In this calming end-of-week edition of The Gentle Ledger, we unwind the soft pullback that settled over markets on Friday, December 12th. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq logged their worst day in three weeks as tech and AI-linked stocks retreated, led by a sharp drop in Broadcom and broader weakness across semiconductors. Yet consumer names like Chipotle and McDonald’s offered gentle resilience, and travel stocks continued to brighten the mood. We drift across Asia and Europe, where chip-related declines echoed globally, while banks, energy, and construction lent quiet stability. Commodities eased, Treasury yields ticked upward, and crypto softened as Bitcoin slipped beneath $90,000. Tonight’s episode holds space for reflection on a week that mixed record highs with renewed caution — a reminder of markets’ natural ebb and flow, wrapped in a soothing narrative to guide you into the weekend.