Closing Bell: Markets Advance as Holiday Cheer Lifts Sentiment

Key Points

• U.S. equities opened the holiday-shortened week on a positive note, with the Russell 2000 leading gains.
• Paramount Skydance reiterated its $30-per-share all-cash offer for Warner Bros. Discovery, backed by Larry Ellison’s $40.4 billion personal financing guarantee.
• Nvidia signaled plans to begin shipping H200 AI chips to China by mid-February, pending regulatory approval.

Markets moved higher to kick off the holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 (SPX) gained 0.64%, the Nasdaq-100 (NDX) advanced 0.46%, and the Russell 2000 (RUT) outperformed, finishing up 1.16%. Materials, Financials, and Industrials led the advance, while Consumer Staples lagged.

Paramount Skydance Updates All-Cash Offer

Paramount Skydance (PSKY) reiterated its all-cash offer to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) for $30 per share, valuing the transaction at 100% ownership of the company. Larry Ellison also committed to an irrevocable $40.4 billion personal guarantee to support the financing and cover any potential deal-related damages.

Nvidia Prepares for H200 China Sales

According to a Reuters report, Nvidia (NVDA) has informed several Chinese customers that it plans to begin shipping H200 AI chips by mid-February, pending regulatory approval. Initial volumes are expected to come from existing inventory and could total between 40,000 and 80,000 H200 chips. Nvidia may expand production capacity in the second half of next year, depending on order activity in Q2 2026.

Key Market Events for Tomorrow

• 08:30 AM: Prelim GDP
• 08:30 AM: Durable Goods Orders
• 08:30 AM: Prelim GDP q/q
• 09:15 AM: Capacity Utilization Rate
• 09:15 AM: Industrial Production 
• 10:00 AM: CB Consumer Confidence
• 10:00 AM: Richmond Manufacturing Index
• 04:30 AM: API Weekly Statistical Bulletin

Notable Earnings for Tomorrow

• Premarket: N/A
• Postmarket: LMNR

This material is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered a personalized recommendation or investment advice. Investors should review investment strategies for their own particular situations before making any decisions.

Schwab Network is brought to you by Charles Schwab Media Productions Company (“CSMPC”). CSMPC is a subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation and is not a financial advisor, registered investment advisor, broker-dealer, or futures commission merchant.

Charles Schwab Media Productions Company and all third parties mentioned are separate and unaffiliated, and are not responsible for one another's policies, services or opinions.

Data contained herein is obtained from what are considered reliable sources. However, its accuracy, completeness, or reliability cannot be guaranteed. All events and times listed are subject to change without notice.