Core Points - President Trump signed an executive order to reduce prescription drug costs by 30% to 80% [1] - Major pharmaceutical companies, including Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Amgen, have agreed to lower drug prices as part of the "most favored nation" policy [2] - U.S. prescription drug prices are nearly three times higher than those in other countries, with branded drugs being over four times higher [3] Group 1: Executive Order and Policy - The executive order aims to link U.S. drug prices to lower prices abroad, addressing the issue of "global freeloading" [1][4] - The "most favored nation" policy was revived to ensure that drug prices outside the U.S. are increased [4] Group 2: Pharmaceutical Companies Involved - Fourteen out of the seventeen largest pharmaceutical companies have agreed to lower prices, with Johnson & Johnson expected to join soon [2] - The companies will sell existing treatments to Medicaid patients at the lowest "most favored nation" price and list popular drugs on the upcoming TrumpRx website [2] Group 3: Market Dynamics - The U.S. is a crucial market for many pharmaceutical companies, with European firms generating a significant portion of their sales from the U.S. market [5] - Trade association PhRMA argues that the most-favored nation pricing may not be the best solution for lowering drug costs, attributing price disparities to pharmacy benefit managers [4]

Underscores Long-Standing Commitment to Investing in Innovation and U.S. Manufacturing ®®® THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Dec. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced it is taking action again with the U.S. government to lower medicine costs for American patients, while reinforcing Amgen's long-standing commitment to innovation. The action satisfies the components outlined in President Trump's July 31 letter, including the Administration's Most Favored Nation pricing requests. Additional detail ...

Core Insights - US core inflation unexpectedly eased to a four-year low, raising questions among economists about the reliability of the data due to a prior government shutdown [8][14] - ByteDance has signed an agreement to establish a joint venture in the US with majority ownership by American investors [8][14] Market Performance - The A-share market opened lower but closed higher, with the Shanghai Composite Index up 0.16% at 3876.37 points, while the Shenzhen Component fell 1.29% and the ChiNext Index dropped 2.17% [1] - The Hong Kong market also saw fluctuations, with the Hang Seng Index closing up 0.12% at 25498.13 points, while the Hang Seng Tech Index fell 0.73% [1][5] Economic Indicators - The US core Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.6% year-on-year in November, while the overall CPI increased by 2.7% [14] - The report indicated that core CPI only increased by 0.2% over the last two months, with declines in hotel, leisure, and clothing prices limiting the overall increase [14] Corporate Developments - TikTok announced the establishment of a joint venture with US investors, which will operate independently and manage US data protection and algorithm security [8][14] - China has reportedly ordered 7 million tons of US soybeans, achieving over half of the procurement target set during the Trump administration [8][14]

Core Insights - Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) is recognized as one of the 12 Best Dogs of the Dow to invest in [1] - HSBC has raised its price target for Amgen to $425 from $381, maintaining a Buy rating, reflecting a positive outlook for the pharma sector heading into 2026 [2] - The FDA has approved UPLIZNA for treating generalized myasthenia gravis, providing a new treatment option with a dosing schedule that allows for six months of treatment-free time [2][3] Company Overview - Amgen Inc. focuses on discovering, developing, manufacturing, and delivering innovative medicines, particularly in the field of biologics, addressing serious conditions such as cancer, inflammation, heart disease, and rare disorders [4]

Group 1 - Amgen Inc. is recognized as one of the 15 Best Blue-Chip Stocks with Growing Dividends, highlighting its reliability in providing income to investors [1] - Morgan Stanley has reduced its price target for Amgen from $329 to $304 while maintaining an Equal Weight rating, indicating a more optimistic outlook for the biopharma sector in 2026 as policy risks diminish [2] - Amgen announced a 6% increase in its quarterly dividend to $2.52 per share, marking 15 consecutive years of dividend increases, reinforcing its status as a dependable income stock [3] Group 2 - In Q3 2025, Amgen reported a 12% increase in revenue year-over-year, with volumes rising by 14%, and 16 of its products achieving double-digit growth [4] - The company is expanding across all four of its main therapeutic areas, with biosimilar revenue increasing over 50% year-over-year, approaching $3 billion annually [5] - Amgen plans to invest over $3 billion in US manufacturing this year, adding to the $40 billion already invested since 2017, demonstrating its commitment to growth and innovation [5]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights three standout companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average that are considered great long-term investment opportunities due to their strong dividend yields and solid business fundamentals. Group 1: High-Yield Dividend Stocks - Verizon Communications offers a dividend yield of 6.66%, making it an attractive option for investors seeking passive income, especially if interest rates continue to decline [4][5] - Chevron has a dividend yield of 4.55% and has generated nearly $187 billion in revenue over the past four quarters, supporting its dividend payments [6][7] - Merck provides a dividend yield of 3.23% and has a strong pipeline of drugs, ensuring its dividend remains stable despite potential patent losses in the future [9][10] Group 2: Additional Dividend Stocks - Amgen has a dividend yield of 3% and has consistently increased its annual dividend since 2011, with a payout ratio below 50%, indicating strong financial support for its dividends [12][13] - Coca-Cola, with a dividend yield of 2.92%, is recognized for its brand strength and has a history of 63 consecutive years of annual dividend increases, making it a reliable investment [14][15] Group 3: Investment Recommendations - The article suggests that Chevron, Merck, and Coca-Cola stand out as the best investment choices heading into the new year due to their strong fundamentals and dividend performance [16]

