Up 22%+ in a single week: Here’s where December’s real opportunities are emerging

Investing.com

Advanced Micro Devices

Summary:

Investing.com — The first week of December has left investors uneasy. The S&P 500 barely moved, and the market continues...

Investing.com — The first week of December has left investors uneasy. The S&P 500 barely moved, and the market continues to drift without clear direction. Some traders see stretched valuations and worry that a correction may be approaching. Others believe the rapid spread of AI across the economy is about to spark a new wave of productivity and growth. The result is a market caught between fear and opportunity, which makes confident decision-making harder than ever.

This kind of environment rewards investors who rely on more than instinct. It calls for a focused strategy built on high-conviction ideas supported by deep fundamental research and advanced AI analytics. That is where our approach stands out. Our AI-driven stock selections have a proven record of identifying future outperformers long before the broader market catches on. The latest update to our system went live on Monday, and the early results from the new list have already been remarkable.

*InvestingPro members can click HERE to jump straight to our new list of stock picks.

Still not a member? Then this is your chance to subscribe at up to 55% off and secure access to the top picks for December.

Here’s how some of our high-conviction picks have performed so far:

NASDAQGS:FTRE Fortrea Holdings: +16.56% in December ALONE
NASDAQGS:ENTG Entegris: +15.53% in December ALONE
NYSE:ONTO Onto Innovation: +14.65% in December ALONE
IBSE:VERUS Verusa Holding: +22.44% in December ALONE
SET:AOT Airports of Thailand: +19.10% in December ALONE
KOSE:A064400 LG CNS: +17.48% in December ALONE
SGX:D01 DFI Retail Holdings: +16.81% in December ALONE
IBSE:LIDER LDR Turizm AS: +16.34% in December ALONE

Among several others...

But how does the AI behind these picks actually work?

At the start of each month, the AI refreshes every strategy with up to 20 new stock picks, analyzing more than 150 investor-grade financial models built on over 15 years of global market data. It identifies where risk and reward align best — removing underperformers, keeping promising names, and adding fresh opportunities.

The strategies use equal weighting across all selected stocks, creating a transparent and consistent way to track results. The goal is not just to find winners but also to know when to move on from the ones that stop performing.

Check out the 12-year outperformance of Tech Titans over the S&P 500 below:

Tech Titans Performance

This means a $100K principal in our strategy would have turned into an eye-popping $2,757,500.

Use your chance to get InvestingPro with up to 55% off during our Cyber Monday Extended sale.

Disclaimer: Prices mentioned in articles are accurate at the time of publication. We regularly test different offers for our members, which may vary by region.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

You understand and acknowledge that there is a high degree of risk involved in trading. Following any strategies or investment methods may lead to potential losses. The content on the site is provided by our contributors and analysts for information purposes only. You are solely responsible for determining whether any trading assets, securities, strategy, or any other product is suitable for investing based on your own investment objectives and financial situation.

Add to Favorites

+22% in a single week as markets remain flat: These are December’s hidden winners

Investing.com

Advanced Micro Devices

+0.50%

Cohen & Steers

-0.91%

*InvestingPro members can click HERE to jump straight to our new list of stock picks.

Still not a member? Then this is your chance to subscribe at up to 55% off and secure access to the top picks for December.

Here’s how some of our high-conviction picks have performed so far:

NASDAQGS:FTRE Fortrea Holdings: +16.56% in December ALONE
NASDAQGS:ENTG Entegris: +15.53% in December ALONE
NYSE:ONTO Onto Innovation: +14.65% in December ALONE
IBSE:VERUS Verusa Holding: +22.44% in December ALONE
SET:AOT Airports of Thailand: +19.10% in December ALONE
KOSE:A064400 LG CNS: +17.48% in December ALONE
SGX:D01 DFI Retail Holdings: +16.81% in December ALONE
IBSE:LIDER LDR Turizm AS: +16.34% in December ALONE

Among several others...

But how does the AI behind these picks actually work?

Check out the 12-year outperformance of Tech Titans over the S&P 500 below:

Tech Titans Performance

This means a $100K principal in our strategy would have turned into an eye-popping $2,757,500.

Use your chance to get InvestingPro with up to 55% off during our Cyber Monday Extended sale.

