Europe EV Demand Surges as Fuel Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict 
US Stock Futures Jump on Reports of Preliminary US-Iran Peace Deal Despite Fed’s Hawkish Outlook 
Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as USD/JPY Nears 161 Amid Yen Weakness 
Oil Prices Slide as U.S.-Iran Deal and Hormuz Reopening Ease Supply Concerns 
Dollar Surges After Fed Holds Rates Steady, Signals Potential Tightening Ahead 
Oil Prices Steady as U.S.-Iran Truce Uncertainty and Middle East Tensions Keep Markets on Edge 
Gold Prices Slide as Hawkish Fed and Strong Dollar Weigh on Bullion 
Asian Stocks Surge as Oil Prices Fall and Strong US Dollar Weighs on Markets 
Japan Inflation Stays Below BOJ Target Despite Rate Hike and Rising Energy Cost Risks 
Russia Stocks End Flat as MOEX Index Hits New 52-Week Low; Gold Falls and Oil Mixed 
Australia Eases Capital Gains Tax Reforms to Support Small Businesses and Startups 
Canada Imposes 10% Tariff on Canned Vegetable Imports to Protect Domestic Industry 
German Industry Employment Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade 
Yen Near 40-Year Lows Despite BOJ Rate Hike, Markets Brace for Possible Intervention 
US Stock Futures Slip After Wall Street Rally Fueled by US-Iran Deal and Chipmaker Surge 
Gold Prices Rebound on U.S.-Iran Peace Deal Optimism Despite Fed Rate Hike Signals 
China’s AI Manufacturing Boom Masks Weak Consumer Economy, Citi Says 
Wall Street finished a light-volume, post-Christmas trading session nearly unchanged on Friday, as investors found little fresh news to drive strong market conviction. After a solid five-session rally, all three major U.S. stock indexes closed slightly lower, marking a pause rather than a reversal, while still securing weekly gains.
Market participants largely attributed the muted movement to holiday-thinned trading and profit-taking following recent strength. According to Ryan Detrick, chief market strategist at Carson Group, the market is simply “catching its breath” after a strong rally. He emphasized that the current period still falls within the traditional “Santa Claus rally,” a seasonal trend where the S&P 500 often rises during the final five trading days of the year and the first two sessions of the new year, a window that runs through January 5. Historically, such rallies are viewed as a positive signal for market performance in the year ahead.
Only three trading days remain in what has been a volatile year for U.S. equities. Investors navigated uncertainty driven by tariff concerns, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence-related stocks. Despite these headwinds, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500, and Nasdaq Composite are all on pace to post double-digit percentage gains for the year, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq.
On Friday, the Dow slipped 0.04% to 48,710.97, the S&P 500 edged down 0.03% to 6,929.94, and the Nasdaq Composite declined 0.09% to 23,593.10. Materials stocks led sector gains, while consumer discretionary shares lagged. Year-to-date, communication services, technology, and industrials remain the strongest-performing sectors, with real estate standing out as the only major sector likely to end the year in negative territory.
Individual stocks also drew attention. Nvidia shares rose after the company agreed to license chip technology from startup Groq, while Target climbed on reports of hedge fund activism. Precious metal miners advanced as gold and silver prices hit record highs.
Overall trading volume remained well below average, reinforcing the view that the market’s slight pullback reflects seasonal calm rather than shifting fundamentals, as investors prepare for the final days of the year and look ahead to 2026.
