Stock Market Summary – December 17, 2025

Prediction markets are estimated to reach a trillion dollars in annual trading volume by 2030 according to Eilers & Krejcik’s report. The growth of prediction markets will be driven by sports, which is predicted to represent 44% of the long-run volume. Companies such as Robinhood are offering additional prediction market features, in anticipation of competing with traditional sportsbooks.

In political news, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stated that the Federal Communications Commission is “not formally … independent”, a statement which has been met with criticism. Continued threats to networks over their content have led to questions over the FCC’s independence, status, and role in preserving free speech.

In regard to stocks, Nike’s shares have been down 12.2% year-to-date despite efforts to turn the company around. The apparel giant will release its earnings later this week. Billionaire fund manager Ron Baron has praised financial sector companies MSCI and FactSet, predicting strong futures for both. However, MSCI has not been performing well in the recent bull run, with its shares having dropped 8% over the past year. Elsewhere, medical supply firm Medline’s IPO opened 30% higher than its IPO price, setting it up to be the largest IPO of 2025.

The stock market itself witnessed a 3% increase in Tesla shares, marking both a new intraday and closing high. However, it wasn’t all positive news. ServiceNow shares tumbled, but this has been viewed as a potentially attractive entry point for investors by Bernstein. Unemployment rates have reportedly risen whilst the S&P 500 logged its third losing day.

Several other companies to note include Oracle, Jabil, Paramount, Texas Pacific, and Apple; the last of which plans to launch the next generation of its AI voice assistant Siri in 2026. It’s been observed that prices for iconic Birkin and Kelly bags are falling, likely due to the impact of inflation and a slowed labor market.