CNBC Business News Update - Markets Midday: Stocks Struggle To Gain Ground, NHTSA Probes Tesla Door Latches, Activist Investor Takes Aim At Target 12-26-2025

Episode Date: December 26, 2025

The latest in business, financial, and markets news and how it impacts your money, reported by CNBC's Peter Schacknow Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I'm Peter Shacknow's CNBC. Stocks continue to trade in a narrow range in the final day of Wall Street's holiday shortened week. The Dow falling 85 points at 48,646. The S&P 500 is down by five points. The NASDAQ is six points lower. The S&P 500 did hit a record intraday high shortly after the open. The Dow, S&P 500, and NASDAQ are all aiming for a sixth consecutive day of gains. The stock market has been helped this year by an unexpectedly strong economy, particularly in the area of consumer spending.

Jared Bernstein, former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Biden, says he's looking at 2026 with some caution. There are risks to the outlook. The labor market has weakened, and in fact, we've seen wage growth slow, particularly for folks in the bottom half. And if you talk to businesses, they will tell you that most of the spending has been driven by folks at the top. So there's this case-shaped story that I believe is pretty accurate. But you're talking aggregate numbers, and in the aggregate, consumer spending and investment has been strong. Tesla shares are down about 1.5%. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into mechanical door latches on the 2022 version of Tesla's Model 3. The agency has received allegations that the mechanical latch is hidden, unlabeled, and not easy to locate in an

emergency. Shares of target are up 1.7% and are one of the top performers in the S&P 500. The Financial Times reports that the retailer is under pressure from hedge fund Tom's capital management, which has a significant stake and is unhappy over falling sales. Golden Silver have hit a record highs once again today, spurred by Safe Haven buying amid growing global geopolitical tensions. Peter Shack now, CNBC. The Consumer News and Business Channel, CNBC, we're happy we have your attention. and we promise to work hard to keep it.