Benzinga·2025-12-27 13:01Market Overview - Major U.S. stock indexes, including the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average, and Nasdaq, ended the holiday-shortened week with solid gains, with the S&P 500 reaching fresh record highs and up approximately 18% in 2025 [2][4] - Precious metals, particularly silver and gold, saw new highs driven by strong demand and supply constraints [2] Technology Sector - Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) led technology gains, supported by a significant licensing agreement with AI-chip start-up Groq, enhancing its competitive position [3] - Micron (NASDAQ:MU) continued its year-long rally, becoming one of the top performers in the S&P 500 for 2025 [3] - Nvidia plans to start shipping H200 AI chips to China by mid-February, potentially reopening a major market previously affected by export restrictions [7] Retail and Space Stocks - D-Wave Quantum, Rigetti Computing, and IonQ experienced stock price increases due to a "Santa Rally" driven by retail investor momentum, with D-Wave's stock rising nearly 20% after its system was confirmed for a CES 2026 showcase [6] - Space-related stocks surged following President Trump's executive order aimed at enhancing U.S. dominance in space, with companies like Sidus Space and Rocket Lab benefiting from the optimism surrounding commercial space activities [8] Defense Sector - China imposed sanctions on several U.S. defense companies, including Boeing and Northrop Grumman, in response to a significant U.S. arms sale to Taiwan, which has raised tensions between the two nations [11] Oracle's AI Strategy - Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) shares fell approximately 30% this quarter due to investor concerns over its aggressive AI infrastructure spending, despite adjusted earnings exceeding forecasts [12]