Oil Prices Stabilize at Start of 2026 as OPEC+ Policy and Geopolitical Risks Shape Market Outlook 
U.S. Stock Index Futures Steady as Markets Await Fed Policy Clues in Holiday-Thinned Trade 
China Imposes 55% Tariff on Beef Imports Above Quota to Protect Domestic Industry 
South Korea Exports Hit Record High as Global Trade Momentum Builds 
Forex Markets Hold Steady as Traders Await Fed Minutes Amid Thin Year-End Volumes 
U.S. Dollar Starts 2026 Weak as Yen, Euro and Sterling Hold Firm Amid Rate Cut Expectations 
Trump Delays Tariff Increases on Furniture and Cabinets for One More Year 
U.S. Stock Futures Slip as Year-End Trading Turns Cautious 
Asian Markets Slip as Precious Metals Cool, Geopolitical Tensions Weigh on Sentiment 
South Korea Factory Output Misses Forecasts in November Amid Ongoing Economic Uncertainty 
Wall Street Ends Mixed as Tech and Financial Stocks Weigh on Markets Amid Thin Holiday Trading 
USDA $12 Billion Farm Aid Program Draws Mixed Reactions from Row Crop Farmers 
South Korea Factory Activity Returns to Growth in December on Export Rebound 
Asian Stock Markets Start New Year Higher as Tech and AI Shares Drive Gains 
Asia Manufacturing PMI Rebounds as Exports and Tech Demand Drive Growth into 2026 
China Manufacturing PMI Rebounds in December, Offering Boost to Economic Growth Outlook 
The US Securities and Exchange Commission broadened the definition of an accredited investor to allow more Americans to buy shares in private companies while easing some company disclosure rules.
The new definition added a test of the investor’s sophistication “based on professional knowledge, experience, or certifications, ” rather than basing it largely on income and wealth.
The SEC said the new definition was aimed at individuals, such as hedge fund employees or brokers, who are knowledgeable about private offerings but would not have qualified under the previous definition.
The agency added that it hopes the changes will boost retail investors’ access to the swelling pool of companies that are staying private for longer.
Family offices with at least $5 million in assets also fall under the new definition, making it easier for residents of Native American reservations and foreign nationals to qualify as accredited investors.
The director of investor protection at Consumer Federation of America, Barbara Roper, criticized the definition had for being too liberal, allowing private issuers to sell products to those who are not financially sophisticated to value those securities.
The SEC also eased rules on how public companies disclose legal proceedings and risks to eliminate repetitiveness and make the information more accessible.
