Category: Top Stories

With millions of passengers travelling for the Thanksgiving holiday last week, a new U.S. airport screening record has been set by TSA. Here’s a look at the record.

• JETS is gathering positive momentum. Stay ahead of the curve here.

Airport Traffic Record

Along with watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and watching NFL games on Thanksgiving, travelling by plane to family gatherings was a Thanksgiving tradition celebrated in 2025.

TSA reported a record for passengers screened on Nov. 30, the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

“TSA screened about 3,133,924 individuals, the highest number ever in TSA’s history, bringing our Top 10 busiest days all above 3M,” TSA tweeted Monday.

The total passengers screened broke a record of 3,096,797 passengers previously set back in June. All 10 of the busiest airport traffic days in the U.S. have taken place in 2024 or 2025.

Here are the top 10 busiest travel days in the U.S. based on TSA screening data by passengers screened:

1. Nov. 30, 2025: 3,133,924
2. June 22, 2025: 3,096,797
3. Dec. 1, 2024: 3,088,836
4. July 20, 2025: 3,043,973
5. July 6, 2025: 3,041,954
6. July 27, 2025: 3,017,861
7. Oct. 10, 2025: 3,017,612
8. July 7, 2024: 3,013,622
9. May 23, 2025: 3,010,183
10. July 13, 2025: 3,007,773

Along with Sunday’s record, TSA also said more than 18 million passengers were screened from Tuesday, Nov. 25, through Monday, Dec. 1.

Last year saw the Sunday after Thanksgiving (Dec. 1, 2024) rank third all-time among days of screened passengers in the U.S.

Read Also: Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys Continue Thanksgiving Day NFL Tradition: Here’s Why These 2 Teams Always Play On Holiday

Good News for Airline Stocks?

While a record amount of passengers in airports probably meant headaches for those flying to and from family gatherings and the people working for airlines and airports, it could be good news at just the right time for airline stocks.

The new TSA record comes less than a month after the end of the government shutdown. The record 43-day government shutdown saw cuts to flights with shortages of traffic controllers and other employees, who were not getting paid during the federal work stoppage.

Leading U.S. airlines like American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL), Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL), United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ:UAL) and Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE:LUV) could all benefit from the record traffic and likely fully-booked flights.

The airline companies could see disruptions in revenue from the government shutdown and may still end up reporting weaker-than-expected results for the current quarter. The record traffic for Thanksgiving could help offset that weakness.

The major airlines will report quarterly earnings in January.

The US Global Jets ETF (NYSE:JETS), which counts the four airline stocks above as its largest holdings, could benefit from strong earnings results from the companies and positive news for the sector.

The ETF closed up 1.71% to $26.65 on Tuesday, nearing a 52-week high set back in January.

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Photo: Shutterstock

Microchip Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MCHP) shares are rising in extended trading Tuesday after the company raised guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2026.

• MCHP stock is gaining positive traction. Stay ahead of the curve here.

What Happened: After the market close on Tuesday, Microchip Technology updated its revenue and adjusted earnings guidance for the current quarter.

The company now expects revenue for the quarter ending Dec. 31 to come in at the high end of its previously provided guidance of $1.109 billion to $1.149 billion. The semiconductor solutions provider also said it expects adjusted earnings of approximately 40 cents per share, significantly higher than prior guidance of about two cents per share.

“With two months of the quarter behind us, our business is performing better than we expected at the time of our November 6, 2025, earnings conference call. Our bookings activity has remained strong through November with backlog filling in better than expected in the current quarter and growing nicely into the March 2026 quarter,” said Steve Sanghi, president and CEO of Microchip Technology.

The announcement comes as the company prepares to attend the UBS Global Technology and AI Conference on Wednesday.

How To Buy MCHP Stock

By now, you’re likely curious about how to participate in the market for Microchip Technology — be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.

Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of possible trading platforms here. Many will allow you to buy “fractional shares,” which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share.

If you’re looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You’ll need access to an options trading platform or a broker who will allow you to “go short” a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a stock can be found at this resource. Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading — either way it allows you to profit from the share price decline.

MCHP Price Action: Microchip Technology shares were up 1.90% in after-hours, trading at $57.79 at the time of publication on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro.

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Papa John’s International, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) shares rose Wednesday after the company revealed a major refranchising move.

The firm said longtime franchisee Pie Investments took over 85 stores formerly run by Colonel’s Limited, LLC, and committed to launching 52 more outlets by 2030.

