Happy Friday! Disney is taking a bold leap into the future of entertainment with a partnership with OpenAI, giving fans unprecedented access to its beloved characters and worlds to create their own videos. However, looming questions about creative control and ownership are raising eyebrows. Read on for all the details. 

Also, this Christmas season, Santa isn’t the only one checking lists. Our Naughty and Nice stocks reveal who’s gifting profits and who’s bringing coal. Here’s a look at 5 stocks to buy and 5 stocks to sell for next year.

In Today's Edition

• MARKET RECAP

• MARKET HEATMAP

• FIVE ZINGERS

• BENZINGA NEWSLETTER SPOTLIGHT

• MARKET HISTORY

Disney's Next Billion Dollar Bet Is On OpenAI, Videos

Disney is ushering in a new wave of creative magic, striking a multiyear partnership with OpenAI’s Sora platform that will bring a dramatic shift in how its legendary characters and worlds will come to life.

This isn’t just a tech upgrade — it’s a bold move that could transform the very way fans interact with Disney’s most iconic franchises. The deal grants access to more than 200 characters, settings, props, etc. from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars to generate short, user prompted videos.

At first glance, it looks like massive upside, yet questions swirling around ownership, control, and creative rights are only beginning to surface in what will likely bring plenty of legal challenges. Click here for all the details.

The Two-Move Strategy Built For Today’s Volatile Market

When markets lurch higher one day and snap lower the next, most traders get whiplash. This strategy uses that volatility as fuel, flipping between two precise signals that have historically worked in both selloffs and surges. Instead of guessing the next move, you trade the momentum of fear and the strength of recovery with the same disciplined approach.

Yesterday: U.S. indexes were mostly positive Thursday, with the Dow, S&P 500, and Russell 2000 closing at record highs, while the Nasdaq slipped 0.3% as weakness in major tech names, including Alphabet and Nvidia, weighed on the index. After the bell, Broadcom shares fell nearly 5% despite beating expectations, while shares of Lululemon soared 10% following news that its CEO will step down. Economic data showed initial jobless claims climbing to 236,000, the highest level in three months and above forecasts. Treasury yields edged higher, with the 10-year at 4.15%, as markets continued to price in expectations for two additional Fed rate cuts next year.

On Our Radar: Analysts will be watching wholesale inventories this morning, as well as speeches from several fed members (Paulson, Hammack and Goolsbee) throughout the day. On the earnings front, all eyes will be on Navan (NAVN), which will report results after the market close on Monday.

The Dow, S&P 500, and The Russell 2000 made new all-time highs, with Vail Resorts (MTN), Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Royal Caribbean (RCL) leading the way. However, not everyone was feeling euphoric as Oracle (ORCL), Robinhood (HOOD) and a number of other companies tanked. Here’s a look at some of the biggest winners and losers on Thursday.

Discover how the market is moving with our interactive heatmap. Filter by market cap, or click on any box to explore specific sectors or assets in more detail.

Quantum Leap: Investors hunting the next NVIDIA are turning to quantum computing, with IonQ, D-Wave, and Rigetti leading the charge. Learn why analysts believe these three stocks could define the next tech revolution.

Broad ‘Slide’: Broadcom, smashed Wall Street estimates and raised its outlook too. So why are shares falling? Read on for the full breakdown.

Membership Magic: Costco smashed Wall Street expectations with beats on both the top and bottom lines. So why are shares flat despite memberships and other areas surging? Click to read the full breakdown and where shares could be headed next.

SpaceX vs. Tesla: With a SpaceX IPO likely next year, investors shares their favorite between Tesla, SpaceX, and other Elon Musk-related companies. Click here to see the results.

Stock Of The Day: Shares of Warner Bros. continue to climb amid a bidding war. How high can shares go? Read on to see what Wall Street is watching.

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On This Day In 1980…

Apple had one of the most memorable IPOs in U.S. market history, selling 4.6 million shares at $22 each. Shares ended up surging to finish the day at $29 per share, giving the company a market capitalization of $1.78 billion. By going public, Apple created hundreds of new millionaires and marked the largest IPO since Ford’s in 1956. Today, the company’s market capitalization has grown to more than $4 trillion, making it one of the most valuable publicly traded companies in the world.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“You can’t have superior results without superior thinking.“

— Howard Marks

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