Zhong Guo Zheng Quan Bao·2025-12-17 23:37Market Performance - The three major U.S. stock indices closed lower on December 17, with the Dow Jones down 0.47% at 47,885.97 points, the S&P 500 down 1.16% at 6,721.43 points, and the Nasdaq down 1.81% at 22,693.32 points [3]. - Major technology stocks collectively declined, with Tesla dropping over 4%, Nvidia nearly 4%, and Google over 3% [2][5]. Sector Performance - The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index fell by 3.78%, with significant declines in major chip stocks such as ASML, ARM, and AMD, each dropping over 5%, and Broadcom down over 4% [5]. - Chinese concept stocks mostly declined, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index down 0.73%. Notable declines included Century Internet and NIO, both down over 3%, while Dingdong Maicai surged over 22% [6]. Commodity Market - Precious metals futures saw a general increase, with COMEX gold futures rising by 0.9% to $4,371.40 per ounce and COMEX silver futures up 4.92% to $66.44 per ounce [6]. - Crude oil prices also increased, with light crude oil futures for January delivery rising by $0.67 to $55.94 per barrel (up 1.21%) and Brent crude for February delivery up $0.76 to $59.68 per barrel (up 1.29%) [8]. Monetary Policy - The Federal Reserve's monetary policy remains restrictive, with room for potential interest rate cuts in the future. Fed Governor Christopher Waller indicated that there is no urgency for rate cuts, suggesting a gradual approach towards neutral policy rates to address slowing inflation while maintaining economic resilience [9].