Wall Street and Broad St. signs are seen as New York Stock Exchange building decorated for Christmas at the Financial District in New York City, United States on December 16, 2020.
Tayfun Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
This is CNBC’s Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.
Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. Here comes Santa Claus?
Technology stocks rebounded to end last week, helping assuage the latest worries about the artificial intelligence trade. The question now is if Santa is coming to town — which, in this case, means Wall Street.
Here’s what to know:
2. Epstein files
This photo illustration taken in Washington, DC, on December 19, 2025 shows redacted documents after the US Justice Department began releasing the long-awaited records from the investigation into the politically explosive case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandel Ngan | AFP | Getty Images
The Justice Department released some of its investigative files tied to sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. The release came on the deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, but it did not include all files as was instructed by the legislation.
The DOJ’s website now has an “Epstein Library” with a search box for keywords in the newly released files. However, CNBC found the search box did not immediately work as intended.
A number of documents were reportedly removed from the Justice Department’s site. A photo featuring President Donald Trump was later reposted after backlash.
3. Job search
Josh Woodward, VP of Google Labs, addresses the crowd during Google’s annual I/O developers conference in Mountain View, California on May 20, 2025.
Camille Cohen | AFP | Getty Images
Google hasn’t been looking far to staff up its AI teams. CNBC’s Jennifer Elias reported that about one-fifth of all AI software engineers hired by the tech giant this year were boomerangs, a term used for ex-employees who return.
That comes as 16-year Google veteran Josh Woodward has taken the helm of Gemini, the crown jewel of Alphabet’s AI ambitions, this year. The 42-year-old Oklahoma native also kept his role managing Google Labs.
Alphabet also made the news this weekend for a different business: its driverless ride-hailing service Waymo. The company had temporarily suspended operations in the San Francisco Bay Area following power outages.
4. (Dis)like
In this photo illustration, iPhone screens display various social media apps on the screens on February 9, 2025 in Bath, England.
Anna Barclay | Getty Images News | Getty Images
C-suite leaders are learning a lesson that their younger, rank-and-file staffers grew up knowing: There’s a dark side to social media.
Executives and founders have been told that active social media usage is good for their personal brands and company awareness. But a growing body of anecdotes over recent years has shown that missteps can leave them — and sometimes the businesses they represent — in hot water.
Still, that doesn’t mean there aren’t benefits to being online, even if the reaction can be negative. How one founder put it to CNBC: “As long as your name is in their mouth, you’re doing something right.”
5. Glow up
While supplements tend to be more popular around New Year’s resolution season, Gruns is hoping its sales get a holiday bump. It’s selling some packs of gummies with a holiday flair, including a Grinch-inspired sour punch flavor.
Courtesy of Gruns
Make room, candy bars. Supplements may be making their way into stockings this year.
The wellness category is slated to gain ground this shopping season, with retailers giving this sector shelf space as consumers make resolutions for the new year. CNBC’s Melissa Repko reported that brands like Grüns and Neom Wellbeing are aiming to win shoppers’ interest this season by selling holiday-themed items.
On the other hand, Microsoft‘s Xbox may not be a hot item under trees as the gaming console remains in a slump. Between company layoffs, studio closures and price increases, CNBC’s Jaures Yip found that some are wondering if the Xbox is finally dead.
The Daily Dividend
Here’s some of the events we’re keeping an eye on this holiday-shortened week:
- Tuesday: Real GDP and consumer confidence data
- Wednesday: Early stock market close for Christmas Eve
- Thursday: Stock market closed for Christmas
CNBC Pro subscribers can see a calendar and rundown for the week here.
— CNBC’s Jonathan Vanian, Julia Boorstin, Laya Neelakandan, Chloe Taylor, Liz Napolitano, Dan Mangan, Sean Conlon, Jennifer Elias, Lora Kolodny, Mike Winters, Melissa Repko and Jaures Yip contributed to this report. Melodie Warner edited this edition.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/22/5-things-to-know-before-the-stock-market-opens.html