Stacks of gold coins forming an upward arrow beside a lab beaker and heart-rate icon. Key Points Stryker, Amgen, and Eli Lilly have all raised their dividends, signaling increased capital returns to shareholders despite varied stock performance in 2025. Amgen now offers an industry-leading 3.2% dividend yield, one of the few large-cap healthcare stocks with a yield above 3%. Wall Street maintains a positive outlook across all three names, with Stryker offering the highest implied upside at over 20%, fo ...

Market Performance - On Monday, major U.S. stock indices collectively declined, with the Dow Jones down 0.09% at 48,416.56 points, the Nasdaq down 0.59% at 23,057.41 points, and the S&P 500 down 0.16% at 6,816.51 points [1][2]. Tesla Highlights - Tesla's stock rose over 3%, reaching a nearly one-year high, with a market value increase of over $53 billion in one night [1][4]. - CEO Elon Musk's net worth surpassed $600 billion, making him the first person in history to achieve this milestone [4]. iRobot Situation - iRobot's stock plummeted over 72% after the company filed for bankruptcy protection, planning to be taken over by its main Chinese supplier and manufacturer, leading to its delisting [1][5]. Chinese Stocks Performance - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell by 2.17%, with notable declines in stocks such as Baidu (down nearly 5%) and Alibaba (down over 3%) [1][7]. Nasdaq Trading Mechanism - Nasdaq plans to submit a proposal to the SEC to introduce a near-around-the-clock trading mechanism, extending trading hours from 16 to 23 hours per week [1][14]. - The new trading schedule would include two trading periods: a daytime session starting at 4 AM and ending at 8 PM, and a night session from 9 PM to 4 AM [14][15].

Group 1 - Broadcom shares fell over 5%, while Apple and Amazon rose over 1%, and Tesla increased by over 3%, adding $53.7 billion (approximately 378.6 billion RMB) to its market value [1] - Elon Musk's net worth reached $677 billion, making him the first person in history to surpass the $600 billion mark, previously no one had crossed $500 billion [3] - iRobot officially declared bankruptcy with a stock value of zero after finalizing its restructuring plan on December 15, resulting in a 72.69% drop in its shares [3] Group 2 - The Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index fell by 2.17%, with major Chinese stocks declining; Baidu dropped nearly 5%, and Alibaba, Xpeng Motors, and others fell over 3% [5] - WTI crude oil futures decreased by 1.08% to $56.82 per barrel, while Brent crude oil futures fell by 0.92% to $60.56 per barrel [6] - Bitcoin fell below $86,000 for the first time in two weeks, dropping 3.3% to $85,578, approximately 30% down from its record high of over $126,000 [6][7] Group 3 - Over the past 24 hours, more than 190,000 traders were liquidated, resulting in a total loss of $670 million (approximately 4.7 billion RMB) [9] - The New York Federal Reserve's manufacturing index unexpectedly shrank to -3.9 in December, indicating a contraction in economic activity, significantly below the expected median of 10 [11][13] - Federal Reserve Governor Milan suggested that the current monetary policy is too tight and advocated for a faster pace of rate cuts, citing signs of a cooling labor market [13]

Core Insights - The FDA has approved Amgen's UPLIZNA® (inebilizumab-cdon) for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) in adults who are anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) and anti-muscle specific tyrosine kinase (MuSK) antibody positive, marking it as the first and only CD19-Targeted B-Cell therapy for this condition [1][2] - UPLIZNA offers a new treatment option with the potential for long-term disease control, requiring only two doses per year after initial loading doses, which is a significant improvement over other therapies that require more frequent administration [1][6] Treatment Background - UPLIZNA is already FDA-approved for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), showcasing its effectiveness in B cell depletion for immune-mediated disorders [2][5] - The approval reflects a growing body of evidence supporting B cell-driven autoimmune mechanisms in myasthenia gravis, positioning UPLIZNA as a strong therapeutic candidate [2][11] Clinical Impact - Clinical trials for UPLIZNA in gMG demonstrated significant improvements in MG-ADL and QMG functional scores, reduced frequency and severity of exacerbations, and early onset of sustained benefits [8][9] - The safety profile of UPLIZNA is consistent with prior indications, providing reassurance for its use in treating gMG [8][11] Research and Development - The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has invested over $57 million in myasthenia gravis research since its founding, with recent investments exceeding $400,000 from 2020 to 2025 [12] - MDA's commitment includes supporting active research grants and providing comprehensive patient support through a network of over 150 Care Centers [12] Community and Advocacy - The MDA Care Center Network plays a crucial role in clinical trials, multidisciplinary care, and patient support across the United States, enhancing access to the latest clinical information and treatment options [3][12] - The approval of UPLIZNA is seen as a significant advancement for the gMG community, providing renewed hope and more choices for patients and families [4][11]