Key Points

• Robinhood expands prediction markets: Adding NFL-based contracts and signaling broader ambitions beyond sports, as strong user engagement drives rapid revenue growth and reinforces its push toward becoming a full-service financial platform.
• Waymo seeks major funding: The Alphabet-backed firm is pursuing a $15 billion raise at a potential $110 billion valuation to fuel robotaxi expansion across U.S. cities and into Europe.
• Japan exports rise: Surprising to the upside with the fastest growth in nine months, supported by demand from Europe and the U.S., despite economic contraction and China tensions.
• China’s AI chip IPO boom: MetaX shares surged nearly 700% on debut, highlighting strong investor appetite for domestic semiconductor firms amid Beijing’s tech self-sufficiency drive.

Robinhood Expands Prediction Markets With NFL Betting Push

Robinhood unveiled a major expansion of its fast-growing prediction markets business, adding NFL-based outcome, parlay-style, and player performance contracts that place it closer to traditional sportsbooks while broadening its retail trading appeal. The company said users can now trade preset combinations tied to NFL games, with custom multi-outcome combinations expected in early 2026, and signaled plans to extend prediction markets beyond sports into economic data and policy events. The segment has emerged as a meaningful growth driver, generating about $100 million in annualized revenue and on pace for $300 million, supported by rising user engagement. Analysts view the expansion as reinforcing Robinhood’s appeal to younger investors and strengthening its longer-term ambition to become a full-spectrum financial platform, even as questions remain around regulatory boundaries and sustainability of growth.

Waymo Seeks Major Funding as Robotaxi Expansion Accelerates

Alphabet-owned Waymo is in talks to raise more than $15 billion in new funding at a valuation of up to $110 billion, underscoring investor confidence in its leadership of the U.S. robotaxi market. The potential round would more than double the company’s last valuation from October 2024, as Waymo continues to invest heavily in fleet expansion and geographic growth. The company currently operates paid autonomous ride services in several major U.S. cities and plans to launch in more than a dozen additional markets in 2026, including its first overseas deployment in London. With weekly paid rides approaching half a million and trip volumes rising sharply, Alphabet expects Waymo to become a meaningful financial contributor by 2027, even as competition from rivals intensifies.

Japan Exports Surprise to the Upside Despite Economic Headwinds

Japan’s exports rose 6.1% year on year in November, the fastest pace in nine months and well above expectations, offering a rare bright spot for the economy after weaker-than-expected third-quarter GDP data. The strength was driven by a sharp rebound in shipments to Western Europe and renewed growth in exports to the U.S., while demand from mainland China remained soft amid trade frictions. Imports increased modestly, undershooting forecasts, pointing to subdued domestic demand. Despite geopolitical tensions and a recent economic contraction, business confidence improved, with the Bank of Japan’s Tankan survey showing stronger sentiment in the fourth quarter, suggesting exporters and manufacturers remain cautiously optimistic heading into year-end.

Chinese AI Chip IPO Ignites Investor Frenzy in Shanghai

Shares of Chinese AI chipmaker MetaX Integrated Circuits surged nearly 700% on their Shanghai debut after the company raised close to $600 million in its initial public offering, highlighting strong investor appetite for domestic semiconductor champions. The rally mirrors recent blockbuster listings by peers such as Moore Threads and reflects Beijing’s push to build a self-sufficient AI and semiconductor ecosystem amid U.S. export restrictions on advanced chips. Analysts note that enthusiasm is driven by a mix of national strategic priorities and expectations for rapid growth in AI-related demand, as local firms move to fill gaps left by curtailed access to U.S. technology. The surge underscores robust momentum in China’s onshore equity markets for strategically aligned technology sectors, even as valuation risks rise.

Conclusion

Today’s developments highlight a market environment shaped by innovation-driven growth alongside rising selectivity among investors. Expanding platforms such as Robinhood and Waymo underscore continued appetite for scalable technology and new revenue models, even as capital flows increasingly favor proven leaders. Strong Japanese export data offers a counterbalance to recent economic softness, reinforcing the importance of global trade resilience. Meanwhile, investor enthusiasm for China’s domestic AI semiconductor champions reflects strategic priorities and long-term growth expectations, despite elevated valuations. Taken together, these themes point to markets rewarding structural growth opportunities while remaining sensitive to execution, valuation discipline, and shifting global policy and trade dynamics.

Investment Insights

• Growth with discipline: Markets continue to reward scalable technology leaders in areas such as autonomous driving, AI infrastructure, and digital platforms, but valuations increasingly matter as investors differentiate between proven execution and speculative growth.
• Selective risk appetite: Strong IPO debuts and expanding product offerings signal healthy risk appetite, yet capital is concentrating in strategically aligned sectors, highlighting the need for careful entry points and earnings visibility.
• Global diversification benefits: Japan’s export strength and China’s push for semiconductor self-sufficiency underscore the importance of geographic and sector diversification amid uneven global growth.
• Policy and regulation as catalysts: Trade policy, export controls, and regulatory frameworks remain key drivers shaping opportunity sets, particularly across technology, industrials, and innovation-led markets.

Economic Calendar

Date	Event	Why It Matters
Dec 17, 2025	U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls & Retail Sales	Key gauge of U.S. labor market strength and consumer spending that influences Fed rate expectations and market sentiment.
Dec 17, 2025	UK Consumer Price Index (CPI)	Inflation indicator ahead of the BoE decision, shaping expectations for possible rate cuts amid slowing growth.
Dec 18, 2025	Bank of England (BoE) Rate Decision	Monetary policy decision expected to signal easing bias as inflation cools and unemployment rises.
Dec 19, 2025	European Central Bank (ECB) Rate Decision	ECB meeting outcome will influence eurozone interest rate trajectory and global risk sentiment.
Dec 19, 2025	U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI)	Inflation data critical for Fed’s near-term policy outlook, impacting bonds and equity valuations.