Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) has taken a stake in three of the four major airlines — American (AAL), United (UAL), and Delta (DAL), according to SEC filings. But CNBC reports the Warren Buffett-run firm also has taken a stake in the fourth major carrier, Southwest Airlines (LUV). (CNBC)
Reynolds American (RAI) is reportedly seeking a higher buyout price from British American Tobacco, after rejecting BAT's $47 billion takeover offer for the rest of the U.S. cigarette maker it does not already own. (Reuters)
Home Depot (HD) reported earnings and revenue that topped expectations, driven by an increase in both the number of people who made purchases in its stores and the amount that shoppers spent. The retailer raised full-year profit outlook. (CNBC)
Security contractors recently discovered preinstalled software in some Android phones that monitors user activity. Authorities said it's unclear whether the backdoor was for secret ad purposes or a Chinese government effort to collect intelligence. (NY Times)
Facebook (FB) and Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google announced steps to curb fake-news websites from generating revenue through their ad-selling services, after false news stories became an issue during the presidential election. (WSJ)
Adult dating service company Friend Finder Network has reportedly been hacked, with over 412 million accounts, e-mail addresses and passwords from their websites made available on criminal marketplaces. (The Verge)
After steady declines over the last four decades, highway fatalities last year recorded the largest annual percentage increase in 50 years. Experts put much of the blame on in-car use of smartphones and dashboard apps. (NY Times)
Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a top Trump advisor, emerged as the favorite to serve as secretary of state in Trump's incoming administration, a senior Trump official said, as the president-elect narrowed down his Cabinet picks. (AP)
Before leaving on his final foreign trip, President Barack Obama at a news conference said Donald Trump's temperament could be a problem, but he can correct those issues. He also suggested Democrats didn't focus enough on grassroots in the election. (CNBC)
President Obama arrived in the Greek capital this morning, beginning a week-long foreign trip, in which he will serve as an unlikely emissary of President-elect Trump. (USA Today)
Pioneering TV anchor Gwen Ifill has died after a battle with cancer. She was 61. Ifill was one of the nation's most prominent black journalists and a longtime PBS newscaster. She previously worked at NBC News.
BY THE NUMBERS
The government's October retail sales report, out at 8:30 a.m. ET, is the most important economic data since the election. October import prices and the November Empire State survey are also released at 8:30 a.m. ET. Business inventories for September are issued at 10 a.m. ET
Four Fed officials — Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren, ed Governor Daniel Tarullo, Fed Vice Chair Stanley Fischer, and Dallas Fed President Rob Kaplan — speak at various events today, ahead of Fed Chair Janet Yellen's congressional testimony Thursday.
WHALE WATCHING
In other SEC filings from big money managers, John Paulson's firm held its stake in the SPDR Gold Trust unchanged at nearly 4.8 million shares in the third quarter. Paulson has been long known as a gold bull.
Soros Fund Management dissolved its shares in Gold Trust, the world's biggest gold exchange-traded fund in the third quarter. The move was made ahead of the presidential election.
David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital cut stakes in some of its biggest holdings during the third quarter, including Apple (AAPL) and General Motors (GM). However, Apple was still Greenlight's largest position.
Investment companies led by the likes of Leon Cooperman and Stanley Druckenmiller lightened their exposure to so called FANG stocks — Facebook (FB), Amazon (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX) and Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google.
STOCKS TO WATCH
Advance Auto Parts (AAP) were soaring about 12 percent the premarket, after reporting better-than-expected earnings and revenue. The company is a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider.
Grocery shopping center owner Regency Centers (REG) is buying Equity One (EGY) for about $4.6 billion. The deal would allow Regency to add areas like New York and Los Angeles to its portfolio.
JD.com (JD) shares were strongly higher, after China's second-largest e-commerce firm reported revenue grew 38 percent, slightly exceeding expectations.
HCA Holdings (HCA) is authorizing an additional $2 billion share buyback program. There's no time limit and it may be suspended for periods or discontinued at any time.
Apple (AAPL) is considering expanding into wearable eye gadgets with a pair of glasses that could use augmented reality, as the U.S. technology giant looks for new areas of growth, Bloomberg reported.
WATERCOOLER
Snapchat's $130 video recording glasses are being sold on eBay for as much as $5,000. That's a more than 3,746 percent mark up. On the lower end of the scale, sellers have put price tags of $500 on the gadget, called Spectacles. (CNBC)
In the latest sign America's favorite southeast Asian condiment has gone totally mainstream, McDonald's (MCD) is now testing a Sriracha Big Mac in 126 restaurants in the Columbus, Ohio area.(BuzzFeed)