Markets

• Oil falls more than 4% as traders see Trump backing away from Iran strike threats - Concerns about a U.S. strike on Iran had been mounting after Trump vowed to take action against the regime’s crackdown on widespread protests in the country.
• Fed's Goolsbee says inflation could come 'roaring back' if central bank independence goes away - "Anything that's infringing or attacking the independence of the central bank is a mess," Goolsbee told CNBC.
• European chip stocks surge after TSMC posts record fourth-quarter profit; ASML pops 7% - European stocks open broadly higher Thursday as traders digest the latest geopolitical news around Greenland and Iran.
• Trip.com shares plunge over 20% as China opens antitrust probe into Asia's largest online travel firm - In a statement, Trip.com said it would "actively cooperate" with the investigation, and added its business operations remain normal.
• Iran briefly closes airspace as U.S. tensions rise, flights rerouted across region - Iran temporarily closed most of its airspace late Wednesday, forcing airlines to reroute flights as tensions with the United States escalated.
• Asia-Pacific markets trade mixed as investors await Bank of Korea decision - Asia-Pacific markets traded mixed as investors awaited a policy decision from the Bank of Korea.
• Oil falls nearly 2% after Trump signals he could hold off on attacking Iran - Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that "we've been told that the killing in Iran is stopping. It's stopped. It's stopping, and there's no plan for executions."
• Why the stock market keeps shrugging as Trump sows more political chaos - The market rebounded back to all-time highs Monday despite the probe.
• Wholesale inflation was softer than expected, retail sales moved higher in November - Wholesale prices moved up less than expected while consumers kept up a heavy buying pace, according to economic data Wednesday.
• Big Tech is poaching energy talent to fuel its AI ambitions - Hires of energy-related talent by Big Tech was 30% higher in 2025 than pre-AI levels.