Double dose of long-delayed jobs data weighs on US stocks

The markets continued to slide on Tuesday, with the S&P 500 and Russell 2000 finishing lower, while the Nasdaq 100 managed a last-hour rally to finish slightly up.

Your Evening Briefing December 16, 2025 Double dose of long-delayed jobs data weighs on US stocks A messy trove of jobs data landed Tuesday morning, with the release of nonfarm payrolls for October and November, showing a higher-than-expected unemployment rate of 4.6% in November. The US unemployment rate has now risen for four consecutive readings for the first time since June 2009. While some were looking for data that would support additional Fed rate cuts in 2026, the odds of future cuts remained largely unchanged post-release. Markets were lethargic following the data, and the S&P 500 was devoid of pre-holiday cheer — the index as well as the Russell 2000 finished lower. The Nasdaq 100, which had been weighed by continued AI trade worries, managed to rally in the final hour of the session to finish in the green. Stocks that moved higher: Rezolve Ai soared after management boosted its 2025 annual recurring revenue guidance by 33%. Meta ticked higher following the release of its new dedicated TV app for Instagram reels. IonQ and D-Wave Quantum spiked after Jefferies initiated coverage with buy ratings and bullish price targets. Tesla notched a new record closing price, riding high as it tests its autonomous Robotaxi service without safety monitors and takes a bigger chunk of shrinking EV market share. Stocks that moved lower: RadNet plunged after a report coauthored by a prestigious journalist called the radiology company "the AI story that doesn't add up." Pfizer dropped after its 2026 guidance fell short of analysts' expectations. What are America's favorite Christmas movies? Whether you're into so-bad-they're-good Christmas movies, anti-Christmas Christmas movies, or even semi-horrifying Christmas movies, there seems to be something out there for even the least festive film fans once the holiday season rolls around. Perhaps that's part of the reason that a full 64% of US adults say they plan on sitting down to watch one this year. Read more. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is getting back into politics The Tesla directors who proposed his potential $1 trillion pay package had said it was "critical" he stay out of politics, and we have a stock chart that shows why. Read more. TODAY'S BIG MOVE (Nicolas Economou/Getty Images) Frontier plunged after its longtime CEO, who regularly feuded with United, suddenly departed. Shares of ultra-budget airline sank double-digits after the surprise exit of longtime CEO Barry Biffle. Read more. Report: OpenAI won't pay a dime in cash for its three-year licensing deal for Disney IP For three years of Disney IP, OpenAI is offering stock warrants. OpenAI and Mattel reportedly hit pause on AI toys The partnership was due to deliver a Mattel toy powered by OpenAI this year, but safety concerns are raising questions. Tesla's 29 Austin Robotaxis have crashed 8 times since June, as data suggests they perform much worse than human drivers That's a lot of crashes for such a small fleet. Chip stocks are in a bubble, at least by this definition, says analyst The definition of a "bubble" is notoriously difficult to pin down. But these analysts applied a Harvard academic's rubric and found the shoe fits for some popular tech stocks. Was this email forwarded to you? Don't miss out on future stories — subscribe to The Wrap and get your daily dose of financial news straight to your inbox.  Craving more insights in your inbox? Subscribe to Chartr and Snacks for quality reads. We care what you think! If you have any feedback or comments, feel free to reply and let us know your thoughts!  Sherwood Media, LLC produces fresh and unique perspectives on topical financial news and is a fully owned subsidiary of Robinhood Markets, Inc., and any views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of any other Robinhood affiliate... See more Sherwood Terms and Conditions Our Editorial Standards Contact Us Advertise With Us Unsubscribe Privacy Policy SHERWOOD MEDIA, LLC, 85 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025