Finance

Chances are good the stock market could hit a few bumps as December gets underway, but any pullback should be slight, setting up for a year end Santa rally, strategists say. The tone around trade talks between the U.S. and China has been positive enough to keep the market moving higher. The Dec. 15 deadline

European markets are set to open lower on Thursday, as investors monitored friction between the U.S. and China over the Hong Kong protests. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 is seen down 10 points at 7,405, Germany’s DAX down 22 points at 13,259 and France’s CAC off by 9 points at 5,914, according to IG index data.

Tolga Akmen | AFP | Getty Images Barclays has rebalanced its equity focus away from the U.S. and toward Europe and emerging markets for 2020. In its 2020 outlook, published Wednesday, the British lender said it expects European equities to deliver further gains, setting a target for the Stoxx 600 of 430 by the end

Flextronics International Apple factory employees work on Apple Mac Pro computer assembly in Austin, TX, November 20, 2019. Tom Brenner | Reuters Economists are boosting their fourth quarter growth forecasts after the trade deficit narrowed and business investment showed a surprise pickup in October. The CNBC/Moody’s Analytic’s rapid update of economists forecasts showed a median

Jennifer Yen pulls to shopping carts full of items at Wal-Mart Supercenter in Denver, Colorado. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Here are the most important things to know about Friday before you hit the door. 1. Black Friday Black Friday, the day retailers have long relied on to boost sales, is losing its grip

European markets are set to open higher on Wednesday, as investors track positive mood music around U.S.-China trade talks. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 is seen climbing 6 points to 7,414; Germany’s DAX is seen 18 points higher at 13,261; and France’s CAC up by 6 points at 5,941, according to IG index data. President Donald

The Hewlett-Packard Co. logo is displayed on the window of an electronics store in New York. Ramin Talaie | Bloomberg | Getty Images Check out the companies making headlines after the bell: HP shares jumped more than 2% during extended trading after the company posted a fourth-quarter earnings beat on the top and bottom line.

Facebook Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies at a House Financial Services Committee hearing in Washington, October 23, 2019. Erin Scott | Reuters Facebook is the mystery “Party A” revealed in an SEC filing that bid several times to acquire health-wearables maker Fitbit, including a best and final offer of $7.30 per share, according to

“Surgeon Simulator,” the surgical simulation game from London-based developer Bossa Studios. Bossa Studios Bossa Studios, the video game developer behind zany titles like “Surgeon Simulator” and “I Am Bread,” has raised up to $30 million in an investment round led by Chinese gaming company NetEase, three sources familiar with the matter told CNBC. The U.K.-based

Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump at the G-20 Summit in Osaka on June 29, 2019. Brendan Smialowsi | AFP | Getty Images The leaders of the U.S.-China trade negotiations held another phone call on Tuesday morning, China’s Ministry of Commerce said in an online statement. “Both sides discussed resolving core issues of

A pedestrian walks past the Federal Reserve building on Constitution Avenue in Washington on March 19, 2019. Leah Millis | Reuters Federal Reserve economists warn that printing money to pay for deficit spending, as Modern Monetary Theory proponents recommend, has been a disaster for other nations that have tried it. In a paper that discusses

European markets traded higher on Monday morning, with investors hopeful of progress in the U.S.-China trade dispute. The pan-European Stoxx 600 climbed 0.7% in morning trade, with basic resources adding 1.4% to lead gains as all sectors and major bourses remained in positive territory. U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien on Saturday said a so-called

A top Wall Street economist is lowering his recession forecast. But Barclays’ Michael Gapen warns it’s too early to give the U.S. economy the all-clear. “We do need to get over some of these hurdles that are a problem for business-sector spending of which is both U.S.-China trade concerns as well as things like Brexit

Consumer sentiment unexpectedly rose in November, according to data released Friday by the University of Michigan. The university’s index of consumer sentiment climbed to 96.8 from 95.5 last month. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected consumer sentiment to dip to 94.9 for November. An index reflecting consumer expectations moving forward also rose to 87.3 from

Nathalie Salman | Getty Images Goldman Sachs strategists expect a “baby bear” market in bonds next year, with a mild move higher in interest rates due to a better economy, subdued global inflation and the lack of central bank policy easing. In a sweeping outlook for 2020, the firm’s strategists say they do not expect

(This story is part of the Weekend Brief edition of the Evening Brief newsletter. To sign up for CNBC’s Evening Brief, click here.) This month has become a sideways “slowvember” slide in recent weeks, with stocks remarkably steady near record highs, as investors are again left to wonder if the tape is resting or rolling

Shoppers pack an aisle during a Black Friday sale at a Target store, Friday, Nov. 23, 2018, in Newport, Ky. John Minchillo | AP (This story is part of the Weekend Brief edition of the Evening Brief newsletter. To sign up for CNBC’s Evening Brief, .) As customers gear up for the biggest shopping days

US President Donald Trump shows a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping as he announces an initial trade deal with China at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC on October 11, 2019. Nicholas Kamm | AFP | Getty Images Here are the most important things to know about Monday before you

Santa Claus waves to the crowd during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Getty Images It’s Thanksgiving time, and investors’ thoughts turn to holiday shopping and a year end Santa rally in the stock market. Some analysts think both could be pretty good this year. While Black Friday has probably lost some

CHICAGO – NOVEMBER 21: Nordstrom signage is visible at its store November 21, 2003 in Chicago. Nordstrom, Inc. reported net earnings of $45.5 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2003, which ended November 1, 2003. For the same period last year, net earnings and earnings per diluted share were $18.4