The acquired restaurants cover markets around Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Pie Investments now runs over 150 Papa John’s restaurants. The group said it aims to own 250 total outlets by 2030.

Also Read: This Domino’s Pizza Rival Is Beginning To Falter: Momentum Score Dips

The prior operator, Colonel’s Limited, LLC, traced its partnership with Papa John’s back to 1993.

Its leadership built a strong reputation by embracing early digital ordering and fueling pizza delivery growth.

Papa John’s paid tribute to that legacy as it handed control to Pie Investments.

Leadership’s Take On Expansion

“Chris Patel’s growth mindset and entrepreneurial spirit are exactly the qualities Papa John’s is looking to emphasize among our franchisees,” said Ravi Thanawala, the company’s CFO and North America president. Thanawala praised Patel’s track record in acquiring restaurants and boosting profitability.

“Papa John’s well-known commitment to quality continues to make the brand an attractive investment for entrepreneurs,” said Chris Patel, COO and partner at Pie Investments. He added the team plans to leverage enhanced tools to improve operations and deliver better experiences to pizza lovers.

Strategic Significance

This refranchising deal underscores Papa John’s focus on expanding its footprint through trusted operators.

The plan should accelerate growth, especially in key Northeast and Mid-Atlantic hubs. It also lets Papa John’s tap franchisee expertise while scaling up more efficiently.

Investors in pizza chains may now also watch Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) and Yum! Brands Inc. (NYSE:YUM).

Recent Earnings

Earlier this month, the company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 32 cents, missing the analyst consensus estimate of 41 cents.

For fiscal 2025, the company expects systemwide sales to rise 1% to 2% (previously 2% to 5%).

North American comparable sales are expected to be down 2% to 2.5% (previously flat to up 2%).

Price Action: PZZA shares were trading higher by 0.58% to $41.44 premarket at last check Wednesday.

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Image by Retail Photographer via Shutterstock

Copper prices are set for further gains in 2026. Tightening supply, widening market deficits, and mine disruptions all amplify concerns about the metal’s long-term availability. UBS is the latest bank to upgrade the yearly outlook, warning that persistent operational setbacks and falling inventories are now exerting a decisive influence on the market.

In a note published Friday, UBS raised its March 2026 copper target by $750 per metric ton to $11,500, while lifting its June and September forecasts by $1,000 each to $12,000 and $12,500.

The bank also introduced a new December 2026 target of $13,000 per ton. The revisions come alongside sharply higher deficit projections: UBS now anticipates a 230,000-ton shortfall in 2025 and a 407,000-ton deficit in 2026—both several times larger than earlier estimates—as refined output growth slows to just 1.2% and 2.2% across the two years.

Also Read: Copper Is The New Gold–Expert Eyes The Strongest Bull Market In 50 Years

UBS cited multiple mine disruptions as a clear sign of tightening supply. This year’s setbacks include lower-than-expected recoveries in Chile and recurring unrest in Peru. Furthermore, operational issues at Freeport-McMoRan’s (NYSE:FCX) Grasberg complex in Indonesia weigh on production.

Freeport’s Delays

The largest domestic copper miner continues to recover from a September mudflow at the Grasberg Block Cave that killed seven workers and halted operations. The expectations are to restart Block Cave in the first quarter of 2026 and produce 478,000 tons of copper cathode. Meanwhile, the initial goal was 700,000. 

Yet the demand continues in the opposite direction. UBS expects global copper consumption to grow by 2.8% in both 2025 and 2026, driven by electric vehicles, renewable energy, grid upgrades, and rapidly expanding data center construction.

The divergence has made copper assets extraordinarily valuable and increasingly difficult to buy. BHP’s (NYSE:BHP) dramatic, last-minute attempt to derail Anglo American’s (OTCQX:AAUKF) planned $53 billion combination with Teck Resources (NYSE:TECK) shows how competitive the race for copper has become.

$100 Billion Budget

Copper’s strategic importance is also reshaping government policy. Securing supplies of copper and other critical minerals has become a matter of national security for the United States, which has unveiled billions in support through multiple agencies.

The largest single source of funding is the U.S. Export-Import Bank (EXIM). The bank plans to invest $100 billion as part of a broader effort to counter Western dependence on China and Russia.

“We can’t do anything else that we’re trying to do without these underlying critical raw material supply chains being secure, stable and functioning,” newly appointed EXIM chair John Jovanovic told the Financial Times.

