With a trickle of warnings that include the word “bubble” and “2020” popping up here and there, gains in tech shares Thursday surged, sending the Nasdaq above 9,000 for the first time. —David E. Rovella Here are today’s top storiesAmazon’s stock had the biggest advance on the S&P 500 Index after the e-commerce giant said its holiday season was “record breaking.” Apple shares hit a record as the iPhone maker remained on track for its best annual performance in a decade.Financial technology startups will enter the next decade with a little more credibility than last time. This time, they really are coming for banking. U.S. President Donald Trump retreated from his demand that South Korea pay five times more to host American military personnel, according to a newspaper report. This year saw weak luxury home prices, new tax proposals and foreign investor limits. But that didn’t stop the 1% from paying more than $100 million apiece for mansions, penthouses and beachside properties. French entrepreneur Denis Payre wants to level the playing field for trade, requiring that nations sign a global contract that sets human and environmental standards for all to abide by (especially China). Peter Coy writes in Bloomberg Businessweek that Payre’s plan is a blue-sky scheme with serious drawbacks and a slim chance of being adopted—but worth listening to nevertheless. What’s Pankaj Mishra thinking about? The Bloomberg Opinion columnist says that, while the U.S. and China may sign a partial trade ceasefire next month, observers shouldn’t be lulled: The protectionist impulse behind the trade war started by America remains as ineradicable as ever. What you’ll need to know tomorrowTrump’s Senate impeachment trial will be unprecedented.Tiffany reported a sales rebound thanks in part to China consumers.The corporate bond market’s $100 billion market is here to stay.Teens are drinking less beer in favor of vaping and pot.A Japan broadcaster mistakenly sent a North Korea missile alert.The one metric that may have Tesla a little worried.Ralph Lauren’s daughter Dylan has some travel advice for you. Sponsored Content by SmartAsset™️ This NYC Startup Is Disrupting the $27 Billion Retirement Industry With over 110 million Americans over age 50, it's no wonder this Princeton grad's startup just raised another $28 million to help people conquer retirement. See how its no-cost tool can help you plan to retire comfortably. What you’ll want to read in Bloomberg PursuitsThe Caribbean still reigns supreme when it comes to cruising, but there’s a whole new world to explore. Classic ports such as the Bahamas are recovering, new itineraries are opening up in Japan for the Summer Olympics and luxury options abound in the Seychelles. Here are eight places to prioritize in 2020. Like Bloomberg’s Evening Briefing? Subscribe to Bloomberg.com. You’ll get our unmatched global news coverage and two premium daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close, and much, much more. See our limited-time introductory offer. To keep up with the latest Brexit news, sign up for our daily newsletter, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our podcast. Download the Bloomberg app: It’s available for iOS and Android. Before it’s here, it’s on the Bloomberg Terminal. Find out more about how the Terminal delivers information and analysis that financial professionals can’t find anywhere else. Learn more. | 