Trending Market News

Samsung Electronics' subsidiary Harman will acquire ZF Group's advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) unit for €1.5 billion ($1.8 billion), marking Samsung's aggressive push into the automotive technology sector. The deal strengthens Samsung's position in vehicle electronics as it diversifies beyond smartphones and memory chips into the rapidly growing ADAS market, expected to reach $65.6 billion by 2030.

• The acquisition includes critical ADAS technologies like front-facing vehicle cameras and controllers, complementing Harman's existing audio business to create integrated in-car platforms
• Samsung projects the ADAS and vehicle controller market to grow from 62.6 trillion won ($42.2B) in 2025 to 97.4 trillion won ($65.6B) by 2030
• This marks Samsung's second major acquisition this year following the FlaktGroup cooling systems purchase, as ZF sheds assets amid 14,000 job cuts and high debt burden

A Baltimore jury ordered Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries to pay over $1.5 billion to Cherie Craft, who claimed decades of exposure to asbestos in J&J's talc-based products caused her peritoneal mesothelioma. J&J plans to appeal the verdict, calling it 'egregious' and 'unconstitutional' while maintaining its products are safe and asbestos-free.

• The award includes $59.84 million in compensatory damages plus $1 billion in punitive damages against J&J and $500 million against subsidiary Pecos River Talc
• J&J faces lawsuits from over 67,000 plaintiffs claiming talc products caused cancer and has set aside $11 billion for litigation costs
• The company stopped selling talc-based baby powder in the U.S. in 2020 and globally in 2023, switching to cornstarch alternatives

The FDA approved Novo Nordisk's oral weight-loss pill containing 25mg of semaglutide, marking a significant advance in obesity treatment that could expand the patient base beyond injectable users. The pill will be sold under the Wegovy brand starting in January at $349 per month, positioning Novo to regain market share from rival Eli Lilly in a market projected to reach $150 billion annually by next decade.

• Clinical trials showed 16.6% average weight loss over 64 weeks versus 2.7% for placebo, targeting 40% of American adults who are obese
• Pill addresses injection hesitancy and travel convenience issues, with analysts expecting oral medications to capture about one-fifth of the GLP-1 market
• Novo faces competition from Lilly's orforglipron pill expected in March, which doesn't require the 30-minute fasting period before consumption

Goodman Group and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board have formed a A$14 billion ($9.3 billion) 50-50 joint venture to develop data centers across Europe, marking a major expansion in AI infrastructure. The partnership will initially develop four projects totaling 435 megawatts across Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and Paris, with construction set to begin by June 2026.

• The deal represents 68% of Goodman's A$12.4 billion development portfolio, signaling the company's strategic shift from logistics to AI infrastructure provider
• All four projects have secured power connections and planning permits, with a total IT load capacity of 282 MW to serve tech giants and AI hyperscalers
• Goodman raised A$4 billion earlier this year (Australia's largest capital raising at the time) specifically to fund data center expansion plans

Brazilian oil workers union FUP will accept Petrobras' revised labor offer, ending a week-long strike that began over disputes about retirement fund deficits and compensation changes. The strike affected oil platforms, refineries and biodiesel plants, though Petrobras stated production and market supply remained unaffected.

• FUP's board majority approved accepting Petrobras' counteroffer with 'adjustments' and 'advances on key union demands', pending worker approval
• Strike lasted one week and hit oil platforms, refineries and biodiesel plants across Brazil's state-run oil operations
• Core dispute involved deficit in company retirement fund and proposed changes to employee compensation structure

Mercedes-Benz has agreed to pay $149.6 million to settle allegations of diesel emissions cheating with 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and Washington D.C. The settlement covers approximately 39,565 vehicles that were equipped with software that concealed pollution levels during testing, emitting up to 30-40 times legal limits during normal driving. This agreement effectively concludes Mercedes' U.S. legal issues stemming from the 'dieselgate' scandal that began with Volkswagen in 2015.

• Affected vehicle owners will receive $2,000 payments plus free emissions repairs and extended warranties, with Mercedes paying $120 million immediately to states
• The settlement follows a previous $2.2 billion agreement in 2020 with the U.S. government and 250,000 vehicle owners
• Mercedes maintains the settlement won't impact bottom-line earnings as provisions were already made, though the company still faces potential legal action in other countries including England

Instacart announced it will immediately stop AI-powered pricing tests after a study revealed some shoppers were shown prices up to 23% higher than others for identical grocery items. The company's Eversight tool, which ran secret price experiments without customer knowledge, faced criticism from consumer groups and scrutiny from the FTC, prompting the platform to acknowledge the practice was 'not okay' amid concerns about grocery affordability.

