Author: Timothy St. John

Timothy St John is a seasoned financial analyst and writer, catering to the dynamic landscapes of the US and European markets. Boasting over a decade of extensive freelance writing experience, he has made significant contributions to reputable platforms such as Yahoo!Finance, business.com: Expert Business Advice, Tips, and Resources - Business.com, and numerous others. Timothy's expertise lies in in-depth research and comprehensive coverage of stock and cryptocurrency movements, coupled with a keen understanding of the economic factors influencing currency dynamics. Timothy majored in English at East Tennessee State University, and you can find him on LinkedIn.

Natural Gas up Nearly 10% As LNG Exports Surge

Posted on by Timothy St. John

LNG plants in the United States recorded close to record levels of exports, pushing natural gas prices to $4.3/MMBtu after the price had dropped to its lowest point in seven weeks.

Production of natural gas is expected to fall below the level of demand this winter.
Production of natural gas is expected to fall below the level of demand this winter.

Optimistic reports of LNG outflows spurred gas prices in the United States with an increase to 18.5 bcfd by December 23rd. Already, November’s record has been broken, and analysts expect LNG exports to continue to grow through the coming months.

Natural gas prices in the United States are now up by 9.45% for the day and rising on the overwhelmingly positive sentiment. Prices may be kept in check, however, by the warmer temperatures this week that will hold back demand during a period when demand is typically very high.  

High Inventory Fights against Winter Robust Demand

Natural gas futures for the United States should continue to rise but not as high as they would have if the inventory levels were lower. Inventory reports show levels above the five-year average and yet demand through the winter season is expected to outpace production. Those inventory levels will be dropping but not as low as they usually are for this time of year.

Winter weather should bring with it plenty of demand for natural gas, though, as cold weather is expected to dominate the United States in January. Anticipation for that rising demand is part of why gas prices are so high, and any further weather updates that include even more cold weather should spike the price further.

On Tuesday, natural gas futures rose to November highs and could still climb higher. Through the winter season, we expect prices to rise further, especially as inventory numbers dwindle and demand increases. Another warm spell, however, may tank the prices temporarily, but forecasters anticipate a cold winter to set in immediately after the current warmer temperatures disappear.

The bullish trend for gas futures is hindered by warm weather for now, but forecasters do not expect that to last, and cold weather coming in from Canada and the northern United States should quickly raise prices in the next few weeks. This winter is off to a slow start, but investors should anticipate rising prices through January. 

 

UBS Bank Expects Tesla Stock to Dive 48%

Posted on by Timothy St. John

Tesla (TSLA) stock is at $485 after dropping 0.84% from the previous day, but investment bank UBS anticipates it will fall much further and set a price target at $247.

Tesla stock could be in for a rough 2026, according to UBS.
Tesla stock could be in for a rough 2026, according to UBS.

UBS says investors should sell their Tesla stock, as they expect the price to tank in the coming weeks. Their price target is 48% below the current price per share, and they have also downgraded their expectations for vehicles delivered for Tesla’s 4th 2025 quarter.

Previously, UBS expected that Tesla would deliver around 129,000 vehicles for the 2025 Q4, but they dropped that to 415,000 recently. Tesla is trading well above UBS’ price target- a target which is far more bearish than the broad average that rides the line between holding and selling the stock.

Tesla’s Recent Performance Might Be Too Optimistic

Like much of the stock market, Tesla stock is performing well and is far higher now than it was a month ago. The company is seeing their stock climb on improved AI market sentiment as well as consumer confidence in the economy. The recent Federal Reserve interest rate decision has also bolstered the market and emboldened investors to take some chances they were not willing to take in November.

Historically, Tesla tends to perform better than Wall Street expectations, and they will have a chance to do so again on January 2nd when they release their fourth-quarter numbers for 2024. Analysts are worried, though, that Tesla has climbed too quickly and too high in recent weeks, gaining 15.7% over the last month. That stellar performance has been in spite of waning EV sales and a somewhat sluggish stock market.

At last count, Tesla inventory was sitting at record levels, and their vehicle sales were missing the company’s sales targets for the year. Electric vehicles sales were up early on in the year for the market overall but low for Tesla. As the year progressed, EV sales fell, with the broader market matching Tesla’s poor sales performance.