EXIM has already provided a $1.25 billion loan for Barrick’s (NYSE:B) Reko Diq project in Pakistan, and Jovanovic said the bank is now working on several additional critical-minerals transactions “orders of magnitude larger,” though he offered no further details.

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U.S. stock futures rose on Monday after Friday’s advances. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher.

Optimism among investors is rising following New York Fed President John Williams‘ indication that a rate cut in December is still on the table.

He said in a speech on Friday that “I still see room for a further adjustment in the near term to the target range for the federal funds rate to move the stance of policy closer to the range of neutral.”

Meanwhile, investors await earnings from Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:DELL), HP Inc. (NYSE:HPQ), Deere & Co. (NYSE:DE), Li Auto Inc. (NASDAQ:LI), and others in this Thanksgiving holiday-shortened week.

The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.05% and the two-year bond was at 3.51%. The CME Group’s FedWatch tool‘s projections show markets pricing a 73.5% likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting the current interest rates during its December meeting.

Futures	Change (+/-)
Dow Jones	0.03%
S&P 500	0.30%
Nasdaq 100	0.51%
Russell 2000	0.20%

The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ), which track the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were higher in premarket on Monday. The SPY was up 0.19% at $660.28, while the QQQ advanced 0.37% to $592.25, according to Benzinga Pro data.

Stocks In Focus

Pony AI

• Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ:PONY) rose 2.59% in premarket on Monday as it announced a partnership with ride-hailing platform Sunshine Mobility to build a large-scale autonomous driving fleet.

• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings indicate that PONY maintains a weaker price trend over the short, long, and medium terms. Additional performance details are available here.

WeRide

• WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:WRD) jumped 7.92% as its revenue grew 144.3% year-over-year to $24.0 million and gross profit rose 1,123.9% YoY to $7.9 million in the third quarter.

• WRD maintained a weaker price trend over the short, long, and medium terms. Additional performance details, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, are available here.

Alphabet

• Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) gained 2.38% after it surpassed Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:MSFT) in market value on Friday, following the launch of Gemini 3 and Nano Banana last week.

• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings shows that GOOG maintains a stronger price trend over the short, medium, and long terms, with a strong quality ranking. Additional information is available here.

Zoom Communications

• Zoom Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:ZM) was 0.52% higher ahead of its earnings expected to be released after the closing bell. Wall Street expects earnings of $1.21 per share on revenue of $1.21 billion.

• It maintained a weaker price trend over the short, medium, and long terms, with a strong growth ranking. Additional performance details, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, are available here.

Keysight Technologies

• Keysight Technologies Inc. (NYSE:KEYS) was up 0.45% as analysts expect it to report earnings of $1.77 per share on revenue of $1.39 billion after the closing bell.

• KEYS maintained a weaker price trend over the short term but a strong trend in the medium and long terms, with a poor value ranking. Additional performance details, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, are available here.

Cues From Last Session

Communication services, health care, materials, consumer discretionary, and real estate sectors led the gains on Friday as all sectors ended in green.

Index	Performance (+/-)	Value
Nasdaq Composite	0.88%	22,273.08
S&P 500	0.98%	6,602.99
Dow Jones	1.08%	46,245.41
Russell 2000	2.80%	2,369.59

Insights From Analysts

Prominent economic and market voices are sounding alarms regarding U.S. stability, highlighting risks from market concentration and policy choices.

Investor Ruchir Sharma argues that “American exceptionalism” is peaking, warning that “America is now one big bet on AI.” With AI capital expenditure driving 40% of growth, Sharma contends this “maniacal focus” conceals deep fiscal vulnerabilities.

He observes that while investors currently offer a “free pass” on deficits, the market represents “a good story that’s gone too far.” He cautions that “If the AI boom was not happening, the economy would be weaker,” advising diversification as the “gap of outperformance” closes.

Compounding these structural risks, Moody’s Chief Economist Mark Zandi warns of a “serious affordability crisis.” He argues that specific policies, specifically tariffs and immigration restrictions, are “juicing” inflation.

Zandi notes that “It didn’t have to be this way,” but protectionist measures have “upended that outlook,” pointing toward “even higher inflation dead-ahead.”

While Sharma fears a bubble burst, Zandi emphasizes the burden on consumers, predicting that “tough financial times” will persist for the “foreseeable future.”

