S&P 500 closes at another fresh record in holiday-shortened session: Live updates

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. NYSE The S&P 500 rose to a new all-time high on Wednesday, coasting to another record close. The broad market index advanced 0.32%, ending the session at 6,932.05. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 288.75 points, or 0.60%, and also posted a closing … Read more

Free streaming service Tubi is rivaling major players for viewership. Here’s how it’s winning

Thomas Fuller | Lightrocket | Getty Images Tubi hit profitability this year doing what other streaming services are trying to: attract younger audiences who are willing to sit through ads. The Fox Corp.-owned free streaming platform has long been among a sort of second tier of streaming services alongside lower-budget and less popular offerings like … Read more

Amazon faces ‘leader’s dilemma’ — fight AI shopping bots or join them

Thos Robinson | Getty Images Amazon CEO Andy Jassy could see how dramatically artificial intelligence was altering e-commerce. In June, he told employees that AI agents will start to infiltrate aspects of everyday life, “from shopping to travel to daily chores and tasks.” Four months later, Jassy said on an earnings call that Amazon expects to partner with third-party agents, and has … Read more

H-1B visa applicants face more disruptions amid social media checks and wage protection rules

H-1B applicants face a challenging year ahead as political pushback to the visas is reinforced with a slew of actions from the U.S. administration. On Monday, the U.S. Embassy in India posted on X that since Dec. 15, it has started conducting online presence reviews of all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants in a bid … Read more

Stock futures are little changed after S&P 500 notches three-day win streak: Live updates

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Monday, Dec. 22, 2025. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images Stock futures traded near the flatline Monday night after a strong start to a shortened trading week. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 9 … Read more

AI was behind over 50,000 layoffs in 2025 — here are the top firms to cite it for job cuts

Sad female worker carrying her belongings while leaving the office after being fired Isbjorn | Istock | Getty Images Layoffs have been a defining feature of the job market in 2025, with several major companies announcing thousands of job cuts driven by artificial intelligence. In fact, AI was responsible for almost 55,000 layoffs in the … Read more

I stayed in a $40 capsule hotel as return to office mandates drive workers back to the city

Capsule hotels are a cheap alternative to expensive accomodation in London for office workers. Sawdah Bhaimiya Workers who moved out of London for remote work are under pressure to come back to the office in the city, and some are choosing to stay in Japanese-inspired sleeping pods for just £30 ($40). I travelled to Piccadilly … Read more

Data center deals hit record $61 billion in 2025 as AI valuation risks and funding concerns grip investors

Global data centers dealmaking surged to hit another record high this year, driven by a rush to build out the infrastructure required for energy-intensive AI workloads. That surge came even as investors grew increasingly wary of inflated artificial intelligence valuations and the financing underpinning the rapid expansion of data centers. Global stocks sold off in … Read more

What’s ahead for media in 2026? Anonymous executives make bold predictions

CEO and President of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav and CEO of Paramount Skydance, David Ellison. Mike Blake | Brendan McDermid | Reuters It’s time for everyone’s favorite holiday tradition — CNBC’s annual anonymous media executive predictions! CNBC spoke with 16 of the most powerful and influential executives in U.S. media, sports and entertainment, who … Read more

OpenAI in talks with Amazon about investment that could exceed $10 billion

Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI Inc., during a media tour of the Stargate AI data center in Abilene, Texas, US, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images OpenAI is in discussions with Amazon about a potential investment and an agreement to use its artificial intelligence chips, CNBC confirmed … Read more