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U.S. Stocks Down Despite Nvidia's Strong Report; 119K Jobs in September, But Unemployment Rate Ticks Up to 4.4 Percent; The Exorcists Airs Sunday at 8PM ET; NASA Releases Images of Mysterious Interstellar Object. Aired 3:30-4p ET

Aired November 20, 2025 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[15:30:00]

PETE MUNTEAN, CNN AVIATION CORRESPONDENT: ... Now we have the smoking gun.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN HOST: Yes, wow, really stunning evidence as you showed us. Pete Muntean, thank you.

MUNTEAN: Anytime.

SANCHEZ: So jobs were added but unemployment is up. We're seeing a mixed picture being painted by the delayed September jobs report.

We'll get into it in just moments.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN HOST: Happening now, U.S. stocks are down despite a strong quarterly report from computer chip giant Nvidia. Wall Street surging earlier today after the company announced its sales grew 62 percent year over year and beat projections by more than $2 billion.

However, Nvidia's strong numbers weren't enough to keep stocks in the positive territory. Traders are also factoring in a mixed September jobs report.

[15:35:00]

The U.S. economy adding 119,000 positions but the unemployment rate went up slightly to 4.4 percent and that's the highest that it's been in nearly four years.

Former Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner William Beach is with us now. He's now the executive director of the Fiscal Lab on Capitol Hill. Thank you for being here to take us through all of this.

WILLIAM BEACH, FORMER BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMMISSIONER: My pleasure.

KEILAR: And I called it mixed. You wrote about this today and called it a shaky report. Explain that.

BEACH: Shaky is a good term isn't it? A mix might be you know there's good and there's bad and that's true in this report. We had good and bad.

So the good 119,000 jobs that's above trend. No question about that. But I got to tell you, Brianna, these numbers have been coming down. They've been coming down every month that we have an initial estimate.

The next month we get a lower estimate and then we get a lower estimate and that happened also this month for July and for August. They came down. And I think this number will probably also be reduced. And why do I think that?

It's because we had an increase in jobs but we had an increase in unemployment. And so I think that as the jobs estimate is a little high because you shouldn't have that relationship. You could but you shouldn't have that relationship.

So I think it's going to come down a little bit. Unemployment rate up at 4.4 percent. We're still that's kind of a lowish unemployment rate compared to where we have been in the last 15 years.

But it's enough to concern the Federal Reserve. So how does the Federal Reserve read this, right?

That's why it's shaky. On the one hand a lot of jobs. Maybe we should cut the interest rate because a lot of jobs higher pay -- the pay went up. That might cause inflation to go up.

On the other hand you've got an increase in unemployment. So you've got to make sure that you're you're doing the right sort of thing with the interest rate.

KEILAR: It's a tricky adjustment to figure out. And you talked about the next month's job report except there won't be a next month's job report. How big of a deal is that.

BEACH: Well it's a pretty big deal. So the government was closed in October entirely. BLS, which produces -- Bureau of Labor Statistics produces these numbers.

And they they didn't do any surveying at all in October. Surveying is a technical term but that's how they get the data. They go out and they ask people.

Well that's -- that asking is important for getting the unemployment rate. So for the very first time since 1948 -- as far as I know -- we will not have an unemployment rate for a month. We'll we'll skip a month.

There will be jobs numbers. Now that may confuse people. Well the jobs number come from another survey that's published at the same time that the unemployment rate survey is published and businesses have been sending in data for that particular half of the jobs report. So on November the 16th we'll get the October net job increases and we'll also get the November -- the November numbers -- this December 16. I think I said November 16.

So so we'll get both. But we won't have the -- and so the Federal Reserve won't know about unemployment and labor force participate. All these other things.

KEILAR: So how do they -- how do they factor that all in. And if you're someone who, you know, you want to think about am I buying a house --

BEACH: Right.

KEILAR: -- or maybe someone doesn't have a choice, right? They're looking at purchasing a car.

They're looking at these purchases where that matters.

BEACH: Yes.

KEILAR: You know what do you -- what do you say to that.

BEACH: Well I think I think consumers have already decided to be cautious about the future and I don't think this report does anything to dissuade them one way or the other. So I think caution is the -- is the watchword.

I'm a little bit more concerned about business owners that they may be thinking well let's let's expand the business. And they're looking at the future and they're saying what does the future likely hold. Well they're getting two different signals. They're getting a slight growth signal and they're getting a slight slowdown signal.

So I think you'll see caution there as well. And I think that's the reason why even with NVIDIA's really great report that came out yesterday the stock market showed signs of caution today when the jobs report came out.

They read this and they said this is a flashing yellow sign. This isn't green. And I do think that that first estimate on jobs is going to come down and it will confirm that the yellow signals the appropriate response.

KEILAR: That's really interesting that we'll be seeing that read. William Beach great to have you. Thank you so much.

BEACH: Thank you.