However, Tesla has been pivoting for months now, focusing on a robotaxi launch in several major cities around the United States and pushing their plans for new vehicles, a cheaper EV option, and new AI technology. With the robotaxi service showing some success, Tesla now has to prove that they can increase EV sales and make their new AI tech work as promised.

 

 

Stocks End the Day High as the S&P 500 Nears New Record; Santa Clause Rally Next?

Posted on by Timothy St. John

On Monday, U.S. stock futures ended the day high for the third session in a row and then started off Tuesday with a small uptick above the flatline.

Technology stocks are climbing back after several rough weeks.
Technology stocks are climbing back after several rough weeks.

Hopes for a Santa Clause rally may be unfounded at this point, but the stock market is elevated, with the S&P 500 likely to set a new record on Tuesday. Upcoming economic data could give the market a year-end boost, including Q3 GDP and New Residential Sales slated for later in the day.

The S&P 500 is now just 0.3% away from a new record, which it is likely to hit on Tuesday. The stock market has soared so high this year and set so many records that there is less chance of a major rally happening before 2025 is over, but we should continue to see elevated levels across the market.

Minor Rally Expected as Year Closes Out

Several factors are helping keep the stock market moving upward including a lower than expected inflation rate. The rate slowed to 2.7%, which was much lower than anticipated. The declining inflation numbers are partially due to a lack of collection data for October and November during the government shutdown. Inflation was also lower because of decreasing shelter costs which were up by 0.2% between September and November.

The overall stock market level is also helped by a recent tech rally. Over the past few days of trading, selling pressure has eased significantly for major technology stocks, including Nvidia (NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Broadcom (AVGO), and others. All of these stocks have suffered since early November from elevated fears over the future of the AI market. But after positive quarterly earnings and several days of good news for the industry, investor sentiment is shifting in a big way.

Poor technology stock performance drove down Nasdaq’s numbers through much of November and early December, but this recent reversal has helped the Nasdaq Composite index climb back up to a level just below its all-time high. All three indices are looking to end the year very high, especially in comparison to the spring drop off that was brought on by high tariffs. With most tariff concerns in the rearview mirror at this point, the market is free to move forward and set a few new records before the year is up.

 

 

Advanced Micro Devices Climbs 18% on Minor Tech Rally

Posted on by Timothy St. John

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock gained more than 18% since Thursday when tech stocks began surging, and the company’s stock continued to climb on Monday with a 0.3% gain.  

AMD stock is bullish and is crushing fears over AI's profitability,
AMD stock is bullish and is crushing fears over AI’s profitability,

Now part of a wider tech rally, AMD is still surging, holding onto its gains from last week and benefitting from excellent investor sentiment. The company shared new data on chip demand that gave the stock a boost, and they also reported on their growth targets in AI development.

Consumer fears over the AI market and its profitability have tanked tech stocks in recent weeks, but those fears seem to be disappearing as more companies share their excellent revenue reports. AMD has been among those that are changing the narrative for the AI market thanks to 70% stock growth in 2025.

AMD’s Excellent Year Is Only Slightly Marred by AI Fears

Over the last 12 months, AMD stock has gone from $125 per share to its current $213, and they are one of several leading AI-related stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom that have performed well throughout the year. Even though the past two months have seen stock values dip for AI-focused tech stocks, these stocks have not moved in a steep decline but have instead leveled off and shown signs of recovery.

Lots of insider selling activity has taken place within AMD over the past three months, with the company’s CEO selling $40.25 million worth of shares in that period. In smaller companies, such a selloff might trigger a rash of fears and widespread shareholder panic, but for AMD, it appears to be a simple matter of management divesting themselves of stocks for personal profit.

There is no indication that AMD is at a critical point where selling off the stock is the best option. Selling pressure is low now as tech stocks have been swept up in a minor rally. AMD has secured orders for memory chips  its MI300 and MI350 AI accelerators for the next few years. They are obviously anticipating excellent demand for a growing market, and investors should have nothing to worry about when it comes to the AI market imploding. There is too much interest and exceptional growth to count the market out just yet.

