Stock Market Today: Live Updates | Wilnesh News

Stock index futures were slightly lower in early trading Friday as investors looked to end the holiday-shortened week on a strong note.

Futures and Dow Jones Industrial Average Down 50 points, or 0.1%. S&P 500 Index Futures and Nasdaq 100 Futures fell 0.16% and 0.23% respectively.

The moves followed thin trading during the regular session on Thursday. this 30 stocks in the Dow Jones Index edged higher for fifth straight winning day, while S&P 500 Index and Nasdaq Index The trade ended just below flatline.

All three major U.S. stock indexes are in the green so far this week after a strong run of gains at the start of the shortened holiday week. The S&P 500 is up 1.8% so far this week. On Tuesday, broad market indexes had their best Christmas Eve performance since 1974, Bespoke data showed. The Dow gained 1.1% for the week, while gains in large technology stocks pushed the Nasdaq up 2.3%.

Despite thin trading this week, investors are hoping that stocks will soar in the new year, fueled by the so-called “Santa Claus rally.” This refers to the market’s upward trend in the last five trading days of the year and the first two trading days of January.

“After a contentious election cycle and unusual market dynamics, the nation is breathing a sigh of relief at the end of 2024 and delivering strong year-to-date gains,” said Todd Ahlsten, chief investment officer of Parnassus Investments. “Looking to 2025 In the year, the market is expected to expand and improve. “

In December, the Nasdaq is expected to rise 4.2%, driven by gains in shares of Tesla and Alphabet, as well as gains in Apple shares that push the iPhone maker’s market value closer to $4 trillion. The S&P 500 is up nearly 0.1% this month. The Dow Jones fell about 3.5%, its worst month since April.