TikTok deal is final.

AI chips are heading to China.

Santa meets Robin Hood.

*Source: CoinGecko.com As of 7:53PM December 21, 2025

1) TikTok makes a deal: TikTok owner ByteDance has officially signed a binding agreement with a group of investors - including Oracle, Silver Lake, and Abu Dhabi-based MGX - to form a joint venture that will prevent the app from being banned in the United States. Under the deal, ByteDance will retain a 19.9% stake while Oracle and the other lead investors will each hold 15%. The agreement allows Oracle to license the platform's recommendation algorithm and retrain it on American data to address longstanding national security concerns. Place your bets now on how many weeks until it’s renamed to TrumpTok.

2) Big  in Japan (interest rates): The Bank of Japan has raised its benchmark interest rate to approximately 0.75%, the highest level since 1995, in a historic attempt to curb persistent inflation and rescue the weakened yen. While Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has prioritized fighting the cost-of-living squeeze, the move creates a political tightrope as she balances the need for lower prices against the rising costs of government borrowing. This "historic shift" puts Japan in the rare position of tightening its belt just as the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of England are moving in the opposite direction by cutting their own rates.

3) Chips for China: Nvidia shares surged alongside a broader rally in chipmakers following reports that the Trump administration has launched an official inter-agency review to permit the export of advanced H200 AI chips to China. The proposal, championed by President Trump, would allow the sales in exchange for a 25% "fee" paid to the U.S. government, a move the administration argues will actually hinder China’s domestic chip development by keeping them reliant on American hardware.

1) A runaway reindeer named Buddy fled Santa's Enchanted Forest in Merseyside, England, triggering a massive search operation involving armed police and Royal Marines. He was later found napping in some sand dunes and was returned to his stable. Santa might want to consider Buddy for his special ops delivery team.

2) To celebrate the season, scuba divers in North Macedonia submerged a fully decorated Christmas tree to the bottom of Lake Ohrid, continuing a 20-year underwater tradition dedicated to raising awareness for children with rare diseases. At least they don't have to worry about the cat knocking this one over.

3) An activist group dressed as Santa Claus and masked elves stole $3,000 worth of groceries from a Montreal supermarket to redistribute to the community as a "Robin Hood-style" protest against rising food prices and corporate profits. That’s one Bad Santa.

U.S. online holiday sales are projected to reach a record $253.4 billion in 2025, a 5.3% increase from last year, with mobile shopping expected to drive the majority of spending (56.1%) for the first time ever. While overall growth has slowed compared to the 8.7% surge seen in 2024, the season is being defined by a massive 520% spike in traffic from generative AI tools as shoppers hunt for deals, as well as a heavy reliance on "Buy Now, Pay Later" services to manage tighter budgets.

The average American spent about $900 for Christmas gifts, food, and decorations in 2024. That number is expected to be over $1,000 this year.

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