Stock Market News·2025-12-25 17:09Market Performance - The U.S. stock market was closed on December 25, 2025, for Christmas Day, with trading on both the NYSE and Nasdaq suspended for the entire day [1] - On December 24, 2025, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 288.75 points (0.5961%) to reach a new record high of 48,731.16 during a shortened trading session [1] Economic Indicators - A strong U.S. GDP report indicated an annualized growth rate of 4.3% in Q3, significantly exceeding expectations and marking the fastest expansion in two years [2] - The market is experiencing a "Santa Claus rally," where stocks typically rise during the final trading days of December and the early days of the new year [2] - Optimism regarding the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance corporate profits is contributing to positive market sentiment [2] - Expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in 2026 are also influencing investor confidence [2] Company-Specific Movements - Nike (NKE) was the biggest gainer among Dow-related stocks, increasing by 4.64% following news that Apple CEO Tim Cook doubled his stake in the company [3] - Other notable gainers included Merck (MRK), which rose by 1.34%, and Disney (DIS), which increased by 1.11% [3] - Nvidia (NVDA) was the biggest decliner, down by 0.61%, followed by Cisco (CSCO) with a slight dip of 0.18%, and Honeywell (HON) edging down by 0.06% [3]