Wall Street inches closer to its all-time high

Market Overview - The U.S. stock market remained stable, with the S&P 500 up by 0.1% and just 0.5% below its all-time high, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped by 31 points (0.1%) and the Nasdaq composite rose by 0.2% [1] Company Performance - Dollar General's stock surged by 14% after reporting stronger-than-expected profits, driven by increased customer traffic and improved profit margins [2] - Hormel's shares increased by 3.8% following better-than-expected profits, attributed to strong sales of its Planters nuts and Jennie-O turkey products, along with a positive profit forecast for the upcoming year [2] - Salesforce's stock rose by 3.7% after reporting better-than-expected profits, although its revenue fell slightly short; CEO Marc Benioff highlighted the company's strong position in the artificial intelligence sector [3] Economic Indicators - Reports indicated a decrease in unemployment claims, with the number of filings at the lowest level in over three years, and layoffs announced last month fell by more than half compared to October [6] - The job market's resilience may reduce the necessity for further interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, despite ongoing concerns about inflation remaining above the target [5][7]