Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Markets: Wall Street is putting together a strong bounce-back session Monday after wrapping up last week on a sour note thanks to a weak jobs report. All three major benchmarks — the S & P 500 , tech-heavy Nasdaq and 30-stock Dow — added more than 1% in afternoon trading. It’s a broad-based rally, with 10 of the 11 sectors in the S & P 500 in the green. Energy is the laggard, weighed down in large part by declines in shares of ExxonMobil and Chevron , by far the two largest constituents in the sector. We took advantage of the positive day to lighten up on shares of Abbott Laboratories , our third sale since July 21. If not for our trading restrictions, we would’ve used some of the cash raised in that sale to buy more Starbucks , consistent with what Jim said last week following the coffee chain’s post-earnings decline. BLS drama: President Donald Trump on Monday was again posting on social media that last week’s big July nonfarm payrolls miss and the massive combined downward revisions to May and June were rigged. Those comments echoed the ones that came Friday as he fired the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. On CNBC Monday morning, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, one of Trump’s top advisers, was asked directly if the BLS numbers were rigged. Hassett pivoted. He acknowledged the longstanding problem of jobs data collection that pre-dated Trump but said, “All over the U.S. government, there have been people who have been resisting Trump everywhere they can.” Hassett, who has been talked about as a possible Trump choice for Federal Reserve chairman, also said, “To make sure that the data are as transparent and as reliable as possible, we’re going to get highly qualified people in there that have a fresh start and a fresh set of eyes on the problem.” Ironically, the weak jobs numbers bolster Trump’s case for the Fed to cut interest rates. Jim Cramer said Monday that he is not here to opine on whether Trump is doing the right thing or not. However, Jim said he is here to help Club members make money. He concluded that the jobs numbers point to a weakening economy and suggest the Fed should not wait any longer to cut rates. If the Fed cuts rates at its September meeting, as the market expects, Jim said the stock market should go up, even ahead of the move, and investors should make money. Keep on spending: The generative AI boom isn’t slowing down anytime soon, according to Morgan Stanley’s analysis of capital expenditure (capex) plans. In a note to clients, analysts said the 11 largest hyperscalers — including Club holdings Meta Platforms , Microsoft , Amazon and Apple — are projected to significantly increase their spending on cloud computing and other AI-related infrastructure into next year. Analysts expect the global capex from these companies to grow 56% year over year in 2025 and 31% in 2026. The estimates are based on second-quarter earnings reports from the aforementioned tech giants, along with those from Alphabet -owned Google, IBM , CoreWeave and Oracle , along with the Chinese tech firms Tencent , Alibaba , and Baidu . Additionally, Morgan Stanley analysts said they wouldn’t be surprised to see 2026 capex commitments “move materially higher” by this time next year due to the continued growth in AI model output and cloud providers still mentioning that demand for compute is outstripping supply. “This earnings season, most management teams highlighted the need to accelerate infrastructure deployment timelines/address tight supply and support increasingly complex cloud/AI workloads, and executives across MSFT, META, AMZN and GOOGL signaled: (1) greater confidence in generating a return on these investments; and (2) a willingness to sustain elevated levels of spending into 2026,” the analysts wrote. This is all promising news for the generative AI trade. As these hyperscalers pour billions into AI infrastructure, it signals that management teams are taking the technology — and the demand for it — even more seriously than before. We hope this means improved AI offerings from our portfolio companies, too. Apple, in particular, is in desperate need of one, which is why we were pleased to hear CEO Tim Cook say on the conference call that the company is “significantly growing” its AI investments. Apple has comparatively spent much less on capex in recent years compared with the likes of Meta, Microsoft and Amazon. The iPhone maker has had a lackluster rollout of its suite of AI tools called Apple Intelligence since last year. Buzzy new AI features could mean more upside in device sales and revenues in its high-margin services unit. With Apple, “we’re actually trying figure out what they really want to do,” Jim said during Monday’s Morning Meeting. As for Microsoft, Amazon and Meta, we’ve been largely impressed by their AI plans. “The market wanted to see a lot of [AI] spend because that’s where the return is,” Jim said. He continued, “You may think they spent too much money. That doesn’t matter. People want to see a lot of spend.” It’s not just Big Tech and their cloud customers that benefit from all the AI outlays. Industrial stocks and Club holdings like Eaton , GE Vernova and Dover all benefit in their own ways from the continued construction of data centers and the electricity infrastructure needed to fuel the power-hungry buildings. Earlier Monday, we published an in-depth look at how GE Vernova’s gas turbines became such a hot commodity in the AI race. Up next: Club name Coterra Energy is among the companies reporting earnings after the close Monday, with its conference call set for Tuesday morning. We’ll wait for the call before publishing our earnings analysis, given management’s comments, particularly on its planned fix for problematic wells in part of the Permian Basin, will help shape our thinking on the results. Some other notable companies reporting Monday night include high-flying Palantir , obesity drug compounder Hims & Hers , Taser maker Axon Enterprise , e-commerce marketplace MercadoLibre and non-opoid pain medication maker Vertex Pharmaceuticals . On Tuesday morning, we’ll get results from Club names DuPont and Eaton. Economic bellwether Caterpillar, private-equity giant Apollo Global Management and hotel operator Marriott International also are on the docket. It’s an overall quiet week of economic data, though on Tuesday the Institute for Supply Management’s monthly look at activity in the U.S. services sector is due out at 10 a.m. ET. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
bp pulse is continuing to roll out public DC fast charging across the US, and the company has opened its first-ever site in Arizona, along with new fast-charging locations in Texas, Florida, and Ohio.
