The Times Of India·2025-12-22 15:16Market Overview - The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, remaining just below its all-time high set earlier this month, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 170 points, or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite also gained 0.4% [4][6] - Market sentiment was bolstered by strength in commodities, with gold and silver reaching record highs and oil prices rising after US authorities pursued another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean [4][6] Corporate Developments - Shares of Uber and Lyft rose approximately 1.4% each following their announcements to launch robotaxi services in London next year through partnerships with Chinese technology company Baidu, with testing set to begin in the first half of 2026 [4][6] Economic Indicators - The US Labor Department is expected to release weekly data on jobless benefit applications, a key indicator of layoffs, on Wednesday [5][6] - Economic sentiment has weakened over the year due to persistent inflation, a cooling job market, and weaker retail sales, with businesses and households facing uncertainty from a US-led trade war [5][6] Federal Reserve Actions - The Federal Reserve has cut its benchmark interest rate in its last three meetings, despite inflation remaining above the 2% target, and is expected to keep rates unchanged at the January meeting [5][6] International Markets - European markets were mostly lower, with Germany's DAX flat and France's CAC 40 and Britain's FTSE 100 both down 0.4% [5][6] - Asian markets closed higher, led by Japan's Nikkei 225, which jumped 1.8% to 50,402.39, driven by gains in semiconductor stocks [5][6] Commodity Prices - US benchmark crude rose by $1.17 to $57.69 per barrel, while Brent crude increased by $1.23 to $61.70 per barrel [5][6] - Gold prices gained 1.3% to $4,443.10 per ounce, and silver surged over 2% to $68.90 per ounce, setting a new record [5][6]