Disclaimer: Prices mentioned in articles are accurate at the time of publication. We regularly test different offers for our members, which may vary by region.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

Meta Opens a New Frontier in AI Race. Why It's a Warning for Apple. — Barrons.com

Dow Jones Newswires

Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. Dep Shr Srs A Pfd

+2.43%

Hovnanian Enterprises

+0.62%

Everything points to Meta Platforms needing another name change. The social-media company is cutting spending on the 'Metaverse' and directing funds toward wearable devices, which could mean Meta goes head-to-head with Apple in the next stage of the artificial-intelligence trade.

It looks like an admission of defeat in Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's bet on virtual worlds. The cost has been $77 billion in operating losses in the Reality Labs division since 2020. Perhaps that's why investors cheered the reported move that Meta's cutting the department's budget, pushing the stock up more than 3%.

The money saved on the Metaverse is instead being pumped into AI. With Meta losing out in the chatbot race to rivals such as ChatGPT developer OpenAI and Google, Zuckerberg and Co. are focused on trying to extend their lead in AI-powered wearables, where Meta has a hit with its Ray-Ban branded smart glasses. The move makes some sense — whereas making AI models is a costly race where it is hard to maintain a lead against rivals, hardware success could prove more durable.

That should ring alarm bells at Apple. The iPhone maker has stayed out of the AI spending race so far, to the benefit of the stock, which hit an all-time high this past week. But rivals are hoping new technology might disrupt the dominance of the smartphone. Google is planning a renewed push into smart glasses, while OpenAI is working on a mysterious AI device with ex-Apple designer Jony Ive.

Apple isn't blind to the threat. It has its own plans for smart glasses, set to be unveiled next year, according to Bloomberg. But it is losing a string of engineers and designers to high-paying rivals, while its Vision Pro product — a full virtual-reality headset as opposed to lightweight glasses — looks to have been a dud.

So in terms of monikers will it be MetAI Platforms? It's probably too early to start picking out new names, but the next stage of the AI race is taking shape and it's happening in the real world.

Adam Clark

*** What's Ahead for Markets in 2026? From "Liberation Day" tariffs to torrid rallies in AI stocks and gold, this year has been full of surprises. Join us on Dec. 11 at noon for discussions with investment strategists and money managers about the outlook for the economy and markets in 2026 — and how to position your portfolio for success. Sign up here.

Get more of the journalism you love. Choose Barron's as a preferred source in Google.

***

Kevin Hassett Increasingly Eyed as Trump's Next Fed Chair

Nearly all signs point to White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett as the person President Donald Trump will pick to become the next chairman of the Federal Reserve. Attention on Wall Street and in the Beltway has already shifted to how Hassett, often seen as Trump's loyalist economist, would guide monetary policy.

Hassett's potential appointment is viewed more favorably than if other contenders were the front-runners, some analysts say. He could, for example, extend Fed rate cuts even more, wrote Thierry Wizman at Macquarie Group. Prediction site Kalshi puts his chances of being nominated at 72%.
Trump has publicly criticized Jerome Powell, whom he nominated in his first term, for holding interest rates too high and moving too slowly. Hassett, currently director of the National Economic Council, has defended tariffs, described inflation as a manageable problem, and supported faster rate cuts.
Trump has sought a majority on the Fed's seven-member board of governors which means he could influence monetary policy. His attempt to fire Gov. Lisa Cook was halted by the Supreme Court pending a January hearing. Elevating Hassett will draw questions, especially from foreign central banks and global investors.
Critics point to episodes that raise doubts about Hassett's judgment. Hassett's 1999 book Dow 36,000 projected that equity valuations would rise sharply, but they instead collapsed in the dot-com bust. He also circulated estimates suggesting Covid-19 fatalities would drop to zero by mid-May 2020.

What's Next: Powell's final months as Fed chair could be overshadowed by the presence of a successor who will shape expectations before taking office. Powell, whose term as chair ends in May, has spent the past several years defending the institution's credibility, insisting that decisions rest on data rather than political preference.

Nicole Goodkind and Janet H. Cho

***

Comcast's Cable Spinoff Versant Could Be Valued at $10 Billion

Versant Media Group, the cable networks spinoff from Comcast that includes CNBC and MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), faces independence in a tough advertising market and as households continue to abandon traditional cable. But 2025 financial projections suggest a market value of about $10 billion when it starts trading.