The nation is suffering a serious affordability crisis. Prices for many necessities, from groceries to a car, have increased significantly since the pandemic, and most prices continue to rise at an uncomfortably quick pace. Consumer price inflation is near 3%, well above the… pic.twitter.com/x3m6z89Pql

— Mark Zandi (@Markzandi) November 23, 2025

See Also: How to Trade Futures

Upcoming Economic Data

Here’s what investors will be keeping an eye on this week;

• No data is scheduled to be released on Monday.

• On Tuesday, September’s delayed U.S. retail sales, and headline and core PPI will be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.

• September’s S&P Case-Shiller home price index for 20 cities will be released by 9:00 a.m., August’s delayed business inventories data, November’s consumer confidence data, and October’s pending home sales data will be out by 10:00 a.m. ET.

• On Wednesday, the initial jobless claims data for the week ending Nov. 22 and September’s delayed durable-goods orders data will be announced by 8:30 a.m. ET.

• No data is scheduled to be released for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday.

• On Friday, November’s Chicago Business Barometer (PMI) will be released by 9:45 a.m. ET.

Commodities, Gold, Crypto, And Global Equity Markets

Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.43% to hover around $57.56 per barrel.

Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.20% to hover around $4,073.96 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $4,381.6 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.04% lower at the 100.1430 level.

Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) was trading 0.57% lower at $85,875.64 per coin.

Asian markets closed lower on Monday, except Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and Australia’s ASX 200 indices. China’s CSI 300 index. India’s NIFTY 50, Japan’s Nikkei 225, and South Korea’s Kospi indices fell. European markets were mostly higher in early trade.

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Image via Shutterstock

Bitcoin has plunged around 10% to $82,000 over the past 24 hours, pushing liquidations to around $2 billion.

Spot ETFs saw heavy outflows on Thursday, with $903.1 million exiting Bitcoin funds and another $261.6 million flowing out of Ethereum products.

Bitcoin To Witness Sizeable Correction

Glassnode data shows Bitcoin’s realized losses have surged to levels last seen during the FTX collapse, driven largely by short-term holders capitulating.

This rapid spike suggests a widespread washout of weak hands as traders unwind recent positions.

Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez highlighted that Bitcoin’s weekly SuperTrend, historically reliable in spotting major reversals, has flipped bearish again. For over a decade, every bearish flip has preceded a notable BTC correction.

Lennaert Snyder noted Ethereum has fallen to $2,650 and continues to trend downward. The next key resistance sits near $3,200, a rejection there favours fresh short setups, while a reclaim could open the door to $3,530.

ETH is also nearing the $2,580 daily support level, where reversal-long opportunities may emerge. Liquidity remains concentrated higher, keeping focus on longs at support and shorts near resistance.

Crypto trader Don pointed out Solana is now sitting on a major support level.

Cryptocurrency	Ticker	Price
Bitcoin	(CRYPTO: BTC)	$82,227
Ethereum	(CRYPTO: ETH)	$2,685
Solana	(CRYPTO: SOL)	$124.06
XRP	(CRYPTO: XRP)	$1.87

The meme-coin sector was hit even harder, plunging 10.9% and briefly touching a $44.4 billion valuation. Despite the new 21Shares Doge ETF debuting on Thursday, Dogecoin still declined — though trader Tardigrade noted a fresh bullish divergence forming on the daily chart, often an early sign a downtrend is weakening.

Cryptocurrency	Ticker	Price
Dogecoin	(CRYPTO: DOGE)	$0.1306
Shiba Inu	(CRYPTO: SHIB)	$0.057714

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Image: Shutterstock

Bath & Body Works, Inc. (NYSE:BBWI) stock tumbled Thursday after the retailer missed third-quarter expectations and slashed its full-year outlook, a sharp warning that discretionary spending is weakening just as the holiday season begins.

The company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 35 cents, missing the Street view of 40 cents.

Following the results, Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey maintained an Outperform rating on the stock, with a price forecast of $38.

Also Read: Walmart Q3 Earnings: High & Middle Income Consumers Benefit, Inflation In 1% Range, Raises Outlook

Key Metrics

Quarterly sales of $1.594 billion (down 1% year over year) missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.634 billion.

Management said the Disney Villains collection fell short of expectations and the late-October holiday kickoff was “very challenging,” signaling softer-than-hoped consumer demand.

