The Wall Street and Broad Street signs of the New York Stock Exchange Building are seen decorated for Christmas in the Financial District in New York City, USA, on December 16, 2020.
Teyfan Coskun | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
This is CNBC’s Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.
Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.
1. Has Santa Claus come?
Technology stocks ended last week with a rebound that helped ease recent concerns over artificial intelligence trade. The question here is whether Santa is coming to town — and in this case, that means Wall Street.
Here’s what you need to know:
2. Epstein Files
This photo illustration taken in Washington, D.C., on December 19, 2025, shows redacted documents after the U.S. Department of Justice began releasing long-awaited records in the investigation into the politically explosive case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mandel Gunn | AFP | Getty Images
The Justice Department released portions of its investigative file on sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday. The release was made within the deadline set by the Epstein File Transparency Act, but did not include all files required by law.
The Justice Department’s website now features an “Epstein Library” with a keyword search box for newly released files. However, CNBC discovered that the search box did not immediately work as intended.
According to reports, a large number of documents have been removed from the Department of Justice’s website. A photo of President Donald Trump was reposted after receiving backlash.
3. Job hunting
Josh Woodward, vice president of Google Labs, addresses the audience at Google’s annual I/O developer conference on May 20, 2025 in Mountain View, California.
Camille Cohen AFP | Getty Images
google The company hasn’t put much focus on adding staff to its AI team. CNBC’s Jennifer Elias reported that about one-fifth of the AI software engineers hired by tech giants this year were boomerangs (a term used to refer to former employees who return).
This comes after Josh Woodward, a 16-year Google veteran, took the helm earlier this year at Gemini, the crown jewel of Alphabet’s AI ambitions. The 42-year-old Oklahoma native also continued his role managing Google Labs.
Alphabet also made news this weekend for another business, its driverless ride-hailing service Waymo. The company had temporarily suspended operations in the San Francisco Bay Area due to power outages.
4. (dislike)
This photo illustration shows various social media apps on an iPhone screen on February 9, 2025 in Bath, England.
Anna Berkeley | Getty Images News | Getty Images
Executives are learning the lessons that younger rank-and-file employees grew up knowing. That said, social media has a dark side.
Business owners and founders have been told that active use of social media is good for their personal brand and company visibility. But a growing number of anecdotes in recent years show that one misstep can put them, and sometimes the businesses they represent, in trouble.
But even if the reaction is negative, it doesn’t mean there aren’t benefits online. One founder told CNBC: “As long as your name is on their lips, you’re doing something right.”
5. Glow up
Supplements tend to become more popular during the New Year’s resolution season, and Grands expects sales to increase during the holiday season. The company sells several gummy packs to get you in the holiday spirit, including a Grinch-inspired Sour Punch flavor.
Courtesy of Grands
Make space for a candy bar. Supplements may be in your stocking this year.
The wellness category is set to gain momentum this shopping season, with retailers giving it shelf space as consumers make New Year’s resolutions. CNBC’s Melissa Repko reported that brands like Grüns and Neom Wellbeing are aiming to pique shoppers’ interest by selling holiday-themed products this season.
on the other hand, microsoftThe Xbox may not be a popular product due to the continued slump in gaming consoles. CNBC’s Jores Yip found that between company layoffs, studio closures, and price hikes, some are wondering if Xbox is finally done.
daily dividend
Here are some of the events we’re keeping an eye on this holiday-shortened week.
Tuesday: Real GDP and consumer confidence data Wednesday: Stock markets closed early in the morning for Christmas Eve Thursday: Stock markets closed for Christmas
CNBC Pro subscribers can see the calendar and week’s summary here.
— CNBC’s Jonathan Bunyan, Julia Boorstin, Raya Neelakandan, Chloe Taylor, Liz Napolitano, Dan Mangan, Sean Conlon, Jennifer Elias, Laura Kolodny, Mike Winters, Melissa Repko and Jores Yip contributed to this report. Melody Warner edited this version.