CEO Mark Lazarus highlighted Versant's strengths on Thursday. Analysts have talked about a multiple of around six or seven off current-year earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), a common media financial measure. That would be a discount to Walt Disney and Paramount.
In a presentation, Lazarus projected that Versant will generate $6.6 billion of revenue, $2.2 billion of Ebitda, and $1.4 billion of free cash flow this year. Revenue would be down 6% this year based on those projections. Ebitda would also be lower than a year ago.
Taking Versant's share count and pro forma debt, it would translate into a market value of about $10 billion and a share price of around $70, Barron's estimates. Versant will begin when-issued trading around Dec. 15 and then regular trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker VSNT on Jan. 5, 2026.
There will be 144 million shares outstanding with Comcast distributing one share of Versant for each 25 Comcast shares. Versant should have about $3 billion of debt outstanding following the spinoff and will borrow that money to help make a $2.25 billion payment to Comcast, which is parent to NBCUniversal.

What's Next: Comcast also is bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery but is considered a long shot to win the contest, where Paramount Skydance and Netflix are seen as the leaders and the top choice of bettors on Polymarkets. If Comcast wins, it could combine Warner with NBCUniversal.

Andrew Bary

***

This Home Builder's Earnings Report Sank the Sector

New Jersey-based home builder Hovnanian Enterprises posted what some could see as a bad sign for the housing market writ large: Its quarter was so challenging its shares sank by double-digits, dragging other housing stocks down with them. The exchange-traded fund tracking home builders fell 1.8%.

Hovnanian posted a loss of 51 cents a share in the fourth quarter, a contrast to the $12.79 a share earnings in the same period a year ago. It fell well short of expectations largely because of land charges and refinancing expenses that weighed on profits.
Hovnanian's revenue of $817.9 million was slightly above Wall Street expectations but marked a notable decline from $979.6 million a year ago. Rising mortgage rates and affordability constraints have led to weaker demand for new homes.
Hovnanian's consolidated fourth quarter contracts fell 10.8% to 1,209 homes compared with 1,355 homes in the same quarter last year. The firm is a cyclically sensitive builder and carries more debt than many rivals. It tends to see larger swings in earnings during housing booms and busts.
Home prices nationally will rise modestly in 2026, according to two new forecasts. Redfin expects that home prices will rise 1% next year, while Realtor.com forecasts a 2.2% gain. In either case, home prices will grow slower than wages, improving the math for many households.

What's Next: Both forecasters expect mortgage rates to average 6.3% next year. As home affordability improves slightly, so will sales, they say. Redfin expects a 3% lift in sales to 4.2 million, while Realtor.com calls for a 1.7% increase.

Evie Liu and Shaina Mishkin

***

World's Billionaires Less Interested in Investing in North America

The world gained 287 new billionaires this year, collectively worth $684.2 billion. But they're less keen on investing in North America than they used to be, citing policy uncertainty, high stock valuations, inflation, and how the U.S. engages the world, UBS's 11th annual Billionaire Ambitions Report said.

Of billionaires surveyed, 63% said North America offers the greatest opportunity for returns, in the next 12 months, down from 80% who said that a year ago. Billionaires are diversifying to China and Western Europe, said Dan Scansaroli, UBS's co-head of investment management, Americas.
UBS said 40% of billionaires view Western Europe as offering the greatest opportunity for returns, up from 18% a year ago, while 34% cite Greater China, and 33% cite the rest of Asia-Pacific, up from 11% and 25%, respectively, a year earlier.
Billionaires find China's accommodative monetary and fiscal policies, coupled with approximately 30% lower valuations, appealing, Scansaroli said. They view China's centrally managed goal of achieving technical superiority, including through AI innovations like DeepSeek, as a way to capture outsize returns following the rally in U.S. tech stocks.
The report, which draws from a UBS/PwC billionaire database, found that the world's billionaire ranks rose nearly 9% through April 4, to 2,919. Their combined wealth rose 13% to nearly $15.8 trillion, from just under $14 trillion a year earlier.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

TSX futures muted after strong bank earnings power average to record high

Investing.com

Investing.com - Futures linked to Canada’s main stock exchange hovered around the flatline on Friday, after a wave of upbeat domestic bank earnings drove the average to a fresh all-time peak.

Get premium news and insight, AI stock picks, and deep research tools by upgrading to InvestingPro - get 55% off today.

By 06:23 ET (11:23 GMT), the S&P/TSX 60 index standard futures contract was broadly unchanged.

On Thursday, the S&P/TSX composite index rose by 1% to 31,477.57, surpassing a prior record notched late last week.

TD Bank, CIBC, and Bank of Montreal all delivered better-than-anticipated estimates for fourth-quarter earnings, underpinned by strength at their capital markets divisions which stemmed from improved dealmaking and trading revenues. Shares of CIBC and TD, in particular, jumped new record highs.

