Today is Monday, December 1, 2025.
The Early Bird Index today is 81.16.
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UnitedHealth's South America Biz
It’s been a bad year for UnitedHealth Group $UNH ( ▼ 1.99% ), but the health insurance giant is reportedly preparing to turn things around.
Details: Reuters reported on Sunday that UnitedHealth Group has agreed to sell Banmedica, its last South American business, to Brazilian private equity group Patria Investments.
Although neither company has commented on the report, an announcement is expected on Monday.
Background: UnitedHealth has been trying to offload its Latin America businesses since 2022. It previously sold other businesses in the region.
Stock Price: Shares of UnitedHealth are down 34.64% this year.
Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: Selling Banmedica is viewed as positive for UnitedHealth because it reduces earnings volatility and capital drag, and lets management refocus on higher‑return U.S. and core businesses.
Exiting Banmedica, combined with earlier divestitures, should improve reported profitability metrics by removing businesses with lower margins and higher volatility from the earnings base.
It also lowers UnitedHealth’s exposure to Latin American regulatory shifts and currency swings.
Final Thoughts: Despite the recent rally in health stocks, shares of UnitedHealth were still down in November.
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Notables
Notable Earnings Today: Credo Technology Group (Nasdaq: CRDO), MongoDB (Nasdaq: MDB), Vestis (NYSE: VSTS), Simulations Plus (Nasdaq: SLP), Cango (NYSE: CANG).
Notable IPOs Today: Diamondrock Hospitality Company Common Stock (Nasdaq: DRH).
Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: Beyond Bottleshop (Honeycomb).
Notable Economic Events Today: Chicago PMI (9:45 a.m. ET), S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (9:45 a.m. ET), ISM Manufacturing PMI / Prices / Employment (10:00 a.m. ET), Construction Spending (10:00 a.m. ET).
Bitcoin's Yearn Decline
It appeared in the last week of November that Bitcoin $BTC.X ( ▼ 4.82% ) had recovered, but those gains were lost on Sunday as the price of Bitcoin suddenly fell by about 5%.
Details: The price of Bitcoin and other digital assets fell on Sunday when the cryptocurrency platform Yearn said it was investigating an incident involving its yETH LST stableswap pool. The incident spooked Bitcoin investors, causing some to sell.
Background: Bitcoin lost about 20% of its value in November, falling from $110,000 to about $84,000. In the past week, the price jumped 7% and appeared to be in a recovery.
Also: It was the worst November for Bitcoin since 2018.
Final Thoughts: Most major cryptos ended Sunday in the red. November was a challenging month for the crypto market. Hopefully, December will be better.
Disney's 'Zootopia 2' Wins Box Office
Disney $DIS ( ▲ 2.2% ) scored big at the box office this weekend as 'Zootopia 2' was the top draw with $156 million in U.S. ticket sales.
Final Thoughts: Disney’s stock is down 5.73% this year.
Trends to Watch
Santa Claus Rally: Will December bring joy to round off the year? (CNBC)
Coming Soon: Trump Says He Has Made His Choice to Lead the Federal Reserve (Bloomberg)
AI Race: Accenture dubs its 800,000 staff ‘reinventors’ as it adapts to AI (Financial Times)
No Fly Zone: Thanksgiving Travelers Hit With Wintry Disruptions (Barron’s)
Two Americas: Black Friday spending reflects K-shaped US economy (Semafor)
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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.