KEILAR: And months after deadly flooding devastated the region the Texas Hill Country is facing another threat of severe weather that could dump inches of rain on vulnerable communities.

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SANCHEZ: Now to some of the other headlines we're watching this hour. President Trump expected to meet with New York City mayor elect Zohran Mamdani tomorrow in the Oval Office. It'll be the first face to face encounter between the two men who have spent months trading insults.

In a recent interview Mamdani says he plans to speak with the president about affordability issues.

Also Verizon cutting some 13,000 jobs the company's largest single layoff ever. In a letter to employees, Verizon's new CEO says the cuts will impact workers across its entire business and significantly reduce its outsourced labor expenses.

He also says the company will establish a $20 million fund for affected employees to focus on the opportunities and necessary skills for utilizing AI. These cuts are happening as Verizon sees slowing sales and increased competition from other carriers.

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And parts of Texas are bracing for severe flooding as strong storms have moved across the region. Forecasters say that several inches of rain could fall into the same areas of the Texas Hill Country that were devastated by floods back in July.

Further north the Dallas Fort Worth area could also see some localized flooding. A flash flood warning is expected to remain in effect for millions until tomorrow -- Brianna.

KEILAR: This week's episode of "THE WHOLE STORY" takes a closer look at exorcisms. CNN reached out to all 196 Catholic diocese and archdiocese across the U.S. and out of the 48 that responded more than two dozen say they have seen an increase in inquiries for exorcisms over the past two decades.

CNN's David Culver went to Arizona home to one of the fastest growing Catholic diocese in the country and spoke with an exorcist who has never spoken publicly about the right before.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID CULVER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Can you give me a sense early on, 26 years or so ago, what were you seeing as far as the request for exorcisms and what have you seen since?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What what there has been is a surge in requests.

CULVER: How often every week or month back then versus now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I would say when I began maybe there were three to five every one to three months. And now I'm going to guess it would be three to five maybe every week.

CULVER: It's I assume nonstop for you then.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is. I find that Satan is very astute.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: Wow! All right. CNN's David Culver is with us now.

David what were some of the most surprising things that you found out in this reporting. CULVER (on camera): You know Brianna, we have this vision. I think it's mostly a Hollywood-shaped one when we hear the word exorcism. Right.

And you know I'm Catholic. I grew up in D.C. You have the exorcist stairs there that folks refer to. This pushed all of that away. This journey that we went on, and it was me along with a team spearheaded by Matthew Raynard, our producer, who really helped us dig into this in a way that wasn't going to be exploited, because that's the concern here, right?

I mean you have a sit down there with a Catholic priest, but he's one of several exorcists that we meet.

And we go on these visits to everything from a family church to a garage to a conference room in a hotel where exorcisms are playing out. They call them deliverances in other Christian churches, but essentially it's all the same thing, casting out demons.

And I think one of the biggest things that surprised us were the folks who were showing up. Now, you can look at this, and it can seem like you're just looking at a spectacle, but what we try to do is we try to go through the layers here, and you see the humanity of these individuals. They're incredibly vulnerable, and they have aspects of their life that many of us can relate to.

I mean, many of them are dealing with addiction, grief, fear, isolation, and this is how they feel like they can overcome it. Now, there are risks to this as well, and we highlight those. It can be dangerous, and even as we point out in this documentary, it can be deadly, but at the end of the day, I think what people will walk away from feeling is that there are aspects to this that are far more relatable and things that they can perhaps even themselves understand by these characters going through this journey that we take you along with.

KEILAR: And he's describing a lot more people desiring this like requesting this from him. Why. Why are more people wanting this.

CULVER: Well first of all we should point out it's tough to get numbers because a lot of people don't keep records of exorcisms that -- and document them in a way that, you know, you can then access and try to put that data together. But anecdotally and then from what we've got, as you mentioned earlier from the Catholic archdiocese and diocese across the U.S., it does seem like there is this increase in fact. And so the question that you pose is a great one.

Why. We delve into that. I think a lot of it is the emotions that people are dealing with.

The deep mental illnesses that some also are dealing with that they're turning in instead of or in addition to mental health professionals, spiritual leaders. And then the other aspect of this that was pointed out to us is there is the social media component where it seems -- according to these exorcists -- a lot of folks are seeing things as they point out that are opening the door to demonic possession. Things that they describe as witchcraft, magic even they say. They've even referenced yoga as opening the door to that.

Now, a lot of folks would just say that's ridiculous, but some of these people genuinely believe it and they feel like going through this purge of the demons allows them then to free themselves of this oppression.

KEILAR: And what else can people expect in this Sunday's episode.

CULVER: I think we call it the exorcist because you're you're really following these individuals who have different paths to where they are today. They all believe at the core that they are -- call it the exorcist because you're you're really following these individuals who have different paths to where they are today.

They all believe at the core that they are moving forward with an act of charity, right? That they see this as as comforting people and accompanying them on what can be a very lonely journey in life. It's interesting to see how some of these individuals have come to this position and several of them have told us they're self-taught exorcist.

