Stocks in Our Stockings, Sugar Shortage: Saturday US Briefing

Thanks to everyone who asked Santa for a big bump in their stock portfolios. The S&P 500 had a stellar week, climbing 2.5%, and it’s a safe bet that we’ll get an up year for the benchmark in our stockings.

If you’re already thinking about next year, you’re not alone. Negative equity on automobile debt is at the highest level in more than three years, a troubling sign in an economy that has mostly proved resilient in the face of inflation-taming rate hikes. Bloomberg’s Claire Ballentine explains why it’s a tough time to be a car owner in the US.