Today is Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

The Early Bird Index today is 82.87.

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Meta Platforms $META ( ▼ 0.69% ) is doubling down on its plans to build out its artificial intelligence operations. It acquired the AI startup Manus on Monday, which caused the stock to slip by 0.27% in after-hours trading.

Quote: “Manus has built one of the leading autonomous general-purpose agents that can independently execute complex tasks like market research, coding, and data analysis. We will continue to operate and sell the Manus service, as well as integrate it into our products.” - Meta’s statement.

Background: The deal comes as Meta has invested heavily in AI in the past few years to power its core applications (including Facebook and Instagram), create new experiences such as AI glasses, and compete against other big tech companies in the AI race.

Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: Meta’s purchase of Manus would be a strategic bolt‑on for Reality Labs’ hand‑tracking and haptics stack.

Final Thoughts: Despite its AI ambitions, 2025 was not a spectacular year for Meta investors. The stock is up 9.92% this year, but it has declined in the second half of 2025.

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Notable Earnings Today: N/A.

Notable IPOs Today: Abacus Global Management, Inc. (NYSE: ABX), AXIA Energia (NYSE: AXIA).

Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: Babbily (StartEngine), Weev (Crowdcube), Advanced Material Development (Crowdcube), Easology (Crowdcube), Harvest London (Crowdcube).

Notable Economic Events Today: S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index (9:00 a.m. ET), FOMC Meeting Minutes (2:00 p.m. ET).

Citigroup $C ( ▼ 1.9% ) will take a $1.1 billion loss after announcing plans on Monday to sell its remaining operations in Russia.

Details: The company will proceed with the sale of its AO Citibank business in Russia to Renaissance Capital. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2026. Citi’s loss included currency adjustments.

Background: Citi has thought about exiting Russia for years due to geopolitical tensions.

Final Thoughts: Citi is having a great year. The stock is up 68.90% in 2025.

Applied Digital $APLD ( ▲ 3.16% ) ticked up 0.44%, and Ekso Bionics $EKSO ( ▼ 1.8% ) surged 38.28% (wow!) in after-hours trading on Monday following a spinout/merger announcement.

Details: Applied Digital will spin out its cloud business and merge with Ekso to form ChronoScale, an AI-focused compute platform.

Final Thoughts: Ekso’s stock had been down 41% this year before the announcement. Applied Digital is up 218% this year.

Prolonged Downturn: Crypto winter looms in 2026, but Cantor sees institutional growth and onchain shifts (CoinDesk)

Volatility: Silver Surges and Then Slumps. How ‘Index Rebalancing’ Could Lead to More Wild Swings. (Barron’s)

Overhaul Request: Lululemon founder Chip Wilson launches proxy fight for board shakeup (Reuters)

Surging: Tokenized stocks have ‘stablecoin moment’ as market cap hits $1.2B (Cointelegraph)

AI Competition: Five Things to Know About Nvidia’s $20 Billion Licensing Deal (Wall Street Journal)

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_{The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.}