Stock Market Today: 'Santa Rally' Brings New Records for Dow and S&P 500 On Christmas Eve

Market Performance - The U.S. market closed positively on Christmas Eve, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average increasing by 0.60%, setting a new record at 48,731.16, driven by gains in 28 of its 30 components [2] - The S&P 500 also achieved a record close of 6,932.05, with only 111 components declining, supported by a diverse range of firms [3] - The Nasdaq composite rose by 0.22%, contributing to the overall positive market sentiment [3] - The Russell 2000 index increased by 0.20%, recovering from previous declines amid concerns over GDP growth impacting Federal Reserve rate cuts [3] Notable Stock Movements - Edgewise Therapeutics was the top performer, surging by 25.2% after completing a phase two trial for its heart disease drug [4] - Other significant gainers included Travere Therapeutics (+13.9%) and UiPath (+7.5%), indicating strong performance in the healthcare and technology sectors [4] - Conversely, AST SpaceMobile (-8.6%), Hycroft Mining (-8%), and D-Wave Quantum (-5.5%) experienced declines, reflecting a pullback in previously popular retail trades [5] Economic Data - Jobless claims data showed a mixed trend: initial claims decreased to 214,000 from 224,000, while continuing claims rose to 1.923 million from 1.885 million [6]