Now, Brianna, what is what does that mean. How do you teach yourself how to be an exorcist. They say for them it started delivering themselves. That is to say, they had their own demons that they were able to cast out of themselves.

Again, some folks will look at this and say that sounds strange. Some will label it as crazy. But I think when you see the humanity in this it'll surprise you.

And I'm looking forward for folks to be able to come along with us on what really was an eye opening journey.

KEILAR: Yes so am I. David Culver thank you very much for taking us through that. We appreciate the preview. And be sure to tune in for an all new episode of "THE WHOLE STORY WITH ANDERSON COOPER, THE EXORCISTS" that air Sunday at 8 p.m. Eastern on CNN and next day on the CNN app.

It's a bird. It's a plane. It's a comet. Maybe it's a spaceship. That object in the sky that's catching NASA's attention and fueling some out of this world theories.

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SANCHEZ: It is an image we've all been waiting for and we should get our tinfoil hats before we look at this because NASA has just released never before seen images of an interstellar object known as "3I/ATLAS." Scientists say the mysterious visitor entered our galaxy from somewhere deep in outer space and it's now on its way back out.

KEILAR: Or maybe home. KEILAR: An astrophysicist at Harvard has speculated that "3I/ATLAS" could have been sent by aliens. That's Harvard folks. But after reviewing these new images NASA says the object looks and acts like a comet.

Adam Frank is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester and he joins us now. I mean Adam if an alien civilization wanted to spy on us wouldn't disguising themselves as a comet just be the best way to do it.

ADAM FRANK, PROFESSOR OF ASTROPHYSICS, UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER: Probably not. What they would want to do is sort of hang out at the end of the solar system where we -- I know I know.

You know the funny thing about that whole Harvard astronomer thing is if you ask every other astronomer at Harvard they'd all be like what. So this is a very exciting, very exciting thing that's happening. But it has nothing to do with alien civilizations.

It has to do with alien solar systems. This is a flying mountain from another solar system thousands of light years away and can teach you about (INAUDIBLE).

SANCHEZ: So tell us about that. What what information can we glean from this comet if it's not actually just a visitor kind of spying on us to see how things are going.

FRANK: Yes. So I'm sorry that it's not. But you know one of the problems with the whole alien spaceship thing is it takes away from how profound this is.

You know the three right. The 3Is. This is only the third time we've seen something from another solar system an entirely different family of planets light years away, enter our solar system. And we thought this was happening but we didn't have the technology to find it. So it's only in the last few years that we've been able to see these.

And what basically a comet is it's the construction debris left over from building planets. Now we've had studied comets in our own solar system and learned about how our planets were built. But there's literally billions of other worlds in the galaxy and we don't know how they were built.

So by studying 3I/ATLAS we're seeing things that we haven't seen before in comets and we're learning about an entirely different way that other planets may be built in other -- in alien solar systems.

KEILAR: OK. When you're putting it that way I mean that gets me excited about it. And it's it's kind of cooler than some sort of like alien silliness.

And you called it a mountain. Right. How big is this thing.

FRANK: Yes, you should think of it as a mountain. It is like kilometers across. It's, you know, it's the size of a, you know, pretty -- it's a very large rock, you know, that, you know, would take you a while to walk around it.

So these things really are -- these are there -- when I say construction debris, these are mountain sized pieces of ice and rock that would have ended up in a planet. Would have eventually collided with the planet and become part of a planet like Earth or like Mercury or Mars but just got ejected.

It didn't -- it never got assembled into a planet. And we don't really know much about how this happened because it happened four billion years ago.

But by seeing somebody else like seeing a comet from another solar system we're getting deeper clues into how in general planets are built. And that may give us hints about how life on other planets may have formed. So, you know, it has its deep connection to the question of life in the universe.

But this thing, going off on this route that that that Harvard professor has, as really many astronomers we're really kind of fed up with it. Because it takes away from the true beauty, the true excitement of seeing an object from another solar system visiting us.

KEILAR: Yes. Well you got me jazzed about 3I/ATLAS and not in the way Kim Kardashian is jazzed about it. So, Adam Frank, thank you very very much. Appreciate it.

FRANK: My pleasure.

KEILAR: OK, so we all know about survival of the fittest. Well, a new study says for some creatures it may be about survival of the cutest.

This is a study in Scientific American claims we're seeing that play out with raccoons. Oh my gosh it's trash day.

So whatever they say about it, I don't even want to hear about it.

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But basically they're physically changing over time I guess, you know, to look cuter.

SANCHEZ: Yes, scientists figured this out by looking at some 20,000 photos of raccoons and found that those living in urban areas near people are actually developing a shorter snout. So they're getting cuter. Part of that is a process of domestication I guess just, you know, leave something out for them.

KEILAR: No no. They're terrible. They're terrible.

Let's go to "THE ARENA" with Kasie Hunt.

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