Pre-Market Stock Futures:
Futures are trading higher on Wednesday as we reach the midpoint of the last full trading week of the year. Sellers once again took their toll on two of the major indices, while the Nasdaq squeaked out a minimal gain after being down around the noon hour. The most significant talking point during the day was the release of the payroll numbers for October and November on Tuesday morning. The delayed US employment reports show a worrieome shift: the US lost 105,000 jobs in October, primarily due to massive federal government workforce reductions, followed by a gain of 64,000 jobs in November, with health care, social assistance, and leisure/hospitality sectors driving growth, as the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%. The data showed a weakening labor market despite some private-sector hiring, with massive job cuts in October and a jump in long-term unemployment, which gave the bears all they needed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.62% at 48,114, while the S&P 500 was last down 0.44% at 6800. The Nasdaq pulled out a small win for the Bulls, finishing the session at 23,111, up 0.23%.
Treasury Bonds:
Yields were down across the Treasury curve as buyers returned following the employment data release. The slowing economy and weak job data send a signal to the bond market that there could indeed be more rate cuts in 2026, perhaps as many as two between now and next summer. Investors are also reacting to the Federal Reserve’s recent easing stance and watching for upcoming inflation data and other central bank decisions, amid rising unemployment to 4.6%, the highest level since September 2021. The 30-year-long bond finished the day at 4.82% while the benchmark 10-year note was last seen at 4.15%. Tomorrow’s Consumer Price Index release could be a huge data point.
Oil and Gas:
Prices were lower across the board in the energy complex once again, with oil falling to its lowest levels since early 2021. The song remains the same, as oversupply fears, plus the potential for an end to the Ukraine-Russia war, and the gloomy economic data were the primary market movers. Brent Crude closed the day down 2.91% at $58.80 while West Texas Intermediate was last seen down 2.97% at $55.13. Natural gas slipped yet again, closing at $3.91. Nat gas has fallen a stunning 23% in the last 2 weeks.
Gold:
Gold and Silver also took a breather on Tuesday, finishing the day modestly lower, after rallying back from overnight losses. Both have been on massive runs in 2026, and both continue to trade at all-time highs. Gold was last seen at $4,308, while Silver closed at $62.89. Goldman Sachs continues to see Gold heading to $4,900 in 2026 and has said a run over $5,000 is not out of the question.
Crypto:
The cryptocurrency market generally declined amid persistent bearish sentiment and “extreme fear” among many investors. Major cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP, were under pressure, with many extending multi-day sell-offs, but turned higher in the late afternoon on Tuesday. At 8 AM EST, Bitcoin was trading at $87,010, while Ethereum was trading at $2,927. It’s important to remember that Cryptocurrencies trade 24/7/365.
24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports daily to identify new investment ideas for both investors and traders. Some of these daily analyst calls cover stocks to buy. Other calls cover stocks to sell or avoid. Remember that no single analyst call should ever be used as a basis to buy or sell a stock.
Here are some of the top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
Upgrades:
- Ally Financial Inc. (NYSE: ALL | ALLY Price PredictionY) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Wells Fargo and lifted the target price for the stock to $52 from $45.
- FactSet Research Systems Inc. (NYSE: FDS) was raised to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley, which bumped the target price for the shares to $307 from $293
- Guidewire Software Inc. (NYSE: GWRE) was upgraded to Buy from Neutral at DA Davidson, which has set a $246 target price objective.
- Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies, which raised the target price on the shares to $179 from $156
Downgrades:
- Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Jefferies, which dropped the price target to $154 from $170.
- CyberArk Software Ltd. (NASDAQ: CYBR) was cut to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan, which raised the target price for the shares to $474 from $443.
- Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT) was downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan, which cut the target price on the stock to $75 from $85.
- MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) was cut to Equal Weight from Overweight at Barclays, which trimmed the target price to $38 from $42.
Initiations:
- Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ: HOOD) was initiated with a Buy rating at Truist Securities with a $155 target price objective.
- Salesforce Inc. (NYSE: CRM) was started with a Buy rating at BTIG, which set a $335 target price for the shares.
- ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE: NOW) was started with a Buy rating at BTIG
- Shake Shack Inc. (NYSE: SHAK) was initiated with a Buy at Freedom Capital with a $120 target price.
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks