Late Night Market Recap

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  Night.Owl
 
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•  16 Dec 2025
 

•   AEP  
   
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•   AFRM  
   
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•   AKTX  
   
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•   AZN  
   
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•   BUD  
   
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$GOOG Alphabet closed modestly lower amid heavy debate around valuation versus long-term AI leadership. Bulls focused on its dominant position in search, cloud, and applied AI monetization, while bears pointed to stretched multiples and incremental regulatory scrutiny as near-term headwinds.

$KHC Kraft Heinz traded higher after announcing Steve Cahillane as the next CEO, a move the market interpreted as a step toward strategic clarity ahead of a potential split. Investors welcomed leadership continuity and optionality around portfolio simplification.

$HAL Halliburton underperformed as energy services names faced pressure, even as quantitative models continued to flag the stock as fundamentally attractive for value-oriented investors willing to stomach cyclicality.

$CVE Cenovus Energy sold off sharply despite a wave of reiterated Buy and Outperform ratings from major brokerages. The disconnect reflected broader energy sector weakness rather than company-specific deterioration, keeping the undervaluation narrative intact.

$AFRM Affirm surged on strong momentum and elevated options activity, signaling aggressive positioning around consumer spending resilience and the company’s role in buy-now-pay-later adoption.

$KO Coca-Cola slipped slightly as investors balanced its defensive dividend appeal against near-term growth expectations, with long-term holders still leaning on its predictable cash flows and brand strength.

$GIS General Mills traded flat ahead of its upcoming earnings, with the market waiting to see whether recent margin pressures ease and consumer demand trends stabilize.

$CTSH Cognizant moved quietly as investors digested mixed analyst views alongside news of a new multi-year IT services agreement, reinforcing its steady but unspectacular AI-driven transformation.

$AZN AstraZeneca eased despite regulatory wins, including FDA and EU approvals, as traders locked in gains while longer-term growth investors continued to favor its expanding oncology and immunology pipeline.

$LEN Lennar declined after mixed quarterly results and cautious guidance, highlighting ongoing sensitivity to interest rates and housing affordability despite resilient demand pockets.

$AKTX Akari Therapeutics plunged after announcing a $5 million financing, with dilution concerns overwhelming optimism around its oncology pipeline.

$BUD Anheuser-Busch InBev edged lower as analysts reiterated mostly positive ratings, reflecting confidence in long-term upside even as near-term volume trends remain uneven.

$DDOG Datadog held steady as Wall Street maintained a constructive long-term view, betting that its platform breadth can reaccelerate growth after a sharp drawdown.

$HUM Humana fell after reaffirmed EPS guidance missed consensus expectations, reviving concerns around cost pressures in managed care.

$FER Ferrovial traded flat as conflicting analyst recommendations underscored uncertainty around valuation following recent infrastructure asset moves.

$AEP American Electric Power slipped modestly despite a higher price target from JPMorgan, as utilities broadly lagged in a higher-rate environment.

$DLTH Duluth Holdings collapsed after earnings, with revenue misses and guidance concerns overshadowing progress on cost controls and margin improvement.

$INTU Intuit advanced as investors continued to reward its consistent execution and long-term SaaS growth profile, reinforcing its status as a core holding for quality-focused portfolios.

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