Reports from Royal Bank of Canada, National Bank of Canada, and Scotiabank -- the last of Canada’s six major lenders -- were similarly solid earlier in the week.

Investors are now keeping tabs on impending Canadian employment numbers for November, as well as a trove of data releases in the United States.

U.S. futures inch up

U.S. stock futures pointed slightly higher, but have been trading in tight ranges, with investors awaiting a key inflation report for confirmation that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next week.

At 06:36 ET, Dow Jones Futures rose 46 points, or 0.1%, S&P 500 Futures gained 13 points, or 0.2%, and Nasdaq 100 Futures added 94 points, or 0.4%.

The main averages closed in a mixed fashion in the prior session, with the benchmark S&P 500 and tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite both advancing, while the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average lagged.

All three indices have managed to eke out small gains so far this week.

PCE inflation gauge in spotlight

Expectations of 25-basis point reduction at the Fed’s December 9–10 meeting are running hot -- with futures now pricing in roughly an 87% probability -- on the back of recent weak labor data and broader signs of economic cooling.

Thursday’s weekly jobless claims plunged by 27,000 to a seasonally adjusted 191,000, the lowest level since September 2022, but economists cautioned that distortions tied to the Thanksgiving holiday may have exaggerated the decline.

Elsewhere, a private-sector payroll report from ADP on Wednesday showed a decline of 32,000 jobs -- the largest drop in over two and a half years, and a report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas stated that announced job cuts dropped sharply in November but hiring intentions remained weak.

While the importance of price stability, the second element of the Fed’s dual mandate, has faded a little of late, all eyes are now on the release of the delayed monthly core inflation gauge, the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price Index (PCE), later in the session.

This is widely seen as the Fed’s preferred inflation measure, and a soft PCE print could further embolden rate-cut expectations.

Excluding food and energy, the underlying, or "core," PCE price index is seen holding at 2.9% in the 12 months to September and 0.2% month-on-month.

Beyond PCE, the economic calendar will feature the latest survey of consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan.

Netflix linked with Warner Bros Discovery’s film assets

In the corporate sector, Netflix has entered into exclusive negotiations to purchase Warner Bros Discovery’s film and television studios as well as its prized streaming assets, media reports have said.

The streaming giant reportedly offered $28 per share for those portions of the long-time Hollywood stalwart, whose brands include HBO and DC Comics.

Should the transaction be finalized, it would transform Netflix into a media powerhouse with control over one of the most valuable content libraries in the entertainment industry.

Netflix and Warner Bros are anticipated to announce a deal imminently, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Elsewhere, Ulta Beauty shares soared premarket after the cosmetics retailer topped Wall Street estimates for its fiscal third quarter and raised its full-year outlook.

HPE stock slumped after the cloud services and hardware company missed analysts’ revenue expectations for the fourth quarter, posting $9.68 billion versus a consensus estimate of $9.94 billion.

Crude steadies; WTI on track for weekly gain

Oil prices steadied Friday, maintaining the previous session’s gains as stalled diplomatic progress over the Ukraine war and firm expectations of a Fed rate cut supported sentiment.

Brent futures last slipped marginally by 0.1% to $63.23 a barrel, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures inched down 0.1% to $59.60 a barrel.

Both contracts jumped nearly 1% on Thursday, and while Brent was mostly unchanged this week, WTI was on track for a 1.5% weekly gain -- a second straight week of increase.

The lack of progress in U.S.-Russia talks to end the Ukraine war has dampened hopes that energy sanctions on Russian crude could be eased soon, keeping a risk premium in the market.

Gold climbs

Gold prices rose modestly, aided by a softer dollar and firm wagers that the Fed will cut interest rates next week.

Spot gold was up 0.3% at $4,222.85 an ounce by 06:49 ET. U.S. Gold Futures for February delivery rose 0.2% to $4,252.35 an ounce.

The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of currencies, stood near a five-week low, having dipped as markets priced in Fed cut in December and expectations of additional easing early next year.

A weak dollar can boost demand for bullion, as it makes gold cheaper for overseas buyers.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

Buy shares of this AI winner into earnings next week: Mizuho

Investing.com

Ategrity Specialty Insurance

-2.06%

Advanced Micro Devices

+0.50%

Investing.com -- In a note to clients on Friday, Mizuho named the stock that it is buyers of heading into earnings next week, with analyst Vijay Rakesh telling clients he is bullish on the name as AI demand accelerates into 2026.

Mizuho reiterated its Outperform rating and $435 price target on Broadcom, arguing that it is positioned for “further 2026 AI compute offload upside into earnings.”

