The S&P 500 hit a brand-new high on Friday as traders returned from the Christmas break, pushing the market toward solid weekly gains.
The benchmark index dipped just 0.1% in midday trading, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also moved slightly lower, down about 70 points, or 0.2%.
Even with the small pullback, it’s been a winning week. The S&P 500 is up more than 1% so far, putting it on track for its fourth winning week in the last five. Both the Dow and Nasdaq are also up over 1% for the week.
This comes right after a record-setting stretch on Wall Street. Earlier in the week, the S&P 500 notched fresh all-time intraday and closing highs on Wednesday. Markets stayed closed on Thursday for Christmas.
“2025 is wrapping up with more positives than negatives,” said Mark Newton, head of technical strategy at Fundstrat. Despite worries over an “AI bubble,” tariffs, inflation, and even the risk of another government shutdown, Newton says U.S. stocks have largely brushed off the fear heading into the end of the year.
Investors are also eyeing the famous Santa Claus rally, historically one of the strongest seasonal market periods. The last five trading days of the year and the first two of the new year have traditionally delivered gains. According to the Stock Trader’s Almanac, the S&P 500 has averaged a 1.3% increase during this stretch since 1950.
34 Minutes Ago
S&P 500 Hits Another Record High
The S&P 500 popped to a fresh all-time intraday high Friday morning, rising 0.2% to 6,945.77. That builds on its more than 1% jump already this week.
1 Hour Ago
Stocks Start the Day Mostly Flat
Friday’s opening bell brought only slight movement. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite briefly traded above the flatline shortly after markets opened at 9:30 a.m. ET, while the Dow drifted just below it.
2 Hours Ago
Oracle Heads Toward Its Worst Quarter Since 2001
Things aren’t looking great for Oracle this quarter. Shares have plunged 30% so far, putting the stock on track for its steepest drop since the 2001 dot-com crash, with just four trading days left in the period.
Investors are increasingly doubtful about Oracle’s ability to expand server capacity for OpenAI. The ChatGPT operator previously agreed to spend over $300 billion with Oracle, but confidence is fading fast.
3 Hours Ago
Big Tech Movers: Nvidia, Micron, and SanDisk in Focus
Here are some of the biggest names making headlines before the opening bell:
Nvidia — Shares rose 0.5% after the chip giant agreed to pay $20 billion to acquire assets from AI startup Groq, marking the largest purchase in the company’s history.
Micron Technology & SanDisk — Both memory chipmakers gained momentum following reports that Samsung and SK Hynix are hiking prices on next-generation HBM3E chips by nearly 20% for 2026 deliveries. Micron jumped nearly 2%, while SanDisk surged 4%.
4 Hours Ago
Why Ross Stores Could Stay Hot in 2026
While many retailers pulled back on physical locations in 2025, Ross Stores went in the opposite direction — and it’s paying off.
The company opened 90 new stores across Ross Dress for Less and dd’s Discounts, while rivals like Dollar General announced plans to close about 100 stores and Walgreens also moved to shut hundreds more.
Investors liked the gamble. Ross recently hit an all-time high, and its stock is up more than 20% this year, beating the S&P 500’s nearly 18% climb. Strong earnings and raised guidance helped fuel the rally, and analysts think the retailer’s ability to power through tariff worries and economic uncertainty could keep the momentum rolling into 2026.
