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China’s December numbers snapped an eight-month slide, a major chipmaker weighed new supply as China demand shifted, and Guinea’s junta leader claimed a landslide in a first presidential vote since the coup.

Markets are closing 2025 with big divergences, public health teams are tracking winter outbreaks, and streaming enters New Year’s Eve with a blockbuster finale. Forward this to a friend who wants the world in five minutes.

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China’s official manufacturing PMI rose above 50 in December, ending a record eight-month stretch in contraction as pre-holiday stockpiling lifted output and orders. Momentum stayed uneven as export orders lagged, keeping pressure on policymakers to rebuild confidence without reigniting old imbalances.

Beneath the headline rebound, the same data flagged weak demand outside a short-term restocking cycle and ongoing strain in services. Risk for 2026 centers on whether household spending catches up fast enough to absorb capacity that was built for faster global growth.

Beijing has leaned on targeted measures rather than a sweeping stimulus drive, leaving companies to navigate tighter margins and shifting trade conditions. Any sustained pickup would ripple through commodities, Asian supply chains, and the global disinflation narrative.

Nvidia explored a potential new H200 chip order with a major foundry as demand signals from China strengthened, testing how quickly supply can be re-allocated in a constrained AI hardware market. Strategy now hinges on balancing demand growth against tightening rules and scrutiny around advanced computing flows.

Supply conversations matter because AI accelerators sit at the center of cloud buildouts, enterprise upgrades, and national compute plans. Pricing power and lead times can swing capital spending decisions for data centers well beyond China.

A larger order would also spotlight how chip design, packaging, and high-bandwidth memory remain bottlenecks even when headline capacity rises. Competitive dynamics could shift quickly if rivals match availability or if buyers diversify to reduce single-supplier risk.

Guinea’s junta leader Mamady Doumbouya won the presidential election with 86.72% in provisional results shared in the vote count, completing a formal transition from military rule after the 2021 coup. A new constitution cleared his path to run, reshaping the post-coup rules that initially barred him.

Opposition groups contested turnout claims and described an uneven playing field, keeping legitimacy questions alive even as institutions move to certify results. Political friction could intensify if challengers push court reviews or if protests expand.

Guinea’s mining-heavy economy makes the outcome consequential beyond politics, especially as the Simandou iron ore project and broader resource policy draw global attention. Investment timelines can accelerate or stall depending on whether stability improves and contracts remain predictable.

Myanmar’s military said the first stage of its election drew 52.13% turnout in 102 townships, detailed in the three-stage vote plan. Critics argue the structure and exclusions lock in the junta’s advantage, raising the odds of prolonged conflict even after ballots.

Ivory Coast’s RHDP increased its majority to 197 of 255 seats in results outlined in the weekend vote outcome. A stronger legislative grip can speed business-friendly policy, while low turnout keeps questions about broad-based political buy-in.

Honduras’ attorney general warned of imminent legal action over irregularities tied to the election process in a fraught vote update. A court-heavy resolution could clarify the result, while uncertainty risks prolonging governance and investment delays.

South Carolina’s measles outbreak rose to 176 cases in a new case tally, with most infections among unvaccinated people and hundreds still in quarantine. Holiday travel and gatherings can extend transmission into January, raising the stakes for rapid vaccination catch-up.

Porsche is recalling more than 173,000 vehicles in the United States after identifying a software issue that can cause the rearview camera image to fail when the car is placed in reverse, increasing crash risk. The recall affects several models and requires a free dealer update, outlined in a vehicle safety notice.

China released new grid investment guidance aimed at absorbing more renewable energy, targeting a recurring constraint of curtailment and bottlenecks. Faster buildout could reshape regional power pricing and accelerate industrial electrification goals.

London’s FTSE 100 is set to cap its strongest annual run since 2009, framed in the year-end market wrap. Rate-cut expectations and commodity-linked gains helped, shifting the global narrative that only U.S. equities can lead.

Silver posted a standout year as prices and positioning drove a sharp rise, mapped in the commodities year review. Volatility risk remains high into early 2026 as rate paths, industrial demand, and investor flows collide.

Chinese AI startup MiniMax led a wave of Hong Kong IPO launches spotlighted in the new listing slate. A stronger pipeline can revive regional risk appetite, while deal performance will test whether AI narratives translate into durable pricing.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new medication to prevent motion-induced vomiting in a decision detailed in a drug approval report, marking the first such clearance in more than 40 years. The treatment could offer a new option for travelers and patients who do not respond well to existing therapies.

Rising case counts in the South Carolina outbreak show how quickly a highly contagious virus spreads when immunity slips. Public health teams now face a dual challenge of countering misinformation and expanding access during peak travel season.

Scientific labs and companies leaned harder on machine learning for drug discovery, robotics, and forecasting breakthroughs. AI-driven research gains matter because private-sector tooling is increasingly setting the pace for what reaches clinics and factories.

TCU beat USC 30-27 in overtime in the Alamo Bowl recap after a late comeback capped by a long catch-and-run score. Bowl results are becoming a clearer snapshot of depth and portal churn than preseason rankings.

Kawhi Leonard dropped 33 points as the Clippers extended a winning streak with a blowout over Sacramento. A lopsided win matters because late-December form often predicts who can survive the grind into spring.

Detroit handled the Lakers behind Cade Cunningham’s 27 points and 11 assists, sending Los Angeles into another stretch of questions about consistency. A rough home loss matters because the Western playoff race punishes teams that drop winnable games.

Warner Bros. Discovery is expected to reject Paramount’s latest hostile offer, laid out in the takeover standoff. Streaming-era consolidation now turns on financing certainty, breakup fees, and how regulators view vertical scale.

Netflix released the finale trailer ahead of a two-hour-plus series conclusion arriving Dec. 31. Big event releases are increasingly designed to drive both streaming and limited theatrical attendance in the same window.

Mel Gibson and Rosalind Ross ended their relationship after nine years in a separation report. Public announcements that lag private timelines can still reshape schedules, projects, and publicity plans across the industry.

Disney agreed to a $10 million civil penalty and an injunction tied to allegations that some YouTube uploads were not properly marked “Made for Kids,” detailed in a federal settlement. A single labeling choice can determine whether data collection is allowed, making compliance a product decision as much as a legal one.

At the center sits COPPA, which sets requirements for services directed at children under 13 or that knowingly collect from them, summarized in the rule overview. Targeted advertising, persistent identifiers, and third-party ad tech create edge cases where platforms and creators can misclassify content, while kids still appear in the audience.

Enforcement is ramping up as regulators test how COPPA applies to modern recommendation engines, creator ecosystems, and mixed-audience channels that drift into child-friendly territory. Disney’s case, framed in the Justice Department complaint, shows how ad targeting concerns can flow from metadata, not just the video itself.

Policy pressure is also building to expand protections to teens, with proposals often described as “COPPA 2.0,” outlined in a recent legislative summary. Key questions for 2026 include whether age coverage expands, how verification is handled without creating new privacy risks, and whether federal rules preempt tougher state standards that have been moving faster.

An Australian retiree learned he won a $7.5 million Oz Lotto jackpot after casually checking his ticket, turning an ordinary morning into a life-changer in a lottery surprise.

Police in New York freed a deer mistaken for a “masked suspect” after it wandered into town with a plastic bag stuck on its head in a quick animal rescue.

Rescuers in England pulled a fox from a deep storm-water tank after it became trapped, calling the outcome “extremely lucky” in a wildlife recovery.

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—The Five Minute Daily Team