Get premium news and insight, AI stock picks, and deep research tools by upgrading to InvestingPro - get 55% off today

Mizuho said Broadcom’s AI opportunity is expanding meaningfully as Google’s Gemini 3 ramps and TPU adoption spreads across major frontier-model developers, including Meta, Apple and Anthropic.

The firm wrote that an “expanding TPU reach… position[s] key manufacturing partner AVGO to see upside into 2026E,” noting that Broadcom’s TPUv7p and TPUv8p chips carry estimated average selling prices of ~$10,000 and ~$15,000.

If Google gains traction, the revenue implications could be substantial, Mizuho added.

The firm also highlighted a new set of networking catalysts. It said Broadcom remains “a networking beneficiary with TPU Scale-Up and ESUN with META into 2026,” pointing to Ethernet-led architectures that could grow to roughly 25% of networking revenue next year.

Broadcom’s next-generation Tomahawk 6-Davisson switch, which offers “>70% lower power needs,” and the new Thor Ultra 800G NIC were also cited as competitive strengths.

Mizuho sees multiple ASIC ramps between 2026 and 2028 and stated that the company’s AI revenue estimates for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 are above the Street.

For fiscal 2026, the firm expects $86.9 billion in revenue and $9.34 in EPS, with AI revenue of $41.1 billion, again above consensus.

With revenue growth expected to exceed 30% next year and accelerate further in 2027, Mizuho believes Broadcom offers a rare combination of scale, visibility and upside, concluding: “We are buyers on AVGO heading into earnings next week.”

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

Top 3 Value Stocks With Strong Analyst Support and Growth Potential

Investing.com

Investing.com -- Value investors searching for undervalued opportunities with strong growth potential have several compelling options in today’s market. These stocks combine attractive valuations with solid analyst backing, offering significant upside potential according to current metrics.

Get premium news and insight, AI stock picks, and deep research tools by upgrading to InvestingPro -

Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ:CRTO) stands out as the top value play with extraordinary growth forecasts. Trading at a remarkably low price-to-earnings ratio of just 6.1x, the digital advertising technology company has earned a "Strong Buy" consensus from analysts who see 62.5% upside to fair value.

What makes Criteo particularly intriguing is its projected earnings per share growth of 158.7%—an unusual combination for a value stock. Analysts have set price targets suggesting potential gains of 83%, making it one of the most compelling value opportunities in the market today.

In recent news, Criteo S.A. delivered strong third-quarter 2025 results, with key metrics like Adjusted EBITDA coming in above consensus estimates. Following the report, several analyst firms, including Stifel, Benchmark, and DA Davidson, maintained Buy or equivalent ratings on the company.

PROG Holdings (NYSE:PRG) takes the second position with its impressive free cash flow yield of 25.3%, indicating the market may be significantly undervaluing its cash-generating capabilities. The company trades at a modest 7.1x earnings while offering 62.2% upside to fair value based on current metrics.

With a "Strong Buy" analyst consensus and projected price appreciation of 31%, PROG Holdings presents a compelling case for value investors seeking companies with strong fundamentals that remain overlooked by the broader market.

PROG Holdings announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Purchasing Power, a provider of voluntary employee benefit programs, for $420 million in cash. The company also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per share.

UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) rounds out the top three, offering utility stability with substantial upside potential. Trading at 11.8x earnings, UGI provides an attractive 8.7% earnings yield while analysts project 64.1% upside to fair value.

The company boasts a Piotroski score of 7, indicating a solid balance sheet and reliable earnings—characteristics that make it stand out among utility stocks. With a "Strong Buy" rating from analysts, UGI combines the defensive qualities of a utility with meaningful growth potential.

UGI Corporation recently reported its fourth-quarter 2025 financial results, posting an earnings per share that surpassed analyst expectations, while its revenue for the quarter came in below forecasts.

These three stocks represent different sectors but share common attributes that appeal to value investors: low price-to-earnings ratios, significant upside potential, and strong analyst support. Each offers a unique value proposition, from Criteo’s explosive growth forecasts to PROG’s impressive cash flow generation and UGI’s balance sheet strength.

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

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites

FTSE 100 today: Index rises, pound strong; Shell, BP drop after rating change

Investing.com

Investing.com -- British stocks gained on Friday as the pound held firm against the dollar, with analysts saying the rally reflects a short squeeze rather than a fundamental reassessment of UK sovereign risk, while broader European markets traded in the green.

