Market Briefings

2025 delivered strong gains, rising volatility, and major shifts in market leadership across stocks, AI, global markets, metals, and crypto. As markets head into 2026 extended and vulnerable, key technical levels may determine what comes next.

Markets ended the week largely unchanged as year-end trading volume faded. Precious metals continued their historic surge, small caps lagged, and technical signals across major indexes remain mixed heading into a holiday-shortened week.

Stocks started December with modest gains as traders positioned ahead of the pivotal December Fed meeting, where rate-cut odds surged to 87%. With the S&P 500 near record highs and seasonal tailwinds in play, key technical levels will determine whether the year-end rally continues.

Stocks moved higher on rising confidence in a December Fed rate cut, with small caps and the Nasdaq leading the rebound. Bitcoin slid to seven-month lows and volatility spiked, setting up a pivotal technical week ahead.

Markets reversed sharply as volatility surged, AI leaders cracked, and Bitcoin hit a seven-month low. This week’s briefing breaks down the pullback, sector weakness, and key technical levels traders need to watch.