In Arizona, bp pulse’s first site is now online at the Petro Travel Center in Eloy, just off Interstate 10 at Exit 200 (pictured). The location features 16 charging bays delivering up to 400 kilowatts, with both CCS and NACS connectors available. While charging, drivers can take advantage of the travel center’s onsite diner, convenience store, ATM, barber shop, and restrooms.
In South Florida, bp pulse’s new fast-charging site is at 2400 Miami Road in Fort Lauderdale, about three miles from Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. The site features 16 charging bays, offering a mix of 150 kW and 400 kW speeds, with both CCS and NACS connectors. Its proximity to the airport makes it a handy stop for ride-hail drivers, EV rental returns, and airport pickups and drop-offs, with hotels, restaurants, and convenience stores nearby.
Texas is also getting more high-power charging, with a new bp pulse site at the Petro Travel Center in El Paso, located off Interstate 10 at Exit 37. This location offers 12 charging bays capable of delivering up to 400 kW, again with both CCS and NACS connectors. Drivers can take advantage of the diner, convenience store, barber shop, and restrooms while they charge.
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In Ohio, bp pulse has opened a smaller but still high-powered site at a TravelCenters of America location in Hebron, just off Interstate 70 at Exit 126. The site includes six 400 kW charging bays with CCS and NACS connectors, along with access to a convenience store, fast-food options, and restrooms.
These openings are part of bp pulse’s broader plan to build out EV charging across bp’s retail footprint, including bp, Amoco, ampm, Thorntons, and TravelCenters of America locations. Many of those sites are designed to combine fast charging with food, restrooms, and other travel amenities. bp has also said it plans to begin adding EV chargers at Waffle House locations starting in 2026.
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The Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Blazer EV were among the vehicles that saw the biggest lease price drops in December.
Cadillac and Chevy EV lease prices drop in December
With the $7,500 federal EV tax credit now gone, automakers are filling the gap with their own incentives. Some are passing on the savings as bonus cash, conquest cash, lease discounts, and more.
Two General Motors electric SUVs, the Chevy Blazer EV and the Cadillac Lyriq, had some of the largest lease price drops of any vehicle in December.
The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq AWD Luxury model is now listed at $439 per month for 24 months. With $4,979 due at signing, the effective rate is $646, or $28 less per month than in November.
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That’s after the Lyriq already saw prices drop by $115 a month from October. However, the December deal includes a $2,000 competitive bonus for owners and lessees of a 2011 model year or newer non-GM vehicle.
The 2026 Cadillac Lyriq Luxury (Source: Cadillac)
The 2026 Chevy Blazer EV FWD LT is now available to lease for as low as $319 a month for 24 months. With $6,039 due at signing, the effective rate is $571 per month, about $60 less than in November. The deal includes a $750 competitive bonus and $1,000 customer cash allowance.
Chevy and Cadillac are offering discounts across their entire EV lineup. All 2025 Chevy electric vehicles, including the Blazer EV, Equinox EV, and Silverado EV, are available with 0% APR financing for 60 months.
Intestingly, the 2026 Chevy Equinox EV is also available with 0% APR financing, while the 2026 Blazer EV is listed with 1.9% APR for 36 months.
Cadillac is offering a $2,000 conquest or loyalty bonus for the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq and select 2025/2026 Optiq and Lyriq models, plus 2.9% APR for 60 months.
The 2026 Cadillac Optiq is available to lease for as low as $319 per month for 24 months, while the 2026 Vistiq is available to lease for $619 per month for 24 months.
Want to try one out? We’ve got you covered. Check out the links below to see what Cadillac and Chevy EVs are nearby.
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Electric vehicle prices edged lower and incentives jumped in November, but the month still saw a sales slowdown as the US EV market continues to hunt for a new normal.
Initial estimates from Kelley Blue Book show that EV sales came in at just over 70,000 units in November, more than 40% lower than a year ago and about 5% below October’s level.
The average transaction price (ATP) for a new EV in November was $58,638. That’s up 3.7% year-over-year but down 0.8% from October. Incentives told a different story: Discounts averaged 13.3% of ATP, which is lower than in November 2024 but jumped 20.1% compared to October.
Tesla continued to feel the pressure. The automaker’s ATP was $54,310 in November – down 1.7% from the same period a year ago but up 1.5% month-over-month. Sales declined for the second straight month and were down 22.7% year-over-year, mainly because of a drop in Model 3 demand.
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Model 3 sales slid 42.1% compared to November 2024 and fell 11.9% from October. Meanwhile, the Model Y, still the best‑selling EV in the US, saw prices increase 0.9% year-over-year and month-over-month. Model Y sales were slightly lower than last November, down 0.5%, but rose 2.5% compared to October.
The Tesla Cybertruck showed signs of cooling. Once the best‑selling vehicle priced above $100,000, Cybertruck sales fell to 1,194 units in November, the lowest monthly total of 2025 so far. Its average price was $94,254, higher both year-over-year and compared to October.
Taken together, the numbers paint a picture of an EV market in transition: prices are easing, incentives are rising, but buyers are still holding back as the industry tries to settle into its next phase.
Cox Automotive executive analyst Erin Keating said, “It’s important to remember that the KBB ATP is a measure of what is bought, not what is available. Nearly half of new-vehicle buyers are over the age of 55 and in their peak earning years. These buyers are more likely shopping for a high-end SUV, not something cheap and cheerful. In November, the over-$75,000 price point saw more volume than under-$30,000.”
If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!
Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links.More.