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1. US economy grows more than expected in third quarter
U.S. gross domestic product grew 4.3% in the third quarter, according to the Commerce Department, well above forecasts of about 3.2%, the Wall Street Journal reports. It also increased more than the growth seen in the second quarter, which was at 3.8%.
The newspaper reports there are still questions about the U.S. economy's underlying strength due to other factors such as unemployment numbers and retail sales. The unemployment rate of 4.6% in November was the highest level it's been in four years, and retail sales have decelerated.
2. Central banks around the globe cut interest rates
Major central banks around the globe cut interest rates in 2025 at the fastest pace and largest scale since the financial crisis, Reuters reports. Nine of the central banks representing the 10 most heavily traded currencies lowered their benchmark rates this year, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, European Central Bank and the Bank of England.
This is likely to shift in 2026, Reuters reports. Analysts have said that there's been a change of tone from several of the top 10 central banks toward rate hikes, especially Canada and Australia.
"During the course of 2025 we had this dynamic of the Fed in every meeting either going to stay put or cut, we were never discussing hikes," said Luis Oganes, head of global macro research at JPMorgan. "But during the course of 2026 that's probably going to change, and particularly in the second half of the year, you're going to have a little bit more of a two-sided risk."
3. Corporate holiday parties at hotels trend smaller
Companies are seeking smaller, more intimate holiday parties hosted at hotels with an emphasis on food and beverage and experiences, CoStar News reports.
Jennifer Thorn, area director of sales and marketing for Kimpton Hotels of New England, said one of her properties — the Kimpton Marlowe Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts — is still aiming to capture the demand from larger groups but has started to pivot to accommodating smaller groups.
"What we're finding is a lot of our clients are looking for more intimate, informal, more fun settings versus coming into a hotel and taking over the ballroom or an entire floor and putting on this huge production," she said.
4. Amtrak faces delays rolling out new trains
Amtrak will have to postpone rolling out some of its new Acela trains because its railroad maintenance facilities won't be upgraded in time, the Wall Street Journal reports. This will cost Amtrak millions of dollars in revenue that it was expecting next year.
“Facility planning has lagged behind its fleet planning by about 15 years even though the two efforts are closely interconnected,” Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General said in a report. “Some facilities will not be ready in time to service the company’s new trains, which could hinder its ability to fully operate the new equipment.”
5. Weather to watch for this holiday season
For those planning travel over the Christmas holiday period, there's some weather to keep an eye on across the U.S. — especially on the West Coast — that could affect those plans, The Weather Channel reports.
On Tuesday, there will be light snow, sleet or freezing rain across parts of the Northeast and heavy rains and strong winds in California. Boston, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles could face weather-related flight delays.
The biggest weather concerns on Christmas Eve will be in the West. Heavy rain will continue in California, including in Los Angeles and San Diego. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Chicago, Kansas City and Cincinnati could see flight delays.
This will continue on Christmas Day, with the West having challenging weather. California will receive more heavy rain and strong winds, while the Midwest and East will see some light snow. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, Phoenix and Chicago could see flight delays.