The company’s third-quarter 2025 results included a pre-tax gain of $8 million, or $6 million after tax, from selling a non-core asset.

Gross profit in the quarter under review totaled $658 million, down from $700 million a year ago. Gross profit margin slumped 220 basis points year over year to 41.3%.

The decline was primarily driven by a roughly 260-basis-point drop in merchandise margin, including a ~$35 million tariff hit (~200 bps). Management also cited higher promotional activity to clear seasonal inventory, while B&O leverage improved by 40 basis points thanks to exiting a third-party fulfillment center in the first quarter.

Operating Income was $161 million, lower than $218 million a year ago. Operating margin fell 340 basis points to 10.1%.

“Our third quarter results were below expectations, and we are lowering our outlook for the remainder of the year reflecting current business trends and continuation of recent macro consumer pressures,” said Daniel Heaf, chief executive officer of Bath & Body Works.

Fourth Quarter Outlook

The company expects fourth-quarter sales to decline in the high-single-digit range, citing a very challenging start to the holiday season and weakening macro consumer sentiment.

Early signs point to an intensely competitive holiday environment, and guidance assumes current trends persist, with only a modest impact from new online purchase limits.

International retail sales are expected to rise high-single digits systemwide, with reported net sales up mid-single digits.

Gross profit rate is projected at ~44.5%, pressured by tariffs and elevated promotions. Tariffs alone are expected to hit gross margin by roughly 100 basis points after mitigation efforts.

SG&A rate should be about 24%, reflecting deleverage from softer sales but supported by tight cost controls.

EPS is expected to be at least $1.70, well below the $2.17 consensus estimate, as the company pushes aggressive actions to stabilize performance.

Fiscal 2025 Outlook

The company lowered its full-year outlook following its third-quarter results and softer expectations for the fourth quarter.

The company now expects low-single-digit sales declines and has lowered its adjusted EPS outlook to at least $2.87, well below the earlier $3.35–$3.60 range and the $3.44 consensus estimate.

The company now expects a gross profit rate of roughly 43.3%, including a ~100-basis-point tariff drag after mitigation.

Adjusted SG&A is projected at about 28.3% due to weaker sales, and free cash flow is now estimated at approximately $650 million, reflecting reduced operating performance.

Price Action: BBWI shares were trading lower by 23.62% to $16.15 at last check Thursday.

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Photo by bluestork via Shutterstock

Alphabet Inc.’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) (NASDAQ:GOOG) Google DeepMind is expanding in Singapore with a new research lab to accelerate real-world artificial intelligence applications via advanced research, top regional talent, and direct collaboration with the government.

DeepMind noted Singapore’s ambitious National AI Strategy 2.0, Smart Nation initiatives, and openness to global expertise make the city-state a prime hub for growth in the Asia-Pacific region — the world’s fastest-expanding market.

The new lab will strengthen Gemini development, advance inclusive AI for diverse Asian languages and cultures, and support deployments across Google products and Cloud customers.

Also Read: Google Looks To Germany For AI, Data Center Expansion As Alphabet Commits $6.4 Billion

DeepMind’s team in Singapore — which more than doubled over the past year — will work closely with public agencies, leading universities, and businesses to apply AI in science, cybersecurity, education, and startup innovation.

The company highlighted successful partnerships in Parkinson’s research using AlphaFold, public-sector AI testing with GovTech and CSA, multilingual AI advancements with AI Singapore.

DeepMind’s AGI Ambitions and Industry Challenges

DeepMind has become a key force in artificial intelligence by pushing breakthroughs in deep reinforcement learning and scientific discovery, all while pursuing its goal of building Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) that supports human progress.

In August, DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis warned that inconsistent performance remains a major roadblock to AGI, noting that even top models like Gemini can ace Olympiad-level math yet stumble on simpler problems, and arguing that real progress will demand better testing and tougher benchmarks—not just bigger datasets and more compute.

Analyst Concerns Over Infrastructure and Market Outlook

Bank of America’s Haim Israel warned that AI’s explosive growth is outpacing global infrastructure, arguing that supporting next year’s expected surge in data-center demand would require more land than Singapore and more power than Japan, while also straining water supplies.

He urged the industry to look beyond small, short-term applications and recognize AI’s far broader potential in fields like drug discovery and climate science, even as future technologies such as quantum computing raise resource needs even higher.

Price Action: GOOGL stock was trading higher by 1.43% to $288.34 premarket at last check Wednesday.

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