Benzinga·2025-12-24 16:35Market Performance - The S&P 500 reached a new record, climbing past 6,920 points with a year-to-date gain of 17% [1] - Other major indices also saw modest gains, indicating a potential fifth consecutive session of increases as the year ends [2] - The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) fell to 13.7, the lowest level since mid-December 2024, reflecting reduced market anxiety [2] Notable Stock Movements - Top gainers in the S&P 500 included Sandisk Corp. and Nike Inc., both rising approximately 5% [2] - Nike shares increased following Apple CEO Tim Cook's purchase of 50,000 shares at $58.97 each [3] - Micron Technology extended its post-earnings rally to 27% over the past five sessions, gaining an additional 4% [3] Banking Sector Highlights - Major banks like Citigroup, J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America reached record levels, with Citigroup marking its sixteenth gain in the past seventeen sessions [3][4] Precious Metals and Crypto Markets - Precious metals experienced a pause in their rally, with gold slipping 0.4% after reaching an intraday high of $4,525 per ounce, and silver falling 0.8% after hitting $72.69 [4] - In the crypto market, Bitcoin decreased by 0.9% to around $87,000, marking a 7% decline year-to-date [5] ETF Performance - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF rose 0.2% to $633.80, while the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF gained 0.4% to $486.07 [7]