• Consumer Reports study found an average 7% price difference for identical grocery lists, with some variations reaching 23% between different shoppers
• The FTC is investigating Instacart's Eversight pricing tool, which allowed retailers to conduct randomized price tests without shopper awareness
• The reversal adds to growing regulatory concerns about AI-driven pricing tactics including dynamic pricing and personalized pricing based on consumer data

Nelson Peltz's Trian and venture capital firm General Catalyst agreed to acquire asset manager Janus Henderson for $7.4 billion, ending Peltz's five-year activist campaign. The deal reflects broader consolidation in the asset management industry as firms struggle to compete with low-cost index funds from giants like BlackRock and Vanguard.

• The transaction values Janus Henderson at $7.4 billion, with closing expected mid-2026, and includes backing from Qatar Investment Authority and Hong Kong's Sun Hung Kai & Co
• General Catalyst plans to leverage AI technology to reduce middle office costs and boost margins, signaling Silicon Valley's growing role in traditional finance M&A
• The deal highlights accelerating consolidation among active managers, following recent moves by Goldman Sachs investing in T. Rowe Price and Franklin Templeton acquiring Putnam

Italy's competition watchdog fined Apple $115 million for allegedly abusing its market dominance through its app-tracking transparency policy, which requires developers to obtain user consent for data collection. The regulator claims Apple's policy forces developers to request consent twice and unfairly restricts data collection for personalized advertising, harming Apple's commercial partners.

• Apple's app-tracking policy requires a specific prompt for user consent, which Italy says creates a 'double consent' requirement that restricts developers' ability to collect data for personalized advertising
• This marks another regulatory challenge for Apple in Europe, following a €500 million EU fine for Digital Markets Act violations and ongoing scrutiny from Germany's competition watchdog
• Apple maintains its policy protects user privacy and has support from privacy agencies, stating it will appeal the Italian decision

Cosmetics company Coty appointed Procter & Gamble veteran Markus Strobel as interim CEO and board chair, replacing Sue Nabi and Peter Harf effective January 1st. The leadership change comes as Coty conducts a strategic review of its consumer beauty business, with Strobel bringing over 30 years of experience from P&G where he most recently led global skin and personal care.

• The appointment occurs at what Coty calls a 'pivotal moment' during an ongoing strategic review of its Consumer Beauty division
• Strobel retired from P&G in 2024 after three decades, most recently serving as president of global skin and personal care
• The move follows Coty's recent deal with KKR involving $750 million in upfront cash

Hyundai Motor Group announced it will showcase strategies for commercializing AI robotics at the Consumer Electronics Show, where its subsidiary Boston Dynamics will debut next-generation Atlas humanoid robots. The announcement signals Hyundai's push to accelerate the commercial deployment of advanced robotics technology.

• Boston Dynamics will unveil its next-generation Atlas humanoid robots at CES
• Hyundai plans to outline specific strategies for accelerating AI robotics commercialization
• The move represents Hyundai's broader push into robotics following its acquisition of Boston Dynamics

Toyota is recalling 55,405 vehicles in the U.S. due to improperly tightened bolts inside the inverter, which could cause incomplete contact at the inverter terminal. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall on Tuesday, though a remedy is still under development.

• The recall affects 55,405 Toyota vehicles in the United States market
• The issue involves bolts that may not have been properly tightened during manufacturing, potentially affecting inverter functionality
• Toyota has not yet developed a fix for the problem, according to NHTSA

Neurocrine Biosciences' drug valbenazine failed to meet its primary endpoint in a late-stage trial for dyskinetic cerebral palsy, showing no significant improvement in involuntary movements compared to placebo after 14 weeks. This represents a setback for patients with this condition, as there are currently no approved treatments available.

• The drug, already marketed as Ingrezza for other movement disorders, was being tested in the second most common form of cerebral palsy characterized by uncontrolled movements
• Chief Medical Officer Sanjay Keswani called the results 'disappointing,' highlighting the unmet medical need in dyskinetic cerebral palsy
• Valbenazine is currently approved in the U.S. for tardive dyskinesia and Huntington's disease-related chorea, generating significant revenue for Neurocrine

U.S. gas prices have fallen below $3 per gallon to their lowest levels since 2021, providing relief for nearly 110 million Americans expected to drive during the holiday season. The decline comes as a record 122 million people plan to travel between December 20 and January 1, offering some economic relief amid broader holiday spending concerns.

