generated $20.6 billion in net sales and $1 billion in net income, with an Adjusted EBITDA of $2.7 billion. For the full year 2024, the company reported $25.5 billion in net sales and $1.2 billion in net income.

Investing.com -- Andersen Group Inc. shares opened at $21 on Wednesday, jumping 31% above their initial public offering price of $16 per share in their New York Stock Exchange debut.

The tax and financial advisory services provider raised approximately $176 million in its IPO by selling 11 million shares of Class A common stock. The company is trading under the ticker symbol NYSE:ANDG.

Andersen has granted underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1.65 million shares at the initial offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

Morgan Stanley and UBS Investment Bank are serving as lead book-running managers for the offering.

Andersen Group provides independent tax, valuation and financial advisory services to individuals, family offices, businesses and alternative investment funds across the United States. The company’s approach focuses on stewardship, transparency and high-quality service delivery.

The firm is part of a global platform spanning more than 180 countries, with member and collaborating firms providing tax, legal, valuation and consulting services through over 1,000 locations with more than 3,000 partners and 50,000 professionals worldwide.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.