What Moved Markets This Week

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ChrisSteer/iStock via Getty Images The benchmark S&P 500 index ( SP500 ) ended lower for the holiday-shortened week as Wall Street's bull run lost some steam. After hefty yearly gains, investors took some money off the table. Additionally, uncertainty over the economic effects of President-elect Donald Trump's policies and the path of future monetary policy weighed on sentiment.



Tuesday marked the final trading day of 2024. The S&P ( SP500 ) eventually posted a massive advance of +23.31% for the year.

It was also the first time the S&P ( SP500 ) delivered back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The bull run in 2024 was driven by several factors, chief among them the Federal Reserve finally starting a rate-cutting cycle, a continued run-up in technology names driven by the artificial intelligence ( AI ) craze, and Trump's divisive election victory. New Year's Day was a holiday, while Thursday was the first trading day of 2025.

Wall Street eventually ended lower to kick off the new year, but history shows that the S&P's ( SP500 ) performance on the first trading day of a year is a poor barometer for its eventual annual performance. Tesla ( TSLA ) garnered a chunk of the spotlight this week amid two separate developments. Firstly, in the early hours of New Year's Day, a Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.

Then, on Thursday, the company reported its first-ever annual fall in deliveries. For the week, the S&P ( SP500 ) slipped -0.5% , while the blue-chip Dow ( DJI ) fell -0.

6% . The Nasdaq Composite ( COMP:IND ) shed -0.5% .

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Weekly Movement U.S. Indices Dow -0.

6% to 42,732. S&P 500 -0.5% to 5,943.

Nasdaq -0.5% to 19,619. Russell 2000 +0.

9% to 2,265. CBOE Volatility Index +1.1% to 16.

13. S&P 500 Sectors Consumer Staples -1.4% .

Utilities +1.3% . Financials -0.

3% . Telecom -0.3% .

Healthcare flat. Industrials -0.4% .

Information Technology -0.7% . Materials -2.

1% . Energy +3.2% .

Consumer Discretionary -1.5% . Real Estate +0.

6% . World Indices London +0.9% to 8,224.

France -1% to 7,282. Germany -0.4% to 19,906.

Japan -1% to 39,895. China -5.6% to 3,211.

Hong Kong -1.6% to 19,760. India +0.

6% to 79,171. Commodities and Bonds Crude Oil WTI +4.8% to $73.

96/bbl. Gold +1.4% to $2,654.

7/oz. Natural Gas -4.6% to 3.

354. Ten-Year Bond Yield -0.2 bps to 4.

601. Forex and Cryptos EUR/USD -1.14% .

USD/JPY -0.32% . GBP/USD -1.

24% . Bitcoin +2.5% .

Litecoin +10.7% . Ethereum +5.

8% . XRP +11.9% .

Top S&P 500 Gainers Vistra ( VST ) +13% . Constellation Energy ( CEG ) +10% . Devon Energy ( DVN ) +9% .

Diamondback Energy ( FANG ) +8% . APA Corporation ( APA ) +7% . Top S&P 500 Losers Tesla ( TSLA ) -10% .

Brown-Forman ( BF.B ) -8% . Wynn Resort ( WYNN ) -7% .

Best Buy Co. ( BBY ) -6% . Tractor Supply ( TSCO ) -6% .

Where will the markets be headed next week? Current trends and ideas? Add your thoughts to the comments section..