Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 notch records, Nasdaq gains as Wall Street flies high into Christmas holiday

Market Performance - US stocks reached new record highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 0.6% (nearly 300 points) to close at a record high [1] - The S&P 500 rose by 0.3%, marking its second consecutive record close, while the Nasdaq Composite gained just under 0.2% [1][2] Economic Indicators - US GDP growth for the third quarter was reported at 4.3%, significantly higher than forecasts, driven by strong consumer spending [3] - Unemployment claims decreased for the second consecutive week, indicating a nominally improving economy, despite declining consumer confidence [5] Federal Reserve Outlook - The GDP data has led to a reduction in expectations for a January rate cut by the Federal Reserve, with only slightly more than 13% of traders anticipating this outcome [4] - Most traders still expect two rate cuts by the end of next year, reflecting ongoing divisions within the central bank [4] Commodity Market - Precious metals saw significant gains, with gold reaching an all-time high above $4,500 per ounce before reducing some gains, while silver also advanced to a record [6] - Platinum, however, experienced a decline of more than 3% [6] - Oil prices stabilized after a recent increase [6] Company News - Intel managed to limit its losses to around 0.5% after reports indicated that Nvidia halted a test using Intel's fabrication process for advanced chips [6]