AMD has soundly secured its place behind AMD in the AI GPU processing market, and they offer a very cost-effective alternative to Nvidia’s powerhouse chips, catering to customers who want affordable options. This positions AMD with a customer base that should continue to grow the AI market even when companies are cutting back and working hard to keep costs low to ensure profitability. 

 

Bitcoin Rally to $90K Draws New BTC Price Predictions

Posted on by Timothy St. John

Bitcoin (BTC) jumped 2.24% over the last day, reaching $90,172 (BTC/USD), which is right at the critical resistance level for the coin over the last two months.

Bitcoin is back at the $90K level this week.
Bitcoin is back at the $90K level this week.

Bitcoin is back at $90K but may not be there for long. Every time the coin surfaces above that level in recent weeks, it does not stay there, and we could see it plummet quickly as selling pressure kicks in.

This could also prove to be a turning point, though, and Bitcoin could get caught up in a Santa Clause rally that often happens at this time of year. The stock market is slightly bullish right now, with tech stocks recovering from weeks of bearish movement, and the economy is ripe for a Bitcoin resurgence.

Increased Holiday Trade Volume Could Push Bitcoin Much Higher

Around the holidays, cryptocurrency trading tends to heat up, and last December saw Bitcoin move from $94K to $99K and then to $102K between Christmas and New Year. Hovering around $90K right now, Bitcoin is at a critical point that could lead to a swift upswing or a push back down to the bottom.

If bears prevail, the coin could face a key support level at $80K and then may drop to its April low of $76K. Bitcoin is currently below its 50-day moving average, and market metrics point toward increased selling pressure. As Bitcoin holds close to its highest level in weeks, bears could easily take over and drive the coin back down.

$90K has been a crucial battleground for the coin over the past few weeks, and we may see intense trading take place this week around that level. Investors who wait too long to act could see their gains disappear, but there is the possibility that the market will shift Bitcoin in the other direction.

Currently, the stock market is looking slightly bullish, and that can often drive Bitcoin higher. There is also the factor of the new interest rate cut for the Fed to consider, as well as the fact that inflation has cooled and consumer prices are not as high as expected for the most recent reading. These factors create a nearly perfect storm for Bitcoin and the wider cryptocurrency market to surge, but because this market has performed so poorly in recent months, that low investor sentiment may hurt the coin’s momentum and keep it back from overcoming the $90K resistance level. 

 

Elon Musk Now Worth $600 Billion after Early SpaceX Valuation

Posted on by Timothy St. John

The public offering for SpaceX has climbed to $800 billion ahead of its entry to the stock market, making CEO Elon Musk even richer and propelling him to a $677 billion net worth.

SpaceX's value is massively increasing ahead of its public offering.
SpaceX’s value is massively increasing ahead of its public offering.

SpaceX’s valuation ahead of its public offering just shot up from $400 billion to $800 billion, adding to Musk’s net worth and helping him achieve the remarkable milestone of becoming the first person to have more than $600 billion in net worth.

SpaceX should be available for investors to trade in 2026, and the company is aiming for an initial valuation of $1.5 trillion. If that happens, then Musk may reach trillionaire status.

Why SpaceX Is Going Public

In the next year, SpaceX is set to be publicly traded, and that would give Musk and SpaceX significant capital to work with. The company needs those funds to finance new projects like creating AI-powered satellites that can reach escape velocity from the moon without needing to use rockets. The company also has plans to place satellite factories on the moon and develop an electromagnetic railgun. These endeavors would have been thought impossible years ago, but SpaceX may pull them off in the next few years, with enough capital.

SpaceX is responsible for launching more than 160 rockets in 2025, which places it well above all other companies and countries around the world for rocket launches this year. The company’s satellite arm Starlink has placed upwards of 9,000 satellites in space.

Revenue for SpaceX is growing at a rate of about 50% per year, which could easily take it to around $23 billion in earnings by 2026. The company has kept up that pace for years now, and they are well on their way to becoming the largest public offering of all time. For years, SpaceX has been reporting that it is a cash flow positive company, which stands out among other space companies that tend to lose money due to their high development costs. Musk’s company is certainly on track to have an exceptional public offering, and the company’s future projects have potential investors excited. 