• Gas prices have dropped 7% from last month and plummeted 43% from mid-2022 peaks near $5 per gallon
• Regional price disparities remain significant, with Hawaii and California above $4 while Oklahoma averages $2.30 per gallon
• Over 40% of Americans plan to spend less this holiday season due to high goods costs, making lower gas prices especially timely

Consumer confidence in the U.S. fell for a fifth consecutive month in December, dropping to 89.1 from 92.9 in November, according to The Conference Board. The decline reflects persistent concerns about job prospects and business conditions, with consumers' assessment of current business conditions turning negative for the first time since September 2024.

• The confidence index of 89.1 came in below economists' expectations of 91.0, marking the fifth straight monthly decline
• Consumer views on current business conditions turned negative for the first time in three months, signaling deteriorating economic sentiment
• November data was revised upward as responses collected after the federal government shutdown ended were more positive than those during the impasse

Howmet Aerospace will acquire aircraft fastener manufacturer Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing (CAM) from Stanley Black & Decker for $1.8 billion in cash, joining a wave of aerospace supplier consolidation. The deal helps Stanley Black & Decker reduce debt while expanding Howmet's aerospace fastener business amid strong demand from Boeing and Airbus backlogs.

• CAM is expected to generate $405-415 million in revenue for 2025, complementing Howmet's existing $1.7-1.8 billion annual aerospace fastener business with significant cost synergy potential
• The transaction follows two similar aerospace fastener deals in recent months: TriMas selling its aerospace unit to Tinicum and KKR divesting Novaria Group to Arcline Investment Management
• Stanley Black & Decker originally acquired CAM for $1.5 billion and will use proceeds to reduce debt as part of its $2 billion cost-cutting program through 2025

Alphabet announced it will acquire clean energy developer Intersect for $4.75 billion in cash plus assumed debt, as tech giants rush to secure power capacity for AI development. The deal includes Intersect's energy and data center projects in development or under construction, addressing the massive electricity demands of generative AI that are straining U.S. power grids.

• Intersect has $15 billion in assets operating or under construction, with projects totaling 10.8 gigawatts expected by 2028 - more than 20 times the Hoover Dam's output
• Google previously invested in Intersect alongside TPG Rise Climate in a $800+ million funding round in December 2023
• Intersect's Texas and California assets will remain independent and not be included in the acquisition, while the company will continue operating separately from Alphabet

Las Vegas Sands CEO Robert Goldstein sold $167 million in stock this month as he retires, bringing his total quarterly sales to $287 million. The divestiture comes as the company's stock hits post-Covid highs, driven by a recovery in Macau gaming revenue and strong performance at its Singapore casino, prompting Goldman Sachs to upgrade shares to Buy with an $80 price target.

• Goldstein has now sold all his vested stock options, with the company citing 'financial diversification purposes' for the sales
• Macau gaming revenue rose 9% this year, with Sands growing its EBITDA 20% year-over-year in Q3 despite having the highest renovation activity
• Goldman Sachs believes Sands could buy back 20-30% of its market cap while maintaining Singapore expansion plans, projecting significant free cash flow growth over the next five years

The U.S. auto safety regulator opened a defect investigation into 179,071 Tesla Model 3 vehicles from model year 2022, citing concerns that emergency door release controls are hidden, unlabeled, and difficult to locate during emergencies. The probe follows a defect petition and comes after multiple fatal crashes where occupants were allegedly trapped inside burning Tesla vehicles due to door handle design issues.

• Tesla's electronic door latches open via buttons rather than traditional handles, with manual releases for emergencies that experts say are not consistently visible or intuitive, especially for rear-seat passengers
• Recent lawsuits include families of five people killed in a Wisconsin Model S crash and two college students killed in a Cybertruck crash, both alleging victims were trapped due to door design flaws
• NHTSA previously opened a separate investigation in September into 174,290 Model Y vehicles over reports of inoperative electronic door handles

Paramount has amended its $77.9 billion hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, with Oracle founder Larry Ellison now providing a personal guarantee for $40.4 billion in equity financing. The move addresses Warner's earlier rejection of the bid as 'illusory' and comes as Warner continues to favor Netflix's $72 billion offer for its studio and streaming assets.

• Ellison agreed to personally guarantee $40.4 billion of equity financing and publish records related to his family trust, addressing Warner's concerns about the credibility of Paramount's financing
• Warner rejected Paramount's original $30 per share bid in favor of Netflix's $27.75 per share offer, viewing the Netflix deal as superior despite the lower price
• The amended bid represents Paramount's attempt to overcome Warner's skepticism about the enforceability and structure of the Ellison family's financial commitment