12-18-2025 | Strong earnings, rising inflation expectations, healthcare decisions, and oil tensions shape the global economic landscape.

Companies. Micron raises outlook on artificial intelligence demand. Micron Technology reported quarterly earnings and revenue above expectations, supported by strong demand for memory used in artificial intelligence servers; management raised guidance for the next quarter, citing sustained orders for high bandwidth memory and continued momentum from data center customers. The Economy. Inflation forecast edges higher. A survey of economists projected United States consumer prices rising about three percent year over year in November, marking the fastest annual pace in more than a year; the estimate reflects market expectations ahead of the official Consumer Price Index release. Politics. House passes healthcare bill. The United States House of Representatives approved a Republican healthcare bill that does not extend enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits; without further action, millions of enrollees could face higher insurance costs when the credits expire at the end of the year. International. Tensions rise over Venezuelan oil. The United States ordered a blockade of sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela, prompting Caracas to request an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting; the move added pressure to strained relations and contributed to short term volatility in oil markets.