 

Short Holiday Week Starts Off with Nasdaq Climbing 0.5%

Posted on by Timothy St. John

The stock market is positive in early morning trading for Monday, with the Nasdaq up 0.5%, and the S&P 500 adding 0.4%, but these indices may have trouble maintaining momentum.

Stock indices are slightly up today after a surge on Friday.
Stock indices are slightly up today after a surge on Friday.

All three major U.S. stock indices climbed slightly on Monday at the start of a shortened holiday week of trading. The Dow added 0.1%, continuing its low level increases from last week, while the Nasdaq added to Friday’s 1.38% increases with another 0.5%.

The small upward movement is not enough for analysts to say that the market is bullish or that a tech rally is imminent. Nor do we anticipate a Santa Claus rally in these last few days before the Christmas holiday. Instead, muted market movement continues after a mixed week of stock trading.

Artificial Intelligence Stocks Now Performing Better

Investors’ sentiment over AI stocks appears to have shifted, with Oracle (ORCL) up 2% in premarket trading Monday, continuing its sharp uptick from Friday. This bullish shift came after TikTok negotiated to sell its U.S. operations to Oracle and Silver Lake, who will run the company stateside in a joint operation.

Nvidia (NVDA) continues to recover after suffering under intense AI market fears for weeks. The company is benefiting from new U.S. trade legislation that will allow the company to sell its high end processing chips, the H200s, to China if they pay the United States a 25% fee. Nvidia added 2.1% in remarket trading and has been bullish since Thursday last week.

Even Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is looking better this week as AI fears begin to subside. The company’s stock is up 1.46% in premarket trading for Friday and is part of a larger bullish tech shift that began on Thursday last week. Investors may be growing more confident in AI-related stocks, and analysts are still bullish about this tech niche where future growth is concerned.

Micron Technology (MU) has been one of the better performing tech stocks recently, with gains of 6% on Friday and another 2.78% on Monday. The company provides digital storage and surpassed Wall Street expectations during its latest quarterly earnings report which showed a revenue increase of 60% from the previous year.

 

 

Natural Gas Ends Rebound Quickly and Falls to Seven-Week Low

Posted on by Timothy St. John

On Thursday, U.S. natural gas futures rose 3% from the previous day’s dip but then swiftly fell again to hit their lowest point in seven weeks at $3.9/MMBtu.

Natural gas is lower than it was yesterday as warm weather is expected.
Natural gas is lower than it was yesterday as warm weather is expected.

The natural gas market did not expect very high prices this week with the warm weather forecast, but a small reprieve was granted on Thursday as prices rose. However, with rising temperatures expected through Christmas, the prices dropped once more on expectations of falling demand.

Brent crude oil is up marginally by 0.56% to $60.13, and WTI crude oil futures are at $55.8 per barrel, a drop from the previous day. Prices across the globe are dropping now, with the United States and China seeing about a 20% decrease in oil prices for the year so far.

Lower Inventory Withdrawals Than Expected

The latest report from the EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) showed that inventories for the United States are around 0.9% higher than the average for the past five years. That is an improvement over where they were earlier in the year when there was a substantial inventory surplus.

Withdrawals were reported for the week ending on December 12th, showing that 167 bcf was taken from storage. That number was just below expectations but in line with a year of slow withdrawal and hefty injections. The EIA reported deliveries to the eight major United States LNG facilities for export, totaling 18.6 Bcf/d.

Natural gas’ short-lived rebound is on par with this warmer than normal winter period. Freezing temperatures were reported last weekend in many parts of the United States, but the cold fronts have been pushed back by broad warm weather patterns that are expected to last through Christmas. With higher than normal inventories and a weak demand at the moment in the U.S. for natural gas, prices should remain low for the next few days.

For 2026, the global market should expect the United States to remain as the top producer for natural gas thanks to increased export capacity. The U.S. boasts two new facilities for export- the Golden Pass LNG and the Plaquemines LNG, both of which are planning to increase production in the coming year. 

