Inflation Data Rally, Micron's Surge and the AI Trade, Trump Media Soars 12/18/25

Squawk on the Street

CNBC

News, Business, Investing

4.1 • 567 Ratings

🗓️ 18 December 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

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Summary

Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber discussed stocks rallying on the October and November CPI report. The inflation data — which had been delayed due to the government shutdown — came in tamer than expected. Micron shares surged and lifted the AI trade on the memory chipmaker's stronger-than-expect Q1 results and guidance. The anchors reacted to a report which says OpenAI discussed raising tens of billions of dollars at about a $750 billion valuation. Trump Media and Technology Group shares soared on news of its $6 billion deal to merge with fusion power company TAE Technologies. Also in focus: President Trump's primetime message on the Fed, Lululemon and activism, Cramer sounds off about "a sham." Squawk on the Street Disclaimer

Transcript

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0:00.0	Market Moving Insight and Analysis joined Jim Kramer, David Faber, and me, Carl Kintanilla, on the opening bell hour of CNBC Squawk on the Street.
0:12.0	Good Thursday morning, welcome to Squawk on the Street. I'm Carl Kintania with Jim Kramer and David Faber at Post 9 of the New York Stock Exchange.
0:20.0	Futures are rallying here on a much better-than-expected CPI print for November and October.
0:25.3	Only two-tenths for those two months, and that is the lowest annual read on core since 2021.
0:31.7	Markets pricing in a little more Fed cutting for next year, now up to 62 basis points.
0:36.3	Our roadmap begins with the latest inflation
0:38.0	print coming in cooler than expected. We'll talk about what it means for the Fed in the markets.
0:41.7	Shares on Micron are soaring this morning. The company posted blowout earnings, gave a bullish
0:46.8	outlook. It said it expects record revenue thanks to strong demand for AI-related products.
0:53.5	And we'll also keep in eye and shares some Lulu Lemon.
0:56.1	They appear to be rallying in the early trading here.
0:59.0	The largest biggest activist, Elliott Management, takes a relatively small position for them,
1:04.1	but it's a billion dollar stake, and they are pushing for changes at the top of the
1:07.9	retail.
1:08.9	Let's begin with this market reaction to CPI, shelter carrying an awful lot of water,
1:13.6	which is kind of a consensus view, Jim, going into 26.
1:16.6	Yes, you've got to go with what Lenar is saying too, giant home builder, dovetails with this.
1:20.6	You go to Gemini, you put in Lenar, you put in home prices,
1:25.6	and you'll see way back, all the way back to 2019,
1:29.5	before there was inflation.
1:31.3	You know, but this is the 50% inflation in housing, David.
1:34.4	Yeah.
	...

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