Wall Street ended Friday’s post‑Christmas session barely changed, with low trading volume and no major news to push the market up or down.
Why the market stayed flat
All three big U.S. indexes – the Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq – slipped a tiny bit, ending the day almost unchanged. Traders said the market was simply catching its breath after a strong five‑day rally.
Santa Claus rally hopes
The “Santa Claus rally” is a seasonal pattern where stocks tend to rise during the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new year. This period started on Wednesday and runs through Jan 5. Analysts believe the rally could still happen, giving a modest upside bias for the coming weeks.
Index snapshots
- Dow Jones Industrial Average: down 20.19 points (‑0.04%) to 48,710.97
- S&P 500: down 2.11 points (‑0.03%) to 6,929.94
- Nasdaq Composite: down 20.21 points (‑0.09%) to 23,593.10
Sector performance
Among the S&P 500 sectors, materials posted the biggest gain, while consumer discretionary lagged. Year‑to‑date, communication services, technology and industrials have outperformed the broader market, whereas real estate is the only sector that has lost ground.
Notable stock moves
- Nvidia rose 1% after agreeing to license chip technology from startup Groq and hire its CEO.
- Target jumped 3.1% following news of activist hedge fund interest.
- Precious‑metal miners such as First Majestic, Coeur Mining and Endeavour Silver gained between 1.2% and 3% as gold and silver prices hit fresh highs.
Trading activity
On the NYSE, advancing stocks outnumbered decliners 1.13 to 1, with 342 new highs and 66 new lows. On the Nasdaq, more stocks fell than rose (1.32 to 1). Overall trading volume was about 10.2 billion shares, well below the 20‑day average of 16 billion.
What investors should keep in mind
Volatility is part of the market’s price for the strong gains seen over the past few years. While a calm year without headlines is unlikely, staying prepared for ups and downs can help protect your portfolio.
Remember, this is just perspective, not a prediction. Do your own research and consider your risk tolerance before making any decisions.