 

Bitcoin to Hit $65K in 2026, Says Fidelity Investments

Posted on by Timothy St. John

According to Jurrien Timmer, the director of global macro research for Fidelity Investments, 2026 could be a rough year for Bitcoin (BTC) with a bottom of around $65K.

Bitcoin price predictions call for a drop to $65,000 next year.
Bitcoin price predictions call for a drop to $65,000 next year.

In October of 2025, Bitcoin hit an all-time high, but it may be well into a cooling phase that lasts through much of the coming year, according to some analysts. Most experts agree that Bitcoin will remain bullish over the long term, perhaps hitting the million dollar mark in a few years, but 2026 may not be very good for account holders who were expecting the coin to set a new high.

[[BTC/USD]]

Timmer of Fidelity Investments said on X that the coin might have peaked in October and could halve in the coming months as it goes through a lengthy cycle. His expectation is that Bitcoin will bottom out in 2026 somewhere between $65K and $75K.

Historical Data May Point to a Low year for Bitcoin

Now valued at $88,019 (BTC/USD), Bitcoin has had a tough time getting back above $90K, much less $100K. It seems that every time the coin makes a little upward progress, it retreats and then loses what gains it made. Bitcoin has not managed to stay above $90K for any appreciable length of time since early November.

If Bitcoin is going through a winter period, then 2026 may be very cool in terms of its upward progress. A crypto winter is a very broad term that has no fixed percentage of decline or fixed length. It indicates a time when cryptocurrency prices remain lower, similar to a bear market.

Bitcoin has had these cold winter periods before, and we saw one of them last from 2022-2023. If history repeats itself, then much of 2026 could be cold for Bitcoin and could see prices below $100K for much of the year. Not all analysts agree that cryptocurrency goes through a four-year cycle, even a coin as scrutinized and closely tracked as Bitcoin. The cycle from 2022-23 could be a fluke rather than something that set a precedent.

It does appear that Bitcoin is in an extended low period, though, and even changing federal regulations and numerous whale purchases have not helped the coin regain a foothold above $90K recently. The market may be in for an extended bearish period that needs some time before the market shifts. 

 

Stock Market Ticks Higher on Surprisingly Cool Inflation Data

Posted on by Timothy St. John

U.S. stock futures rose higher on Friday after the Consumer Price Index showed that inflation is cooling at an unexpected rate, and we expect the market to make significant gains for the day.

The stock market is up today after better than expected inflation data.
The stock market is up today after better than expected inflation data.

CPI data was more positive than expected, leading to a slight uptick in stock futures for Friday morning in early trading. The Dow Jones stayed mostly flat, while the S&P 500 added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.4% after making significant gains the previous day.

Jobs data finally came in this week as well after being held back by the extended government shutdown. Investors should be aware that the data shown this week on employment may not be up to date, and a better reading will be available in January once the traditional employment data has been collected.

Stocks Expected to Surge on Inflation Reading

Inflation has cooled for core CPI, which covers consumer prices outside of energy and food costs. The increase for this metric over the last 12 months was expected to be about 3%, but it came in at a reading of 2.6%. The wider consumer price index was also lower than expected, reading at 2.7% rather than the anticipated 3.1%.

This means that inflation is lower than expected, cooling at an appreciable rate, and that could lead to a stock market upswing very quickly. With lower inflation and reduced interest rates from the Federal Reserve, the stock market has the opportunity to hit all-time highs in the coming week.

Tech stocks may still be sticky, however, with fears over AI profitability weighing down a number of key stocks this week and in previous weeks. However, Nvidia (NVDA) reclaimed some of its gains with a 1.87% increase on Thursday and then an additional 0.92% increase on Friday in premarket trading. Despite the highest market cap of any company in the world, Nvidia has struggled to keep its stock high through December as investors worry that AI companies are spending more than they are earning.

Stock indices remain low overall for the week, even with a bump Friday morning. The S&P 500 lost about 1% for the week, as did the Nasdaq Composite. That could change by the end of trading for Friday, though. The normal Santa Clause rally that the stock market tends to see this time of year does not appear to be happening. The Dow is slightly up for the moth but down for the week as well. We will see if Friday will end on a high note as CPI data and inflation numbers are processed by investors and analysts.