As of 1103 GMT, the blue-chip index FTSE 100 rose 0.2% and the British GBP/USD gained 0.5% against the dollar to above 1.33.

DAX index in Germany rose 0.6%, the CAC 40 in France gained 0.4%.

Get premium news and insight, AI stock picks, and deep research tools by upgrading to InvestingPro - get 55% off today

UK round up

Bank of America has adjusted its European energy sector outlook for 2026, downgrading Shell PLC (AS:SHEL) and BP PLC (LON:BP) while double-upgrading Neste Oyj (HE:NESTE) as it positions for a "soft landing" in a $60 Brent oil price environment.

The bank’s analysts predict that lower oil and gas prices combined with declining refining margins will put pressure on free cash flow next year. They note that share prices across Europe’s major oil companies already reflect approximately $65 Brent long-term, suggesting limited potential for significant gains.

Shell shares were down 1.5%, while BP fell 2.4%.

In separate moves affecting UK-listed companies, Elementis PLC (LON:ELM) shares rose 4.7% after Bank of America upgraded the specialty chemicals company from Neutral to Buy. BofA increased its price target on Elementis from 170p to 200p, citing new management and strategic repositioning as growth drivers under CEO Luc van Ravenstein’s leadership.

Meanwhile, MONY Group PLC (LON:MONY) stock fell 2.9% following Morgan Stanley’s downgrade to Equal-weight from Overweight. The investment bank expressed concerns about how "agentic AI" might impact the UK price comparison website operator’s business model. Morgan Stanley maintained its 220p price target, representing about 15% upside potential, but indicated a lack of near-term catalysts for the stock.

Ocado Group PLC shares jumped around 10% in London trading after the company announced it will receive a $350 million cash payment from Kroger.

The payment comes after the U.S. retailer decided to close three robotic fulfillment centers and cancel plans for another site. Kroger will make the payment in January, reflecting its decision to shut three customer fulfillment centers (CFCs) in early 2026 and abandon the planned Charlotte, North Carolina facility.

In other UK market news, shares of Big Yellow Group PLC (LON:BYG) fell 5.4% after Blackstone Europe announced it would not proceed with a takeover offer for the company. The decision follows Big Yellow’s announcement on Thursday that it had concluded there was "no basis to continue discussions" with Blackstone and would not extend the put-up or shut-up deadline of December 8, 2025.

Blackstone confirmed in a regulatory filing that it has no intention to make an offer for Big Yellow, triggering restrictions under Rule 2.8 of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers.

The UK housing market showed signs of cooling as house prices held steady in November, showing no monthly change after a 0.5% rise in October, according to the Halifax House Price Index. The average property price edged up by just £139 to reach £299,892, marking another record high despite the slowdown in growth momentum. Annual price growth decelerated to 0.7%, down from 1.9% in October, the weakest rate since March 2024.

In currency markets, sterling continues its upward trend. ING analysts suggest the current rally represents a short squeeze rather than a fundamental reassessment of UK sovereign risk. The bank noted that the 10-year Gilt swap spread has maintained its modest narrowing and currently stands at 48 basis points, down from 58 basis points in late September.

ING maintains a year-end GBP/USD target of 1.34 but expects some sterling underperformance against the euro as the Bank of England resumes its easing cycle this December.

In analyst actions, J.P. Morgan initiated coverage of UK food-to-go chain Greggs PLC (LON:GRG) with an "overweight" rating and a 2,110p December 2027 price target. This implies about 35% upside from the stock’s 1,590p close on December 4. The bank cited a valuation that has fallen to trough levels despite what it describes as sector-leading operating metrics and clear catalysts for recovery.

Separately, J.P. Morgan has adopted a more cautious stance on European oil and gas equities heading into 2026, citing tighter valuations and projected oil oversupply pressures.

In its EU Oils 2026 Outlook released Friday, the brokerage noted that the sector experienced "significant positive decoupling" during the second half of 2025. European oil stocks outperformed the broader European market by 6% despite weakening crude benchmarks, with Brent declining 7% during the same period.

J.P. Morgan now considers valuations to be "full," pointing to an estimated 2026 free cash flow yield of 7.8% at $62/bbl Brent, which it describes as rich compared to long-term averages.

Halma PLC (LON:HLMA) has acquired E2S Group Ltd for £230 million in cash, expanding its presence in industrial safety markets.

The acquisition will be funded from Halma’s existing facilities and supports the company’s continued expansion into fire detection and alarm systems.

Risk Warnings and Disclaimers

Add to Favorites